West Coast Swing

This month, Pat attended the AERA conference in San Diego and NARST conference in Anaheim. Pictured below, Pat enjoys a cruise on the San Diego bay.

University of Missouri science education faculty, graduate students and alum at NARST. I am not even gonna try to name all of them.

Gold Chalk Award

Thursday night, Pat was presented the Gold Chalk Award by the University of Missouri Graduate Professional Council. The honor is for excellence in doctoral student mentoring. Pat is pictured below with some of her graduate students, (L to R) Aaron, Deanna, Pat, Kristy, and Emily.

Congratulations, Pat!

Bud

Or biggest redbud tree, Bud, spent all weekend standing out in the rain. I hope it doesn't catch a cold. I am also concerned about the message Bud is sending to all the saplings. 

What was I thinking?

I am home alone this week. After eating scrambled eggs and granola for every meal for four days, I gave up the ghost and went grocery shopping. I came home with: 

• three porterhouse steaks
• one package of brauts
• a jar of BBQ sauce
• three cans of pork 'n' beans
• two loaves of bread
• five pounds of cashews
• a quart of yogurt
• five apples
• one box of raisins
• a package of whole wheat fig newtons
  

What was I thinking? What am I going to do with all of that health food?

Tab rocked the house

I saw Tab Benoit perform at the Blue Note tonight. Tab is Pat's favorite blues guitarist. Unfortunately, she is in San Diego this week, so Pat had to attend the show via my cell phone. Below, Tab makes his vintage Fender guitar sing like an angel.

The Megan Boyer Band opened for Tab. Megan's band is one of our best local bands. They represented central Missouri at the 25th Annual International Blues Challenge in Memphis in February. As the ticket guy for the Blue Note told me, "Megan's got it going on."

Bloomin' Easter

poking around Little Dixie

It was a beautiful day today. Taking Mr. Bojangles for a long walk only served as an appetizer, so Pat, Rosie and I loaded a canoe and spent the afternoon paddling and poking around Little Dixie Lake. All of it was good.

old ball game

Tuesday, some of us skipped the Wimbian Festival (Wimba conference party) to watch the Colorado Rockies whoop a$$ on the Arizona Diamondbacks. In great seats behind the third base dugout, we chowed monster-sized hotdogs and cheered and jeered like idiots. It was awesome. Pictured from L to R is Ryan, Mark, me and Mike. For the record, Mike is taller. He is standing one step down. Mark is standing on his tip toes. Ryan and Mike work for Idaho Digital Learning Academy. Mark and I have been working together for eight years.

New office

Here is the view from my office windows this week. How much work do you think I am getting done?

Tonanzio's

Last night, Pat and I dined at Tonanzio's Cedar Lake Lodge. It's motto is "Adventure in Dining & Lodging." No kidding! It really is! Where else can you stop for a meal, end up participating in a dinner theatre, book a gator hunting trip and an African Safari, plan a fishing trip in Egypt, schedule a business retreat and a holiday banquet, order a wedding cake, take a dance class and relax in an old south-styled bed and breakfast room?

We dined under the careful watch of a giraffe, starting with a plate of fried gnu sausage, which is more commonly called wildebeest. Then salads, followed by Sika Deer steaks wrapped in wild boar bacon and garnished with onions and pepperoni. Aw, shoot. It was a hunter's meal, haunted by the spirits of critters turned vittles. Good thing Pat wore camouflage.