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In Newsletters, we’ll try to cover what’s been happening over the past few months in different categories to keep you abreast. You can also look at the Calendar for current and upcoming events, and the Photo and Movie Gallery for more information. The latest newsletter is below, with old ones selectable to the left. |
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Newsletters |
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Well, it looks like the road to updating our website monthly has been paved with good intentions. The last update was in January, and even though we’ve done so much since then, it seems like January was just yesterday! Since Ed is paying more attention to work, sleep, golf, and beer… I decided to give it a go this time. Probably the most noteworthy thing that has happened was the crack of thunder and the huge sigh of relief that could be heard sometime in late February, when for some reason, at precisely the time we’d been here for six months, everything seemed to click into place, the continental divide shifted, and it was no longer a matter of US against THEM. We have actually settled into life here, and only occasionally, in our darkest moments, feel the need for “drive through” food……..finally!! On a more specific note, we’ve had several visitors, and have therefore logged in some serious tour guide hours. My Mom was here for eight days in February, and Ed’s Mom and her Cousin saw us through a chilly week and a half in March. It was a huge treat to have them here, and we were sufficiently spoiled. We took them to our favorite places, and spared them from those even we’d like to forget. Hopefully we showed them a good enough time where they’ll want to come back again. My Mom really enjoyed her time with Billy and Alec, and we even have photographic proof, that they actually had her playing Nintendo! Ed, his Mom, and cousin, Joanne, we a wee bit more adventurous, and headed to Paris. What should have been only a seven hour trip turned into twenty three hours when the ferry system ran into a spot of trouble. But, they couldn’t be deterred, and actually managed to have a great time anyway. In February, Ed went back to Owego to help out on his old program. Of course, we all gave him a massive list of supplies of things to bring back, the most enjoyable for him was buying the bra’s in Lane Bryant. He had to explain to a 4 year old boy in line that they were a “gift” for his wife, when another woman turns around with a sarcastic “Yeah, right…”. Ed, in his occasional ability to turn a bad situation around, responds “Lady, these are a 38C… I’m more of a 44B.” Here’s a very funny excerpt from a note he sent to Gayle about his trip back - Sick as a dog and carrying the shopping list goods... ------------------- The trip to the airport was hysterical, if you weren’t me. I felt like I was one of the slow leaks on that show “Airline”. First, I get out of the rental car with 2 very large, very heavy suitcases, 1 med size suitcase, and a laptop bag. The trolley’s cost 3 bucks, so I said “I can do this”. If you’ve never returned a car to JFK, it’s a real treat. I did the bag hitch thing for the 2 big ones, and hitched my briefcase to the medium bag, so I had a set of bags to tow for each hand. It was all I could do to pull the bags at all (the 2 big ones combined were 154 pounds… more on that later…). I had to cross over and take an elevator up to the new Sky Train. I get off at Terminal 8, then it’s down the elevator, across 2 roads, then into the terminal near baggage handling. Then another elevator up to ticketing. By this time my wheeze was pretty bad, and my throat had a really good burn going. I get on line (pretty short at 10pm) and get to the counter. The dude weighs the bags and says “sorry, but NO overweight bags across the Atlantic. Each bag can be a max of 70 pounds.” He says I can have MORE bags that weigh less. OK, so it’s 10pm on Sunday night, and even the food court is closed. Buying more luggage - not an option. So I move some stuff from the 97 pound bag to the 57 pound bag (yes, right there at the counter), and take out the 10 pound double bag of Gold Medal flour. OK, checked bags good… carry-ons.. not so much. After check-in, I have to take all my bags to the TSA baggage area. So now I have the 2 big ones, the medium one with briefcase combo, and a 10 pound bag of flour balancing atop, to the other side of the terminal. FINALLY got rid of the 2 big ones, but what to do with the 10 pounds of Gold Medal flour??? OK, open medium bag. Exchange humongo boxes of Ritz crackers and Kraft Handi-Snacks with the flour. Phew, much lighter, but much clumsier. Go through security. Of course, the flour looks like 5 kilos of C4 plastic explosive, so TSA wants to inspect my bag. The TSA lady says “This bag is really heavy. What’s in it?” “Flour.” She says “Cooking flour?” with a grin coming over her face I’m sure thinking ‘we have us a live one here’. She says she’ll meet me at the inspection table with my bag, as she reaches for a new pair of rubber gloves. I place the Sam’s Club Ritz crackers and Handi-Snack humongo boxes on the table next to the bag. She opens the suitcase to find the 64 oz bottle of Frank’s Red Hot next to the flour. She just looks up, puzzled, waiting for an explanation. Meanwhile, the loser TSA flunky next to her is eyeing the handi snacks. “Handi snacks. I like these!” I’m thinking this guy didn’t graduate at the top of his class. I explain “We just moved to England 5 months ago. I was given a list. Especially the snacks.” The loser TSA dude was still looking at the Handi Snacks, so I offer him some, thinking the offer would make me seem like a harmless, law abiding non-terrorist. He starts opening the box, I thought to inspect it. But the guy actually took some! His TSA lady partner was in total disbelief. They start arguing. She’s yelling at him “Put those back! They’re for his kids!” He says “No! He gave them to me!” They go back and forth a few times, and he ultimately keeps 4 or 5 Handi Snacks, refusing to part with obviously one of his favorite snacks. Totally embarrassed she dismisses me, without the bomb sniff test or drug dog search of my Gold Medal flour. Other than the heart attack I almost had for having to pay $320 for 11 days of long term parking at Heathrow, the rest of the trip was relatively uneventful. -------- Only Ed. Our friend Gayle, from Owego, was here just last week for a visit. It was extremely fun, and very busy. We barely spent an hour at home. There were trips to London, including a visit to Harrods, and an evening at a show…..Chicago. There was golf, visits to pubs, walks, shopping, movies, lots of work talk, and overall general merrymaking and catching up. Nothing like visits from family and friends to cheer you up and keep things in perspective. March found Billy, Alec and I on our first trip back to the USA. With Ed stuck here toiling over charts and meetings, we were getting spoiled by his Mom and Dad back on Long Island. Although Billy refrained from throwing himself on the ground and kissing it when we walked out of JFK, that was about the only refraining that happened…..Eating, shopping, talking, shopping, eating, visiting, eating, playing cards, shopping….well, you get the idea. We had a great time, and really appreciated the time we got to spend with everyone. We tried not to waste a moment, and we’re happy to say that we visited with just about everyone, ate everything we’d been missing, and did all the things we wanted to do. With Grandpa and his poker chips, there wasn’t a second where we were looking for something to do. And, Alec’s record for most Munchkins from Dunkin Donuts eaten at one sitting was only to be outdone by Billy’s record for most garlic knots eaten at one sitting. The true test of whose record will stand will come in July when Ed will have a go at his Mom’s homemade zeppoles! Ed is doing great. He’s really enjoying being here (particularly since the level of complaining has been on a serious decline) and is doing his best to make the most of it. He’s finally decided that there’s more to life than work and torturing the rest of us with his “Learn French” and “Learn German” cd’s. He’s been trying to make golf on Sunday mornings a habit, has found his way to a poker game or two, and has even venture a solo trip to Germany! (He claims he was scouting out the place to see if it would be a good place for the family, but I’m thinking that the 352 types of beer they have here just weren’t enough for him). Billy has probably seen more change in attitude than the rest of us put together. The start of the summer semester has brought with it cricket season. Billy is totally into it, and can be found practicing in the back yard just about everyday. Although both he and Alec have found several other uses for cricket bats, he actually has really gotten the hang of the game. But, what they were thinking by putting 12 and 13 year old boys in all white uniforms to play an outdoor sport on a muddy field I’ll never know. He has a small part in his school play (yes, this is BILLY). He’ll play a member of a punk rock band. He has found that caddying for Ed is a great way to earn a few “quid”(aka bucks). Ed let him join in on poker night at our house – which he found is an even easier way to earn quid. OK, brace yourself… he was actually heard telling Alec “There’s more to life than Nintendo you know.” Alec has had a major accomplishment of late…..he’s finally learned how to ride his bike with only two wheels!!! We’re sure that the scrapes and bruises will be gone long before the huge smile and sense of pride he’s been walking around with is, but just in case, we’re making sure he wears long pants so nobody can get a good look at those knees! He’s doing absolutely fantastic at school, and was named Star of the Week last week for excellence in literacy. Since he’s on the Student Council, he spent a couple of days interviewing candidates for the job of Head Teacher at his school for next year. Even though his favorite person didn’t get the job, he was feeling pretty important to be included. I actually never thought I’d hear myself say this, but is seems that Alec and Billy have actually decided it’s not a bad thing to be brothers, and they have been enjoying each other’s company. As for myself…..I just spend most of my time trying to figure out how to survive as the only female in a house full of men! With Billy getting older and more daring, Alec getting smarter and faster, and Ed taking his role as world traveler darn seriously, a girl’s gotta stay on her toes! I’ll be the first to admit that it’s only been recently when I’ve thought that this whole adventure might just work after all, and I’m trying my best to appreciate the opportunity. Well, I think that about covers it…………just remember we LOVE to get mail……of any kind, and visitors are always welcome! Hope this letter finds everyone happy and healthy…. Until next time……….Cheers mate! Steph |
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Newsletter #3 5 June 2005 |
Balunas Family |
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Valeo Per Asperitas |
