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!!!

Day in Hort Gardens

OK so it was only a few hours but very nice.
I had to go to Hort gardens on campus to shot a video about my work with the RAD class etc and spent a some time taking some photos. I am amazed that there is somewhere so beautiful on campus that I never knew about. After shooting the video, I took a little bit of time and took some photos.

the bridge over the Koi pond

Koi pond

Bridge.

For my birthday (in feb), I got a set of macro tubes - cheaper than a lens but still allow you to do macro photography, something I really want to try. The conditions weren't great - thank you Blacksburg wind! - but I had fun playing.

I also had a lot of fun playing with the fish, who may have thought I was going to feed them. Ooops. But at least they posed.

Bubbles when I didn't produce the food.

I didn't take any of the dead fish. I guess nothing is perfect. 

I loved the little waterfall and the whole place was so peaceful. Not sure if that's normal or just because of the student s in exams.  

I loved the gardens. They were so peaceful. I also got a remind of Blacksburg summer. Humid and hot. Love the latter. The humid part isn't so much fun. But after last winter, any heat is very welcome! And a great way to spend a Monday afternoon. :-)

English foods

Kroger made me so happy this week.

Heinz Baked Beans!

They have had the soup a few times but this is the first time I have seen Heinz baked beans. :-) Baked beans here are cooked in pork gravy and just not right.
So I have decided to forgive the Kroger people for putting sauerkraut, fajita mix, and tahini under the banner for the British foods along with aero and PJ tips. Though none of it is cheap (I'm not goig to say how much I paid for this little taste of home).
Of course, then on Saturday, I had to make ....

Full English Breakfast!!! :- 

Though I forgot to buy tomatoes.  But it was sooooo good. And I still have some of my brown sauce!  :-)

I will admit this made me absurdly happy! But I am feeling really homesick at the moment, with every going on at home and the things I am missing. So a taste of home helps.

I also decided that instead of working in my dining room, staring at the wall, I would work on my balcony. The weather is lovely at the moment, and if I have to work (which I do have to do), I might as well get some air.

Set up on the balcony

I am hoping to start doing more fun things as work will hopefully calm down. But with interviews (I had another one this week but still no luck on the job front), papers and courses, who knows when that will be? :-(

Fork and Cork 2015

I have attempted to go to Fork an Cork, a food and wine festival in Blacksburg, for a few years. Finally managed it this weekend. And to get wine. (I went a few years ago and never actually got any wine, the queues were that bad.)

I went over to Cait's first for mimosas and cake and we got the festival for opening time. It still took us a while to get in even though we already had tickets.

Start of the fun

This year it was over near the Corporate Research Centre on a grassy area which was great for still out in the sun. And we had packed a blanket for exactly that purpose. There were about 20 wineries and 5-6 places selling food (so more of a focus on the cork than the fork).

Filling up

Cait and I hit a few wineries for tasting before meeting up with her friends by the stage. They had music and later on some belly dancing. 

Chilling with the music

Belly dancers

The weather does look too great from these photos but it was sunny in parts. So much so I got a bit burnt. Oops!

As with every other year, they sold too many tickets for the number of vineyards, so the queues were insane. Still we had a bottle while we waited and gave us some time for photos.

Posing with Deb

Cait, Deb and me.

I don't have many photos as I forgot my camera battery so only had my photo and after the first bottle, well let's just say it was forgotten.
We got some food to add to the stuff we had smuggled in (no one bothered to check our bags) though it took ages and we ended up chatting to a couple a guys who knew us from the physics department. D'oh! And awkward when they ask what we think about other people in out department.
We sort of stumbled back to Cait's for tea and more cake before her husband thankfully dropped me home.
I'll admit I did not have the best night when I got home. Too much sun (though it was great to be warm) and too much wine (especially when I haven't had anything to drink in a while). And the joy of day drinking is you have fun, sober up and deal with the hangover all on one day. Which is good considering I have been working on a project which requires the use of a Stanley knife. :-)