Uncles Come to RAK

Ted and Clayton just left after a 5 day visit. This weekend I will do a big individual email session to my buddies, whom I miss. I have a bunch to answer. I am sorry. Please know how much I enjoy getting news from you all. Thank you for writing me and for your patience.

My brother Ted just got a kick ass new job as the DCM, or number 2 guy at the embassy in Jakarta, Indonesia. I am excited, as is Sam, to go visit them there. But they were just here! We had a great visit. We did a lot, and I am pretty tired, so I bet the uncles are even more bushed. Sam was sorry to see them go, and Kulsum said Sam seemed so happy to have them here. There was a desert safari with dune bashing, which I will write about in detail this weekend, and a dinner party here, plus a trip into Dubai for us to go visit them at their swank hotel, and sailing, boating, pool time and book time. We loved having them here. It makes Sam so proud to have visitors.

Sam and I went to the Oman border again today on a visa run. I hope for the last time. When we returned, Sam did 8 pages of homework, and some of the best, most confident reading aloud that he has ever done. He is starting to get it, thank goodness. And he was sweet about it, which is not always the case. I worked like crazy on curriculum all day and into the evening. I thought I would have enough energy to get a dune bashing description onto my blog tonight, because it was such an amazing experience, but I am too tired to do it justice right now. Ted and I spent some time speculating who in our family would or would not agree to go dune bashing, and you'll see why when I tell you what it was like. I bet twice as many people lose their lunch dune bashing than on the Salt n' Pepper Shaker amusement ride.

More later. We are fine here. Sorry to see our guests go, but looking forward to some R and R this weekend. I keep promising photos, and Bethany has already taken them of Sam in his kandoora, so now she has only to upload them and they are on their way to you. School opening is looking more like Nov. or possibly even later, but I have full work weeks every week. Admin is definitely keeping us busy with work and deadlines. I heard Sheryl Crow on the radio when I was driving into Dubai last Thursday night and I felt a huge wave of homesickness. But overall, we are happy. Just too far away!