"The leaves of life are falling down around you girl......."

Looks like life is picking up again; when the leaves come down, something's gotta go up, right? I'm slowly doing more, still being careful not to overdo like I did in August (that was a huge mistake: set me back more than a month!). It's worth the effort to be early for school so I don't have to run for the bus like I did the first Thursday, and since I drive myself, I can leave as early as I want. Good ol' Frank is back on his four wheels again after a blowout on the highway and a half-week in the driveway, and I've just about put the Advil away for good, so it's just a matter of time before all is back to normal again. We'll see.

Wedding planning is one of the main topics of conversation between Jo and I (along with brainstorming our respective latest creative projects). I've discovered already, after only one trip so far, that wedding dress shopping is exhausting, both for the bride-2-b and for the one who goes along! It was fun, though estimating dress sizes nearly requires a degree! Jo and I had a great time with the size-16 bridesmaid top, now remembered as the life jacket incident. I was laughing so hard I couldn't stand up *laughs*. Jo tried on the most amazing dress ~ she says it was "the "wow!" dress" ~ actually, she looked great in all the dresses she tried on. Not like me - but that was because they were all waaaay to big! I wonder where we're going next?

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Well, it's good to be back at school! My schedule is the best so far, and I enjoy all but one class; E. and I are both wondering why we signed up for that one ( = for the credit). The rest are fantastic and interesting, for the most part. Night class kills me, though. Three hours of reading and analyzing essays? Oh well, at least we get a break halfway through. I've discovered a fascination for linguistics, and the Roman military. I love the mechanics of languages and military strategy. Ancient art can be like that, too: the architecture, or the proportions of imperial sculpture. Last week, Rev. Mulder gave me a wonderful book titled "Ancient Culture in Pictures"; actually, that's a translation, since the book is in Dutch. It makes for a great review, matching the Dutch names with the English ones I learned in the last few years. I'm also looking forward to next semester, when I have a course on ancient sanctuaries. This is great!

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I've just begun reading The Hills is Lonely, about a woman who goes on a doctor-commanded vacation to the Hebrides. I'm not very far into it yet, so I can't say how I like it, but even wondering what it's about makes me wish my doctor had ordered a vacation! I've been wanting to get out and go somewhere different ever since I heard S. and M. talking about traveling all over the world while I worked with them this summer. Added to that, lately I've just wanted to get out and go somewhere, some place even just a few hours away, just to get in the car and drive off. I don't even know where I want to go, just that I want to. My art history professor keeps telling us that we have to go to Rome sometime; okay, that's more than a few hours' drive, but it's still very high on my list. There's also been talk of going to Holland, and Florida, and Paris....... *sigh* Someday. For now there's the Internet, and dreams.

Octopus's Garden

I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus's garden in the shade
He'd let us in, knows where we've been
In his octopus's garden in the shade
I'd ask my friends to come and see
An octopus's garden with me
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus's garden in the shade

We would be warm below the storm
In our little hideaway beneath the waves
Resting our head on the sea bed
In an octopus's garden near a cave
We would sing and dance around
Because we know we can't be found
I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus's garden in the shade

We would shout and swim about
The coral that lies beneath the waves
(Lies beneath the ocean waves)
Oh what joy for every girl and boy
Knowing they're happy and they're safe
(Happy and they're safe)
We would be so happy you and me
No one there to tell us what to do

I'd like to be under the sea
In an octopus's garden with you
In an octopus's garden with you
In an octopus's garden with you

~ Ringo Starr

Whoo! Long post!