TT Peters came today!!!
We got a text from her about 5:30 saying that her ship had landed! But we hadn't quite worked out the details about how she'd get here. Sent an email at some point but weren't quite sure she had received it and then she could text me, but I couldn't text her so by 7:30 we were somewhat terrified that she was lost and unaccounted for! Then in came a text -- At Conolly station, hopping on the DART!
At that point we knew she was close. Johnny and I ran downtown to the station and waited not even 30 seconds before her train headed in the station!
She just got off a three week J-term in London and some parts of Scotland so she told us stories over dinner and a Smithwicks (fun having of-age neighbor girls around!).
I'm teaching tomorrow so Sheila's in charge, but on Friday we're headed to Dublin while the kids are at school and Saturday back again to a few soon-to-be standards: Nandos and Murphy's. Nandos because (this is all Maggie) one of the One Direction kids supposedly likes it and Murphys because we discovered it in Dingle a few years ago and have dreamed of "seasalt" ice cream (made literally from the salt in Dingle Bay) ever since! We might have to introduce TT to Guinness as well (yes Mike and Cath, we are planning on spoiling her!).
I spent my first day today at the Geary Institute. I am officially splitting my time between the Economics Department and the Geary Institute. I'm hoping to make some connections with some experimental economists here and give a seminar. Today I mainly just met a few people and worked on my online class about online classes.
I came home around 1:30 though to have lunch with Sheila. It is so fun to be in a smaller place that is so easy to get around (by bus or foot) and be able to just walk and meet Sheila and not be quite so busy. Sheila works more at night (during US business hours) and so is free during the day to meet me and to pick up kids after school. This is such an amazing gift we have to spend together!
Maggie is doing better (complaining less) and actually made her way home by herself today, which is really a first for her. At home she doesn't have to even care about directions, so this is a great skill.
Johnny, naturally, has made his own social circle. Dylan (the new best friend) is coming over tomorrow after school, another kid, "Oscar" invited him to play tennis after school on Thursdays and Abbie asked him to her birthday party on Sunday. Whew. His social life is and has always been way more active than mine. His hurling team is heading down to Wicklow in March to play a match against another team on the road, and then watch an "NHL" game in Wicklow (I only wish that NHL stood for hockey!). Should be a total blast. Here's the email from "Diarmuid"
This year we are going to Wexford, bussed there and back, we will play a local opposition on the way down, meet up in a hotel where the lads get a bit of grub and then taken off to the NHL game v Wexford. Cost TBD. A great day out and I imagine our lads will be well up for it so we are expecting good numbers. More details to follow when we have them...
We ran into my new best friend "Emer" at the SuperQuinn the other day and I told her we'd have them over for drinks to which she replied (as I hoped) that they'd have to do that for us. Maybe we will be able to break into social circles soon!
So, question of the day: what sort of birthday gift does a seven year old Irish girl want?
Maybe a jump rope, cat's cradle, hula hoop, paints, sidewalk chalk? These are things my kids liked when they were 7. They also like anything dress up - crowns, high heeled shoes, sparkly jewelry, etc. Good luck. It was a high of 12 degrees today here - warmer than the last 3 days so don't bother to complain about your weather!!
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