RBOC: Action-Packed Weekend Edition

• Friday was graduation.  We always have two graduations on the same day--the big university-wide graduation and than a smaller graduation.  The smaller graduation used to be for our entire school (5 departments) so it wasn't that small.  This year the Powers-That-Be decided every department should host their own graduation. Personally I find this to be a poor use of resources but no one asked me.
• The university-wide graduation was in the morning.  I didn't go.  In my department we generally take turns representing at the morning graduation and I went last year.  
• I did attend the afternoon graduation and since it was only my department it was much smaller (and quicker) and I thought we did a very nice job hosting it.  I still think it is a bad idea but we executed it well.
• Moments before graduation was over a note was brought down from the Dean's office and passed to my department head on the podium.  He announced that a faculty member had won the university-wide teaching award.  Then he said it was me.
• I'm not one for surprises and this was a rather big one.
• It is a really nice honor but, even better, it comes with a monetary award.  
• It was a very nice way to end the semester.
• When graduation was over I got in the car and drove 3 hours down to Pumpkin's house.  We had plans for a mother-daughter weekend.  We did a lot of fun things.  We walked along the river; found a cool antiques store; went out for drinks with one of her friends (who is also a doula--so there was a lot of childbirth talk); cooked yummy dinners and stayed up late talking.
• By Sunday afternoon I was exhausted.  I drove the 3 hours home and met up with b to do the food shopping for the week.  After all of that all I could manage was to go out for pizza and beer.
• This morning I had to get up early and head out to a work-related workshop.  It will run for a full two weeks of eight hour days. Today's information felt like it could have been covered in an hour. Luckily a good friend is attending with me so it wasn't all bad. 
• Here are a few pictures from my weekend with Pumpkin:

Walking and talking

The river

Pumpkin

My favorite piece in the antique store.