Kendra Pannabecker and her parents, Tom and Helen, Tucson, AZ., recently visited her grandma, Wanda Pannabecker, Bluffton.
How old are you?
I'm nine years old. I'll be in the fourth grade at Tully Elementary School in Tucson.
Where were you born?
Oh, I hate this question. I was born in China - close to Hong Kong. I was two years old when I was adopted.
What do you like to do in Bluffton?
I like to play croquet and go shopping in the Et Cetera Shop and just have a lazy time.
How is Ohio different from Arizona?
In Arizona it doesn't rain too much. There is more green in Ohio. In Arizona, there is more brown. There is desert, because Arizona is the desert country. It gets up to at least 106 degrees.
Isn't that hot?
Yes, it feels like the sun is going through your leg. It's cooler here.
How often do you come to Bluffton?
Once or twice a year. I stay at Grandma's house. I either sleep on the couch in the living room or in the family room.
What kind of books do you read?
Chapter books, sometimes picture books. Right now, I'm reading a book of dog stories - real stories about dogs.
What instruments do you play?
I play the violin and piano. That's it. I play violin in the Tucson Junior Strings - I think I'm almost the youngest one. They play music with 16th notes and third position. I'll be either in the second row or last row.
Tell me about the kangaroo rats your dad catches.
Dad has to use them for kidney tests. He let me have one as a pet. The first one Daddy had to kill to take the kidney out. His name was Elvin. Elvin the first. The next one was also Elvin. We have to go out into some mountain to collect them. I sometimes go with him. He uses traps, little mouse traps. They eat sunflower seeds. They use their front teeth to crack open the shells and dig out the seeds. Elvin the second is still living - I told my dad not to kill him so I can keep him. And he promised.
What does your dad do?
My dad does scientific experiments at the University of Arizona. I once got to open a kidney. It's quite slimy. You have to put water around it - I don't know why. You can't use your hands - you have to use small pliers. He teaches students what the kidneys have in them and what they look like.
Do you plan any sports?
I play tennis sometimes. I have two weeks off right now and I'm going to start tennis. I used to do gymnastics and ballet, but it was too much for me to do all those other things as once.
What's your favorite subject?
I like reading and science. I do NOT like math. That's my worst subject. I don't like writing because it makes my hand hurt.
Would you like to live in Bluffton?
Yes, but I don't like the rain, but I like it when it's very sunny. And I like the wind.
What kinds of things do you do with your mom?
I help her cook and garden - help her outside. I used to help her with our dog, but she's (the dog) not living anymore.
What do you like to do on the computer?
We had a computer session at the end of school on Thursdays, so we got to play games or work on projects. I like multiplication games (I just like to do math on the computer), like to play different kinds of games.
What is your favorite animal?
My favorite kind of animal would be a dog and I kind of like cats. I like dogs, especially dalmations. They have all those spots - look like they've been spattered by paints. I might get another dog but I might not take care of it all the time. I would like to get another dalmations. Sita was living with my mom and dad when she was a young puppy. She didn't have any spots then. I think I was just four or five when she died.
What do you want to be when you grow up?
I'm not quite sure. I was thinking a veterinarian or a cook or maybe a doctor for sick people. I might be a violin maker.
Describe your house.
It looks like a funny shaped W. There are three yards, two backyards - one with grass and one with gravel. The front is gravel. There are neighbors in the back, which are children. They usually come into our backyard because we have another yard behind the wall. There are five bedrooms, three bathrooms. Dad does some work on the house - he made a kitchen in the guest bedrooms. He does the electricity. Mom does work in the garden, makes the plants grow.
Describe your bedroom.
My bedroom is kind of messy. It's tan just the same as the other rooms. I was thinking of painting it another color. My bed is by one of the windows. I have three windows. Two are facing the west or north. I have lots of stuffed animals in my closet.
