A little snow

I arrived in Montpelier Monday evening after an easy day of flying from Des Moines to Detroit to Burlington, Vermont. Took a taxi with three other students, including one of the youngest students, who's just 25. And she's graduating at this residency. I could barely tie my shoes at 25.

I dropped my bags in my room at Dewey Hall and headed over to Betsy's Bed and Breakfast to meet my classmate, Barbara. We traipsed down the long hill to Julio's for supper. They were having a .99 special on draw beers, so we naturally we took advantage of that deal and had two apiece.

After supper we found our way back to campus (I was only slightly tipsy) and to the computer lab. I had quite a backlog of work-related email. Then I socialized a bit with some of the new students.

I unpacked my bags and was delighted to discover that I wouldn't suffer from heat stroke during the night, as one might in Bishop Hall, because I could actually control the heat. Sort of.

Yesterday morning I went for a run in the dark on nice dry streets. Then I goofed around in the computer lab, but couldn't get access to this blog, until it was time for my class's kick-off-the-residency lunch. We ate at a pub downtown (no beer for lunch).

While we were there, it started to snow. Big, fat, juicy flakes. It snowed for a couple of hours for a total of an inch or so. Very pretty. Especially when you don't have to drive in it.

The residency officially got started at 3 p.m. with welcomes and the silly awards to faculty from the graduating class. Our visiting writer is Susan Fletcher who writes historical novels. She read selections from Alphabet of Dreams, which is set in ancient Persia, and interspered her readings with descriptions of her research, including a trip to Iran.

Today the workshops and the lectures get started.

Today is also my roommate Margaret's birthday. We're having a party for her tonight.