I had a note from Liz Randall whose family has property across the road from us.  Liz and John came here soon after we moved to this house, and built their get-away home when their three youngsters were still in grade school.  Now all are grown up, Jason, the oldest, graduated from Lyndon State College and is now married with a family of his own; Lauren, the youngest, graduated from Keene University and is working on Long Island near the Randall's home; and Matt, middle child, has received his PhD in Environmental Toxicology from Maastricht University in the Netherlands.  Here's what Liz wrote:

On June 25, Matthew John Randall a 2005 graduate of Miller Place High School and son of Elizabeth (McDowell) and John F. Randall of Miller Place was awarded a Ph.D. in Environmental Toxicology from Maastricht University, Maastricht, the Netherlands.  Matthew has been offered a Post Doctorate position at the University of Vermont (UVM), Burlington, Vermont. 

Matthew began his PhD work at Maastricht University in March 2013 and has been residing in the Netherlands. He will return to the United States in August to begin his position at UVM.

Matthew graduated from Lyndon State College in 2009 with a B.S. in Natural Science and from the University of Vermont (UVM) in 2012 with a M.S. in Pathology. 

Our cousin her husband and two of her three children from Belgium attended and this is what she wrote:  "It was fabulous, Matt missed you, and he was very impressive - great presentation - and he was calm, organized and clear in answering the questions.  The defense was very ceremonial, with all the professors in robes, and a procession in and out.  The building and hall were very beautiful.  We were glad to be invited and participate."  

The pictures above are (top) Matt, center, after defending his thesis at his final exam at Masstricht University.  Below, part of the ceremony after the examination.

Our congratulations to Matt.  We know he's worked hard to achieve this degree and will no doubt put it to very good use.  It will be nice to have him back at UVM where he can perhaps get some "down time" at Joe's Pond this fall.