Somewhere between Minnesota , Germany and Kuwait

As I write this, I am in my semi dark apartment in Kuwait. It is past midnight, I am dealing with jet lag and the only sounds i can hear are the gentle snores of my spouse, the tick of my arabic clock and the pounces of my cat on imaginary mice. not wanting to turn on the lights, the illumination is given by the lit signs of the now-defunct insurance business on the street and the Security light of the Blind Association across the street. I am experiencing the moment I dreaded most this summer: hopelessly awake reflecting on the summer beauty and splendour while sitting in the desert. Which means I am "here" thinking about "there".

Our return has been good, despite arriving in Kuwait at oh dark thirty this morning. We arrived home (!?) at 230 am due to a two hour delay in leaving Germany. I took that as calmly as i could because a new engine is certainly better than a failing one. So I didn't complain as I got to go back for another German beer and brat in the Frankfurt airport.

Tomorrow I return to work while David gets to sleep in and continue to find the bottom of our suitcases. We have converted Anna's room to a media center complete with an LCD projector and six coats of white paint covering her artworks and beloved color scheme. so much for missing the child ;-)!

Tonight as we went out to dinner with friends I fought jet lag and almost fell face forward into my lentil soup. So we came home and while D watched a movie in our new viewing room, I took a three hour nap. Yes,
I know it only complicates the problem of jet lag, but it's best not to fight it. Besides, the cat wanted some snuggle time, and how could I deny him that opportunity after leaving him here for two months?

Here are a couple shots of our last week' s enjoyment.


Closing up the cabin is bittersweet because it signals the end of summer plus the added anxiety of worrying about forgetting something and then returning the following spring to find something broken or full of dead mice carcasses or both! David and Uncle Doug did an excellent job while I ran around saying farewell and having one last coffee/beer with friends.



I waited all summer for this shot of "amber waves of grain" to remind me of the US of A. This field is on the road to the cabin where Angel and I walked each day.


One of the best things about being a teacher is getting visits from former students and seeing them as contributing, interesting adults . We are blessed with several "favorites" who keep us posted on their lives. Here is ALE who lives in Baltimore with fun spouse Mike and beautiful spirited daughter R. As a fitting tribute to David and her other special teachers, she is a teacher herself.