Finally, Oman!

Hello friends and family,

I am finally getting back to my blog. Sorry it has taken this long.

It is 8:25pm and I am sitting in my kitchen expecting to Sterling to walk in the door any minute. Dinner tonight is leftover Thanksgiving dinner. I just spoke to him. He was just finishing a tour of the project and was looking out over the early phase of construction of the new airport terminal building here in Muscat. The current airport handles 2 million passengers a year. The new terminal will have a 12 million passenger per year capacity. The night shift - 500 workers and 9 tower cranes - were busy implementing a design he is responsible for. He was just absorbing that when I chanced to call and I got to share that moment with him.

More soon! Mary

PS Sterling in the desert

Why I Escort Dad to Holland

When you can see a smile like this on your Dad's face, you know it is worth it. We visited the brother of his best friend, Baer. Math Simons was also in the Harmonie (town band) with Dad, and as you can see, still makes people happy with his music.

Of course, a trip is not complete unless you can clown around with Tanta Mia.

Don't thay look great? And happy, even though it was really hot.

A Few Grad Pics

Opa and Ross after the Baccalaureate mass.

Jamie and Maggi

Miriam and Ross

Janet and Doug Brown with the master

Proud parents!

Graduations!

What a weekend! Both boys graduated - Jamie with his Masters in Marine Science from Stony Brook University on Long Island, and Ross with a BA in Mathmatics and a minor in Physics from Boston College. We had sunny weather - a little too hot at times.



Alex Brown, Jamie, Ross, and Aimee at BC.

Dad, Opa, Josi, Jamie, Maggi and Aimee at Stony Brook.

Florida Road Trip - People!

Of course, the people you get to spend time and share experiences with are the reason to get out.

I'll age if it gets me the chance to see a young woman take up and master making beautiful music on her cello. Proud of you, Natalie. Brenda and Kevin, way to go - you know what I mean.
Then, through the marvels of technology, you discover a friend from far away is actually in the next town. Hi Jenn! Wanna pick up guys on the beach?

Love you, Gramps and Joansi.

Florida Road Trip, Part 1

Valid reason for a road trip.

Florida hiways and byways can readily be classified as straight and flat, straight and flat.

With an occasional rise over a bay, inlet or swamp.

We are passing through the land of the Blue Angel, Pensacola, Florida. This was as close as we got to seeing any in action.

Construction - repaving. Speed limit decreased all the way down to 65 mph. Really held us up (not). Note to self, don't sign on to a Florida road crew.

Aimee Reading Harry Potter at The Loop, Tallahassee