uphill

Back on Easter Sunday, Jeff and I decided that being heathens who don't particularly care for jelly beans, we wouldn't make the 2 hour drive to celebrate with family. It was one of the first gorgeous days of spring so we drove up to Camden Hills State Park for a little hike. We went up Mount Battie, which being only about 700 feet tall probably doesn't count as a mountain at all for those of you from the west. You do have to climb all 700 feet of it, since you start at sea level...unless you take the auto road instead. The best part is that at the top, there's a gorgeous view over Penobscot Bay



AND A TURRET.

From April 2010

Beat that, fancy actual mountains.

When Katherine's family came up to visit the following weekend, we wanted to take them up the mountain. What with the 4-year-old and the 1-year-old and maybe a pregnant lady or two (just kidding, only one)[clarification: I am not the pregnant lady], we planned to take the auto road. But when we got there, we found a locked gate. So we started walking up the road.

There was some degree of resistance

From April 2010

and a few drastic measures

From April 2010

From April 2010

but in the end, there was a turret.

From April 2010

We spent a little while looking at the view

From April 2010

walking around

From April 2010

and attempting to get a family photo.

From April 2010

From April 2010

Pretty soon everyone wanted lunch, so down the mountain.

From April 2010

With a major team effort, we made it to the bottom of the road without a single meltdown. And just as we reached the bottom, they opened it up for cars. It would have been nice to know that in advance, Camden Hills State Park. Still, some chowder and a nap or two smoothed everything out into a delightful adventure.

So, speaking of delightful adventures.

Since moving here in December, we've been dreaming of summer. We talked about spending all our weekends on mountains or boats, and having a grill and a container garden and lots of cocktails (and lemonade, for Jeff).

But then someone offered me a bunch of money if I'd move to Philadelphia for a year. So I'm off again in July.



To be honest the money isn't really the big draw; there are always tables to be waited if necessary. More importantly, the fellowship I've been offered--at the McNeil Center for Early American Studies--will be a big help for me career-wise. There aren't too many jobs available in English departments these days (here my colleagues are giving a little snort/chuckle/sob at the understatement). I'm committed to following this career path at least up to the point of going on the market next fall; after that, depending on whether I'm offered a position, Jeff and I will have to figure out what to do. Academia seems to take for granted that jobs come first; in order to stay in the profession, a lot of people live in long-distance relationships for years, even permanently. That option isn't on the table for us, but we may have to put up with commuting for another few years.

We went ahead and started our container garden anyway. Since it snowed yesterday, the garden currently lives indoors with the non-edible plants and my messy desk.



If you see Jeff this summer, will you please do me a favor and remind him to water the plants?