I guess it's been while since I've written. I feel like we've been busy, but surely that can't be the case. So, here's the report on our visit to the USA - a link to photos can be found on the left.
We started in New York, where we spent the night at Stu's and then went up to my parents house in Highland Falls and visited cousins Susan, Harry and Charlene (thanks, Sue, for the transportation!) Then we headed back to the city to spend the week with Stu, visit other friends, and eat our favorite NYC foods. When we left, we were happy to have been able to visit with just about everyone (sorry to have missed you, Eleanor.) Thanks to all, particularly Stu for putting us up (or putting up with us), and Matt, Dean (pictured to the left),Lara, Barb, Harry and Charlene for feeding us. And, we are thrilled that Stu purchased tickets to come see us in Germany in May.
We left NYC on January 18 - it really wasn't all that cold up there (yet!) - and came to Sarasota, Florida, which was quite a bit warmer. We took care of some business first - Matthias got his permanent residency (green card) and his drivers' license, and I got more pages put into my passport. We took bike rides, and went shopping for things we needed (including the fabulous new computer on which I'm writing this blog entry.) We also got to spend quite a bit of "quality time" with mom and dad, and see other family as well - Josh and Andrew (pictured at left), Lou and Laurene, Marvin and Jane, and Harry and Charlene (again.) And, Matthias kept busy painting the interior of my parents' new house. Unfortunately, though, once again we missed seeing Jennifer and Brenda!
Finally, although Matthias (wisely) went on a diet during our first two weeks here, we were sure
to endulge in yet more of that yummy American food we missed, including Matthias' monster steak shown here (he ate this and some of mine!) Now, we are ready to head back to Tarifa, where we will spend about a month (I will take more Spanish lessons and Matthias' relatives will visit in March) and then plan the next stages of our journey.
We started in New York, where we spent the night at Stu's and then went up to my parents house in Highland Falls and visited cousins Susan, Harry and Charlene (thanks, Sue, for the transportation!) Then we headed back to the city to spend the week with Stu, visit other friends, and eat our favorite NYC foods. When we left, we were happy to have been able to visit with just about everyone (sorry to have missed you, Eleanor.) Thanks to all, particularly Stu for putting us up (or putting up with us), and Matt, Dean (pictured to the left),Lara, Barb, Harry and Charlene for feeding us. And, we are thrilled that Stu purchased tickets to come see us in Germany in May.
We left NYC on January 18 - it really wasn't all that cold up there (yet!) - and came to Sarasota, Florida, which was quite a bit warmer. We took care of some business first - Matthias got his permanent residency (green card) and his drivers' license, and I got more pages put into my passport. We took bike rides, and went shopping for things we needed (including the fabulous new computer on which I'm writing this blog entry.) We also got to spend quite a bit of "quality time" with mom and dad, and see other family as well - Josh and Andrew (pictured at left), Lou and Laurene, Marvin and Jane, and Harry and Charlene (again.) And, Matthias kept busy painting the interior of my parents' new house. Unfortunately, though, once again we missed seeing Jennifer and Brenda!
Finally, although Matthias (wisely) went on a diet during our first two weeks here, we were sure
to endulge in yet more of that yummy American food we missed, including Matthias' monster steak shown here (he ate this and some of mine!) Now, we are ready to head back to Tarifa, where we will spend about a month (I will take more Spanish lessons and Matthias' relatives will visit in March) and then plan the next stages of our journey.
