A month in the States--Happy New Year!

It's been an entire month since we checked in with our intrepid travelers.  They made a successful transit from Athens to Seattle, although it involved Julie holding the flight for us while we struggled through security and raced through the airport.  (I've finally been unintelligibly paged in Charles de Gaulle airport--I can cross that off my life list!)  After a few days of jet-lag recovery in Seattle, we headed to Kansas City for a week with Alex's relatives (mom Beverly, stepdad Steve, dad Jonathan, brother Evan, sister-in-law Amy), punctuated by shopping, visits to the Truman and National World War I museums and Nelson Atkins Art Museum, more shopping, and finally Alex's birthday celebration.  Jonathan was a fabulous guide for Annabel through the history museums, especially the WWI museum, as military history is one of his greatest interests.  Annabel also got to go swimming at a small water park with her dad and Uncle Evan.  Then we saddled up for the return flight to Seattle, which felt ridiculously short and easy, and in a few days were joined there by Galen, who stayed until Christmas Eve.  Wait, that's a whole lot of words and miles--what about a picture or two?

Although it may not look like they're having fun in the top picture, we did actually have a good time at Lincoln Park, although it was cold enough to drive us off the beach before too long.  Which cousin is missing in the bottom picture?  Annabel actually asked her brother to teach her how to play the Call of Duty or whatever game they were playing, so she wouldn't be left out, but she hasn't taken to it yet.  In the top picture that's Quin on the left, Annabel, Galen, and Chace on the right.

We're having a marvelous time here in Seattle, with lots of laughs, golf (with Bill Russell playing in the foursome right behind us!), downhill skiing, beach walks and ferry rides, a big Picasso exhibition at the Seattle Art Museum, movies, plenty of dog and cat fur, rapid changes in the weather, rivers of good booze, and all the ordinary amenities of the good old U. S. of A., like dryers and NFL games on TV and traffic that stops for pedestrians.  We're enjoying it while we're here, but looking forward to heading off to Oviedo in a few days.  What makes it so easy to spend a month living out of suitcases with our relatives is the incredible hospitality of those relatives, especially Lauren and Leon, starting with their decision to tear down their garage and build a new structure that includes guest space.  I could give you a picture of that space, but perhaps instead I'll supply an icon of my sister, Ste. Lauren, patron saint of hospitality and protector of all international travelers (or at least those that happen to be related to her).

I hope none of you were trapped for long in airports this storm-wracked holiday season.  I wish we could send the Fairbanks folks some of the relatively warm air we've been breathing, but you'll have to settle for our best wishes for a happy new year.