Our journey North

We set out on a fine February day for a journey north...little did we anticipate how we'd have to pass through frozen wastelands on the way to a birthday party...

Starting out...sunny and 50...

A few hours later...still sunny and mid-40's, but what's that on the horizon...


Getting cooler and cloudier...hmmmm....


Freezing point! But still some blue sky...


*sigh* no more blue sky...and why can't we see the mountains anymore?

Oh yeah...that's why-welcome to Siberia!

What to call your teacher

I always start the semester by telling my students to call me Stephanie. Dr. Le**ard-Pi!on is a mouthful, and before I had the PhD Professor Le**ard-Pi!on was a mouthful too. I've told my students they can call me "Professor" if Stephanie's too informal for them, but to please not call me Mrs. Pi!on (my grandmother), Mrs. Le**ard (my other grandmother), Miss Stephanie (oh, where do I begin, for goodness' sake I'm not a kindergarten teacher), or just, perhaps most annoyingly, "Miss".

Here's what my students call me (from assignments and in class):

Mrs. Pi!!on
Mrs. Le**ard
Mrs. Li!!ard-Pi!on
Mrs. Stephanie
Miss
Miss Stephanie
Miss Professor
Prof Steph (I think I like this one best)
Prof Mrs. Le**ard-Pi!on (um)
Professor (I really have no problem with this)
Ummmmmmm...
Le**ard
Ma'am (ack! what did I do to deserve this?!)

I do get it- professors are intimidating, but I mean, come on. Can you at least try to learn my name? I know all of their names!

Snow in Virginia

We finally got snow last week - although we missed the storm this week, and now it's mostly all melted. It was our first real snowfall south of the Mason-Dixon line, and it was an experience.... we were slightly unprepared by how poorly the roads would be treated and managed. We took the afternoon (which was a snow day) to shovel the snow off the driveway. It was a loong, looooong driveway. Just saying.

After we shoveled the driveway, we took the opportunity to shovel the road. Apparently we really like shoveling. The plow came by to help, but did more damage than not...

Apparently it does snow in Virginia!

See? That driveway is at least five miles long. Really.

The driveway in progress... yes, I'm proud of it.

Our friendly neighbor who helped us shovel the top of the hill on the road. Apparently he likes shoveling, too.

Oh the happy shovelers. Can't say I'm too unhappy it's all melting though!