note from Jan

Hi everyone! Well, I know at least Barb is reading this! Ha!
I have been terribly about blogging lately....mainly I've been having trouble downloading pictures!
So for now I'll just write a letter.
July was a good month! We started off with a 4th of July party here at our house which included the Bechtel managers and Enka people, local mayors from villages the project is impacting, and even an Orthodox priest! We couldn't have fireworks, because we have some huge power lines out back....but if we would have paid a bribe....we could have had them!!!! This is Romania you know!
Anyway,,, it was fun....lots of food and it was catered....they had an American flag cake and some small fireworks...fountains and the Star Spangled Banner.
Then Shannon came! THat was fun....Barney and Bailey are still looking for her.... We went to Mamaia via a 12 hour train ride each way....It was an EXPERICENCE! One that we really don't want to do again! HA!
We stayed at the 2** Hotel Flora...with a teeny little room but 2 comfortable beds and a good shower and semi-air-conditioned. There was an air conditioner....but it didn't blow cold air! Ha!
We were in the sun all day...ate good meals....read a couple of books...it was breezy on the beach so we didn't get TOO hot!
Since Shannon left we have been busy with job related outings. Last weekend there was a company bbq out at the job site and huge soccer game. It was hot... Then that evening we were invited to a village "fair" or community gathering. We were served goulash from a huge pot hanging on a tripod over an open fire.
Mike has been in Bucharest that past couple of days and I've been hearing good reports about what is happening there. They are supposed to get a payment today! YEAH! The CEO, Adrian Zacharia was here and Mike got a thumbs up from him...so Mike is feeling pretty good!
He comes home tomorrow ...Sat. is our anniversary! Again! We were going to try to go to Baia Mare where there are some hot spring pools and healthy mud baths! Ha! But the hotels were full up. So we'll probably go out to dinner.
My new friend Betty Sue is relocated from the hotel to her new house and now she wants to get a dog. She just loves Barney! WEll, we found out that the biggest dog show in Romania is in Targa Mures this weekend (80 km) so now we are planning to drive over there on Sat. Then on Sunday her landlord has invited us up to their mountain pension which is up past the job camp so we're going to do that! The husbands will come along!
Oh! I walked Barney down the highway to the little village Floresti and a man stopped me to ask me about Barney. It turns out he was the President of the Romanian sheepdog club in Cluj!
Mike was going to call him to see about getting Barney's pedigree registered and here I ran into him~He wants us to come see his dog now.....
The girls are doing good as far as I know....well Casey and Megan are having quite an adjustment getting used to living with each other.....Shannon is busy I guess! working alot and moving back to the dorm. Casey has to work 54 hours next week....I guess they average their hours throughout a 4 week period...so she's making up for the time she spent in Georgia with Brian last week. Meg is working 40 hours at her job...and Shannon is working 3 jobs!
So that catches me up to August!
Sure would love to hear ANYTHING from ANYONE out there on the blog! Just thinking of you all makes me happy! Love to all!