100th Homecoming

Remember this post from last year? I was dying to be at Homecoming at my alma mater. Well, this year I was here for the 100th MU Homecoming. It was a lot of fun to be here and a weekend full of seeing familiar faces, which was very refreshing.

As a student involved in a sorority, Homecoming involved a lot of work. Even though I was usually exhausted by the actual game, I still loved being a part of it all. But it was really nice to just witness the uniqueness of Mizzou's Homecoming without doing all of the work.

Homecoming starts on Friday with "house decs." It's hard to fully explain, but basically the Greek pairings (typically one sorority is paired with two fraternities) build elaborate sets to go along with a certain theme and a skit. This was my sorority's set this year, their theme was New Year's Eve (the overall theme was celebrations):

I posted this picture on Facebook and complained that there was no "pomping," which is applying small pieces of tissue paper to plywood with pencils and a glue mixture. I had heard they cut back a lot on it, but some of the other houses did quite a bit more. Here's a short video of one of the skits to better show you:

Then on Saturday morning, there is the parade. I realize I'm biased, but I think it's a really impressive parade. I watched it for two hours, and it was still going. The Greek pairings create a float based on their themes. Here is my sorority's float:

I think this was the best float:

Do you see the working fountains?

Look at this tractor. The fraternity that created this Mardi Gras float is called Farmhouse, so it makes sense but it's reminder that I'm in the Midwest now:

And always my favorite part of the parade:

OK, I won't bore you with anymore pictures, but it was a really fun weekend and I enjoyed seeing some good friends.

A hint of fall

I hate to brag about the weather here because it seems like everywhere else is being slammed with rain or in a drought. But we are having some perfect weather here — low 70s, slight breeze and blue sky. I tried to take full advantage of it over the weekend.

There's a great trail I can get to from my house without driving that weaves through town without ever going on a street or crossing one. On Sunday afternoon I pulled my bike out and got in a 10-mile ride. And then after I worked on Monday, I headed out again to try and revive my couch to 5-K attempt. I went back a couple of weeks and definitely struggled, but it was good to be out exercising again.

On Friday afternoon, I was driving around town, and I found myself stopping at an intersection and thinking, there's something missing here. Then it occurred to me that I was expecting to see mountains in the landscape. Of course, there are no mountains, not even rolling hills. It is very flat. But as I rode my bike on the trail on Sunday and jogged on Friday, I was grateful that it was flat and there was no point where I needed to walk my bike.

I made about three attempts to ride my bike back in Virginia, and every time I found myself walking almost more than riding because I was literally trying to ride my bike up mountains. So I guess there is something to be said for a flat landscape.

Anyway, I hope this weather is here to stay. I've already started pulling out my fall wardrobe.