Maggie liked the air show

  

Four Winds Fair

We got dressed up for a ren faire last Saturday.  Mom even helped me make a last minute outfit for Maggie.  Course it was so cold nobody got to see it under the coat and blankets…  Diamond P Equestrian Center supplied a joust team of real draft horses.  Made Mike think twice about selling Rhi.  She could do that stuff with a little practice.  “Lady Isabella” invited us down for lessons, but that ricketty trailer is not meant for going distances.  Check them out at www.dpeq.com

I got a position!

I was just offered a position with another professor here in my own department! His project sounds really interesting too, geared towards parkinsons disease. Thanks for all your prayers! We didn’t discuss pay or anything yet, he told me just to let him know when I will be ready to start.

Easter fun

  

a little late, but still cute

Cindy’s job hunting

I don’t usually talk about what I really do for a living, but now’s the time for networking. I am a research assistant in pharmacology under (here comes the full title) Sandra Roerig, PhD, Dean for Graduate Studies, Associate Dean for Research, Professor of Pharmacology, Toxicology, and Neuroscience. Basically I test pain killers on mice (please keep in mind I do have veterinary training and know how to handle them safely and humanely) and I pretty much run my own lab, with her checking in occassionally. Dr. Roerig announced yesterday that she is not renewing her research grant, and that unless private funding suddenly comes through, I have till the end of June. Now of course she is going to help me find a placement, but I need to start looking. Best case scenario: I get transfered to a different professor here at LSU, and maybe even get a raise (Dr Roerig said I did deserve one last year, she just couldn’t afford me). Worst case scenario: I need to look at other Universities or pharmaceutical companies. I do NOT want to take a step backward in my career, so unless its getting to be June and I’m having no luck, I’m not really going to look at hourly positions. I also do not want to relocate, what would we do with the animals, but we need to go where the money is or we won’t be able to feed them all anyways. We do rely pretty heavily on my salary, I carry all our insurance and pay a lot of bills, Mike’s is our daily living money. The nice thing about what Mike does is he could do it just about anywhere, so if we have to move, we move. So, if you know of anything in the field of scientific research, veterinary medicine (university level) or anything high paying, let me know. I am willing to learn anything as far as new skills go too.

Did ya see us?!

They did a pretty good job, I was impressed. Sharon got to say a lot, my mom got a word in, and Mike and I were in the pictures with Maggie. The write up is posted at http://www.arklatexhomepage.com/ No pictures though, just the write up.

channel 6 tonight

On the 5 or 6 news. Make sure to watch us, it’ll be under their trouble shooters story. I don’t usually watch the news, so I can’t tell you when they usually play it, but keep an eye out.

We might be on the news

Here’s the story best I can explain it.  My mom always flys down from Philadelphia the week after easter.  We’ve been trying for months to convince Mike’s grandmother, who has a pacemaker and one leg and other health problems as well, to come down with her.  We got her doctor to clear her and she gave my mom money for a ticket, and then last week she went back in the hospital and now the doctor says she will never fly again.  So we got on the phone with Northwest airlines to see if we could get the ticket refunded or transfered into someone elses name.  The airline said not unless she died.  So we called the trouble shooters from the news to see if they could force it through.  We are talking about a disabled elderly lady here who just wants to see her greatgranddaughter, its not like she has money to waste.  The airlines apparently upset the news enough that they want to do a story on us now, something about the lack of genuine customer service anymore.  It does sound like we may get grandma’s money back in the end, but its been an interesting process.  I’ve never been on real TV before.  I hope I don’t make a fool of myself.  I’m sure they get you set up the way they want anyways.  So keep an eye out for us on TV.  I’ll post the details as I find out.

Doing business

Check out the new saddle set on the gallery page.  I’ve had lots of inquiries, but only one sale so far.  Keep it coming, and tell your friends!

Night rider

Free great dane in the paper this morning. Neutered and good with kids. I know I know, I just like to tease myself.

Rode Baccus from 7:30 to 8:00 at night last night. He did better than I expected, only spooked once (and not at the barn, the ghost is leaving us alone now that I talk to him before I ride, he he). I think I might be able to work him up to riding at night, better for them when its hot anyways, just need to get some lighting worked out and we’ll be good to go.