A quick tour of the highlights and then I'm outta here ... probably until Monday (anyone who I responded to about links, etc. don't worry ... they will happen but next week).
A&M ... Gig 'Em!
- Texas A&M has a great campus and everyone was so friendly that I began to liken it to Hannah's high school mentally ... that good culture being aggressively cultivated so it actually works. I can't count how many times I was surprised to be just passing people on the sidewalk and have them look over, smile, and say "Howdy." (The official Aggie greeting and one which Hannah may eventually say naturally but I never will.)
- The weight of tradition is heavy there. It is almost Catholic in their number of devotions, probably multiplied by having the Corp of Cadets there. However, like Catholicism it seems that one can pick and choose favorite devotions and they all contribute well to making you an Aggie (although that "12th Man" thing about standing through an entire football game? That's just nuts...).
- Hannah spent most of the time wanting to go home, except when she was choosing classes ... her philosophy teacher will be ecstatic to get Hannah's email about her planned minor in philosophy. Zoology and philosophy from a traditional Catholic ... now that's gonna be an interesting mix. We likened her lack of enthusiasm to that first huge plunge into the cold pool. A big dose of "really leaving home" reality. Rose told me, "Mom, you've been too nice to us and made it too cushy." New resolve: begin cruelty measures to make her want to leave. (ha!)
- However, on the way home, Hannah became more cheerful as we talked about all the things to do to make a dorm room more homey ("I saw a 'Hello Kitty' body pillow when I was working the remodel at Target," she said.), the high school friends that are also going there, and her excitement over getting to take rock climbing for PE.
- A sock is indeed the perfect "road" knitting project (even for a total newbie like me) except don't rush off so fast that you leave all your instructions and any extra yarn. You then stall after finishing the ribbing and heel flap, remaining frustrated until you can begin turning the heel.
- Note to self: when both you and your husband are having niggling "maybe we should check the oil" thoughts, especially for no apparent reason ... just go ahead and check the damned oil! That way you might not wind up stranded in Waxahachie with the motor frozen up because the (again damned) oil light didn't light up until after the oil was all gone.
- The good news is that we made it to a gas station, coasting in as the motor seized ... thanks for those prayers answered, guardian angel mine!
- More good news is that when no one was home who we called for a ride, there was a wrecking service very close by with a tow truck ready for the next assignment with no waiting.
- Extra good news was that he had a double cab and could give us all a ride home (we were about 30 miles out of Dallas). He was one of those good, old country boys who are my favorites ... laconic but smart and with a wry sense of humor that deliver low key punchlines and watch with a twinkle to see if you get it. We did and had a great trip home.
- Of course, the bad news ... the van is 10 years old and according to our mechanic it is a toss-up as to whether it is worth spending $3,500 on a new engine. So now we have to begin trying to decide what to do.
- Luckily, the immediate solution to such an adventure after being gone is to order a large pizza and watch last week's taped Hell's Kitchen and a few of the Ghost Hunter episodes (1st season DVD lent by a friend). While grabbing sock instructions and turning the heel, y'all!
Yesterday morning we discovered that Tom's car won't start either. Good thing we have the car formerly known as "Hannah's car" ... now known as OUR ONLY car.
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