Now Playing: Doctor of Philosophy - Plant Biology
On Saturday, May 10, 2008 we attended Vicki's (Bob's daughter) graduation from the University of Illinois, at Urbana-Champaign. She received her PhD in Plant Biology. This particular ceremony was the Integrative Biology Convocation and was not the entire graduating class of 2008, so it was much smaller. Which was great. Vicki also participated in the graduation ceremony the next day that included all graduates from all departments. We were able to see all the graduates attending this ceremony on stage and Vicki was in the middle, first row, right up front. Part of the ceremony was where those receiving their doctorates are hooded. Vicki's advisor, Dr. Stephen Long performed her hooding.
Ginny, Vicki's sister, Ginny's husband Morgan and his parents, Judy and Eric, Mathew the girl's brother and their stepdad, Marty and his sister, Leslie, were there also. We were all so proud of Vicki's accomplishments. Her years of hard work were certainly worth the end result. She received several awards. She was offered and has accepted a post-doc position at the University of Illinois. She begins this new adventure June 16th. The picture with Bob and I and Vicki includes Bob's daughter Ginny, Vicki's sister.
After the graduation ceremony we all went to a Park in Allerton and had a picnic. It was a good day, lots of food, good company and very pretty grounds to explore. Two weddings were going on in the park while we were there. We could see the wedding party going down the paths. We left just as it started to get cooler. There was one more event that we attended with Vicki, Ginny, Morgan and Mathew. It was a party given by Vicki's advisor Steve, and his wife. They have a beautiful home in Champaign and are exceptional hosts. A wonderful way to end the day.
Have had several different birds the past couple of weeks, Summer Tanager, Red Breasted Grosbeak, Indigo Bunting and Baltimore Oriole. Only see these briefly as they fly thru. We had one squirrel in our yard this winter but this week we have two more. They are younger, don't know if they are babies of our one squirrel, they chase each other around the yard, fun to watch.
Bob's carpel tunnel surgery on the left hand is not doing as well as the right. The nerve in his left elbow is causing his little finger and the one next to it to be numb. When he had the stitches out he was told it may take awhile for the nerve to not be irritated. It is probably caused from keeping the elbow bent to elevate the hand.
We are in the process of getting estimates to re-roof Dad's house. He put the last one on in 1975. The old roofing will need to be torn off which gives Dad some concern because he doesn't want nails in the yard. He is getting three different estimates and they all assure him they will do the proper clean up. It's difficult for him to have others do the work, he has always done any repairs himself.
We just purchased another tool to make life a little easier here on the "farm". It is a motorized, 25 gallon, weed sprayer (12 volt ran off the mower battery) that we can tow behind the mower. It has a wide sprayer on the back for the driveway and also a wand sprayer. I think we will do 10 gallons at a time. We are looking for cheap weed spray other than Round Up. If you know of any let us know. We have not done any spraying yet, to cold, wet and windy. It's starting to warm up and it looks like there will be a break in the rain. It was sunny today and I did all of the mowing.
The farmers corn is starting to pop up. It looks like we will have soy around our house but corn across the street. Bob's garden that he started is so wet nothing came up. Don't know if he will try and do any replanting before he leaves for Alaska. And so it goes here on the "farm".
Introducing Mr. and Mrs. Foutch. Our good friends Tom and Claudia decided to become official and were married April 10, 2008. The Sunday before we were at their house and Claudia told me (Kathy) of their plans and ask if we would stand up for them. They had made the arrangements to be married at the court house the following Friday. They decided to keep it simple and uncomplicated and didn't tell folks until the last minute (some before and some after). Claudia and I decided not to tell Bob until we got to the court house. I told Bob we were going to lunch with them and would meet them downtown. Friday morning it was a task convincing Bob that he should not wear his bib overalls and he finely agreed to wear his jeans (he really grumbled when I ask him to wear his dockers so I backed off). We left the house with not to much time to spare. On our way there the traffic was backed up so I decided to go another way only to find the street closed so we had to go back to the original route. By that time I was getting upset and Bob said "it won't matter if we're a little late". I said "but you don't understand Claudia and Tom are getting married and we can't be late". He looked at me and said "REALLY"! 
We had a new visitor here on the "farm", as you can see, a skunk. Last summer Bob caught a skunk in his trap and after calling out the county animal control to help us let it loose we didn't see it again. Don't know if this is the same critter. It surprised us that it came out during the day and feed near the bird feeder right out the kitchen window. We could observe it's movements and take pictures without scaring it away. We would go outside and as long as we didn't make much noise and didn't get to close it just continued what it was doing. The skunk stayed around for several days but we haven't seen it now for a week or so. 
Yes, it is still winter! This was taken this past weekend. It's a beautiful site to wake up and look out the window and see this picture, a winter wonderland. It is not snow on the trees, it had been foggy the night before, no wind, and the moisture from the fog crystallized.
MERRY CHRISTMAS
last stop before going back and picking up the desk was an apple farm that usually sells apple juice/cider but this year because of the freeze, that happened in this part of the country in March, the apple crop was really effected and there was none to buy. We did get some apples that were very good.
Bob has put the lighted tree up again in the yard. When I took the picture it was snowing and it made kind of an unusual picture. You can see it at night coming around the corner before getting to the driveway. 
The Indy 500 is fast approaching. This is a big event in this area and for all racing enthusiasts who watch the Indy each year. I (Kathy) am fortunate to know folks who have been involved with the various social gatherings that take place during the month of May. For the past two years I have been invited to a couple of radio press conferences that take place at the race track where they interview the drivers. It is held at a motel/restaurant called the Brickhouse. This is a picture of my friend Dwayne and Irene the lady who has given Dwayne tickets each year. Dwayne is an amputee and needs to have somebody drive for him. I made two trips to Indianapolis, last Thursday (5/17) and the Thursday before (5/10). We have dinner and then the interviews begin. There are about twenty folks who sit together at one of the reserved tables who have been involved with the Indianapolis Race Track for many years, either working there or involved with the event one way or another. Irene was the secretary of the owner for many years.
A 2000 Toyota Sienna. It has only had one owner and 57,000 miles. We are both pleased with our purchase. Bob is off this evening with the car to the jam session. You won't see this car racing around the track on the 27th! 
Tom and Claudia joined us to enjoy the pancakes and the day exploring the replicas of the early days. Here is Tom and Bob sitting on the front porch of the log cabin. Bob looks like he belongs in that era except for the camouflage hat. They are enjoying their conversation and I think talking about what they would have done had they lived in the olden days. We also went to the building where they make maple syrup. They were finished for the season but were demonstrating how it was done.
Bob went on a camping trip, leaving the 4th of May. He went with six other guys. They do this a couple of times a year. Bob was invited to the one last fall and now seems to be a part of the group. Each of the fellows has a nick name. Bob's is biscuit since he made biscuts in the cast iron skillet the last camp out. Now, I'm not saying they turn out perfect all the time and in fact I don't think he made any this trip.