What I did on my summer vacation!

This summer the hubband and I drove from MO to MI and back, via WI. We visited many friends and family along the way that we hadn't seen in some time. It was a blast. A road trip to be remembered.

We visited MSU where we had our first date on the banks of the Red Cedar River, went to the Cherry Festival (top photo) in Traverse City, climbed Sleeping Bear Dunes (mid. photo), and then watched a 4th of July parade that went on forever! They even gave fresh cherries to the parade watchers! We followed the parade back into town and ended up in it! We waved at all the locals who wondered how folks from MO ended up in the parade! We finished that busy day by watching the 4th of July Fireworks on the banks of Lake Michigan.

Finally, we went clear up into the UP to visit a dear friend where there is nothing but pine trees and miniscule towns every few dozen miles. The snowfall up there averages around 300'' a year! We enjoyed a proper afternoon tea and some much needed catching up with her after SEVEN years!

We took a cruise around Pictured Rocks (btm. photo: this rock formation is called Chief Superior, see the headdress (the pine trees), his nose (the outcropping), and his strong forehead (slants up to the right)? We also went to the banks of Lake Superior, to Tahquamenon Falls featured by HW Longfellow in his poem Hiawatha,
"So they gathered cones together,
Gathered seed-cones of the pine-tree,
Gathered blue cones of the fir-tree,
In the woods by Taquamenaw..."

There is lots more to tell and hundreds more photos, but other than having no cares and enjoying the company of my husband for 10 whole days, these are the highlights!

Finally, an update!

Well, many of you have been begging me for an update, in my comment boxes and via email, and it has finally arrived!

I am pleased to announce that I am now a Ph.D. candidate, or Ph.D. (c) for short. I passed my last comp exam this Friday! That is part of what has been taking up all of my time!

It has been a busy summer, preparing for exams, a vacation to Michigan that included 2400+ miles of driving, and soon, a trip to Florida before I move back to Peoria for the year.

I will post more often going forward, but first I wanted to thank each of your for your prayers and friendship this past year. They have sustained me throughout the summer, and indeed throughout this entire Ph.D. process! It's not over yet, there's still the matter of a dissertation to be written, but 2/3 of the degree are done!


Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

And now, back to our regularly scheduled programming which may include a bit about the move by the BOT of my Alma Mater, a woman's college, to admit men! Hey, I love men just as much as the next woman, I married one afterall, but keep 'em the HELL outta my school! I can think of at least one F word that could be attached to this situation. . .But I suppose for now I'll stick with the more lady like option. FIGHT!