Cissi's graduation!

Friday was Cissi's PhD graduation so she is back is Blacksburg! It's only for a week but it is so good to have her back.  I miss her so much! The graduation was at the Coliseum basketball stadium so Cait and I went along as the cheering squad.
Luckily she was on the end of a row so I got some photos of her as we waited. (It took them ages to all file in.) And as proved by the photos, some things never change.

Waiting to start

never without a camera.

talking. 

 The ceremony was very "pomp and circumstance".

Flags. 

National anthem

Cissi finally found us and started waving her grad headband.  At least I had thought she had. Turns out she was waving to someone else in our direction. Still.                                

The whole ceremony was really long. They had multiple speeches and a special music arrangement as well as a few other bits that seemed irrelevant. Finally they got to the doctoral awards. It was odd. So few people were clapping. Yes it took a while but still. Cait and I made sure we clapped for everyone. As you can see, not everyone had the same idea. (Grumpy people!)

On her way

At VT, the graduate advisor place the hoods of their students around their necks on stage. (I am so amazingly glad they didn't do this in the UK - those of you who know my history at UCLan will understand why!).

Happy.

 At this point Cait and I started wooping and yelling!  (Nothing like 2 embarrassing friends!)

She heard us!

Getting her hood. 

Shaking hands

Official.

The hard part - the steps!

We didn't get to see her afterwards :-( as we had to skip out and go back to work. (We left after 2 hours and they still hadn't gotten halfway through.) 

But Saturday we went to campus to take some photos.

Getting ready 

not impressed with the hood

Classic Cissi!

Mom and daughter

We managed to meet up with a couple of her friends and their daughter for some more photos. 

With Emma

Playing hide and seek

Doing the VT sign.

Group shot.

After we had take a lot of photos, Cissi get to take her gown off. I was hot so she must have been boiling and we all headed off to get a cold drink. I miss her so much. She's always such cheerful company.

Congratulations Dr. Cissi!!!

Smithfield Plantation

This weekend Cissi and I finally managed to get to Smithfield plantation which is just outside the VT campus. We started out a little late as I was feeling a bit tender. (Serves me right for drinking too much and eating too little Friday night at the Monkey House concert.)
Smithfield is an historic house near the duck pond on campus and very pretty.

Smithfield

We got given a tour around the house by a lovely lady. The plantation was built in 1774 by William Preston (and yes the irony of the name didn't escape me - seems I can't escape that place!).

Drawing room

View from the girls bedroom

Our guide demonstrating how the mattresses work 

Additional pocket - very useful 

Main bedroom

Showing off an apple peeler

She knew a lot of things about the house and where some saying come from. For example, when a gentleman came to visit a lady, he would bring a gift. The most popular gift was a looking glass. Then when he was about to leave, the lady would leave the looking glass out. If it was face up, it meant she wanted to see him again. If it was face down, it was a no and she had "turn him down flat", which is where the saying comes from.

That's a yes.

The house was a lot bigger than I realized and the tour took over an hour. I also found out the Draper Meadows Massacre, where Mary Draper Ingles was kidnapped by Indians and hold hostage for a long time with her son before a very dramatic escape down the river, is very near by, which is cool. (And I brought a good book about it along with an apple recipe book which I am looking forward to testing out.)

The gardens were also very pretty. There used to be a village and lots of housing, including those for slaves but there are only a few left and there is no evidence of where the slave houses even were. (Thought they certainly existed.)

Starting the hops vines

Miller's cottage

After the house, we went shopping. I needed some final clothes and some walking shoes for my summer trips. I managed to get everything I needed and most of it was in the sales, which made me very happy! I am pretty much set now for the summer. And super excited for my trips! :-)
I spent the evening still recovering from the Friday night hangover and the rest of today is going to working! Boring, but at least I had some fun this weekend. 

Flying lesson

On Saturday Cissi and I finally got to go on our flying lesson. (The first time we tried it was cancelled due to the weather.) But this time the weather was beautiful, though a little windy!

Cissi with our plane.

Flight controls

Cissi went first and got to take off. We did a circuit to the mountains and along the river. Normally he lets people try to land but the wind was pretty strong. Turbulence was impressive and a little scary in a tiny plane! But the views were amazing.

Cissi looking forward to flying

More flight controls.

Concentrating 

View

Sunny mountains

James river

Then we changed seats and I got to fly. I love it!!!!!

Flying!

Pleased with a safe landing!

It was so much fun, and if I am ever rich, I'll take it up as a hobby. But that's not likely to be in the near future.

Cissi with out pilot 

Pleased with ourselves.

After a few Lego related trips on the way back for Cissi, we went to the house of some of her Chinese friends for dinner which was great fun. Everyone was really nice and the food was great. Real Chinese food and very tasty. (Though no chicken feet this time which is a good thing!) :-)