So, I have been a very bad blogger! Are you gonna spank me now? Huh? Didn’t think so. I know that I’ve been bad but I actually have a pretty decent reason for it. I was in the US for the past week+ and I didn’t have a whole lot of internet connection nor time to connect. And, for the past few days I’ve been catching up on important things like sleep, laundry and all of my page-a-day calenders. Oh, and puppy cuddling. Lots and lots of puppy cuddling!
I'm a total lover despite my tough exterior!
We even cuddle with each other at times.
It is now all very official. I am now an alumna of the University of Florida. I graduated on Friday with 600+ other Ag students. It honestly felt sort of silly. The hat, the tassels (I had multiple since I graduated cum laude) the dressing up. But I’m glad that I did it as it put a very serious period at the end of that sentance of my life.
Out at the MREC in full regalia in the plant ID hell courtyard
Out in front of the Big Sign
There were bagpipes.
A baby gator on the Jumbotron of course.
Largest class to graduate ever!
Me on the Jumbotron
Can you tell I'm pleased?
Cesar and Pam brought me flowers and drove all the way up for my graduation!
Diane, my advisor and friend and I.
The Commencement Booklet
Proof that I was supposed to be there!
Prior to graduation there was my Thursday night hookers meet-up! It was great being back with the gang again. We got loud and we more than shut the place down. I missed these guys even more than I knew.
Look at that rowdy bunch!
Jessi came all the way from Sarasota for the hooking and parties!
David's got big, um, cameras....
After my graduation party (lots and lots of fun at my favorite restaurant with lots of my favorite people there)
(I don’t have any pictures of this just yet, still working on it)
I caught a few hours of sleep and then I caught a Southwest Airlines flight to Baltimore to go to Maryland Sheep and Wool. Now, I probably shouldn’t compare the two sheep and wool festivals that I’ve been to of late, but I’m going to. Maryland Sheep and Wool is always purporting to be bigger than Rhinebeck. I personally, didn’t see it. It seemed to be about as big as Rhinebeck and slightly more disorganized. It was nice that it was free, but I would prefer to pay a little bit than to constantly have t-shirts shoved down my throat. The fleeces and the food were both a great deal more expensive at the Maryland Sheep and Wool. The sheep fleeces were going for around the same prices as the lower quality alpaca blankets were at Rhinebeck. I’m glad that I wasn’t looking for either at Maryland. Both festivals aren’t particullary organized when it comes to getting their shit together on the internet. There is really no excuse for stuff going up on the web about a month prior to the festival. Even if you have to change it later, put it up now to give people an idea to start planning around! I thought that the facilites overall were better at Rhinebeck. The one very big thing that Maryland has going for it was just how easy it was to get there. I have to admit, being off a major interstate is nice. All in all, I’m glad that I went but I won’t be all that strung out about missing it next year. And my advise to anyone thinking of doing one of these two sheep and wool festivals is to go to Rhinebeck if you possibly can. It is a bit of a pain to get to, but it’s so very worth it.
(The photos of this are captive on my phone. As soon as tech support [aka the wizard] releases them from their small phone sized box I will post them)
I also hung out at Yarn Therapy night on Tuesday night with Terri and Co. I think that I surprised her a little bit by being there:-) It was good to get to hang out in the lovely Infusion Tea once again and get some tasty food and drink and see everybody there. I was bad and didn’t take any photos of that night since I was having so much fun!
I got lots of presents that are seriously cool. I’m not going to put pictures in here of them as it takes a while to upload things. Lets just say that these made a serious dent in my suitcase space!
And I also did a fair amount of shopping while I was there. The Micheals, JoAnns, Hobby Lobby and Sip and Knit were all calling loudly while I was home. “Sarah! Sarah! We have lots of new clearance/sale items/new stuff to check out! Come visit as soon as possible!” Then there was the Target and Barnes and Noble voices that were more like the families with bull horns at graduation. Barnes and Noble was especially bad since I had gotten several gift cards as graduation gifts.
Now I am home and starting on a new adventure. Catch the next post to find out what it is…..
Sarah Jane Humke 