I thought I should write about our new home in St. Louis. We're living on Russell Blvd., which is about 5 or 6 blocks north of Tower Grove Park. The house is one of many lovely turn-of-the-century brick gabled houses in the area...prompting Diana to suggest that she feels like Anne of Green Gables in her room. We're living on the 3rd floor of the house, Diana at the front with her two gables, and me at the back with one. My room (pictured) is quite cozy in yellow and green, with its two armchairs, and window seat.
Our housemate, Mary Sue, is easy-going and very helpful. Last week I had a bit of a jinxed week. On Wednesday, as I was driving Luis out to the airport to see him take off back to Spain, the air-conditioning on the car I was leasing went kaput. In 95 degree weather, with who knows what kind of humidity (my hair was seriously out of control), that needed taking care of right away. Naturally, there were no other cars available, and on the instructions of the car rental company, I perspired home to wait for them to bring me a new car…when I really wanted to be at the university, nervously preparing for my classes. Ah, but of course! I have this new laptop…so as I waited (and waited) for the car, I prepared my linguistics class notes and a nice little Powerpoint presentation (this for a 2 ½ hour class). Finally at 3 I called to see where my replacement set of wheels might be…still no cars in. I had a little tantrum and hung up the phone…when it came to me that I could just get the car next day, so I redialed and sheepishly suggested that option. Then I perspired on over to the university with a little over an hour to spare before my class. But of course! Microsoft Office 2007 programs refuse to even speak to Microsoft Office 2003, so I couldn’t access the work I’d done while at home. So my first day teaching the linguistics class in a “smart” classroom saw me using the overhead projector and the chalkboard…just a little flustered…enough to suggest that /l/ is an unvoiced consonant. Oh well, the students got it right!
Then on Thursday, with Mary Sue just driving away to her workplace (in case you were wondering about the first sentence of the previous paragraph, now the connection comes...), I put my key into the dead bolt lock on the front door in order to make sure the door was locked while I was up having a shower and getting ready to go pick up this new rental car and then off the SLU to teach my graduate class. I turned the key…and locked the door, and then somehow, as I twisted the key back, the cylinder pulled partially out, with the key in its clutch, and it wouldn’t let it go. I couldn’t get my key out, and couldn’t unlock the door! I was locked in (I forgot that houses have back doors!) After a few moments of panicking and wondering if I shouldn't just go back to Madrid, I phoned Mary Sue who came back and opened the door from the outside and took care of things without ever losing her smile, and without ever suggesting that it was anyone's fault but the lock and its age...so I'm staying! (though for 3 days now we’ve had to use the back door). The locksmith will fix it soon – but it is Labor Day weekend, so it’s not going to happen before Tuesday.
Our housemate, Mary Sue, is easy-going and very helpful. Last week I had a bit of a jinxed week. On Wednesday, as I was driving Luis out to the airport to see him take off back to Spain, the air-conditioning on the car I was leasing went kaput. In 95 degree weather, with who knows what kind of humidity (my hair was seriously out of control), that needed taking care of right away. Naturally, there were no other cars available, and on the instructions of the car rental company, I perspired home to wait for them to bring me a new car…when I really wanted to be at the university, nervously preparing for my classes. Ah, but of course! I have this new laptop…so as I waited (and waited) for the car, I prepared my linguistics class notes and a nice little Powerpoint presentation (this for a 2 ½ hour class). Finally at 3 I called to see where my replacement set of wheels might be…still no cars in. I had a little tantrum and hung up the phone…when it came to me that I could just get the car next day, so I redialed and sheepishly suggested that option. Then I perspired on over to the university with a little over an hour to spare before my class. But of course! Microsoft Office 2007 programs refuse to even speak to Microsoft Office 2003, so I couldn’t access the work I’d done while at home. So my first day teaching the linguistics class in a “smart” classroom saw me using the overhead projector and the chalkboard…just a little flustered…enough to suggest that /l/ is an unvoiced consonant. Oh well, the students got it right!
Then on Thursday, with Mary Sue just driving away to her workplace (in case you were wondering about the first sentence of the previous paragraph, now the connection comes...), I put my key into the dead bolt lock on the front door in order to make sure the door was locked while I was up having a shower and getting ready to go pick up this new rental car and then off the SLU to teach my graduate class. I turned the key…and locked the door, and then somehow, as I twisted the key back, the cylinder pulled partially out, with the key in its clutch, and it wouldn’t let it go. I couldn’t get my key out, and couldn’t unlock the door! I was locked in (I forgot that houses have back doors!) After a few moments of panicking and wondering if I shouldn't just go back to Madrid, I phoned Mary Sue who came back and opened the door from the outside and took care of things without ever losing her smile, and without ever suggesting that it was anyone's fault but the lock and its age...so I'm staying! (though for 3 days now we’ve had to use the back door). The locksmith will fix it soon – but it is Labor Day weekend, so it’s not going to happen before Tuesday.
Mary Sue took me today to see one of the Gateway Cup bicycle races - a tradition on Labor Day weekend in St. Louis, as one of her sons is a participant. We went to the one in The Hill – the Italian district not too far from where we live. I definitely want to get back to that area to try some of the cafes, shops and restaurants out…
Another Labor Day treat in St. Louis – the Japanese Festival, in the Botanical Gardens…a 6 block walk from our house. Too many people (so we couldn’t get into see the kimonos)…but Diana and I did get the chance to see some martial arts practice, a string of enthusiastic children pulling around a dashi – an ornately decorated cart with a couple of people beating a taiko drum, and a whole crowd of even more enthusiastic adults shouting and parading around an omikoshi (a portable Shinto shrine). I was hoping to find some onigiri at the food stands, but none seemed to be offered.
Another Labor Day treat in St. Louis – the Japanese Festival, in the Botanical Gardens…a 6 block walk from our house. Too many people (so we couldn’t get into see the kimonos)…but Diana and I did get the chance to see some martial arts practice, a string of enthusiastic children pulling around a dashi – an ornately decorated cart with a couple of people beating a taiko drum, and a whole crowd of even more enthusiastic adults shouting and parading around an omikoshi (a portable Shinto shrine). I was hoping to find some onigiri at the food stands, but none seemed to be offered.
Oh well…the city has so much else on offer! I look forward to seeing more...
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