July Update

Well, here it is the end of July already!! I just had a feeling that summer would go by fast and it sure is -- way too fast!! As usual, it got HOT, really HOT and HUMID here - but you know I do love summer, so I haven't minded too much. But -- of course -- my hair has been a disaster! Isn't it always!!! :)

Summer time is pool time, am I right? It's been a bit different this summer with me working part-time 3 days a week and Maddie being in class 3 mornings a week and studying a lot! Her class ends with the final final tomorrow! Two finals - one for lab and one for lecture! She's killing that class and I have a learned a little going over review questions with her! Her goal was an A and she's getting it! In other news, she went to the nearby outlet mall one day to meet her new roommate. She said they had a good meeting -- even though they couldn't find the Scooters that is right in the middle of the outlet mall and we've walked by it loads of times. But, anyway, her roomie is from Omaha and a nursing major. Maddie is a radiologic technology major so I think it will be a nice blend of two awesome majors. My roomies in college (back in the dark ages) were all nursing majors.

Wait -- did I tell you that she's transferring to Nebraska Methodist College of Nursing and Health Sciences in Omaha?? No -- well she is! She planned to stay in Kearney and do the program at the UNMC (Univ of Neb Medical Center) in Kearney, but they required more prereqs so she would have had to have another whole year before she could even start the program. She looked around and found the program at Nebraska Methodist and applied there. She was accepted (competitive to get in) and decided to go there since she could start the program right away.

Even though she loved Kearney and hates to leave her friends there, this seems like a very good fit and excellent program. Bonus- she'll only be an hour away instead of 2 hours. Classes start at the middle of August. She'll be living in their housing (see above) - apartments just across the parking lot from the classroom buildings. She is excited and we are thrilled for her!

In other news, We took Jane (oldest granddaughter) mini-golfing one day! So fun and guess who got a hole-in-one?? Moi! Go me! We also introduced her to Starbucks and Chick-Fil-A -- yes, we are good influences! We saved McDonald's for another day!

Maddie and I also made a couple meals with the help of Hello Fresh! Yummy!!! Seems like pork tacos are a favorite of Hello Fresh and ours too. This was a sheet pan chicken and roasted veggies dish! We LOVED roasted carrots -- who knew how to make those??? Not me! But, now I know. I see a lot of roasted carrots in my future!

Frannie has demanded our attention a lot of the time and although she hates her leash, she does like going for a walk! She actually runs away when we get the leash out. Weird dog! She's getting a shorter haircut today as running after bunnies in the yard has resulted in lots of little nettles or some such getting stuck in her fur and a nightmare to comb out. Am afraid she's gonna look like a naked mole rat when she comes home later. I think she was laughing at us the last time she had a haircut! I have a feeling we're gonna be laughing at her later today!

Well, I guess that's July for you! Hoping to post more, but as you can see, I'm not always successful! But, here's a fun photo of me shopping. WHen I don't have an assistant (Maddie) with me, I take photos and send to her for approval!! HA HA -- she thinks I'm crazy!!

Hope your summer is going well! Enjoy every minute! xoxo

Spring Blooms!

Happy Happy Tuesday! I wanted to do a quick update and some photos from University of Nebraska Kearney! Maddie took photos of her sorority sisters and it happened to be when some of the trees were showing off their beautiful spring blooms!

We had a weird winter and spring with not much precipitation and then really hot weather and then really cold weather, so all of blooming trees were -- to put it simply -- freaked out and unsure of when to bloom! When they finally did bloom, some blockbuster rain storms came through and knocked the blooms down (boo hoo), so it was a really short blooming season!

That's the weather in Nebraska -- if you don't like what it's doing, wait 5 minutes and it will change! These are from the lovely Harmon Park located near UNK campus! Love Kearney and UNK!

December??? Already???

Hi friends! Oh wow -- how did November escape me without a single post??? I've been overwhelmed lately with the office and various other things - so the good old blog has suffered. Frannie the mini-golden doodle says hello! What a needy dog!! She is spoiled beyond belief by Rickster. They sit together in the recliner nearly every morning for some CNN news and toast!!!!!!

Here's a quick recap and my New Year's resolution will definitely be to do better!! Pinky promise!!

Well, October zipped right by, didn't it! I made a couple drives to Kearney to see Miss Maddie and those were fun! I just love that campus. Sometimes Maddie and I would take "walks and talks". I'd call from Lincoln and walk and talk to her and she'd walk in Kearney. Such a great way to keep in touch. I kind of wish I had known about the University of Nebraska at Kearney when I was going to college and maybe I would have gone there! Of course, there have been a ton of improvements since the really old days when I went to college.

Maddie is now in one of the suite-style dorms known as Antelope dorm. Nicer than any apartment I ever lived in! So great that she can have her own private room as that makes studying so much easier. Otherwise, she was jam-packed into a tiny space and had to leave the room to study and/or make a phone call. She'd make telephone calls from her car so she had a little privacy. She was on the waiting list to get into the suite-style dorm since fall and there was an opening, so Connor and I went one weekend and helped her move from one dorm to another. I recommended she move when it became available as I sure didn't want her to be sitting in her cold car calling! Later, she had fall break around the end of October and it was super to have her home for a few days. The fountain above is right outside her dorm and so pretty!

In case you're wondering, she and I like to send each other inspiring quotes now and then, so I'm posting a few of our favorites!

That's it for this update. Stay tuned and I promise to keep posting no matter if anyone reads it or not.

Move-In Day!

Left a very big part of my heart in Kearney, Nebraska at the University of Nebraska! Maddie started her sophomore year there as a transfer student in the Health Sciences field. It was a bit of late sign-up, but she was able to get her classes and a dorm room -- so that was a huge relief. On a tour the week before school started, the tour guide (a student) told us she had a transfer student the day before and she wasn't able to get into a dorm! Even though the rooms are small, it's such a great experience to live in the dorm. UNK was super organized and had lots of student helpers there to move boxes and gear to the rooms and even bump up her bed a bit! Such a huge help! Her room reminds me a lot of my room in Heitz Hall at Bradley University my freshman year -- many, many, many years ago!

Her roomie is from Grand Island, Nebraska, about 40 minutes away. She works at a local hospital part-time so goes home most weekends to work.

Maddie joined a sorority and is busy with classes and studying and getting the whole college experience -- including that the food is often a bit questionable - but at least, the cookies and desserts are generally yummy! I'm sure Maddie and her roomie are going to have the BEST experience there. Lucky for me, she is taking the advice on the pillow I got for her to heart and texting and calling me! Love and miss that sweet girl!

Study hard. Have fun. 💙💛! #UNK #GoLopers