Thanks for asking... Wed. was my first class. I got there quite early...( don't want to be late to your first class you know.), but there was a different prof. there, so I went around the corner to wait. All of a sudden, I tho't maybe it was time for class... I opened the door and I was 5 minutes late. She was just calling my name. She had given out note cards to everyone, except me of course, and so I had to walk down in front of the class to get one and I couldn't figure out what I was supposed to put on the card. I was quite embarassed. The lecture was understandable except when she said, "I'm sure you remember this from last year..." The lab was all procedures I did as a med tech, so I felt a bit more comfortable there. Although I did have to keep asking, "Where did you get your goggles, labcoat, marker, etc etc" It was fun, though. I've only had one day's worth. I'll let you know later if I think I will pass. N..

yea! final is semester of my college career is finally here!

The Return of Coffman!
Today I went over and checked out the new, improved Coffman Union. (Well, it is the OLD Coffman - they didn't build a new building...) I had Chick-Fil-A for lunch, looked around the building - even checked out the bowling alley (no, I didn't bowl). I even talked about network security with the head of dining services (well he happened to be running the cash register, and we'd talked before). Seemed crowded, and a few things weren't up and running yet (the new bookstore doesn't open till March), but it is nice to see it back in service!
http://www.coffman.umn.edu/

Hope you enjoyed being a student again, Nancy. We are waiting for a full report on your first day of school. Norris has already dropped a class (and added two others to replace it) after the first session. The teacher believed in "confrontational teaching."

Matt and Janelle, your new house looks really nice! I can't wait to see it in person. Sorry we couldn't be there to help move..

Here are some pictures of us moving in with much help from various Andersons and one Davidson:
moving pix.

Yeah, you can do it mom, we know you can. Good luck in your class this week, and don't fall asleep during lecture!

Mom, I know you can do it.

Tom.

Hi Everybody, We did indeed enjoy the Rookie movie at Peter & Maria's home. Mark would like to let you know that in November he saw some wild turkeys along highway 169 between St. Peter and Jordan in a field and he thinks they were walking north toward St. Paul.
I start my medical technology class on Wednesday... that is if my flight doesn't get cancelled. I'm coming in on a wild turkey.
It's Immunohematology... contains quite a bit about blood banking & antigen-antibody stuff... 4 hr. lab on wed. afternoons.
I'm kinda scared & excited at the same time. Love, Nancy

Turkey Power!

As someone who was born on Thanksgiving, I'm glad to see turkeys such a lively subject; and glad to see that my rendition seems (to me) close to Matt's pictures. And wild turkeys are in the news
Comeback of the wild turkey is worth celebrating as well as history: At one time, the turkey and the bald eagle were each considered as the national symbol of America. Benjamin Franklin was one of those who argued passionately on behalf of the turkey. Franklin felt the turkey, although "vain and silly", was a better choice than the bald eagle, whom he felt was "a coward".

I didn't know turkeys would be such a hot topic of conversation (and even photography!) My parents usually have quite a few of them walking across their yard, but of course, they live in a rural area.

BTW, speaking of Murray Jr. High, Joel was speaking to Tim Chase after church, a science teacher at Murray, and he was going on about how wonderful MATT was and how he was afraid they were going to lose him as he was sure to have higher ambitions.

Another BTW, Norris was supposed to come home today, but his Northwest flight out of Gatwick was canceled (just as ours was) and he is staying overnight at the Hilton (just as we had to). He said there were three other CSOM students there. We are all disappointed, especially as he is supposed to start three classes tomorrow. I have e-mailed one professor who wrote a nice letter back and Norris should be able to make his 5:45 pm class. But he's supposed to start springboard diving at 8:00 tomorrow morning... anyone want to volunteer to go in his place?

Neighborhood Turkeys Moved to St. Paul?
I was driving home from Maria's parents one night before we were married, and a flock of about 8-9 turkey's was wandering across the road. I was able to stop in time, however, they just took their jolly time in crossing the street. Finally I honked. The turkey's acted very startled, and began running back and forth in the road. After they got their bearings again they hurried into the brush. Could these be those same mysterious turkeys?

Neighborhood Turkeys
Some turkeys caused a bit of fuss at Murray Junior High when they came by the office on Thursday afternoon. I believe these are they same turkeys Joel saw: Turkey Pix

Movie Review of the Day

Mom and dad were over at our townhouse last night, and we watched a really good movie. We watched Disney's "The Rookie" with Dennis Quaid. For those of you who don't know, "The Rookie" is about a 36 yr old high school baseball coach and science teacher who, beyond all odds, lives out his dream to pitch in the major leagues. The movie was heartwarming and fun, and best of all, it was based on a true story! It was also cool to watch the making of the movie where they interviewed the man that the movie is based on, and talked to those who were there when it happened.

It's nice to see such a positive movie in this day and age, one that focuses on the good things in life. Out of a possible 10 stars, I give it an 8


The Rookie
8 Stars

Turkey's Day Out?

Picture of the day - in Ascii graphics.
Sunday, after church we went to Wendy's for lunch, then dropped Liv off at the library to study, while we went shopping.
On the way home, when we were driving by the St. Paul Campus, we saw three wild turkeys sauntering across the street by the frat houses.
Here's my rendition of one of them:

                           .---------------.

               /  .       /       oLo       \

              |   '     O/_____/________/____\O

             ,'  /      /__________+__________\

             /  /      /    (#############)    \

            /  /       |[**](#############)[**]|

           /  .'       \_______________________/

          /   |         |_""__|_,-----,_|__""_|

         .'  /          | |     '-----'     | |

         '  /           '-'                 '-'

        /  /   .--.

       |  ,'  /} p \

      ,' .'  `~)-) /                              /}

      /  '    ( . \                             /` }

     /  /       `. \  .                       /`}.' }

    /  /          \ \:....____-'""-.__    .  / ' }-;'

   /  /            -.._               `--. \/ '.',i

  .' .'                `+    `.-=-;       '  } ;:

  '  |                   '.   -=-'          _,;

 /  /                      `-,_  _________.'`

   /                           `|||

  /                           .=='=,

 ,'

 /

Note: I borrowed drawings by "APC" and "JGS" that I found at
Linkname: Ascii Art Dictionary (Andreas Freise)
URL: http://www.ascii-art.de/. For the wild turkey, I started
with JGS's picture of a domestic turkey and altered it.

Thanks to all the Andersons who helped us move into our new place yesterday! (I'll put up some pictures later.)

Matt & Janelle

Norris is Back In London (then home tomorrow)
Hi. I am back in London. The train ride was uneventful. Some tubes are closed for weekend repairs, so it is really hard getting around here.
I have opted to just rest today instead of seeing more things. I have seen enough of London for this trip. Oxford was really nice.

Norris, if you run into a guy named Justin Bonner or a girl named Heidi Johnson, say hello to them from Tom. They are North Parkers that are spending a semester at Oxford and are both wonderful and intelligent.

Oh, there will be no wedding this summer, I can almost guarantee that. That's all. Oh, and I made the mistake of giving Jessica the url to view the website. Her reactions are as follows 1). She thinks her face is huge on the site and 2). She thinks Aunt Theresa is very funny. also, you might want to keep that in mind if you are about to write something mean or share an embarrassing moment from my childhood.

That's all. Tom.

Norris's Report from Oxford



Hi Y'all.

Oxford is nice. It is bigger than I imagined. It has a quite large shopping district and colleges. Last night we went out to dinner with some of Kate's friends. Tonight she is hosting an engagement party for two Rhodes scholars who got engaged over winter break.

The accommodations she booked me are very cheap and nice. They are in a really old castle like building. It is nice to once again be away from the hustle and bustle that is London. Those are my only feelings.

Plants, anyone?
I just want to say I'm totally up for a summer trip to Arkansas State Park. I hear it's a beautiful place. And if anyone wants to listen to long lectures about endemic wildflowers and germination procedures and plant-hunting and the evolution of mating-system in flowering plants, I would be happy to contribute to that aspect of the trip. Or I'd be happy to camp and just go on hikes (and attend Tom's wedding?). Nice pictures, Tom, she looks very nice and very intelligent.

Ingrid