Defending our title

This was the 8th year that the Eagle has fielded a team in the KANSEL trivia competition. Last year we got first but this year had to be satisfied with second, out of about 20 teams. The questions were all music-related, and we tanked on the first category, country music. In the eight years we've participated, the Eagle team has won first three times, second three times, and third twice. Shown here are Josh Wood, Molly McMillin, Dan Loving and Nick Jungman. (Josh and Nick are the team stars, by the way. Without them each year, we'd never place in the top five teams!)

Thank God I'm a minimalist

Began the process tonight of getting ready for new carpet installation by removing stuff that resides on the floors and sits on furniture that must be moved. It seems like a huge task but because I am not a hoarder it turned out not to be too onerous. More to do tomorrow night in preparation for the carpet to be installed Friday.

Full moon

My little camera just can't capture how pretty this was. But, here it is, anyway.

Poker, Part II

Longtime friend Fran Kentling hosted a group of girls at her house to play poker, eat amazing food and drink a little wine. Fran has a great house in College Hill and is a fantastic hostess. It's always a fun time at her house.

Poker, Part I

Played a marathon game of poker tonight at my mom's house in Great Bend, where the family gathered earlier in the day at my youngest brother's house to celebrate his mother-in-law's birthday. This is Eric, a new friend who fled the birthday party to check out the real party at mom's house. Eric's chip count was looking pretty good at the end of the night.

Plight of the killdeer, Part II

Update: Alas, the killdeer nest is empty. We don't know what happened to the two remaining eggs. It's possible predators got them. Anyway, it looks like this will be a spring without the hatching ritual we've enjoyed the past three years.

Monster machine

It's a little disconcerting to walk out of the exit at work and almost bump into this massive crane they're using to install a new roof at the Eagle.

Spring color

Admit it, you know they're pretty.

Plight of the killdeer

This is the fourth year that Dale and I have observed the habits of the killdeer that make their spring nest in the vacant field near our house. On Sunday, the mother had laid three eggs. Usually, they lay four. On Monday, Dale discovered that two of the three had been smashed -- probably by people who use the field recreationally. The nests are made on the ground, with no protection of any sort around them. Today, Dale found that the mother had laid another egg, for a total of two that are intact. But it remains to be seen whether she and her mate will return to try to protect the nest and hatch the eggs. Stay tuned.

Just another day at the Eagle

Our roofing project resulted in a small fire and a lot of smoke (not too obvious here). Made us all feel a little uneasy but we pushed through!

Pita pizza

It's what's for dinner.

Bought a bed

True confessions: This will be the first bed Dale and I have ever had, in our 30 years. Don't judge! Somehow, we have done just fine with mattresses and lots of pillows and shams. And if you're thinking this looks kind of country, you're wrong. That's just the bed spread they have on it in the store. It's actually more American Colonial. I don't really know. I do know, however, that it was the right price.

Gridiron 2010

The cast of Gridiron, the annual news spoof show that members of the Wichita media put on. It's always a clever show with some pretty good talent.

Self-portrait in the audience.

Stay classy

Took this on my way to work today. Nothing more really needs to be said.

Just one more photo of Dale in his car

Just because it's funny. My friend Jaime snapped this photo on her way home from work tonight. Dale tooling around town in his electric car/golf cart. I'm just waiting for the day he grows tired of this.

Rachelle's big night

Rachelle performed an amazing clarinet recital tonight at Wichita State University as part of her requirements for earning a master's degree in musical performance. She just has to complete a few odds and ends to get her degree.

Afterwards, she met her adoring public, which included many fans as well as her kids.

With Bret. She seems very relieved, and I can't blame her.  It was a demanding performance.

Kids and cars

Dale's grandkids got their first ride in his electric car today. They were pretty excited, in case you couldn't tell from Luke's face.

Cruisin' down the street.

It's the simple things in life.

Bartlett Arboretum 100th anniversary

Dale and I went to a dinner and celebration tonight to mark the 100th birthday of the Bartlett Arboretum in Belle Plaine.  Among the friends who we shared the occasion with was Dana Britton. (This photo was taken by Dana's wife, Cathy.)

This is Robin Macy, who owns the arboretum. She's a tiny little thing who has more energy and ideas than almost anyone I know. She's restored the arb's grandeur in the 10 or so years since she bought it. It's a wonderful place to visit.

Dana's wife Cathy and Jim Blanchett .

Jaime Green, who is putting together a short documentary about the arb, and Denise.

A very artsy photo of Nancy Blanchett in her vintage sunglasses. (This photo and the one of Jaime and Denise, above, also was taken by Cathy. Thanks for sharing, Cathy!)

New car owner

Dale got his new electric car today. Believe it or not, it is the first of two we will soon own. He plans to sell one and hopefully make a little profit on his "investment." And he plans to cruise around town in the other. Yes, it's legal on city streets.

Groucho

This is the cocker spaniel that walked up to our front door shortly after a torrential rain and hail storm last night. We took him in and kept him overnight before contacting the animal clinic where he was registered, according to his dog tags. His owners picked him up and took him home. He was a sweet dog but we're just glad he is back home.

First hailstorm of the season

It was only pea-sized but came with torrential rain.

Rules, schmules

The door leading outside to the Eagle's roof.

How can something so ugly be so delicious?

Dinner was king crab legs with melted butter....

And Caesar salad with homemade dressing.

A good night

Double-fisting it on poker night with a glass of Spanish red and Molly's famous blue martinis.

April Fool's Day

Those people at Google have a sense of humor. Today the Google home page was renamed TOPEKA for a day. This comes after the city council in Topeka passed a resolution in March renaming the city "Google" for the month as a gambit to get Google to consider the city as a location for its experimental ultra-high-speed broadband project.  You can read all about it here, a very funny explanation by Google's president: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2010/04/different-kind-of-company-name.html