Karl Speaks at ACS - Southwest Regional Meeting

Karl is going to attend the 64th Southwest Regional ACS
(American Chemical Society) Meeting
October 1st - October 4th in Little Rock, Arkansas
http://www.swrm.org/2008/index.htm

Karl will be speaking on Thurs. October 2nd at 1:50 pm.
His topic is #178:
A Computational Route to Hansen Solubility Parameters through a Quantitative Structure Activity Relationship

He is also an author on topic#177:

Computation of Crash-Solvent Precipitation Paths and the Resulting Particle Effects.

This presentation is being delivered by Dr Darren L. Williams,
his chemistry professor at SHSU.

Here is the link to Karl's portion of the program:
http://acs.confex.com/acs/swrm08/techprogram/
Click on the Physical Chemistry (General Session)
1:30 PM - 5:00 PM

Karl is taking Jill's camera with him to the conference.
I hope to post pictures of him doing his presentation, once he has returned.
We got him a $200 gift card to the Men's Warehouse
so that he could get a new suit for this presentation and also for those future job interviews.

Master Bath Remodel - Day 24

Monday, Sept 29th

PHOTO 1: The shower tile is complete, just need to install the soap dish and outside trim
PHOTO 2: This is the soap dish
This is the hole where the soap dish will be installed.

Card Making Fool

Jill's college graduation is only a few short months away.
She does a lot of card making and wanted home-made graduation invitations.
So while she was here during Hurricane Ike, we did some planning.
Today I'm in the final stages of putting them together.
Need to do some stamping on the inside and back of the cards yet.

Check your mailbox in the near future for the real deal!

The Faculty and Graduating Class
of
Sam Houston State University
announce their Fall Commencement Exercises
and the awarding of the degree of
Bachelor of Business Administration
in
Human Resource Management
to
Jill Marie Kuklenz
Friday, December Nineteenth, Two Thousand and Eight
at six o’clock in the evening
Bernard G. Johnson Coliseum
Huntsville, Texas

Master Bath Remodel - Day 23

Sunday, Sept 28th

Doug completed the tiling of the accent pieces.

Now there are only two more rows of tile to install...
Then install the trim pieces around the edges of the shower
Then tile the top of the half wall has to be done.

Then there is the grouting of the tile and then the sealing of the tile.

Then we have to install the shower glass.
Then we can use it!!!!!!!!

Master Bath Remodel - Day 22

Saturday, Sept 27th

We boated most of the day on Saturday.
Doug did get in some tiling in the late afternoon/evening.
He now has tiled up to the point where the accent tile will be added.

Tomato Planting

I had bought some tomato seed packets for 7 cents last month.
Today I purchased a 12 plant seed starter and I planted some Beefsteak tomatoes today.
The seed packet states it takes about 90 days until harvest ....
so Mom you should be able to enjoy
some fresh grown tomatoes when you arrive in December.
Plus be able to feed the entire campground and take large plants home with you in the spring.
Just don't let Dad near them or he might kill them ..ok?
We know his gardening skills are not so good:-)

We'll probably have tomatoes growing out our ears by then.
I plan on also starting the other brand in a few weeks.
More photos to come...

Boating

Today Doug and I went boating on Lake Lewisville.

It was about 74 degrees when we left the house at 10am and then it was about 91 degrees when we got home at 2:30pm.

We enjoyed burgers out at "Charlies" for lunch and toured the SEA RAYS "Boats in the Water" tour. Found a nice 27 footer. Little pricey though > $90k

http://www.searay.com/2009_sea_ray_sport_boats_270_select_ex.asp

Master Bath Remodel - Day 21

Friday, Sept 26

Doug tiled the half wall tonight.

Master Bath Remodel - Day 19 & Day 20

Wednesday, Sept 24 & Thursday, Sept 25

Doug worked on the lower part of the second wall.
He did about 6 rows on Wednesday night and about 6 rows on Thursday night.

Turf Talk

When the Texas sun sets, the Glass Cactus Nightclub www.glasscactusnightclub.com comes alive with nightly live entertainment and dancing, as well as creative cocktails and club cuisine....except on Tuesday nights. Every Tuesday, during the Dallas Cowboys season, Babe Laufenberg (CBS - Channel 11) hosts a weekly talk show live for "The Ticket" 1310 AM radio .

This week Babe hosted Doug's favorite Dallas Cowboys player #82 - Jason Witten....so we couldn't pass up the chance to attend. We went early figuring there would be a line out the door. Since it's a free event with free stuff given away. We were # 5 and# 6 in attendance! Hard to believe the low attendance. But the place did eventually fill up and we were glad we did get there early to get a good seat.

This is a free event (minus the fees for parking and your drink of choice).
Prizes are given away during the one hour live show and include autographed memorabilia, Dallas Cowboys home game tickets and more! We didn't win anything this time, but I will brush up on my trivia before I attend next time.




Too bad I forgot my camera at home. I could have taken a photo of Doug and Jason together. Maybe next time!

http://www.nfl.com/players/jasonwitten/profile?id=WIT559021

Master Bath Remodel - Day 18

Monday, Sept 22nd

More shower wall tile

Master Bath Remodel - Day 17

Sunday, Sept 21 - Day 17

PHOTO 1: The bench is tiled......Isn't is gorgeous!
PHOTO 2: Bench is tile..note the angle of the trim piece matches the base grout line.
That one took him a while to do on the tile saw yesterday.
PHOTO 3: Tiling the back shower wall.
PHOTO 4: Tiling the back shower wall.
Can't do anymore today...he ran out of spacers!

28th Anniversary

Saturday, September 20th

Doug and I celebrated our 28th anniversary by going to Trader Vic's in Dallas. It is located on Mockingbird, near 75. The whole experience was wonderful!!!

On our arrival, we were greeted with 2 complimentary glasses of champagne with strawberries since we were celebrating our anniversary. Trader Vics is known for their drinks concoctions. I had the Dallas Blue Star. This drink was been created to commemorate the opening of the new location in Dallas. The Dallas Blue Star has tequila, agave nectar, cointreau, lime juice and is garnished with a star fruit slice — very pretty!

Appetizers: Duck Spring Rolls with one Crab Cake. (Doug said the crab cake was awesome!)

Dinner: Doug had the Halibut and creamy mashed potatoes and I had an 8 oz filet mignon with wasabi mashed potatoes. Both awesome!

I hope you check them out, if you have a location near you!

http://www.tradervicsdallas.com/

Master Bath Remodel - Day 16

Saturday, Sept 20th - Day 16

PHOTO 1: The tile saw set up to cut the bench trim pieces, tricky angle.
PHOTO 2: Another view of the tile saw set up to cut the bench trim pieces.
PHOTO 3: Doug concentrating intently on getting this angle correct.
PHOTO 4: Another attempt on getting the angle correct.

Master Bath Remodel - Day 15

Friday, Sept 19th - Day 15

PHOTO 1: The right side of the tub is tile.
PHOTO 2: Finished product - the tub surround is tiled .

Master Bath Remodel - Day 14

Thursday, Sept 18 - Day 14

The left side of the tub surround is tiled.

SHSU - Damage from IKE

Here is the link for some photos of the trees that were downed on campus due to winds of Hurricane Ike. http://www.shsu.edu/~pin_www/IkePictures.html

Update: Jill has gone back to Huntsville today. She is staying at the her employers (Rainbow International) owner's home. She was "desperately" needed back at work due to all the water jobs/restoration jobs that are piling up. Jackie will get a ride back to campus from a fellow student that resides in The Colony once electricity is restored.

Jill states there is still no electricity at her apartment. That is now 5 days without electricity!

TCWL

I have joined a new organization that just developed in The Colony.

The Colony Women's League

I am their webmaster. I just created the website today.
Take a peek: http://www.thecolonywomensleague.org/

Colonoscopy

Tuesday, September 16th.

I had been having some abdominal pain over the past year. My doctor finally ordered a colonoscopy. I had my procedure today. It revealed 2 polyps (1-4 mm in size). One was located in the transverse colon and one was in the cecum. They were resected, retrieved and sent for biopsy. I hope to find out the results by the first week in October. The doctor states they looked benign. So not worrying about it!

She also noted diverticulosis in my sigmoid colon. This is different than diverticulits.

Diverticulosis occurs when the small pouches, known as diverticula, form in the walls of the large intestine or colon. Ten percent of Americans over age 40 and 50% of Americans over the age of 60 suffer from diverticulosis.

Diverticulitis occurs when undigested food or waste matter is trapped inside these pouches, causing the pouches to become inflamed or infected. Between 10% and 25% of people with diverticulosis develop diverticulits. Diverticulitis is treated with antibiotics.

Treatment:
1) eat more fiber
2) drink more fluids
3)exercise regularly (I think this is a doctor's answer for everything)

Recommended fiber intake should be the following:

Age 19-50
Men 38 grams per day
Women 25 grams per day

Over age 50
Men 30 grams per day
Women 21 grams per day.

Studies show that the average American woman consumes about 14 grams of fiber daily, around half of the daily recommended amount. So I started taking Benefiber.

Wow...now my kids will really think I'm getting old :-)

Still "NO SCHOOL"

Message From President Gaertner, Sept. 16, 2008

To the University Community –

Earlier this morning I met with SHSU vice presidents along with other key campus decision-makers to decide on the reopening of our university. The decision was made that we would remain closed for the remainder of the week, reopening on Monday, September 22.

The issue in whether to reopen was not with the condition of our campus. There are problems associated with some of our parking lots being used as a major staging ground for utility repair trucks and our coliseum as an evacuation center for hundreds of displaced citizens. But we were fortunate that the university did not lose power or suffer major damage, and it is being cleared of debris and repairs are under way so the campus is in reasonably good shape. However, the support services in Huntsville, such as apartment complexes, gasoline, food service, etc., are not currently at the stage to adequately support a major influx of students. Also, Huntsville is currently operating under an 8:00 p.m. curfew which would add to the inconvenience and frustration for those returning. A major component in our decision was that many of our students, faculty and staff commute from areas where gasoline is scarce, and a commute to campus would be a major problem, if not an impossibility.

We are confident that once the classes resume, the full semester will be completed as originally scheduled. I am sorry for the inconvenience and disruption, but assure you that all decisions are being made in what is genuinely considered to be in the best interest of our students, faculty and staff.

Jim Gaertner,
President Sam Houston State University

FYI: Karl /Audrey's apartment and Jill/Jackie's apartment complexes are both without power and water.

Master Bath Remodel - Day 13

Day 13

PHOTO 1: Tile the shower curb top

PHOTO 2: Tile behind the tub
PHOTO 3: Completed tile behind the tub
PHOTO 4: Checking the shower door rail to make sure we're not off "too" far.

Hurricane Ike - Update

University Closed


To the University Community –
Hurricane Ike did some damage to Sam Houston State; however, we feel that our people can make the necessary repairs so that we might be ready to reopen by early next week. The university currently has power while most of the remainder of Huntsville does not, and Entergy is not optimistic that power to the city can be restored soon. Consequently, Sam Houston State University will remain closed on Monday and Tuesday. We are hopeful, and it is our current intention, to reopen on Wednesday, September 17.
Jim Gaertner, President SHSU

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Jill and Jackie will remain in Dallas until the SHSU campus opens.

Karl and Audrey left College Station and have been in Huntsville, the past 2 days. They are without electricity at their apartment. They cleaned out the frig at their apartment and also at Jill/Jackie's apartment, of all the defrosted food. They said they have food until the end of the week.

Hurricane Ike

Hurricane Ike

Sam Houston State University cancelled classes for Friday, September 12th.

Jill was already planning on coming home this weekend, as we were going to attend the Bridal Show in Plano. So Jackie tagged along, since it was a long weekend. She's been able to pick up a few shifts to work at Walgreens.

Karl and Audrey headed to College Station to stay with Audrey's parents.

Josh is staying in Houston with his dad and step mom. They are located in southeast Houston. As of this evening they are apparantly without power, as Jill has been unable to reach Josh. We will add special prayers for safe keeping for him and his family.

Huntsville appears to be a direct target of the storm after it leaves Houston. So will will wait for damage reports or further cancellation notices from the university. Dallas will probably get some wind and some rain. We hope our shingles will hold after being hand sealed recently due to prior wind damages. I have the Farmer's Insurance number at the ready to report a claim if needed!

More updates on the storm later. http://www.stormpulse.com/hurricane-ike-2008

Master Bath Remodel - Day 12

Day 12
The floor tile is grouted

Master Bath Remodel - Day 11

Day 11

Sunday, September 7th

Doug installed the mosiac floor tile in the shower pan.
It took a LOT longer than he thought it would.
(9am - 5pm)

The wall tile are next!

A Fresh Coat of Paint

About a month ago, we had our siding repaired.
The hardiboard siding was replaced around Jackie's window and the gameroom window.
The siding company also replaced the siding trim around the perimeter of the chimney.
We had a few pieces of the chimney trim that had come off during a recent storm.

Doug was not able to get up on a ladder to caulk the new trim pieces.

We hired Harrington Paint to paint our home.
They came out and power washed the entire exterior.
Wire brushed all the vents.
Primed new garage door jams Doug had just replaced.

Fixed finger joints in the doorways.
Caulked EVERYTHING!

They painted all the siding, trim, gutters and downspouts and window lintels...
......plus all the stacks on the roof.

The house exterior paint color is Sherwin Williams Super Paint: Sand Dune
The accent door color is Sherwin Williams Super Paint: Cast Iron

Master Bath Remodel - Day 10

Day 10
Friday, Sept 5th

The shower curb is concreted.

Kat Krazies

Yes...it is football season here in Huntsville and by golly I want to show my school spirit. So, I joined the "Kat Krazies!" The Kat Krazies are the people that paint themselves up at every game, stand the whole time, and scream at the top of their lungs "EAT 'EM UP KATS!"

Yes...that is me, the "O". My arms and chest are orange; one of my legs is blue while the other one is white. Sported along with orange crocs, shorts, and the famous orange wig. GO SCHOOL SPIRIT!! I am one of the first girls to join and they are very happy to have me!


Oh yeah.....we won this game by the way......58-14. :-)