Blank Slate

JP is ready to get going on the back yard. Our neighbor just installed four new trees and is getting a new concrete patio poured on Monday. We took the panorama picture so that we can start designing our dream yard.

Romulan Ale

Last night, we went with the boys and our neighbors to see the new Star Trek movie. JO'N made up some Romulan Ale for the occasion. The movie was absolutely fantastic! CP liked it, but GP said he was a little lost because he knew none of the characters.
Live long and prosper.

UNL 1/4-Scale Tractor

This week the guys from the UNL 1/4-Scale Tractor Team brought their new 2009 tractor down to Beatrice for us all to see. We have been helping them out with scrap iron, laser-cut parts and powder coat. Two of the guys in the lab were on the team when they were in school. One of them designed our own "Exmark Skunk Works" decal for special projects like this. Its on the frame in the lower right corner of the picture above.

The team competes against other schools. The entire tractor was designed and built by students in the ag engineering program. The whole thing was drawn up in CAD and modeled in 3D. It has three 16 hp Briggs & Stratton engines running into a gearbox that goes into an electrically controlled CVT and then into the 4X4 transfer case. The engines must be left completely stock, and everyone uses the same fuel for competitions.

Winning the actual pulling event is only half of the program. Points are awarded for design, execution, sound levels, style, safety, etc. I think it's a great program.

Back in the Saddle

After the Mayor's Run on Saturday, we got back to work on the deck. Last weekend, I sanded and painted three boards and then it started raining. It rained, fogged, and misted all week long. The stain I had applied only partially sunk in, so I had to sand the boards again. I sanded all day and JP was able to finish up the stain. We had a gorgeous day with enough sun to toast my back.

On Sunday, JP was in the mood to do more outside work. We set out on a quest for some flower pots for the front porch. We didn't find any, but we found a beautiful weeping spruce at Campbell's for Mother's Day (and Father's Day, too). It doesn't look like much here (by the corner of the house), but it's taller than me.

After digging in the dirt for a while, we got the deck reassembled and officially opened it for the season with our neighbors.

Mayor's Run

This Saturday was the annual Mayor's Run, a one-mile jog around the state capitol grounds for K thru 6th graders. We did this last year when it was in the 20's. This year we had absolutely perfect weather.  

The boys really enjoyed the run.  Everything here has been done hundreds of times before, so all the bugs have been worked out.  Everyone here in Lincoln in in their comfort zone: nothing new, no surprises, etc.  This makes for some really well-run events.