Halloweeeeeen

This time a few months ago, the sun would be out, we'd be sitting out on the porch, perhaps even working in the garden.  Not today; it's dark and cold and rainy.  We're huddled up inside, with the heat on and Sunday afternoon football.  A perfect time for the weekly letter.

We left off the last letter at the beginning of our trip to Portugal and Spain.  We met up with two other Foreign Service couples in Porto, for a couple of days of sightseeing before starting our six-day, 75 mile walk to Santiago de Compostela.  I don't know how many pilgrims over the last century would call their walk to the cathedral where the Apostle James is buried "fun."  But that's really the best word to describe it all.  Sure the 6-8 hour days of walking left us exhausted, and we did see our share of rain.  But the trail was not challenging, and the company was great.  The scenery, along the coast and through medieval villages and vineyards was hard to beat.  One factoid best explains our arduous journey of exercise: we weighed more at the end of the trip than when we left.

No rest for the weary since the day after we got home, I got back in the car and drove to Princeton for a gathering of my former soccer teammates.  I stayed with Peter and Janet who are busy painting their house, enlisting Sean to get to the high points, but even the highest and most awkward niches present a dilemma.  Anyway, they are good, and they went to a McCarter play retelling the Frankenstein story in an unusually creative way.  Besides hanging out and dining with classmates, I did a tour of the Princeton battlefield and went to a soccer game against Columbia (which the good guys won.)  Mary stayed home and got caught up with a house after two weeks away (thanks Timmy for checking in on kitty.)    

This week, we'll be heading down to DC to say our goodbyes to Joe, Leonor and Thomas who leave next Saturday to start their three years in Brazil.  They have moved out of their house and are checking off the many small things to do before they head out.  Thomas is talking more and has started spinning stories of imaginary friends mixed with movie characters (Chewbacca) and family members. 

They have been hanging out watching World Series baseball games with Margaret and Andrew and Jeff and Melodie.  It has been a fun run to watch the Nationals streak; hope they can outlast the Astros.

We played phone tag with Andrew and Lur, but finally caught up with them after they returned from a few days visiting Claire in Michigan.  They went out to see one of her concerts.  She posted the photo below of her middle school class, and there are several wonderful points, besides how great she is looking.  One is how cool her handwriting is, and the other is the music that she is teaching.  Perhaps another is that these students are actually sitting down and listening.  Not sure even I did that with Mrs. Noling's music class.

Andrew and Lur had spent the day watching soccer games, for Myles and Auden.  I can't quite get the picture of Auden on a soccer field out of my mind.  Must be a force.

Annie has been racking up the frequent flyer miles, going to weddings in South Carolina.  Sean too has been down to Dallas a few times to visit Erin who is well into her fellowship there.

What else?  Mary had a doctor's appointment in Boston (Brigham and Women's) this week where she got the good news that tests for rheumatoid arthritis were negative, but she may have some other issue, related to a tropical infection.  Too much Gabon, I guess.

We also talked to John and Marilyn, breaking into their pool practice.  Swimming and billiards are both on their agendas these days. 

This week Halloween?  What's your costume?  What was your favorite costume growing up?  We had a magnificent old cape, that we had to share between four children.  Survival of the fittest.

With that, have a wonderful week, and love from over here.