Aug 31

I came down to the south a little over a week ago. It's been crazy busy and won't slow down anytime soon. That's ok. I like life busy. ;)

• The weather's been wishy-washy- cool and breezy one day, sunny and breezy and warm the next, humid and miserable the next, then cooler again, then downright hot again. I guess it's typical late summer weather. 
• Ukrainian schools open tomorrow- all schools. From Universities on down to grade schools. They always begin Sept 1st (or a day or 2 later if the 1st is on the weekend). They always close on May 31st (or a day or 2 later if it falls on a weekend). Always. No exceptions, anywhere, ever...as far as I know. I kind of like it- no confusion, everyone's on the same schedule. 
• Remember this kid? She graduated from university and has taken a position teaching German at a university. I'm in awe. When did she turn into a Big Girl? Her whole family is growing up while I turn around and I'm not quite ready for it...
• went to see this darling little dumpling today... and his mommy, too. Mom is a former student of S'. The last all-nighter I ever pulled was with S and this kid's mom. May, 2005- She had to do her final paper and at the last minute, didn't have access to a computer or a printer. So, we all stayed up all night typing and proofing and printing and collating and stuffing pages into sheet protectors. And then had a 6 am bus to Odessa. S&I slept the whole way. And the whole day was a blur. That's when I knew I was officially too old for that kind of stuff! ;)
• Mom telling Daughter good-bye. Met them in town, had lunch with them then helped wave Daughter off on the bus. School starts tomorrow. She'll be there. Way up north. She gets home about twice during the school year and then for the summer. These 2 mean the world to each other. I've never heard a cross word from either directed at the other. Glad we had a little more time with them, too...together. Special.
• It's pouring down rain. CatsAndDogs. Well- we need the rain. Walking down dirt streets and through fields- you're gliding through ankle-deep dust. Quite a contrast to the mud from June.