Sunny November

Oh it's not where you are? I'm so sorry! The weather has been beautiful here in North Carolina and it is one more reason why I am so happy to be here.

This semester is so different from any I've had before. I think it may have something to do with being in love - and with the wonderful man I'm in love with. I started off the semester in a state of panic, wondering how I was going to juggle school (which has always been a 50-60 hour a week job) with spending time with my fiancé, with taking time to cook and eat real meals, and clean house, and take care of our 10 hilarious guinea fowl, and all the other million things one does as a normal human being (but that I often didn't as a single human being). Well, Paul was understanding, kind, soothing - and practical. "Of course I will come and pick you up from Duke twice a week" (a round trip drive of an hour for him). "Of course the most important thing is to get you through school, if that is what you want to do." Which means that my dear man cooks, and shops, and cleans - all with his not un-busy schedule of writing, meetings, etc etc.

The end result is that I am relaxed (a plus for him I am sure!) and managing to balance things - to the extent of being able even to travel with him this weekend to a writers conference he's attending - we drove up to Asheville yesterday, I worked all evening, and am working today while he is at the conference - but it was nice to have breakfast together and to have the drive together.

I have had to close down the possibility for you people to comment directly on this blog - junk mail was starting to come through and I hate it. So, you will have to just email me (elg at email dot unc dot edu) if you want to comment.