Quick, but not so quick update.

Gosh - its hard to find time to get an update to everyone these days.

We've been run-over by work duties, but in my case especially - it keeps me from getting 'home sick'.

I wish I had pictures from the past weekend, because my words will do this story no justice. But here I go.

Much like other land-grant universities with Block&Bridle/Saddle&Sirloin organizations - NDSU held their annual "Little I" festivities this past weekend. We had a variety of committments throughout the course of the week including:

1. Ben participating in the ham curing contest as a judge (his pay was a 25# bone-in ham, YUM)

2. Ben overseeing the livestock judging contest (me there as moral-support and PR for the Cass Ext. office)

3. Me supplying the keep/cull paper class for our local FFA judging contest and attending for PR for the office (I actually had to talk this class during the critique and I can just see all our family and judging friends cringing at this......my association to judging is by proxy only)

4. Us attending the "Hall of Fame" banquet to honor the S&S Agriculturalist of the year and the judging team (more on this later)

5. US attending the Little I to support the kids/department/agriculture in ND, etc. (seperate post also) - ending up with a silent auction gift......YEAH!

Needless to say the festivities were capped off by a "traditional" trip to CHUBS PUB during and after the Saturday program. We made our rounds, making sure the folks up here knew we came out and then headed home about 45 minutes before 'last call'. We didn't even try to keep up with the retired ASCI faculty who successfully 'shut the bar down' each year.

We recuperated just enough on Sunday to start another whirl-wind week. We seem to see each other coming-n-going these days. This week I had a couple of night meetings and long days and he's coaching the meat-animal evaluation team in addition to the livestock team, grading tests (that the average was a 64%, OUCH) and trying to keep up on all the basketball and olympics he can squeeze in .

Last night we looked at a few potential homes, but nothing 'tripped our trigger.' Plus we didn't want to have to both drive 100+ miles a day. Oh well, such is life. Another appointment next week - we'll see. No hurry.

He's off to Nebraska this weekend - I'm moping (not mopping). But I've got the cat to keep me company. I kindof like having him around.