Day 306

Wow, another post, already? I guess I’m just anxious to keep a record of everything that’s happening in these busy times so that I can remember it all later on!

The early part of this week was spent, as usual, in the lab trying to plough through the list of tasks I have remaining before I leave. I am currently preparing about 120 tRNA in-vitro chemical ligations in order to send to our lab’s German collaborators- the most I have ever sent is thirty, so 120 is a big ask, particularly since it is a distraction from my main focuses at the moment that are supposed to be a) training one of the new undergrads in the methods I’ve been optimising for the last few months (because once I leave there are some things that no one else in the lab has been trained to do !), b) writing my report/constructing my research poster so that my boss can read/correct it before I leave and c) enjoying my final weeks without stress. Regardless of my supervisor’s encouragement to do just that, I am committed to finishing these ligations before I leave the lab! 

I spent Tuesday evening baking fruit scones, making goats cheese and garlic breads, italian herb pizza breads and fresh potato salad because on Wednesday morning, my supervisor (and of course my good friend, but I’ve always referred to her as my supervisor in these blogs so I thought I’d stick with that!) picked me up from my apartment for our little Chicago day-trip. When I turned 21, she told me she planned for us to go and see a gig together as my present, since we have quite similar music taste and a few weeks ago she purchased tickets to an open air Rufus Wainwright concert just a few miles north of Chicago as part of the Ravinia Festival at Highland Park. I’d been super excited about this roadtrip/picnic/concert all month, especially since friends of mine who used to live near Chicago couldn’t speak highly enough about Highland Park and how special the concert area was. 

L and I swung by the lab to pick up G, the research intern and headed straight to our favourite place, Dairy Queen, to get pre-trip milkshakes (so, so bad for me but so, so tasty!) The drive to the city took about four hours, which L and I spent channel hopping the radio and talking rubbish, while G snoozed in the back (that boy would literally sleep through an armageddon). 

When we reached the city the weather was pretty dull- about 15 degrees Celsius with very, very low hanging cloud. Not the best conditions for a picnic! Luckily, we’d planned to spend the hours we had in the city before the gig visiting the Chicago Museum of Contemporary Art and doing a little shopping in one of the vertical malls. It was a lot of fun being cultured and grown up, but I was definitely ready to get some picnic food and wine! 

Ominous Cloud outside the Chicago MoCA

Ravinia Park was truly one of the prettiest places I have been to in the US. Whilst still being a full-functioning modern performance arena, the park was full of trees and twinkling lights and felt like we could have been anywhere but a few miles outside the third largest city in America!!!! We had our little picnic blanket, a couple of bottles of red wine and a gorgeous spread of food; prosscuito, cheese selection, summer fruits and bread (not to mention the goodies I made the night before). 

Rufus Wainwright was brilliant- what a voice and such a true musician! And the chilled out music suited the atmosphere perfectly; sun-setting, candles flickering. About half way through his set, Rufus was joined on stage by, randomly, Liza Minelli. Seriously. We couldn’t quite believe it- such an unlikely duo! Rufus was followed by a similar artist, Cat Power, who we listened to under the moonlight with blankets and hot chocolates.

At about ten o’clock we made our way back to the rental car and started the return drive to IC- we didn’t want to stay overnight since L is writing for her post-doc fellowship deadline and I’m busy with all of those ligations! As expected, G fell asleep pretty much as soon as we started moving but I kept L company as she drove. We stopped in Illinois for Gas and Ice cream and then again at Interstate-80’s big attraction, ‘The World’s Largest Truckstop.’ By this point it was about 2.30 am and I was pretty delirious. L dropped me home at about 3.30 and I was so hysterical I didn’t sleep for another hour or so. Feeling tired on Wednesday morning was SO worth it though. It was really special to spend some quality time with L. She has been a really important part of my life in the US- my mentor, my friend and, to some extent, my in loco parentis. Although I’m pretty certain I’ll see her again sometime in the not-so-distant future, It was nice to get away from the lab (where we’re both so busy at the moment we are constantly talking about work) and make some memories. 

On Thursday, the package my Mom sent to the lab from England arrived. Safe to say, the huge box of British goodies (mainly biscuits and chocolates) went down so well- really brightened up everyone’s moods and I think everyone had fun trying things that we just don’t have in the states; malteasers, magic stars, crunchies, curly wurlys, mint matchmakers, kinder buenos, malted milks, custard cremes, bourbons, jammy dodgers, party rings, jaffa cakes and more! I also finally collected my new glasses from the opticians. They’re tortoise shell Ray Bans with baby blue insides and I LOVE them. Its been ages since I had new frames so I’m very excited about these!

Friday came around much too quickly for a girl who’s conscious of every second thats running out to finish her lab-work.  I waited around excitedly for Friday afternoon to come, so I could be skyped into my Dad’s surprise fiftieth birthday- It was a lot of fun to see his reaction as I wasn’t sure my little brother would have really managed to keep it secret. However, my Dad was honestly taken aback and seemed to have a really, really good night. Plenty of kudos to my Mom and Sister for pulling that off and all of the work they put in leading up to the day!

Friday also signalled the start of my final weekend in Iowa City. It was also the last night of one of my friends here before she moved out to Kansas City, so we took the opportunity to go for happy hour mojitos and then bar-hopped the remainder of the evening. Lots of fun, as usual! On Saturday my boss threw a work BBQ and I spent the day leading up to this grocery shopping (buying ingredients for S’mores- yay!) and doing other bits and pieces. Mainly, I needed the day to catch up on my sleep after the busy week I had. 

J and I

I headed to the lab Sunday morning and somehow managed to (very, very painfully) trap my sciatic nerve on the way there. I spent a few hours doing things I needed to prepare for the week ahead (my official last week in the lab) and then slowly hobbled back to my apartment, where  I have spent the remainder of the day watching netflix on my back as It literally caused me agony to even move a toe. I’m still feeling very immobile and just keeping my fingers crossed that when I wake up I’ll be falling normal again. 

The next week is full of exciting plans! On Wednesday I have a little farewell dinner with the lab and lab friends at a stone-oven pizza and wine bar in a town about twenty minutes north of IC. Thursday is my last day in the lab with my boss, C and my supervisor, L, as they head out to a conference on the East coast July 5th- this will be really sad, but i’m mentally preparing myself already!!! On Thursday eve, J and I leave for Kansas City for 4th of July celebrations in the sun with her ex-roommates and best friend from High School- lots of nice plans for my last weekend before meeting my family in San Fran!

Time to sleep so I’m nice and fresh for Ligations tomorrow!

Love love xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx