June Update - Just say 'no'

Brittney has been very busy this month. She is doing summer school every day from 8am to 12pm for two students who failed math and reading. Then she hurries home for lunch before racing off to her U of I class she is taking from 1pm to 4pm. It is good for me that she is busy, because it encourages me to be anxiously engaged in preparing for my presentation at the American Dairy Science Association meetings next month and for my preliminary examination this fall. I've also been to a dairy nutrition conference in Dubuque, Iowa. One of the topics discussed was related to my research (feeding straw to cows during the dry period) and one of the presenters stated that more research was needed and I just thought to myself, "wait until next month and I'll present more research on it." Dubuque is right on the Mississippi river. Here is a picture of me there:Last Saturday we drove down to St. Louis to hear the Mormon Tabernacle choir sing with our friends Robert and Victoria Bales. Robert said it was one of his life dreams to hear the choir in person. It was neat to accompany him in pursuit of his dream. The choir is so amazing to watch and listen to. The evening passed too quickly (though the 3 hour drive home at 10:30pm did not). Our friends from Champaign (the Kitchens) sat two seats away from us without us even planning it. Her dad is in the choir and we got to meet him afterwards. He said they had a photo shoot earlier in the day under the arch. A helicopter flew around the arch taking their pictures while they melted in the sweltering heat wearing their tuxedos.

Brittney has felt very busy this summer, not really enjoying her break. I decided that she needs to start saying 'no'. So I have been practicing with her with such questions as:

Brittney, would you like a piece of chocolate cake?

Then can I have chocolate cake for breakfast?

Can I have your piece of bacon?

Do you want to do the polar plunge with me next year?

Is there any boy cuter than me?

If any of you readers have questions that you know Brittney will say 'no' to, please add them to my list.