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Phil Keathley Writes |
 My wife, Florence, and I celebrated the birth of our second grandson on December 28, 2001. He was expected to arrive on January 6 but could wait no longer. His name is Jeremy Christian Blomberg and he weighed 9 lb. 5 oz., a healthy boy. I was fast asleep at 1:00 a.m. on that morning when the telephone next to my bed jarred me awake. I said Hello and heard the voice of my son-in-law, Sven, say Laura (our daughter) had gone into labor and would Florence and I come over (1.3 miles from here). We did that as quickly as possible and I stayed while sleeping Daniel (2 1/20 was in the next room. My wife went with Laura and Sven to the Doctor's Hospital in Modesto about 10 miles south of here. Jeremy was in such a hurry to be born when they finally got checked in at about 2:30 that there was no time for any anesthesia or pain-killers of any kind. At 2:52 Jeremy made his entrance into the world and soon announced his presence to anyone who would listen. Sven called me at 3:00 and said, with Jeremy bellowing in the background, "That's your new grandson, Phippy (his affectionate name for me and one that only my dad called me when I was quite a young child in Hughes County)."
Last Sunday, January 20 at Big Valley
Grace Community Church in Modesto, little Jeremy, his brother and
parents stood on the platform of our church with parents and children of
14 other families for a Baby Dedication to the Lord. It was a glorious
site. I was in the choir, now having completed 41 years of choir
singing. Afterwards, our family gathered at Marie Callender's
Restaurant a few miles from the church for lunch, visiting, and
celebration. Little Jeremy and Daniel are both growing and healthy. We
are greatly blessed to be the parents of wonderful children and
grandchildren.
Sven, our son-in-law, works for the
California State Police in Sacramento, about 70 miles north of here. He
commutes everyday. Laura tutors children who are unable to keep up in
the local school system and Florence, my wife babysits. Craig, our son,
is working in construction right now as he is between jobs as a college
graduate with a Master's Degree from the University of Kentucky. Craig
and Krista, his fiancée, are planning their wedding for June 28 in
Modesto.
I am an adjunct professor at two local
universities. I started yesterday teaching my second semester at the
University of the Pacific in Stockton 25 miles north of here. I taught
two Human Physiology labs yesterday and will teach a third tomorrow
which is Thursday. I will have these three labs for the spring
semester. The other university is California State University,
Stanislaus, 25 miles south of here in Turlock. I am in my third year
there and on Feb. 22 will begin teaching two World of Biology labs at
that university. These two half-time jobs keep me pretty busy. Plus, I
am still conducting product development research for my company, J.
Phillip Keathley, Inc., a California Corporation. I have been the
president and CEO of this company for 20 years and am still conducting
research and writing final reports to my clients.
Meanwhile, I raise a very large garden
and fruit from several trees on our 1 1/2 acre home site here in Ripon.
I cut down two 40-year-old walnut trees on my acre outside the yard and
cleaned up the area today. I also planted a cling peach tree that I
purchased at the Stockton Ag Expo this morning. Life is wonderful here
in Ripon. We probably will not get to come to Oklahoma this year since
we are having a family reunion in Oregon following Craig and Krista's
wedding.
Best Wishes, Phil Keathley
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