…and approved.

Posted on April 29, 2015 by barefootrooster

That means I’ve done everything I need to do to receive the degree at the end of next month. One more conference next week, but this is the homestretch of a lot of things.

Got notice about final approval this morning. Want to see how we spent our day? (I mean, after a bunch of work and teaching-related emails, which I did not photo-document.)

I took a blanket out to a natural area owned by my university. Boh licked all the different kinds of grass, and then basked, like this, in the sun. I started a book.

And then I finished it on the porch, after stopping for my first soft-serve ice cream cone of the season.

I made multiple trips to the library this evening to return books, because I’ll need to clear out my account before graduation. (But I did make a big pdf of everything I had checked out so I can go back to some of this stuff when it is time to begin the process of revising the dissertation into a book manuscript.)

And then we did a little more lounging while listening to the new Mandolin Orange album, streaming here. (To be released next week.) I still have teaching work to do, but I’ll prep for tomorrow’s afternoon class in the morning. Knitting soon, I promise!

filed (!) and…

Posted on April 28, 2015 by barefootrooster

Boh and I basically sat on the couch like this all weekend, formatting my dissertation.

I made up new rules for myself, like when you’re working on an enormous bibliography, it is okay to eat avocado, sriracha, and cheese broiled on toast for dinner. (I think it’s a great rule.)

Even though it is supposed to be spring, we had a bit of a relapse…

Boh shared my enthusiasm for the shift in weather. See?

But yesterday, I filed my dissertation. (Well, I hit the button to submit it, and I’m still waiting to hear if I managed to screw up the formatting.) But I also did something else, something I’ve been daydreaming about for years. I got my dissertation tattoo, a downy woodpecker, beautifully drawn for me by a woman who owns my favorite coffee shop and works at the tattoo parlor in the back.

(Ignore that bruise; it’s from a blood draw earlier this week.) I knew I wanted a bird, but I picked this bird, specifically, because there’s a female downy woodpecker who regularly comes pretty close to the house when I’m writing on the porch. This bird is about a lot of things: she’s connected to my research, but also to the home I’ve built here, to these last seven years of graduate school, and also to the movement (migration?) ahead of me. Isn’t she beautiful?

still not knitting…

Posted on April 23, 2015 by barefootrooster

…but I need to add my voice to the chorus of folks saying that the new Alabama Shakes album is AMAZING. Seriously. I loved their first album — Brittany Howard is the real deal, and also, I’m a fan of any lady who writes a song where the dude says, “Now let me take you out, buy you new appliances…”

But this is pretty incredible. Here’s Don’t Wanna Fight and Gimme All Your Love. The rest of the album is just as good. And perfect for this turn back toward winter we’ve been experiencing. Might get some snow flurries today, highs in the forties.

More of the same around here:

Boh, “helping” me prep for class.

More popcorn with the curry-cumin-cinnamon-salt spice mixture.

First spring flowers in the yard!

More “helping,” this time with formatting the bibliography of the dissertation.

Another professor costume. K. says that I should call it a uniform instead of a costume, since I’m not pretending. We’ll see about that :)

Boh keeps watch over the front yard.

And smiles after a great walk through the park. This dog is thrilled about spring. (We should be back to spring temps after a cooler today/tomorrow.)

a (quiet) day in the life (of boh).

Posted on April 19, 2015 by barefootrooster

Turns out I did a pretty good job of documenting Boh’s movements yesterday. Together they add up to a quiet, but accurate, portrait of a Saturday filled with dissertation polishing on the porch:

We started with coffee and some reading. (I’m considering assigning this at the end of one of my classes this fall, so it counts as work, even though it is definitely “fun” work.)

While I read and drank my coffee, Boh looked at his reflection in the porch window.

And then he spent some time looking at me, like, hey, we’re ALMOST outside, can we just keep going?

And then he settled down in the patch of sun under my favorite yellow table.

And tried to get comfortable.

He stayed here, in this patch of sun, for a few hours.

It seems he was so comfortable there that he didn’t even move when I got up to make some lunch.

Yesterday afternoon, we took a nice, long stroll with our friend R. Boh was very happy to see him; R. stays with Boh at the lake house sometimes when I travel for conferences and research. We walked all through one of my favorite neighborhoods, and ended up here, at the waterfalls that are quite close to town. I’ve never seen this waterfall rage so hard–must be a combination of quick melting and steady spring rain. Boh put his paws in the water.

More porch working, and then I decided to make a big batch of popcorn. (Boh is just out of the frame. He loves popcorn–or rather, thinks he would love popcorn if I let him have any.) This batch is dusted with a mixture of curry powder, smoked paprika, salt, cinnamon, and cumin. Not sure where I got the ratios (they are just scribbled inside a cookbook now), but I like these spices on popcorn a lot.

After a break (I just went back to the beginning of Orphan Black because the new season just started, so I’m appreciating anew how amazing Tatiana Maslany is in that show), back to work. Boh napped in what little space I was not hogging on the couch.

And then, sleepy from our walk today, Boh played at being a lap dog.

He doesn’t often curl up and stay like this for hours, but last night he found a comfortable spot and just settled in.

He even let me get out my book.

I figured we’d sit like this for a little while, and then all of a sudden I’d stayed up pretty late finishing the book while Boh snored. Coffee’s ready, so time to begin today’s version of all of this. Happy weekend, friends.

ruination day (april 14)

Posted on April 14, 2015 by barefootrooster

Gillian Welch’s “April the 14th Part 1” is worth a listen all the time, but maybe especially today. And thank you, friends, for all your kind words and congratulations. It hasn’t really hit me yet that I did this thing. Maybe once I’ve filed the thing at the end of the month?

Anyway, my first few days as a doctor involved catching up on some sleep, eating breakfast on the porch, and taking some solid walks with my sweet dog. (And some actual celebrating.) Want to see?

Boh, basking in the sun. (I had to laugh–his eyes were closed, but he was holding up his head and sort of nodding as he fell asleep.)

More beautiful flowers to celebrate. I love spring flowers.

Our local waterfall, raging after a lot of spring rain.

Boh was pretty excited about it — can you see that he’s drooling? (This is a little gross, but Boh only drools when he is excited, either on a really great walk filled with good smells, or when he’s playing outside with new dog friends. His drool is really…viscous? So he’ll be running around with a serious strand of it hanging from his mouth. Sort of icky, but also strangely endearing.)

Celebratory beverage, the first. I have decided that all beverages should be chilled with ice spheres.

Warm enough for bare legs! Also worth celebrating after such a long winter.

Porch breakfast (scrambled eggs, salsa, corn tortillas), flowers, and a matching notebook. (For slowly getting back to work.)

My trusty sidekick, snoring under the table. I’ll take it. No knitting to share right now, but I imagine I’ll be back to it soon…

dr. rooster

Posted on April 10, 2015 by barefootrooster

I’ve spent the week reading my dissertation.

And today, I put on one version of my professor costume (I will never not call it that, K.), and headed to campus for my dissertation defense. And after a lovely, productive conversation about my work, and congratulations from my committee, I came home and crossed the defense off my list for good.

And then a dear friend brought over beautiful flowers.

Aren’t they lovely? They’re my first fresh flowers of spring. What a perfect day for them. I think it will take awhile for today’s milestone to really sink in, but hooray!

Signed,

Dr. Rooster

april (almost there).

Posted on April 6, 2015 by barefootrooster

Hi, friends. Boh had a rough week. Those of you who’ve been here awhile can probably tell that this face is not Boh’s regular sad face.

He did not feel good on Wednesday, and was having trouble getting up onto the couch. He tried to jump up into the car and missed, which broke my heart. So we went to the vet.

And after lots of bloodwork to rule out the scary stuff, the diagnosis was that he tweaked something in his back. Armed with pain meds and orders to not jump, play, or take walks for a week, we headed back home.

And the weather turned into pretty good hunkering weather. The fog sat low over the lake, which made the yard look eerie.

Eerie but lovely.

And look! Spring might be here soon. The daffodils are trying, anyway.

Somebody’s feeling a little better. Good enough to make that super quizzical face at the huge pile of paper on my lap. (That’s a draft of my DISSERTATION, you guys!)

And here’s a roasted beet salad I made the other night. Farm beets, homemade dressing, and bread I picked up at opening day of our farmers’ market.

Beer to help with the grading. (I’ll confess, I picked this half because I miss the West, and half because of the sheep. Beer for knitters?)

Still sleepy, but he’s definitely feeling better. The sun is shining today, and I’m so ready for Boh to finish his meds so we can get back to all of our favorite spots. Happy spring, friends. (And maybe there will be some knitting soon? I’ve got a blanket to finish, and I did recently offer to make someone a hat…)

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barefoot rooster

cockadoodle-doo: one rooster's ramblings

Monthly Archives: April 2015