Beach 2009 May

The weather was good, good - the water was cold, cold. Sat 23May - Sat 30 May 2009, in south Nags Head at a house called Ocean Adventure, #416. Good straight view of the ocean down a 2 block road, could see dolphins through binoculars. Ate at Mako Mikes the first night; great food at Blue Moon Grill Thursday night (Fish tacos and calamari); good food at Ocracoke's Thai Moon cafe on Wed. Then cooking tile fish and 2 lbs of shrimp from Austen's, scallops from Whalebone seafood, and mahi from Wancheese, the last with Lynn over for supper Thurs night, after cocktails at her place, Bird's Nest at 100 Altoona.

Several times we went out on our south Nags Head beach; also two wide beaches on Ocracoke (but rip tides on Wed), and twice at the Pea Island beach (Tuesday's trip to Pea Island, and then on the way back from Ocracoke). Crowded beaches on Sat, Sun, and Memorial Monday, but then pretty empty beaches.

Got to Duck on Friday on the same afternoon we looked for tie-dye shirts for friends and found the Carolina Moon gallery in Duck and the donations shop in KDH, and over to Manteo (to see David's house at 500 Fernando) and Wancheese on Thursday afternoon.

Lazy relaxed time - especially on the nice front (back?) porch facing the ocean. Bird nesting right below the deck.

Very week wi-fi through Linksys up through Wed, then hardly any connectivity. Called and got very slow dialup on Thursday at $16 a month! through agninet now ncisp.net.

Did a lot of walking, shelling was not that great but fun, also watching pelicans and for dolphins.

Didn't gain weight, but first year my arm had white spotty arm tan.

Visited sister Barb in her place in Richmond on our way back to Charlottesville. Jado had been left alone all Friday and Saturday - happy to see us, purring, and chowed down.

Springtime in Chicago

Went to the Asian Association Conference in Chicago in late March 2009 - nothing exciting, but interesting to be with other South Asian librarians for a while and their meetings, and to re-establish friendships with Anand and others, and to go to some interesting presentations. And I saw and met Peter M from Australia; last time I saw, talked with him was when we were graduate students at the U of Wisconsin, Madison, in the mid 1960s. He said Don Best was retired from his university career as an American historian. Both Peter and Don migrated to Australia in the late 1960s as prospects for getting academic jobs in the US were very, very slim. Maybe I should have gone with them? That would have made a very different life for me over the past 40 years!

The last day in Chicago it snowed just as we were departing. The Sunday snow fall was beautiful and non-threatening to travel (only 3 inches or so).

I always enjoy Chicago, its architecture, museums, waterfront, changes, food, etc.

Summer and Fall 2008

Travel this summer (July 2008) was a wonderful trip with sisters Betty and Barb and with Deej, driving up to the Woodstock reunion in Toronto. Got to see some classmates, including Joyce D, all the way from Australia, as well as Kathy and Li. Wonderful time, wonderful town. Even learned some Bollywood dancing! Deej saw Naiagra Falls for the first time, and we kids saw it after a long time (1957?).

Then my October 2008 trip to Iowa and Madison, Wisconsin was great. Got to be in on Lauren's birthday party, and skated for the first time in 50 years or so. Also apple festival at Deals, church where we saw Diann briefly, lunch with all at the Carlson's, and bike trip out to the Raccoon river bridge. Fell and broke my Lumix camera. Helped teach a French class again. Got Julie onto faster DSL (and wireless) instead of dail-up. Missed connecting with Jan. Vickie's Jim came from Boone and gave me a ride to the airport.

Mot much unusual in Madison - CONSALD meeting and supper (I was the oldest member of the group?! wow). Briefly had dinner with Crispin and Aya. Interesting evening with magician. Speeches by Vena Das and Ramchandra Guha. Good Afghan and Nepal food in their restaurants - meeting new people, who are also on Facebook. Bad surprise - had to pay $15 extra for luggage on each of the three times I flew.

Went to the beach in late May - and got to see Woody, Denise, and Ellie at Jamestown on the way back.

Nice side trip in late October up to the Blue Ridge to see the fall leaves.

Day after tomorrow (27th Nov 2008) we go to Sharon's in the Valley for Thanksgiving.

Photos and Videos of India 2007 trip

Here are 5 photo albums and several videos of our, my trip to India in July 2007

Click on this link, India 2007

We're off to see the monsoon, in India

New journey, new experience, traveling with grandson Mark. All packed and ready to go. Bought new bags, bought a new computer and a new digital camera (returned both of those - duds with Vista and camera with no view finder! What?), seeing old sights (Landour, Jabalpur) and new sights (Patna and Bodh Gaya). So we're off.