A busy week with a wedding and a workshop!

The happy couple, Vijai and Natasha, at their wedding reception

Natasha and me

Natasha and Vijai with their UW friends

Last night was the end of a busy week full of participating in a workshop, hosting out of town guests, and attending a friend's wedding festivities in addition to my regular teaching duties. I am happy to finally have a chance to relax today!

On Thursday, Friday, and Saturday my advisor hosted a workshop at UW for researchers from a variety of disciplines from around the world who work in the Kuril Islands and/or the Aleutian Islands. Even though I don't currently work in either of those areas (I have worked in both in the past) I am so glad I was able to attend (and I hope to work in either or both of those areas in the future, although the Kurils are much more logistically difficult to get to!).

On Friday night I hosted a potluck at my house for all of the workshop participants (~35 or 40 people!). Ryan is a saint for helping (putting up with) me and doing most of the cleaning and rearranging furniture the next day while I was at the workshop.

On top of all that my very dear friend Natasha was getting married this weekend. I went over to her house on Thursday night for a Henna party, decorated their cake on Saturday morning (photos of both to come), and went straight from the workshop to the wedding reception on Saturday night. I'm just glad I was able to be there, share in their happiness, and eat the delicious Indian and Russian food!

Today we went downtown to go sightseeing with my friend Konrad who was here for the workshop. Konrad and I worked together in Iceland back in 2005 (can it really have been that long ago?). And we are still eating the leftovers from our potluck on Friday night!

Konrad and me at Pike Place Market

Konrad and Ryan looking at the waterfront and the new ferris wheel