Easter in Norman

We all went up to Norman to see Alissa perform in the Sooner Dance Company's Spring Show this weekend. Great time and a great performance! When we arrived Saturday morning, Alissa was busy with rehearsals, so I took Jen and Taylor over to the Natural History Museum on campus to burn up a little time. I'd been through it once (briefly) with Alissa on Dad's Weekend at OU, and really liked the museum, although we arrived about 5 minutes before closing, so we only saw one room. I've been to a number of natural history museums, but none really compares to this place. It's associated with OU's anthropology department and is well funded and very modern. If you're ever up that way, stop in. It'll be the best $5 you'll spend in Norman, Oklahoma.

Here are a few pics from the weekend.
(Don't pay attention to Taylor, she obviously doesn't get out in public too often.)

 They had a special temporary traveling display of these huge bugs. They're all hand sculpted by an artist/scientist from Italy. This was, by far, my favorite display in the whole place. The artist creates each one with excruciating detail, and then hand paints each one. They are really stunning! If this doesn't get kids interested in entomology, I don't know what would.

 Jen doesn't get out in public very often, either.

 This thing is about 4 feet tall!

Taylor had to try out the dugout canoe. Don't worry, kids are allowed in this display.

 One of the many sculptures around campus. Here are the girls just before the show.

 The Sooner Dance Company posing for photos at the end of the show.

 Sunday morning we picked Alissa and Taylor up from the dorm (Taylor spent the night at Alissa's dorm now that she no longer lives with a psychopathic ghetto-queen roommate). Then it was off to IHOP for some Easter Brunch before the bible thumpers were once again turned loose on society.

And there you have it.

Auntie Cara came to town

Jen's sister Cara came for a very brief visit last week. First time she's been down here in something like 10 years or so. It was nice to see her, and she planned it so that she overlapped with both girl's spring breaks, which was fun.

Here's Cara making nice with Nana the friendly chicken. Sadly, Nana passed away a couple days later from an unknown illness. I treated her with several medications in hopes of bringing her back around, but nothing seemed to work. I even discussed the situation with the good folks at ChickenvilleUSA, and they really didn't know what else I could do. I guess I could have taken her to an avian vet, but frankly I don't see the logic in spending $100+ dollars to try and fix a $10 chicken. I know, I'm heartless. I'm also a Yankee.

Nana enjoyed the attention and made no effort to get away from Cara the Chicken Whisperer. I sent the photo to Cara's husband, who promptly inquired as to whether she was selecting a bird for dinner. I think Cara's husband has a little bit of Yankee in him, but he is from Kentucky and all. I don't know, Kentucky's kind of the no man's land between Yankee and Rebel territory. I guess he could go either way. Tony, care to comment?

Alissa home on Spring Break enjoying time away from physics, film, dance, English and Italian classes. Oh, and also happy to be away from all those hillbilly Oklahomans for a spell.