"A statistician is a person who has the lifetime goal of being wrong 5% of the time."
(Unknown origin, but sent from Dad)

So I had just enough time to shower thoroughly, sleep mightily, and do about ten loads of laundry before Mom arrived to spend the week with me (Dad was spending the week scuba diving in Cozumel, so she figured, why hang around WV by myself? I'll go hang out with Megan). She and Dad are both huge fans of The Vortex, so that was the first stop Monday evening, then Tuesday morning it was off to Helen.

We didn't actually stay at Bunny Foo Foo's house (or haus) but I thought the picture above was cute. We did stay at a cute B&B run by two hilarious, old(-ish) ladies. We ate vaguely German food, wandered around the chintzy Alpine Village, hiked in Unicoi State Park, stopped by a 100 year old general store (featuring the sign above), bought some handmade soap, lots of wine, and stopped by Babyland General Hospital. That's right. Where cabbage patch dolls are 'born.' Which, if you haven't been, is incredibly creepy. And awesome. Once.

For those unfamiliar with the cabbage patch doll mythos, they come with birth certificates and price tags are referred to as 'adoption fees.' Also, dolls are 'birthed' from a giant cabbage patch at the 'hospital.' Anyone there at the time can shout out a name for the new doll, first and middle, and while I was there there was an awesome group of kids from Uganda who gave the doll a really cool sounding name, but one that will probably never be spelled or pronounced right again. Also, at the 'hospital' they have 'premature' dolls in little incubators. Creepy!

The highlight of the rest of the week (for me) was a trip to Sam's (thanks Mom and Dad!) and for her, our SIX HOUR day at the mall. But at least we finally found Mom a beautiful dress for her college reunion.

Oh, and we went to see Nancy Drew. Hooray for incredibly dorky mother daughter outings! (it was actually remarkably good, once you overlooked all the annoying features that made it age-appropriate. and I thought Emma Roberts (Julia's niece) was quite good)

Afterward we hit the Highlands for a late dinner, and ran into one of the profs for whom I used to TA, and it turns out he plays in an Irish band! So after dinner we went back to the bar where he was playing and Mom felt extra cool since we were 'with the band' and therefore got in for free.

I managed to get back to work for two short days before the craziness (and fantastic-ness) of the US Social Forum set in (occurring simultaneously with my roommate moving out. seriously, between my own schedule and the half-empty house, I think I'll feel unsettled all summer. but it's ok). I'm taking lots of notes and pictures and will post back about all that progressive, liberal goodness once Comcast decides that I deserve internet access again.