Back!

Well folks, I'm back. In more ways than one. I traveled last week to meet up with my mother in New York. I had either a really bad cold or a relatively mild flu, and was coughing, congested, you name it. Being in 20-degree weather didn't help matters. But it was fabulous! I bought the unlimited use for a day subway pass for $7 and had a blast going around town. I spent an entire day at the American Museum of Natural History. What a great experience.

But most importantly, I got to hang out with my mother. The older I get, the better I seem to get along with my mother. I really do admire her, especially for the way she's bounced back after my father passed away in June of last year. Like me, she misses him like crazy, but she sure is keeping very, very active. She's starting on her own PhD some time later this year.

I suppose that sort of settled it for me. I don't have a choice. I have put so much time, energy, blood, sweat, and tears into this PhD thing, I just have to give it one good, last shot. I have a year, I'm going to try and make it work.

I'm still undecided about the singing committee member. My adviser wants him to stay on. I don't know what I'm going to do.

On a lighter note, when I returned home, hubby came to pick me up with F1-2 and our youngest, F1-3 in the car. I got happy smiles from F1-2, but when I greeted F1-3, she turned her head and looked out the window. She was visibly pissed at me! Unbelievably, she ignored me for the better part of an hour, and whenever I tried to talk to her or offer her something, she would dramatically turn her head and look away. Eventually she did acknowledge my existence, and by now we're best friends again, but it took quite some time. While I was gone, I talked to her twice a day over the phone, and she sounded very happy. My husband says she was fine, and did not give any indication that she missed me, except for the first day when she asked for me a few times. Strange kid! If this is any indication for what's in store for us, we're in big trouble.