hot

And it is going to get a lot hotter. I am happily ensconsed in the air conditioned library, working on my big book chapter. Coming together, but needing some extra tweaking. Sienna is out with Ferrell this pm - they spend every thursday afternoon together, while I go and work on writing.
Book deadline approaching in September, and lots to do before that...but very excited about it. All about health and exceptional human experiences, and based on papers presented at the conference in Liverpool last September.
Sienna is a wonderful little person. [only negative is that we are having a few issues with hitting, but I am hoping this is just a phase....].
Her language amazing, and she has recently become quite an expert at going to the loo, and starting to (occasionally) sleep in her own bed all night long, until I say that, and then The 3am migrations start up again. Preschool ends next week, and so we are going to need to get on the ball in terms of finding some fun things for her to do with other little people. Thinking of Salsa tots, and possibly a gym class...will have to get ourselves organised.

approaching summer

It is a beautiful May day. I am in the library, and realised that it has been an aeon since I last posted about the developments in our world. I have 4 minutes left on my library time, so will have to save a long blog for another day.
But, we are about to enter a new era for our family...looking to stay in Carrboro for at least another year (dependent on whether my career break at Hope gets approved, or not). All very exciting, and scary, simultaneously!
Sienna is a wonderful little person....full of the joys of spring. She has learned to ride her tricycle, and is quite the little girl, who currently has a very strong English accent (yay) after our recent visitation to Blighty and the influence of cousin Jasmine. More soon....

January chill

It has been mighty cold, but today the sun is shining which makes me a very happy person indeed. I have been a tad envious of the British snow, but I am a reptile, and so would always prefer to be sun kissed and happy. Just seen Steve and Sienna for a quick lunch, than grabbed a coffee whilst I waited for a computer at the Cybrary....I am working on 6 things at the same time which is a particular pattern of mine. Working on a PK questionnaire, with Sally Rhine Feather...hoping to get it up and running very soon, and then take some of the results to present in Paris in July (where the Parapsychology Association Convention is taking place this year -very very exciting). Also working on participant recruitment for my upcoming study....and reading and reviewing a book on magic.
Better get back to it, as this is creative faffulation, and I have a lot to do!

Snow is falling

And so are pine needles; on my living room floor! This is a strange experience. I have been in the US for the "holidays" before, but just as a visitor. This is the first time I have actually experienced the entire thing, as a person who lives here (abeit non-permanently) and it is all making me miss the UK and its christmas spirit. Despite the festitivity everywhere, I am noticing subtle and not so subtle cultural differences. One main thing is that in the UK, things are predominantly still "christmas", whilst over here, in an excellently pc manner, all religious approaches to the holidays are embraced in an equal manner. Which I think is great. But it also feels strange to me, being so embroiled in "christmas" for my entire life. So, I have been feeling some pangs for Britain.
So much of christmas in the UK usually annoys me, but I have found myself buying a really awful christmas cd; and hunting high and low for mince pies (omnipresent in the UK and something of an expensioso gourmet item over here!!!). Very amusing to my family who cannot believe that mince pies could be so rare. Steve actually found some in the international supermarket in Charlottesville (where we visited last week), and I am going to (attempt to) make some prior to our festive party, which will now take place on 2nd January. It was supposed to happen on saturday (19th) but we have had a poorly Sienna so we had to move it back a couple of weeks.
Still have a few prezzies to purchase, so will need to be zooping around a little today and tomorrow. And then we are off to Winston Salem to spend christmas eve and christmas with Harald and Vickie and Lena, Steve's parents and Vickie's parents. We are having Italian Christmas; with fish on christmas eve and lasagne on christmas day. Then, Steve and I are going to cook British Christmas dinner on saturday or sunday in sunny Reidsville (so, I will get my brussells sprouts! Steve thinks noone else will eat them, but maybe sienna will be a fan?!?!?!).
Generally, Miss Sienna is getting very excited about christmas; which is so gorgeous to watch. I cannot wait to see her open her presents!!
Missing British friends and family a LOT; so sending you all a massive christmas hug and a happy new year for 2010.

Thanksgiving in Winston Salem

We are back in Carrboro for the weekend after a couple of days in Winston Salem celebrating Thanksgiving....A family festive fest where one eats a very large Turkey meal and lurks with the family in a manner very similar to christmas. Still feeling a little like we are "just visiting", so rather liminal....just trying to live in the moment and enjoy. The weather is still glorious by day, autumn colours continuing to radiate against a blue sky....but cold by night...it does feel very festive. Ms Sienna had a wonderful time with Ms Lena, running around like total loonies and up to all sorts of games. Sienna told Lena she was her best friend yesterday; all very cute. And today, she is continuing to play the games they started yesterday, fetching pretend drinks from a mysterious magical source and giving them to me. Today we went for breakfast at Johnny's - crepes and coffee outside! looked at a few christmas trees and met with another carrboro couple who have littluns. I have bought advent calendars and lights for the house...and generally feel excited about christmas this year - as I think that Sienna is just going to love it. It is a good feeling being in our own home today....and just pottering around. Wish we could go back to UK over the christmas holidays! Missing UK people a lot, but still grateful for an opportunity to be here.
The Project is plodding along nicely - steve is writing The Program, and I am working on finding participants....all very exciting. Hoping to start testing bods in January, so sort of on schedule.
Hoping to make british crimbo cake - but need mum to send me the recipe,and find things like marzipan over here...and hoping to host a little festive gathering at our tiny place with mulled wine and mince pies (if we can find them over here!!).
Phew, I am stuffed (just eaten a large slice of pecan pie after thanksgiving, so tihnk am going on a healthy eating plan from now on).

Settling to life in the U S of A

We are finally feeling settled over here in North Carolina. It has taken a while, and been an epic journey of limbo-land existence and living out of a suitcase. We moved into our apartment in Carrboro a month ago, and now have furniture (but no furnishings as yet). It is becoming a home, but still feels new and empty. We need some arty things in there. A mission to World Market is in order, methinks.
Sienna started a really wonderful preschool a couple of weeks ago. We lucked out with the place as it is a really popular school with a huge waiting list....it just so happened that they had an opening for a girl at the right time. She has only been to around 4 sessions so far, but is very happy there...lots of arty things, playing outside and the women who run it are just great (Rachel and Steph). Last week was halloween, which is simply huge in the States. Felt very festive and there were pumpkins everywhere, and kids getting very excited, and all dressing up as all sorts of things! Sienna decided that she wanted to be a cat (after Dora the explorer on one of her videos), and was a very cute cat indeed...we went to a Carrboro halloween fair, and then a very small exploration of americana (trick or treating)ending up at Jenifer's house for an early evening get together.
As for me, I am submerged in experiment planning, at the Rhine research center, in UNC library and occasionally up at UVA (only made it up there twice thus far though - another trip is in order!). Also did a presentation with Sally Rhine Feather the other day, and a very scary radio "interview" yesterday, with some individuals who are of a very extreme spiritual/new agey belief system and who wanted to epouse this belief system as The Truth and tell Sally and I that the Rhine center should also be expressing this truth and giving up on experiments. Very glad its over. Certainly an experience.
Steve is seeking work...hoping for something local and part time for now...we will see what is around the corner.
This week is Birthday week, so I am celebrating left, right and centre - out with Ginette on monday for the most delicious indian food, tomorrow night is cocktailnight with females, and friday (birthday) Steve and I are going out, while Ferrell babysits sienna; how very exciting! spoilt for choice as to where to go though - lots of fabulous restaurants around here.
Back to The Experimento.

Thirza Mary English, 5th August 1921- 26th September 2009

Last saturday, my Granny, Thirza Mary English, moved into her final sleep after three years of living in a lost, confusing half-world of dementia. She started to become lost when I came back from USA in 2005, and since then, she has moved more and more into her own dreamscape. We should then perhaps remember her as she was, when her personality, and soul were intact, and the disease did not disintegrate and unravel her. And the normal aging process made her look different and lost.
She was a wonderful granny. And remembering her makes me know how lucky I am to have had a happy childhood, when so many do not.
I remember. Her telling me not to grow up too quickly when I told her I wanted breasts (!); her teaching Nicola and I how to knit (but our scarves tripled in width and were all wonky) and make rag dollies. We spent hours pottering around her garden in the summer, we loved the flowers (the fuschias were fairies) and we made perfume out of rose petals, which turned a beautiful shade of yellow-brown each time we did it (to our surprise). We made a den out of her clothes rail and old wooden chairs, and lurked for hours underneath blankets which smelled of their house. We made coconut ice and honeycomb crisp in the kitchen, and went on day trips to dunstable downs and Cassiobury park. We used to go round for sunday tea, and had bread and butter and home made ice cream (which I never did like, but Nicola loved). We loved going to their house, and used to take it in turns to stay over night on a saturday.
She was Mary, and she has been and will be missed. I wish she could have known her great grandchildren.