It sounds like a wonderful time Michael. One of the best times I had was a kayak trip overnight on a river in Iowa. So long ago..but I can still remember the peacefulness of it all. 8 days is a long time..bet there was a log of boat talk going on.

Videos and pictures of the trip. I don't think Scott got a picture of my boat. A catamaran generally is twice as fast as a single hull boat.

Boat talk, music, and libations were had. Mostly talk and music, as most of us was tired from each day of sailing and the sun.

Yes Michael, all graduated. I went into my hard class with a B- average (for the class) and was quite proud to say it. LF went and was sad daddy wasn't there; it's the first time we've missed him at all. He said he was very proud of me, and you could hear it in his voice. The rest of the lot who rooted me on was yelling on the sidelines though, so that part was good. I'd share pictures if I had any! Gotta go bug picture takers come to think of it.

Pensacola, that was daddy's first job for the Navy, running security for the rocket launches. Nice place. I'd rather go there than any place else in Florida. Destin is next in line. Ah sailing. Miss the peace of that. Kinda like riding in a convertible but slower paced (most of the time). Did you have any good fresh seafood?

Yes, but it was what I caught either trolling or with crab nets whilst anchored. Didn't bring any home. What was caught got shared.

Michael, I envy you the wonderful beach time and sailing.
I was invited to go to Mexico Beach for a girl trip.
Unfortunately I had pneumonia again and have been home in bed for a week.
It's getting old, this being sick thing.
Poor Neil has a similar thing just not as bad thank goodness.

Things are looking up though, I got out today and went to the grocery store.

Robin, I wish I could have been there to see you graduate.

Michael, I've always wanted to go on one of those boat
trips down the Grand Canyon on the Colorado River. Who
knows, maybe I will one of these days.

Cool sounding trip, Dorph! Right up your alley!

Congrats big time to Robin! And Jan? Stop getting sick! That's an order!

I'm sitting on the bed of our hotel room in Sevilla, Spain right now. We got in a few hours ago, we've had a poquito siesta, and we're trying to cobble together a plan for dinner. Since this is the birth place of tapas, I'm thinking we'll slap on our walking shoes around 9pm-ish and just walk from bar to bar to sample the local delights.

Tomorrow morning I have an all day market tour and cooking class set up for just me while Steve attends his meeting, and then we have the whole rest of the week and weekend to get to know the city better.

My Spanish is pretty weak, but that doesn't stop me from trying it out. I know from experience that one looks less foolish making mistakes while *trying* to speak the native tongue than one does by responding to every question with a loud "Do you speak English?"

Our cabbie was cool and helped me with my pronunciation and after some slow exchanges he asked me if I spoke French (seeing as how I answered him in half French/half Spanish). He was fluent but for his heavy accent (as was I, but for mine) so we got a 20 minute personal run-down in the city in French.

I hope I can shake this jet lag nonsense because I'm so thrilled to be here right now and I want to soak the experience in. Life is so short and uncertain. I want to seize every moment on this trip.