I talked to my sister last night and I told her I thought I was done with the semester. As it turns out, the professor who wanted to hold class the night of the shooting rescheduled two class meetings to accommodate everyone. I will be Skyped in on Monday afternoon. Two hours on Skype? We’ll see how that goes.
Yesterday I archived all my school work, tidied up the apartment and brought my plant home. I’m just waiting for grades. Aside from one paper that I got back on Thursday morning, I’ve received zero grades this semester. What are the odds that both of the classes I took have no grades so far? It’s not like we didn’t have assignments due.
I talked to my advisor/professor on Thursday morning and we’re set on my project for next semester. I’m so happy that the project is going to be pretty large-scale (ultimately training faculty members) and that it is paying for my tuition next year. There’s also some money left over for me to work as a part-time graduate assistant. I think that pretty much means I’ll be paid to do school work…sweet! While it isn’t a lot of money (actually, I have no idea how much), it will be nice to be able to concentrate on the last semester and not worry about employment until late spring.
In other news, we’ve done nothing about decorating for Christmas. We’re about to head out to see if we can find brighter lights for the windows and, hopefully, a tree. I’m ready to decorate and get with the making merry. The Nieces gifts arrived this week (all hail the internet) and I’m thinking about some homemade gifts for friends. I rooted a piece of the
Aunt Annie plant for the better-half’s aunt. I’m sure she’ll be happy to receive it. The actual Aunt Annie was her aunt and that plant is a family favorite. In fact, when the better-half’s aunt (MB) stayed at our house for Thanksgiving, she asked that I root a piece for her.
Now that I think about it, here’s a long story. Gather ’round.
Once upon a time there was a livestock barn that my MIL’s parents had on their farm. That particular barn held junk and old furniture. In that barn was a unique cedar chest. It was unique because it looks more like a sideboard than a typical cedar chest. One day the MIL and her sister-in-law (AD) pulled the chest out of the barn and restored it. The chest stood in the MIL’s house for years.
When the MIL’s house was sold, the better-half checked with his mother and asked where the cedar chest should go. She said let AD have it since we both worked so hard to restore the piece. When the better-half dropped it off, AD said when she dies it will come back to him. The better-half likes the piece, but I don’t think he’s that sentimental about it. He’s happy that his aunt is happy.
Here’s where it gets complicated. During the process of selling the MIL’s house, MB said that cedar chest is a family piece and it should go to family (MB is MIL’s sister). The better-half said don’t worry and has been evasive about it since then. When MB spent the night at our house for Thanksgiving, she apparently did some furniture counting. The day after Thanksgiving she asked where the cedar chest was. The better-half said it was with AD. MB said that’s a family piece. The better-half said AD is borrowing it. I remained silent but couldn’t help but think that if AD isn’t family (because she is my husband’s aunt) then I am clearly not either.
As I think about the Aunt Annie plant, I’m a bit torn about the whole idea of who deserves what…it’s a family plant. Shouldn’t it stay in the family?
Actually, I don’t give a rat’s ass. I just like to point out the hypocrisy. I’ll root a piece for MB in the spring.
