Our Summer 2008

Hi everyone!

Well my good intentions to keep up on this blog have not panned out. I really enjoy keeping up with Regina and Barb and the family happenings on this blog. Plus it has a nice little archive to check out too.

This summer has just gone by in a blur. We've done so much and so much is happening with the girls too. In June, Mike and I went on a really nice vacation to Jordan. It was the first vacation that we have gone with just the two of us in....25 years? I'm not sure if that is quite right...but it's been a long time! We were gone 9 days and we saw EVERYTHING Jordan has to offer. Which is quite a bit! Petra was the place we really wanted to see. We hiked around there 7 hours one day and 5 the next! Made up for all the good food we were eating along the way! We even had a cooking class one evening so I'll have to make you all a Jordanian dinner sometime when I'm back! You'll love it!

In July we celebrated the 4th of July 3 days in a row! On the 3rd we had the Autostrada Transylvania party at a restaurant just outside town with fireworks and birthday cake and lots of food and drink! Then we went to Bucharest the next night for the US Ambassadors party there. And then to the American Chamber of Commerce party the next night in Bucharest where we met up with some friends that we hadn't seen since London. The Naniches...their daughter and Casey were best friends in London.

Then Megan came for a 2 week visit. We really enjoyed having her home. Had a lot of good laughs. We tagged along with Mike to Oradea one week. Went to the Bear Cave near there . Then the following week Mike was in Bucharest. Meg and I drove the Jeep down to Bucharest (7 hour drive!) Spent Thursday night there. And then the next day we all drove down to the Bulgarian coast which is a 4 hour drive from Bucharest. It was very nice there. A little more updated than the Romanian coast. A big tourisitic near Varna called Golden Sands. Since we drove, I brought back quite a bit of Bulgarian pottery. Casey had bought some when she worked at a handicapped home for children there one summer. I got some more to add to her collection.

While Megan was here visiting us. Shannon was in Frederick,MD interviewing for some Bechtel jobs there. While she was there, London called and wanted to invite her to come to London to interview and go through an assessment to get into their college graduate program. In the meantime, I went on an overnight trip with some Turkish ladies from ENKA (our partner here). That's what the picture is up top.

In August, on our anniversary!, I hopped up to see Shannon for just a few days while she was there. I also stayed one night before Shannon got there with my friend, Maureen, who just moved back there from Cluj. She showed me around Richmond, which is a beautiful area outside London and we went to Kew Gardens. Shannon and I just hung out as she was busy throughout the days. I visited the Buckingham Palace Staterooms ( I had never been in! They only open it a few weeks in the summer.) and did some shopping of course!

Shannon was accepted into the college grad program along with 8 others ( out of the 10). She kept telling me how good everyone was and how she didn't see how they could be eliminated. Ha..she was right. ANYWAY, you probably have heard by now that she is going to London on Sept 10. They wanted to keep her there, but it may take up to 6 months for her to get a work permit there. So after 2 weeks of crash training....they are sending her to Albania!!! There is another motorway project there. It is in a very remote area , 2 1/2 hours from Tirana (the capital) and she will be living on the camp! 13 days on, 1 off. 1 week off every 3 months! Well, she is very excited AND nervous and can't wait to get started. She has to go buy a pair of steel-toed boots! She will be working in the Environment, Health and Safety dept.

I'm planning on going to London for a week while she is there and give her a send off to Albania on what will probably be her BIRTHDAY!

I've just been keeping busy with my dogs and garden and friends that are here. I'm disappointed that my good friend Betty Sue is leaving the project and going back to the states on Oct. 3. I made salsa last week. And this week, my housekeeper, is helping me make a batch of zacusa! It is delicious! Can't wait! It has red peppers(sweet), eggplant, onions, tomatoe juice, salt, pepper, and bay leaves...oh! and a lot of oil! You cook it down and it is such a good spread. I will bring some back for you all to try. They eat it on bread here, but I can just eat it out of the jar with a spoon! Some people add carrots, or white beans, or mushrooms to their recipes.

Not sure when we will be back next. The girls are all scattered and Mike is really busy this summer here. I'm glad I stayed here because we have had such a nice summer and it's been fun having the garden. But I miss seeing everyone too!

Guess you all are keeping up with Casey and Brian through their website. She about has everything lined out for the wedding. Are you all going to be able to make it? I hope so....but know it isn't an easy trip for everyone to make. Well, this is all for now! Love to all! Jan