It was wonderful to have a dining room of our own at the Inn for Christmas dinner, Chef Peter. Thanks so much for arranging that. The warm, old-timey atmosphere there is so comfortable, the meal was great and the company beyond compare! We are a lucky crowd.

"Where in the world are the Rosses?" remains a good question. Thanks for this, too, Peter!

Here we go through the last days of 2010 and into the beyond ......... Everyone, stay in touch.

GrAnn

merry christmas!!

see you all at 1:00! can't wait! xxo

Ho Ho Ho!

Merry Christmas one and all!  So thankful so many I love dearly are within Addison County borders this holiday season.  Can't wait to welcome a bunch to the Middlebury Inn for a 1:00 meal.  Then up to Ripton for Christmas dinner with Cailin, Grady, Connor and Erin's family.  Woo hoo!

Not thankful that I had to miss my mother as a sheep.  Boo hoo!

Love you all.  Peace.  Peter

Home again!

What a great trip we had picking up Cailin and Grady.  So good having everyone back on Vermont soil!

My cell phone is giving me a hard time about recharging so usage may be spotty.  If anyone needs to get a hold of me...
Work:  388-4961
Home: 443-8022

Love you all.  Peace.  Peter

Good Morning from Bridport!

Helllllloooooooooo family!!! I'm back!

After a long two flights, a sprint through the Amsterdam airport that made me realize I hadn't worked out as much as I thought I had this semester, a 7 hour car journey back from Boston and a welcome home American Cheeseburger from 99 Restaurant (I like mine with lettuce and tomato...) I've arrived back home. We got in at 12:30 last night (5:30 am British time) which means I'd been awake for 24 hours, but I couldn't sleep in this morning because my body thinks it is 2:00pm and should be awake.

I'm so happy to be home and to have my puppy dog sleeping beside me. Unfortunately my bags are still in amsterdam so I have nothing but a dirty pair of grey sweatpants to wear for a while...should be a big hit at the Christmas parties. Luckily I have an uber cool sister from the big BK (Brooklyn, not Burger King, although we sometimes wonder) who has an entire wardrobe that she is willingly, and without a fuss, going to share with me.

Hopefully I'll see you all soon. Love to you!

blogging from bolt bus

Like There's Not Enough Drama In My Life

So Cailin calls Grady who calls me.  Her flight from Norwich has been delayed and she's afraid she won't make the connection in Amsterdam and will have to stay overnight and not fly to Boston until tomorrow.  Grady has to leave in 5 minutes to catch her bus to Boston but will be stuck in Boston overnight by herself.  I can't call Cailin because of phone minutes.  Grady get on the bus and I will drive down and pick you up today and drive down tomorrow to get Cailin.  Wait, I have a function at the Inn tomorrow.  I wonder if one of my guys can cover for me?  I check the KLM website and they show the flight from Norwich has arrived in Amsterdam but late, but still with enough time to make the connection.  I think. Did I put too many scoops of coffee in the coffeemaker last night? Did Cailin get on the original flight?  Are the times on the KLM website local or Eastern?   Where's my blood pressure cuff? 

I'm leaving for Boston.  Cailin made it.

Love you all.  Peace.  Peter

Oh Happy Day

Thank you Cailin.  Your voice over the last 4 months has kept us laughing and crying and filled with wonder at all you have become.  We have been counting the days and watching the skiies and are as excited about seeing you, as you are sad about saying goodbye to those wonderful mates with whom we have had to share you. (Is there an editor out there that could rework that last sentence?) 

See you tomorrow Sweetie!

Thank you Grady for buying your bus ticket on faith and forcing the weather to cooperate.  I can't wait to see you.

See you tomorrow Sweetie!

Love you all.  Peace.  Peter

Last Post from England

So this will probably be my last post ever from Larch Flat 1F, University Village, UEA, Norwich, UK, NR47TJ. I've pretty much packed everything up, and managed to get it all into 2 suitcases, a carryon, and a backpack, after throwing away half my wardrobe. Unfortunately I can't fit any of my books or class work, so I'm leaving behind 15 nice books, hopefully the rest of the flat will make use of them (I highly doubt they'll ever be opened again). My room looks so bare. I'm beginning to get very sad about leaving. It's really hitting me that this is it. 5 people have left in the past few days so now I'm just hanging out here with Dom and Richard, who are sticking around so they can drive me to the airport tomorrow and say goodbye. We're all packing and cleaning, listening to Christmas music and being very sad that this is our last night together. Many tears to come.

This has been the best best semester, I'm so happy. Thank-you Mama and Daddy for sending me here and all of the family for supporting my big adventure! As sad as I am to be leaving, I can't wait to see you, share my pictures and stories, and celebrate the Holidays.

"How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."-Carol Sobieski and Thomas Meehan

"Don't be dismayed at goodbyes. A farewell is necessary before you can meet again. And meeting again, after moments or lifetime, is certain for those who are friends."-Richard Bach

do your dances, pray your prayers

If my flight doesn't leave tomorrow there aren't any more available seats until after Christmas...

Where oh when

Cailin-
I've got your flight as KLM by Delta #6031.  Do you have any more info.  What airport are you leaving from?  Are you going through Amsterdam?  Love you
Daddy

They cancel everything but football

Here's the update from BBC

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12025803

Staying Tuned

Everyone thinking of traveling to Boston on Monday stayed close to this here blog spot as well as your cell phones and e-mail.  Cails- keep us posted.  Grady can you change plans at the last minute if need be?  Let's all stay in touch.

Love you all.  Peace.  Peter

There's a big possibility that this prodigal gal will not be back as soon as you think. All of my American friends who are supposed to be flying out today or tomorrow have had their flights cancelled until Tuesday because of bad weather. Hopefully in the next few days everything will clear up, but it's a disaster right now for everyone trying to fly home. I'll keep you posted.
Cross your fingers that I get on my plane on Monday morning!!!

Prodigal Gals

Pretty soon these two chickadees will be back in Vermont!!

Can't wait!!!

Love you all.  Peace.  Peter

3 Days!

I'm really hoping that a giant snowstorm doesn't delay my plane or keep me from getting home.

Barnard Bound

Congratulations, way to go, tip of the hat, bravo, well done and a big yeehaw to Marley Mi who has been accepted at Barnard in New York, New York!  Another Ross in the Big Apple.  Who'd a thunk it.  Now you need to learn how to check in Marley.  It may not be Ecuador but it's a whole world away.

Love you all.  Peace.  Peter

homeeee

I CAN NOT WAIT TO BE HOME.

Thanks to Peter, now click on one of those links and watch Jessica!

jessica

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ok never mind! stinkin' links...i will try again.

You all have to watch this! Especially if you need a little inpiration!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg

I think I can I think I can I think I can...

The essay is coming along swimmingly. Last night, after a near breakdown, I decided what I really needed to do was order a massive, all dressed pizza and play a game of Monopoly (I won!) and do a load of laundry before writing another word. Then, my tummy full and mind clear, I went to work finding supporting quotations in To the Lighthouse. I got so much done, went to bed early, and woke up this morning to finish writing. Richard and I are at out favorite Tuesday haunt, Costa Cafe, where I'm pounding out the words. Should be finished by tonight.

Blonde Moment

So I get a million dumb-blonde points...I added the blog to one of my Favorite Tabs and so every time I click on it, the post from Chef Peter on November 25th comes up...so for about two weeks now I have been wondering why nobody has been using the blog....duhhh.

So hello, everyone! This is my last week in Paris before I get to go home! I leave on Friday and I absolutely cannot wait. I have two exams and a paper left in the next three days, but spirits are high and I am so close to the finish line. I still can't believe I have been away for four months!

It has snowed in Paris this week and everything in the city shut down. Metros, busses, trains, schools..there was about two inches (max) of snow and everybody panicked. It reminds me of when the Toronto government sent out the police after a small dumping of snow last year...obviously they haven't been to Vermont!

I've been enjoying Paris more lately, after a very difficult month of missing home and just getting so irritated with the attitude of Parisians. Not the easiest people to get along with. One of the most surprising things was how closed-off and introverted young french people can be..I haven't really managed to make a lot of foreign friends even after putting myself out there.

On Saturday Peter is coming to visit me in Montreal and I will be picking him up in Burlington. He'll stay for a few days and then when I drop him off next Wednesday I plan on driving the rest of the way to Middlebury to visit my second family! Mama Beth-Can't wait to see you!!

Sometimes I forget that I am in one of the most beautiful cities in the world. It is so easy to just walk by the old buildings, the arcs, the Eiffel Tower, etc...and just not take in the beauty of everything. Yesterday I bundled up and went for a run along the Seine and had an incredible view of a snowy Notre Dame. Still makes me miss the back roads of Middlebury...

Miss you all and SEE YOU SOON!

PS. Connor, I hope we'll all be seeing that fabulous sweater this holiday season.

SANTACON

santacon is a world-wide event that takes place every year. NYC is one of the participating cities, and Lexy and our friends Patrick, Eric, and Kaitlin, and I all participated. It is a city-wide pub crawl that begins at 9:00 am and the only requirement is that you dress like santa or something christmasey. I was a Christmas tree, thus the outfit. It was soo much fun! And check out the pictures! Thousands of santas, all over the city.

OK, Grady. You have a little blogging to do.

My dear, what are you doing on the street wrapped in tinsel?
GrAnn

My kind of Christmas tree!

A lovely gift, Cailin! Thank you!

How's the paper coming?

Cute as a Button...

Here's a picture of Grady dressed as a Christmas tree...I know she's not vain enough to post, but I thought you'd all like to see a picture of her hair cut looking really good!

One Week...

One week from today and I'll be somewhere over the Atlantic, on my way home to you! It seems so close and so far away, as I have an essay to write that is giving me major problems. I'm supposed to be writing about Modernism's representation of the body and the sense of self in Woolf and Bowen, but that's as much as I have written down. The title, which isn't even a very good one. I'm nearly at the point to despair here, I can't find any journal articles or books that support my arguement, and I actually haven't read the entire book I'm writing about. ARRGHAHAHHAHAHRERRRAGGGGGGGGGGG I would like to come home now.

But, hopefully by tomorrow I'll have it finished, and then I can concentrate on fun stuff, like the Christmas extravanganza tomorrow night (I'm going as a candy cane), secret santa, saying goodbye to my flatmates and trying to squish all my clothes into my suitcases. People are already fighting each other to get their hands on the things I'm leaving behind, like my two comforters, pillows, towels, and a few wool sweaters that have passed their prime.

Back to my essay. Maybe next time we speak I'll have written at least the introduction. I love you and can't wait to see some of you in Boston at 4:05 EST a week from today!

Hello All-
I am back- for some reason Peter uninvited me and so I had to beg and plead with him to let me back on! (Actually, not true, I was uninvited due to a glitch and Peter was kind enough to ask me to join again. ) So here I am. Have thoroughly enjoyed the postings. It's been a treasure.
Am looking forward to having my chickadees home for the holidays. Connie-Connor comes home tomorrow and Cails and Grades soon to follow. Looking forward to the 20th. I have invited myself on the car ride to Boston - hopefully there is room. I have almost 3 weeks off from work so I want to make sure to get together with all.
Everyone is so clever at writing and my posts read like a laundry list. Maybe all I need to do is read the blog and stay away from the comments. Anyway- I love you all - I am blessed
Mamabeth

Student Protests in London

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/10/world/europe/10britain.html?_r=1&hp

You have passed go........

What a journey, Cailin!

thank-you Renee!!

Today I recieved my Halloween package from Renee!!! If anyone talks to her or sees her, please let her know I got it and love it! The socks are now a little out of season, but I will wear them nonetheless. Thanks Renee!

Oh my goodness, I forgot to tell about the London Eye!! That was so cool! It takes about 35 min to go all the way around in the little pods, and you can see the entire city. The sun was sort of coming out when we were up there, it was gorgeous. Here is a picture of me (in my new stylish hat that I bought in Camden market) with Big Ben in the background, and a view of the House of Parliament.

Do not pass Go, Do not collect $200

First of all, I'm loving that Bread Loaf (2 words) is snow covered! It's that time of year again when I start having ski dreams, and I can't wait to come home and wax up the ol' Atomics.
Daddy, loved hearing about the pheasant hunt. Sounds so fun! And how Vermonter of you!
Connor, how was Midnight Breakfast? It's always my favorite part about finals week. Good luck with the rest of your work! Just think, when you're heading home I'll just be starting my final papers (Yuk).

So, about London. Richard and I drove to his house in Essex on Sunday afternoon. It was so warm and cozy and the Christmas tree was lit up, it was so nice to be in a real home again! His parents are the nicest people and were very welcoming. His mom made me cupcakes to take back to school with me (delish! Just enjoyed one for breakfast!) We went to Adriana's, his fiance's, apartment for dinner, then came home and went right to sleep because we had to catch an early train into London on Monday morning.

We left Leigh On Sea (the station closest to Richard's house) around 9:52 (they were all delayed due to maintence) on Monday morning. We bought One Day Travel Cards, passes that allow you to ride any train, underground, or bus, as much as you want, all day, for only 14.00 pounds! Very useful. It was incredibly cold and foggy, but we were determined to make the most of the day. We began at the Tower of London. It was amazing! So old, the first part was built in 1275. We didn't go into it, just looked and took lots of pictures. In the same area is London Bridge (more properly called Tower Bridge). Unfortunately because of all the fog I couldn't see very far down the Thames, but it was still great. Then we noticed a sign for ice skating in the moat of the Tower. I've never had so much fun! We rented these big clunky blue plastic skates and twirled and carved our way around the Tower. Actually, it was just one rectangular rink, so it was more like back and forth by one wall of the Tower, but still the best time! I bought a picture of us skating that you'll be able to see. "Magical Memories, only 5.oo pounds", the sign said. How could I refuse such a good deal on a magical memory? From here we continued on to Buckingham Palace, still my favorite place in London, walked through St. James park, stopped for a classy British lunch at McDonald's, saw Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, Trafalgar Square, and then found the train back home. Richard was great to have along because he knows London really well. He was a great guide and knew all the ins and outs of the travel system, so we got around pretty efficiently. We were exhausted on the train home but Richard's mom, Lauraine, was waiting at home making us a real English Dinner. Yorkshire pudding, brussel sprouts, pork and gravy, green beans, mashed potatoes, stuffing, and meringue with raspberries and chocolate for dessert. At dinner Carly, Richard's sister, mentioned that one of her clients (she is a hairstylist at photo shoots, I was a little self-conscious of my split ends) had given her tickets to the London Eye, the giant ferris wheel, and that because this was my last time in London for a while I could have them! We weren't going to be able to go on it because tickets are quite expensive, so I was very excited to get the tickets. I might have squealed a little bit.

After dinner we were talking about the different places we had been, and joked that we'd nearly been around the Monopoly board. Our flat recently bought a Monopoly game, and the British version is all streets in London. So Richard and I got the brilliant idea that on Tuesday we would play human Monopoly and try to get to every street on the board, all 26, and all 4 of the railway stations. We decided that we would have to take a picture of the street sign and then a picture of both of us by the sign. Keep in mind that the streets are all over London, the range goes from Old Kent Road, a dodgy area that is equivalent to our Baltic, to Park Lane, where the Dorchester hotel is. We spent Monday evening with a map of the underground planning our route, and woke up extra early Tuesday morning to catch the first train into London. Our day was incredible! I don't think anyone has done a more complete or extensive one-day visit to London, ever. It took us 11 hours (we stopped for lunch and to look around the market in Camden), we rode 8 of 12 tube lines (a few more than once), and a bus, walked probably 15 miles, but eventually, at exactly 8:00, found Vine Street, the last of our destinations. You should have seen us running around London, we had this big clipboard with our map and a list of all the streets and stations we needed, and we'd jump off the tube that we knew was in the general area and run around using the GPS on Richard's phone to find the street. Then we'd have to find the actual street sign, take a picture, record the time of arrival on our clipboard, and run back to the underground to find our next stop. Some of the streets were in the most random places, people were giving us very strange looks as we jumped up and down in front of the sign for "Bond Street" and "Marlborough Street." Some of the streets were really hard to find and we had to walk forever to get to it, and then all the way back to the station. We both ended up with blisters. At one point I thought we wouldn't make it, especially after it got dark and it was rush hour. The underground was so full that I had to hold on to Richard's backpack so we wouldn't lose each other in the crowd. On the train, there was no room at all to move. It was a thousand degrees and my face was shoved up in some stranger's armpit while my arm was around some stranger's back and my toes were underneath some stranger's foot.
The last 3 places were the hardest to get, especially Old Kent Road which is in the middle of nowhere and a 25 min train journey from where we were. Then we had to walk through this sketchy neighborhood, along New Kent, until about a mile later we arrived on Old Kent. From there we caught a bus toward Vine, and finally, 2 hours after scheduled, we got on a train headed back to Essex. We took a video of our approach to Vine Street, and you would have thought we had discovered gold. We were jumping around shouting "Vine Street! Vine Street! We did it! We won!" and singing "we are the champions."

It was the best scavenger hunt, and the best way to see all of London. I saw a bunch of random things that I would never have known about because they are not the typical tourist destinations. It made me think it would be fun to do something similar in NYC or something, only do it as a race with teams of two. And every team would have to get pictures at a bunch of different landmarks or random street signs, and see who could get to all first. Next family outing??

It was sad to pull away from the station in London, I teared up a little after having such a good day and knowing it would be a while before I was back. But I couldn't have asked for a better way to say goodbye.
12 days until I'm home! Can't wait to see you all!
xoxo

Just arrived home...

I just got back to Norwich from 2 days in London. I had the best best trip and will write all about it tomorrow, right now I am proper knackered and ready for bed. I think I walked about 15 miles today, we walked around London for 11 straight hours. woof. the dogs are barking tonight.

Aha!!

See what I did there?  See how I pretended to think Bread Loaf was spelled Breadloaf (like I wouldn't know that? Yea right!) and got Patty to finally blog?  Wasn't that good thinking on my part?  Man I'm savvy!!

Hello!

oops! here i am again...ok sorry we have been so silent, but Peter you made it so i have to comment now! Bread Loaf - two words. copy right owned by Middlebury College. Bread Loaf - 2/two words when speaking of Bread Loaf in relation to Middlebury College. always. yes i am my father's daughter even though i didn't go here, i'm pretty sure i've spent more time than all of you combined (except Dad).

and now that i have gotten that off my chest! love, love, love the posts from everyone. i can't wait until we are all in the same room all talking at once and having a live conversation. although with all of your writing i feel like i am with you and i can just hear your voices and laughs. (and cries)

mom, i will not complain this year of having to go to the Christmas eve program with the UUs if i get to see/hear you being a sheeping baaaaing at free will!

i spent Thanksgiving in west yellowstone montana with the team and 3 feet of snow! then it went to 10 below, with wind chill to 20-30 below, and my log cabin lost heat! good times. skiing was unbelievable!!!!!!

Marely waiting to hear from Barnard...cross your fingers. Bo growing upward, his voice going downward. more new pants needed.

miss you all soooooooo much. you all warm my heart with your stories. so proud of all of you!

love you tons and tons.
favorite aunt, sister, daughter. (maybe that will get Lauren to write. ha!)
p.ross, sauce, the boss. speaking of the boss, new album out now! maybe on tour soon?

White Stuff!

PS.  Breadloaf is covered!!

The Great White Hunter

So Saturday morning I got to go pheasant hunting.  It is so much fun.  Maybe not for the pheasant but that's a moral discussion we can have later if need be.

Elias Sater (one of my cooks) and I headed to Pleasant Hill Farm in Shoreham around 8:00 AM.  The farm is a pheasant farm that raises birds for sale to restaurants and stores but also has hunts.  You order a number of birds (we ordered 8) that are released into the fields early in the morning.  After a quick lesson in safety and how the hunt was to work we headed out.  Boy do I look good in blaze orange!  You go out with a handler who leads the hunt,directing you and handling a dog.  We were working with a yellow lab named Charlie who was on his first solo hunt.  It was incredible watching Charlie work.  Glenn (our handler and owner of the farm) would station Elias on one side of a swath of cover and me on the other.  Cover could be a row of corn or grass or hay.  He and Charlie would walk down the middle and Charlie would be released to run and boy did he like to run.  Up the middle, turn and back, across and back up until he got the scent of a bird that was hunkered down in the cover.  Once he got on scent we would close in and wait for him to flush the bird.  Once the bird took off and got high enough (so we wouldn't shoot each other) we could aim and fire.  My big problem was the aiming part.  I did manage to get one bird, Elias got 7.

After about 2 hours Charlie started to get a little tired so Glenn radioed to the house and told his wife to release Stu.  Stu is an English setter that came out of the house, looked around and once he heard Glenn's whistle shot our way.  Charlie the retriever works as a flushing dog, meaning he works until he finds a bird and goes right in and flushes the bird to flight.  Stu the setter works by pointing.  Setters also work a much wider area so we would let Stu run until he found a bird, at which point he would freeze and point.  We would move in, Glenn would release Charlie from his sit to flush the bird and kaboom!

We got back to the Inn around 1:00 PM, did a little work and then prepared a great staff meal featuring Breast of Pheasant with a Pomegranate Barbeque Sauce!  Oh so good.

Speaking of tacky sweaters, we hosted a tour group of women from Albany for dinner and caroling last night.  I'm sorry but sweaters with pictures are just wrong.  And snowflakes count as pictures.  Anyway they had fun.  Maybe not the sweaters, but that's a moral discussion we can have later...

Love you all.  Peace.  Peter

P.S....

p.s.
daddy, I want to hear all about the pheasant hunt!

I must apologize for not posting very often, but I am o so busy with this whole college thing.
Speaking of which, I am smack-dab in the middle of writing a final paper, and once that's done, I have three other finals to study for. I'm getting a little stressed, but everyone else seems to be a lot more worried and studying harder, so I reckon I'll be fine. Either way, in only 6 days I will be done with my first college exam week!
I've been reading snow reports at various mountains in Vermont every day, and am definitely treating myself to a day on the slopes as soon as I've finished Professor Wunnava's exam. (Love the man, hate the teacher).
It has been snowing all day here, and Middlebury looks quite lovely with a layer of white covering it. Cailin and Grady, I think you're both going to realize how much you missed this place once you get back.
Last night, Patrick's cousin (a senior) was hosting a tacky Christmas sweater party and invited us. We made a quick run to Kinney's, the Dollar Store (or is it Pound Town?), and T.J. Maxx and got some really nice outfits picked out. I wish I had pictures, but I was wearing a woman's green cardigan with Christmas bells and candy canes on it, with a blinking wreath pin, a striped scarf, and a hat with antlers that said "I'm on Santa's Sleigh Team".
Patrick's sweater had cats making a snowman on it, adorned with the slogan "Meowy Christmas" and a Santa hat that flashed lights.
Needless to say, we looked stunning, unfortunately, when we got there, it turned out we were basically the only two who got into the spirit. So there we were, dancing in women's sweaters getting a lot of odd looks (and the occasional compliment). But there were lots of lights and Christmas music and it really made me get in the mood. I can't wait until everyone is home and we can all get together and celebrate properly.

I should probably stop putting off this paper. I'm writing about the differences in Mark Antony's character in "Julius Caesar" and in "Antony and Cleopatra". Big yawn...
See you all very soon, I can't wait!

Gotta love skype...

It's 4:30am my time. I woke up at 2:00 because I had a nightmare and called Grady on skype. We just talked for 2 hours. Nightmare forgotten! Back to bed.

Grandma, that post just made my night!

Haha when is this performance? Hopefully I'll be back in time to see you as a sheep.

Tomorrow I am headed to London with Richard. We are staying at his house because he lives pretty close to the city, and then taking a train in. He is going to be my guide because he knows the city pretty well. On the list: Westminister Abbey, London Bridge, the Tower of London, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament. I'll take tons of pictures!!

love you! Two weeks from Monday and I see you!

Baaaaaa

We had a read through of the Christmas play for Christmas Eve today. I am a sheep - there are two of us. My only line is Baaaaa, but I get to say it at will, especially if it seems that someone with a speaking part forgets his/her lines.

GrAnn

santa claus is coming to brooklyn NY

Lexy and I just went and got a Christmas tree from the guy on the corner who is selling trees for $150 a pop. We got a tree that is two feet tall because that is all we could afford and it was 40 dollars... kind of missing the luxury of cutting a cedar from the back woods. Oh well, all part of the experience. We went to BIG D, a discount store right around the corner to get all the decorations. It is run by a polish family, but still, I don't know if that's an excuse for this sign: "Have a marry Christmas with decorations from BIG D." is that how we would spell that?

we also got a bunch of ingredients for christmas cookies and we will be baking and decorating all day long. currently listening to Harry Connick Jr. in our kitchen. Will post pictures later.

love you!

Before voting in the next election...

It is absolutely imperative that you all watch this.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Avw0n9b2o9U

Lately I've been stressed about crew, I've been working out a lot here but not erging and I'm afraid that when I get back to school I will be really far behind everyone. I tried doing the team workout today and I failed miserably, it's just so hard to push through a hard workout while you're by yourself instead of with the entire team. Erging seems tedious and long and I'm so unmotivated. So I emailed Noel and asked for his advice on training by yourself, what kept him going when he had to train solo etc. He wrote me back the nicest email! He designed a practice plan for me for the rest of the time I'm away, telling me what to do on each day so that I wouldn't get too bored. He gave me advice on how to have competitions with myself to stay motivated, and told me not to worry too much about erging. He broke his arm his senior year of college and wasn't able to row for the first 2 months of winter training so he was on a bike instead of with the team, and 3 weeks after the cast came off he set a 2k PR. He also was really encouraging and told me to remember that I was a leader on the team and that the novice looked up to me, that our boat was going to be "fast fast fast" in the spring if we put in the effort now.
So now I have lots of training to do in the next 19 days. Starting with an 80 minutes steady state tomorrow and lifting. Better start hydrating and get to sleep.

I do what I can

I just finished a book on North Korea.  A fascinating look at the lives of 6 citizens leading up to and after their decisions to defect.  The following picture from the book shows a satellite image of the penisula at night.  Guess which country has a problem supplying electricity to its people!



Boy oh boy did the wind blow in Ripton last night.  We lost a section of fence and the grill got blown over but no big trees down luckily.  Now comes 1-3 inches of rain.  Oh that it were to be snow.  We're supposed to have CVPS in house for lunch and we are wondering how many will actually show up and how many will get called out to repair downed lines.  Oh well you do what you can do.

Love you all.  Peace.  Peter