Mines Commencement with Members of the Class of 1972 (50th Year Graduation Ceremony) 5.7.2022

More than 400 graduates joined the Mines alumni family during the 185th Commencement on May 7, 2022. Olympian and South Dakotan Billy Mills gave the commencement address, and he and former Rapid City Mayor Don Barnett both received honorary doctorates.  Don Barnett was the Mayor of Rapid City during and after the 1972 flood in Rapid City.

The Center for Alumni Relations & Advancement also hosted members of the Class of 1972 (below) for the annual 50-Year Graduation ceremony. Thank you to all who attended! 

College President (?) and Billy Mills

Billy Mills, College President, Former Mayor Barnett

Billy Mills

Billy Mills, and Former Mayor Barnett

Bob and Kathie Buchanan, Bonnie and Alan Blair

Billy Mills

Class of 1972 

50-year Graduation - 1972 Class Photo at Graduation - May 7, 2022

Left to right: Barb [Johnson] Coles (Chem), Jim Christman (CE), Bob Apa (ChE), Alan Blair (CE), Dale Koepp (Math), Dave Nold (ChE), Dan Daniels (ME), Larry Pearson (ME), Jerald Byg (CE), Don Hixson (Chem), Harald Flatøen (ME), Bonnie [Koskan] Blair (Chem), Gary Evensen (MinE), Steve Pirner (CE), Ronnie Baruth (MinE), Jerry Lipovsky (ME), Mike Alley (GeolE), Jim Quinn (CE), Greg Kronaizl (ME), Ted Heidrich (ME), Doug Ham (CE), Leo Van Sambeek (MinE), Dan Nusz (ME), Joel Grace (MinE), Bob Buchanan (EE), and Paul Schauer (EE).

Alan and Bonnie Blair

Commencement Stage

Paul Schauer and Bob Buchanan

Barbara Coles

Class of 1972 on Campus

50-year Graduation - 1972 Class Photo by the Grubby Statue - May 6, 2022

Front Row: Dale Koepp (Math), Don Hixson (Chem), Bonnie [Koskan] Blair (Chem), Barb [Johnson] Coles (Chem), and Doug Ham (CE).

Second Row sitting: Leo Van Sambeek (MinE), Mike Alley (GeolE), Joel Grace (MinE), Ronnie Baruth (MinE), standing: Greg Kronaizl (ME), Larry Pearson (ME), and Dan Nusz (ME).

Back Row: Harald Flatøen (ME), Gary Coles (ME), Ted Heidrich (ME), Rick Clegg (CE), Alan Blair (CE), Dan Daniels (ME), Gary Evensen (MinE), [Grubby], Dave Nold (ChE), Jim Christman (CE), Bob Apa (ChE), Jerald Byg (CE), Jim Quinn (CE), Jerry Lipovsky (ME), and Steve Pirner (CE).

50-year Graduation - 1972 Class Photo at Graduation - May 7, 2022

the end

Trip to Amie's Feb 20 to March 28, 2022

Travel Blog Outline

Travel to Amie and Mark's, and Mason, Tyler, and Natie

We needed to be in Chino to tag team the grand kids who were becoming off-track from year-around school on Feb 28, 2022.  Due to weather prediction of impending sub-zero temperatures on the day we had planned to leave, we accelerated our leave date up to Feb 20.  Larry D helped me load the truck in balmy 60 deg weather on Saturday.  By leaving early, we were able to be one day ahead of very cold snow storms at each stop of the trip.

RC - beautiful weather driving towards CO, but SD got snow and sub-zero weather the day after we left (-6 deg for high)

Colorado Springs, CO - beautiful weather, but lots of wind from Colorado Springs to Grants.  CO got 7 inches of snow the day after we left.

Grants, NM -  During trip next day, we encountered snow and high winds in Flagstaff, AZ about noon as we stopped for lunch at Cracker Barrel.  Lots of trucks stopping along the road to Flagstaff.   We drove out of it going down the mountain.  But after we left, they got 7 " of snow by evening.

Needles, CA - windy but warm

Chino, CA - nice balmy 60's 

Special Challenges this Time:  Parts procurement, Stitches needed to be removed  after ten days, Rising Price of Gasoline; Rising Price of Lumber, but COVID was starting to wane as we left on March 28.

Treasures taken to Amie's

Half Moon End Table/Night Stand with drawers; Five drawer pine dresser, antique Wash Basin; tools; quilts (3) for kids, five boxes of miscellaneous items for the kids,

Tools for Home Projects:  Makita portable tablesaw, Dewalt Miter Saw, Craftsman Scroll Saw, Several power tools in cases: (Bosch Trim Router, Kreg Pocket Hole Jig, Jig saw (Dewalt)

Need to bring a drill press and pickup stick next time. 

Home Projects in Chino

Shopping with Grandkids

Shopping with Amie

Waiting in Line for less expensive gas (Sam's Club) 

Food procurement/Sam's/Stater Brothers 

Playing at the Park

Little League games, and practices

March Madness - esp UCLA basketball

Preview of upcoming Academy Award Nominations

Sewing/Quilting with Kids (Mason and Natie)

Baking with Kids (?) 

Make cover for Box Springs

Make cover to Table Saw

Repair stuffed animals/toys/doll clothes

Visiting with brother Paul and wife Sandra 

Breakfast/Lunches/Dinners (shared with Mark)

Parts ordering/returns:  drawer slides, kick stands, training wheels, zone snacks, contact lens holders, GPS holder for truck

Repair/Tune up Bicycles/Add Training Wheels

Garage Improvements:

Shelving in Garage

Purchase 2x4's, 2x3's, 3" screws, and shelving material (Pre-made 3/4" x 16" x 96" particle board shelving)

Watch video on most efficient way to build shelving in the garage 

Built two shelving units:  6' hi x 16" deep x 8' long - one on each side of the garage 

Hang bicycles in Garage; Add accessories to hang bikes, hang canopy bag, and hang tire pump

Install motion sensor light above door from kitchen to garage

Install LED lights (three 4 Foot Strips) in Garage

Add shelf above workbench in garage for nuts bolts and screws

Replace 4 drawer slides on IKEA Style dresser in the boys room with heavy duty full extension slides (from Amazon).  Repair top of dresser.

Install new Towel Rack in boys bathroom

Attach Special heavy duty Storage Cabinet to wall in Closet Upstairs

Demo/recycle IKEA style dresser cabinet to be replaced by Antique Wash Basin

Recycling project:  Use parts from IKEA dresser to make Bookcase for Grandkids Room

Bookcase for Grandkids Room (from recycled IKEA dresser)

Challenge - Dresser was made from paper-covered particle board

Repair Antique Wash Basin for Main Floor Bathroom - needed shelving repairs, frame reinforcement, door stops, drawer stops, drawer sides repairs, and drawer bottom repairs.  Top was in good shape.  Towel hanger on top was in good shape.

Miscellaneous repairs around the house

Misc drywall patches

Adjustments to door latch in Master Bedroom

Trim nectarine tree

Replace lining on Mason's box springs

Ficus Tree in pot on porch - needed trimming and support post 

Plant Tulip Bulbs and Daffodil bulbs in front yard; Plant flowers in pot 

Cubbies for Living Room - Purchase from Lowes - assemble in garage

Luxury items:  Food from Okazu, In and Out Burgers, and Mimi's, Chick Filet, McDonalds (Happy Meals)

Personal Shutterfly Tutorial

Individual iPhone tutorials

Field Trip to OCWA Toy Workshop - Saturday March 5, 2022:  OCWA Workshop

Travel from Amie's via Josh's - beautiful weather all the way home

St. George, UT - got late start due to planned planting session, plus construction delays, weather in St. George was beautiful

Denver, CO - two day stay, Chili dinner, visit to Rockler's, breakfast at Le Peeps to meet Dierdra's relatives, Turkey Dinner, March Madness, Angels pre-season baseball, turning tool sharpening tutorials.

Home again 

Photos from the trip:

Baking with Grandkids June and July 2021

 

Making Toys with Grandkids June 2021-July 2021

 

Race Track for 2021 Visitors

 

Doll House for NKH (May-July 2021)

 During a very entertaining video chat with our grand- daughter back in mid-2020 when the kids in CA were locked in their homes in front of little computers forever,  a request for a doll house was made.  She sketched it out and showed it to me during the chat.  So then the quest for the perfect doll house began.

Here's her initial sketch.

I searched the Target website among others to see what kids are getting these days.  There were lots of them on line.  I looked over all of them and picked a few to use for design ideas.

Here's my initial sketch.

I had to research how to make windows, stairs, doors, chimneys, roofs, etc.

Here's the process used to build the doll house.

Here's the finished doll house (unfurnished).

Ready for the 3 day road trip to its final destination.