A new chapter is beginning in my life -- I'm moving to South Africa in 2015. I feel I'm destined to live in South Africa. Below is why.
In 1964, while living in London, I saw an ad in the London Times seeking people to immigrate to South Africa. The article said that passage would be paid and a job would be found for you. I was ignorant of the Apartheid laws so I went to South Africa House to apply for an immigrant visa. At the same time, I read another ad in the London Times recruiting bilingual French-English secretaries to work for the World Health Organization in the Congo. WHO headquarters worldwide is located in Geneva, Switzerland. Sooo, to make a long story short, after hitchhiking in Europe for two months with a friend, I finished up in Geneva, where I interviewed with WHO for the bilingual secretary position. In March 1965, I left Geneva for Brazzaville, former French Congo. My immigration visa to South Africa was forgotten.
Fast forward to 1996 -- after completing my tour in Madagascar in June, I finally made it to South Africa for a visit. Samantha and I spent two weeks there, driving from Cape Town up the Garden Route and then inland to Johannesburg. Samantha fell in love with South Africa and decided to stay while I had to leave to go back to the U.S. Little did I know that the next time I saw Samantha she would be married to Malcolm Ellis, a young South African man she met a few days after we separated.
Fast forward to 2002 -- After living in various places in the U.S. and Africa, and losing their jobs in NC at the same time, Samantha and her husband decided to return to South Africa where Malcolm had family who would take them in temporarily. Samantha was eight months pregnant when she took the journey back to S.A. Her daughter, Oriah, was born a month later. Six years later, Samantha and Malcolm split up and divorced.
Now fast forward another 12 years -- after traveling to SA every other year for the past eight years to spend a short amount of time with Samantha and the children, I decided that I have to move to SA to become a part of their lives as well as them being a part of mine. I'm not getting any younger and in fact, it would be more daunting to make this move when a few years older.
While taking a Google Earth course last year, I floated across South Africa with my cursor and saw a yellow spot which said "Amber Valley Retirement Village." I went to the website site and was amazed at what I discovered. Amber Valley is a community similar to Carolina Preserve but not quite the same. It is not just for seniors but it's an adult only (over 18 years of age) community. It has a community center, two swimming indoor swimming pools, and a care center which you go to only when sick.
Friday, January 16, 2015
On the Move Again
I thought I would be going to SA in April/May but it was a false alarm. The rental agent where I want to live sent me an email that a house would be available to rent as of April 1. I wrote back that May 1 would work better for me but that I would take it on April 1 if the owner required it. It looks like the rental agent didn't read the second part of my sentence as she went ahead and contacted the second person on her list who said he wanted to rent that house. So it's back to square one for the time being. An April rental would have worked better for Samantha's schedule so it is disappointing. On the other hand, it will give me more time to start sorting, distributing and packing.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Family Tree
Ellen M. Rose
Mother - Ruth Irwin
Ruth's Mother - Anne Jane Tilson, DOB 22 December 1869 in Ballyjamesduff, Cavan, Ireland
DOD 17 July 1937
Anne Jane Tilson's Mother -- Susan Hawthorne
Anne Jane Tilson's Father -- Humphrey Tilson, DOB 5 July 1878 in Claudia, Cavan, Ireland
Susan Hawthorn arrived in the United Stated on November 28, 1905 from Glasgow, Scotland, UK at the Age of 28. She was single. This means that she met and married Humphrey Tilson in the U.S.
The following was written about the Tilson-Hawthorne Families:
The Hawthorne family was originally from France. They were Huguenots who fled to Scotland and then down into North Ireland. One branch went over to Australia.
Humphrey Tilson came to the U.S. Later Susan followed with the baby, Susan, and the older children. She returned to Ireland and left the two older girls with their father to be placed in school. Instead, they were put into Service as maids for the Marshall-Field Family. Susan and Humphrey were divorced and he remarried and had two daughters. When David died, these two girls appeared at the Funeral Parlor. (ME: I don't know who David is.)
(ME: The following are sisters of Susan Hawthorne -- Isabelle, Anne Jane (Jennie), Alicia, Margaret and Susan.)
When Jennie married, Margaret lived with her. Later Isabelle came to the U.S. and later Alicia and Susan. All lived with Jennie. Then the four single girls left Jennie and set up housekeeping. Alicia Mmarried and Susan lived with her. When Isbelle married, Margaret stayed with her, for life.
Olivia (daughter of ?) recalls seeing Grandfather Humphrey Tilson once in NYC when on a visit to Aunt Alicia with Aunt Margaret. She recalls seeing a red-haired man who came to visit.
In Ireland Susan Hawthorne Tilson lived with a sister on a Farm.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Happy Holidays 2009
Happy Holidays Everyone, It looks like I have to do better in keeping my blog up to date since I haven't written in it since December 07. I promise to do better next year.
This has been a year that I've become very close to the medical community. Two things have kept me running to doctors and having a multitude of tests, xrays, MRIs and physical therapy for the better part of the year. In January I had a two-day bout of vertigo, and because I had had vertigo ten years ago, I decided to go to an ENT specialist to see why this happened to me again. He gave me a test to check my balance, concluded that it wasn't an ear problem and sent me to have an MRI on my head. Nothing abnormal showed up on the MRI, although there was a borderline issue with my pituitary gland. He referred me to an endocrinologist and also wanted me to see a neurologist. Both of these specialists sent me to have blood tests, neurological tests on my head, arms and legs, and another MRI. One of these blood tests showed a blood protein deficiency so I then had to see a hemotologist for this issue. These tests and doctors' visits went on for months and months. Finally by October I was told by the neurologist that he could find nothing wrong with me and that was it. The endocrinologist found nothing wrong either but wanted me to have another MRI next year which I'm not going to do. I think all of these doctors were CYAing and because I have good insurance, they thought nothing of having me take all these tests, etc.
My second medical issue was pain in my back and legs. In Jan/Feb I saw a pain management specialist who gave me a series of three epidural shots in my spine. These helped a little but I was still in pain. By May I couldn't stand the pain so I went to a neurological surgeon specializing in brain and spine surgery. The MRI he ordered showed I had a herniated disk at L4-5. He said I should have surgery but first I should try physical therapy and another epidural shot. Neither of these things worked and the pain, especially in my legs, got worse. Unfortunately, he's a very sought after surgeon and his first surgery opening wasn't until late August. I had a dilemma. I wanted to attend my 50th high school reunion in New Jersey in early October and didn't think I would be healed in time to travel back east so I postponed the surgery until I returned from the trip. To keep me going until then, I had more epidural shots in my spine and these lasted just through my trip back east. I was in mucho pain when I finally had the surgery on November 2.
I'm so happy I selected this surgeon -- he was a miracle worker. When I woke up after surgery the pain in my legs was gone. It was outpatient surgery so I was back home by late afternoon. I could walk but had pain at the incision site. Friends from Albuquerque came up to take care of me during my recovery which I appreciated very much. I was doing fine until four days later when I had a bowel blockage due to the pain pills I was taking. I ended up in the emergency room to get that taken care of. I immediately stopped taking the pain pills and a few days later I was pain free at the incision site as well. I feel like a million bucks now. It feels so good to be pain free and able to stand up straight. I now feel my age and not twenty years older.
My big challenge now is not to do anything, like bending over or lifting heavy things, to cause me to have another herniated disk. To help keep my back in good shape, I have lost 50 lbs since April and have another xx lbs to lose to be down to where I want to be. I did this by going to a diabetic nutritionist (I'm not diabetic) who put me on a good eating plan. I also read a lot about healthy eating so the 50 lbs came off quite easily. I plan to get into an exercise program next year to keep in shape.
In between doctors' visits and testing, I did do a couple of fun things during the year. In February I was invited by my friends in Albuquerque to share their time share in Puerto Vallarte, Mexico, for a week. It felt great to sit on the beach and soak up the sun and relax for a while. Vegas gets quite cold in the winter so it was nice to get away to a warmer climate.
In March I traveled to South Africa to visit Samantha and the kids for two and a half weeks. They are still living on a farm two hours east of Durban. Because it's not very comfortable for me there, we decided to take a trip by car up to Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, for a week. To get to Mozambique we had to drive through Swaziland, a very small country within South Africa, where we stopped for two nights at a game reserve. Children under six could not go on a safariin this particular park, so I took Oriah with me on one while Samantha stayed behind with Kei. We saw lots of animals and got quite close to them because we were driving on a dirt road through the park. Samantha went on a walking safari the next morning which she said was fantastic. She was surrounded by elephants at one point. We then drove up to Maputo, which is a run-down dirty city, with not much to see. It reminded me of Kinshasa, Zaire, 25 years ago. Samantha thought the beaches would be better than they were so we only spent three days there. Back at the farm, we celebrated the March equinox on the 15th with a large party with people coming from all around the area. A day after my return from SA, I noticed a small bump on my big toe which turned into a very big blister a day later. I went to urgent care to have it lanced and then was referred to the burn unit at a hospital to have it treated. No one could figure out what it was but it did look like I had burned my toe.
As I mentioned above, my 50th high school reunion took place in early October. I actually attended two reunions, one at the school I graduated from and the other two weeks later at the school I had attended for three years. Everyone should attend a 50th HS reunion. I could only recognize a few of my classmates without looking at their name tags. It was fun to reunite with people I had known so long ago and to hear about their lives over the past 50 years. One of my classmates was shot down over Vietnam and was a prisoner of war for six years. There was a good turnout at each reunion and I believe there will be mini reunions every five years for those who live in the area of each high school.
I think I told you in my last Xmas letter that I was planning on moving back east as soon as I could sell my house. That plan is still on. In the ten days between the two reunions, I drove down to North and South Carolina to look at two Del Webb 55+ communities. Sun City Carolina Lakes is located about 25 miles from downtown Charlotte but is located in South Carolina. This one will be quite a large community but for now they are selling 1800 houses. It had all the facilities and amenities I was looking for and lots of interest groups to join. I saw two floor plans which I like, each was 1400 sq. ft. The other Del Webb, Carolina Preserve, in Cary, NC, is smaller but has the same amenities as Carolina Lakes. It also has the same house floor plans. I would like to be in NC, but the houses are more expensive than those in SC. However, I will move to whichever one has a house available if and when I ever sell this house. The market is still very bad out here so I'm trying to be optimistic that it will sell fast. In the meantime, I'm declutting the house by throwing away, giving away and selling some of my treasures.
Samantha and the kids, Oriah (7) and Kei (4+) are doing well. Samantha took Oriah out of school and is home schooling both of the children. She and Malcolm are separated but remain good friends. Malcolm is living on the coast and sees the children quite often. Samantha is still committed to improving the lives of the inhabitants at a nearby village.
I adopted another cat this year from the animal shelter. He's a Ragdoll type cat, which means he will grow to 20+ lbs and is very furry. He has a sweet personality and gets along well with the two female cats I adopted in 2008. I may or may not keep him because I'm worried about my back, i.e, carrying a cat of this size, with the added weight of the cage.
Well, folks this is about all for now. My New Year's resolution is to take better care of myself through exercise and healthy eating next year. I feel much better now since I lost half of the weight I needed to lose. I'm looking forward to many changes next year, including a move back east. I wish all of you the best for a happy and healthy new year.
This has been a year that I've become very close to the medical community. Two things have kept me running to doctors and having a multitude of tests, xrays, MRIs and physical therapy for the better part of the year. In January I had a two-day bout of vertigo, and because I had had vertigo ten years ago, I decided to go to an ENT specialist to see why this happened to me again. He gave me a test to check my balance, concluded that it wasn't an ear problem and sent me to have an MRI on my head. Nothing abnormal showed up on the MRI, although there was a borderline issue with my pituitary gland. He referred me to an endocrinologist and also wanted me to see a neurologist. Both of these specialists sent me to have blood tests, neurological tests on my head, arms and legs, and another MRI. One of these blood tests showed a blood protein deficiency so I then had to see a hemotologist for this issue. These tests and doctors' visits went on for months and months. Finally by October I was told by the neurologist that he could find nothing wrong with me and that was it. The endocrinologist found nothing wrong either but wanted me to have another MRI next year which I'm not going to do. I think all of these doctors were CYAing and because I have good insurance, they thought nothing of having me take all these tests, etc.
My second medical issue was pain in my back and legs. In Jan/Feb I saw a pain management specialist who gave me a series of three epidural shots in my spine. These helped a little but I was still in pain. By May I couldn't stand the pain so I went to a neurological surgeon specializing in brain and spine surgery. The MRI he ordered showed I had a herniated disk at L4-5. He said I should have surgery but first I should try physical therapy and another epidural shot. Neither of these things worked and the pain, especially in my legs, got worse. Unfortunately, he's a very sought after surgeon and his first surgery opening wasn't until late August. I had a dilemma. I wanted to attend my 50th high school reunion in New Jersey in early October and didn't think I would be healed in time to travel back east so I postponed the surgery until I returned from the trip. To keep me going until then, I had more epidural shots in my spine and these lasted just through my trip back east. I was in mucho pain when I finally had the surgery on November 2.
I'm so happy I selected this surgeon -- he was a miracle worker. When I woke up after surgery the pain in my legs was gone. It was outpatient surgery so I was back home by late afternoon. I could walk but had pain at the incision site. Friends from Albuquerque came up to take care of me during my recovery which I appreciated very much. I was doing fine until four days later when I had a bowel blockage due to the pain pills I was taking. I ended up in the emergency room to get that taken care of. I immediately stopped taking the pain pills and a few days later I was pain free at the incision site as well. I feel like a million bucks now. It feels so good to be pain free and able to stand up straight. I now feel my age and not twenty years older.
My big challenge now is not to do anything, like bending over or lifting heavy things, to cause me to have another herniated disk. To help keep my back in good shape, I have lost 50 lbs since April and have another xx lbs to lose to be down to where I want to be. I did this by going to a diabetic nutritionist (I'm not diabetic) who put me on a good eating plan. I also read a lot about healthy eating so the 50 lbs came off quite easily. I plan to get into an exercise program next year to keep in shape.
In between doctors' visits and testing, I did do a couple of fun things during the year. In February I was invited by my friends in Albuquerque to share their time share in Puerto Vallarte, Mexico, for a week. It felt great to sit on the beach and soak up the sun and relax for a while. Vegas gets quite cold in the winter so it was nice to get away to a warmer climate.
In March I traveled to South Africa to visit Samantha and the kids for two and a half weeks. They are still living on a farm two hours east of Durban. Because it's not very comfortable for me there, we decided to take a trip by car up to Maputo, the capital of Mozambique, for a week. To get to Mozambique we had to drive through Swaziland, a very small country within South Africa, where we stopped for two nights at a game reserve. Children under six could not go on a safariin this particular park, so I took Oriah with me on one while Samantha stayed behind with Kei. We saw lots of animals and got quite close to them because we were driving on a dirt road through the park. Samantha went on a walking safari the next morning which she said was fantastic. She was surrounded by elephants at one point. We then drove up to Maputo, which is a run-down dirty city, with not much to see. It reminded me of Kinshasa, Zaire, 25 years ago. Samantha thought the beaches would be better than they were so we only spent three days there. Back at the farm, we celebrated the March equinox on the 15th with a large party with people coming from all around the area. A day after my return from SA, I noticed a small bump on my big toe which turned into a very big blister a day later. I went to urgent care to have it lanced and then was referred to the burn unit at a hospital to have it treated. No one could figure out what it was but it did look like I had burned my toe.
As I mentioned above, my 50th high school reunion took place in early October. I actually attended two reunions, one at the school I graduated from and the other two weeks later at the school I had attended for three years. Everyone should attend a 50th HS reunion. I could only recognize a few of my classmates without looking at their name tags. It was fun to reunite with people I had known so long ago and to hear about their lives over the past 50 years. One of my classmates was shot down over Vietnam and was a prisoner of war for six years. There was a good turnout at each reunion and I believe there will be mini reunions every five years for those who live in the area of each high school.
I think I told you in my last Xmas letter that I was planning on moving back east as soon as I could sell my house. That plan is still on. In the ten days between the two reunions, I drove down to North and South Carolina to look at two Del Webb 55+ communities. Sun City Carolina Lakes is located about 25 miles from downtown Charlotte but is located in South Carolina. This one will be quite a large community but for now they are selling 1800 houses. It had all the facilities and amenities I was looking for and lots of interest groups to join. I saw two floor plans which I like, each was 1400 sq. ft. The other Del Webb, Carolina Preserve, in Cary, NC, is smaller but has the same amenities as Carolina Lakes. It also has the same house floor plans. I would like to be in NC, but the houses are more expensive than those in SC. However, I will move to whichever one has a house available if and when I ever sell this house. The market is still very bad out here so I'm trying to be optimistic that it will sell fast. In the meantime, I'm declutting the house by throwing away, giving away and selling some of my treasures.
Samantha and the kids, Oriah (7) and Kei (4+) are doing well. Samantha took Oriah out of school and is home schooling both of the children. She and Malcolm are separated but remain good friends. Malcolm is living on the coast and sees the children quite often. Samantha is still committed to improving the lives of the inhabitants at a nearby village.
I adopted another cat this year from the animal shelter. He's a Ragdoll type cat, which means he will grow to 20+ lbs and is very furry. He has a sweet personality and gets along well with the two female cats I adopted in 2008. I may or may not keep him because I'm worried about my back, i.e, carrying a cat of this size, with the added weight of the cage.
Well, folks this is about all for now. My New Year's resolution is to take better care of myself through exercise and healthy eating next year. I feel much better now since I lost half of the weight I needed to lose. I'm looking forward to many changes next year, including a move back east. I wish all of you the best for a happy and healthy new year.
Sunday, December 16, 2007
Bandit is Missing
This will be a sad Christmas for me this year. Bandit has been missing since Wednesday, the 12th. It was unusual that he didn't come home Wednesday night. On Thursday I began putting missing posters up on poles around the neighborhood. While putting one up a block away from home, a group of boys came up to me to tell me they had seen Bandit the day before and in fact had chased him down the street. Well, apparently, they chased him out of his familiar territory and he is now roaming far and wide looking for his home. He was sighted in a park about two miles away a few days later but, of course, he wasn't there when I went looking for him. I have no idea how to find him except to put posters up for miles around and at the vet's with the hope that someone will find him. He does have a chip in his shoulder in case he should be caught by someone. My greatest worry is that he'll be hit by a car or caught by a coyote or hunting bird which are common in the desert. I guess there's a slim possibility that he will find his way home some day. I didn't think cats got lost but I guess they do if chased out of their familiar territory. Wish me luck in finding him.
Friday, December 7, 2007
Visit to South Africa
I just returned from a 2-1/2 week visit with Samantha and her children Oriah (5) and Kei (2- 3/4). Malcolm had just started a new job so he was not at home. They live on a farm called Zuvuya which was set up to be an intentional community for environmental living. It's located about two hours from Durban in an area of rolling hills and trees. The nearest town, Howick, is a half hour away over bumpy dirt roads. It was great to see Samantha and the kids again but I chose the wrong time of year to go. Being springtime below the equator, it rained almost every day so it was cold, wet and windy for 13 out of the 17 days I was there. From now on I will be going only during their winter when it's cold at night but sunny and warm during the day --somewhat like Las Vegas's winter -- and my summer when it's unbearably hot.
Since it has been a year and a half since my last visit, Oriah and Kei had changed considerably. I actually made the trip to be there for Oriah's 5th birthday. Oriah's speech is very advanced and talks a bluestreak like her mother and Grandfather Towles. She, like Samantha, had colorful dreadlocks but Samantha told me that Oriah decided the day after I left that she wanted her dreads cut so she now has a short cute hairdo. Oriah is tall and thin like her mother and father and loves to dress up. She has the prettiest blue eyes. Kei was just a baby the last time I saw him and he's now a solid tall little boy. Typically boy, he loves playing with trucks, tractors and other moving things. He's learning Zulu from Samantha's maid who teaches Kei and another three year old for two hours a day.
Samantha is living her life by her environmental ideals to save the earth by using alternative methods of energy. They are living in a house that Malcolm built but since Malcolm didn't know diddly squat about how to build a house, it is a makeshift affair without indoor plumbing, hot water or insulation which makes the inside very cold in the winter and very hot in the summer. She keeps compost to fertilize her garden, and has an indoor pee toilet and an outdoor poo toilet. The pee toilet empties into a bucket under the house which she then uses to fertilize non-edible vegetation. The poo toilet is in an enclosed-on-three-sides structure so that when you're doing your business, you have a beautiful view of the countryside. Since they live on private property, there is little chance of encountering anyone when doing your business. You flush by throwing a handful of sawdust down the toilet. Sounds like fun, doesn't folks.
The house has only one large room downstairs and a loft for sleeping upstairs in their A-framed house. I slept in Kei's bunk bed while the kids slept upstairs with Samantha. It wasn't the most comfortable bed I've slept in. Because the house is so small, I found it a challenge to walk around in it what with lumpy carpets on the floor, toys and clothes strewn about, and two dogs and two cats which lay here and there around the house. Another drawback to the house and living in the boondocks is the lack of good communications. Samantha's internet hasn't been working for weeks and cell phone connection is not good either. I felt totally cut off from the world without TV, a radio and an internet connection. The only entertainment is looking at DVDs on the computer.
We had a few outings during my visit. They live close to an area called the Midlands Meander. It's a route along which are arts and crafts shops, specialty stores, small goat farms selling cheeses, small B&B's, and a couple of little villages. We spent two days meandering on the route and staying overnight in a small B&B along the way. The following weekend Samantha had signed us up, including her mother-in-law Claire, to attend a women's retreat at the Buddhist Retreat Center. The retreat was led by a psychologist and the gist of the program was how we felt as women and how we connect with other women. The lodge where we stayed was spartan (we had to take out shoes off before entering and we had to practice silence while in the lodge), the food vegetarian and the camraderie fantastic. After evening medicate we had to be silent until after breakfast the next morning. Samantha is leading a retreat there in January focusing on how to live an eco friendly life. Lastly, we spent four days at Claire's house where we celebrated Oriah's 5th birthday. We did get to the beach on one of the sunny days.
Well, that's a wrap up of my trip to South Africa. I would like Samantha to live closer to home but that probably won't happen in the near future so I have many more 36 hour trips to look forward to.
Since it has been a year and a half since my last visit, Oriah and Kei had changed considerably. I actually made the trip to be there for Oriah's 5th birthday. Oriah's speech is very advanced and talks a bluestreak like her mother and Grandfather Towles. She, like Samantha, had colorful dreadlocks but Samantha told me that Oriah decided the day after I left that she wanted her dreads cut so she now has a short cute hairdo. Oriah is tall and thin like her mother and father and loves to dress up. She has the prettiest blue eyes. Kei was just a baby the last time I saw him and he's now a solid tall little boy. Typically boy, he loves playing with trucks, tractors and other moving things. He's learning Zulu from Samantha's maid who teaches Kei and another three year old for two hours a day.
Samantha is living her life by her environmental ideals to save the earth by using alternative methods of energy. They are living in a house that Malcolm built but since Malcolm didn't know diddly squat about how to build a house, it is a makeshift affair without indoor plumbing, hot water or insulation which makes the inside very cold in the winter and very hot in the summer. She keeps compost to fertilize her garden, and has an indoor pee toilet and an outdoor poo toilet. The pee toilet empties into a bucket under the house which she then uses to fertilize non-edible vegetation. The poo toilet is in an enclosed-on-three-sides structure so that when you're doing your business, you have a beautiful view of the countryside. Since they live on private property, there is little chance of encountering anyone when doing your business. You flush by throwing a handful of sawdust down the toilet. Sounds like fun, doesn't folks.
The house has only one large room downstairs and a loft for sleeping upstairs in their A-framed house. I slept in Kei's bunk bed while the kids slept upstairs with Samantha. It wasn't the most comfortable bed I've slept in. Because the house is so small, I found it a challenge to walk around in it what with lumpy carpets on the floor, toys and clothes strewn about, and two dogs and two cats which lay here and there around the house. Another drawback to the house and living in the boondocks is the lack of good communications. Samantha's internet hasn't been working for weeks and cell phone connection is not good either. I felt totally cut off from the world without TV, a radio and an internet connection. The only entertainment is looking at DVDs on the computer.
We had a few outings during my visit. They live close to an area called the Midlands Meander. It's a route along which are arts and crafts shops, specialty stores, small goat farms selling cheeses, small B&B's, and a couple of little villages. We spent two days meandering on the route and staying overnight in a small B&B along the way. The following weekend Samantha had signed us up, including her mother-in-law Claire, to attend a women's retreat at the Buddhist Retreat Center. The retreat was led by a psychologist and the gist of the program was how we felt as women and how we connect with other women. The lodge where we stayed was spartan (we had to take out shoes off before entering and we had to practice silence while in the lodge), the food vegetarian and the camraderie fantastic. After evening medicate we had to be silent until after breakfast the next morning. Samantha is leading a retreat there in January focusing on how to live an eco friendly life. Lastly, we spent four days at Claire's house where we celebrated Oriah's 5th birthday. We did get to the beach on one of the sunny days.
Well, that's a wrap up of my trip to South Africa. I would like Samantha to live closer to home but that probably won't happen in the near future so I have many more 36 hour trips to look forward to.
Year in Review
New Years Eve - celebrated the New Year with Ann and Bob Wolters, visiting LV from Maryland.
January - spent a week in Phoenix with Audrey and Arpad Karika in their timeshare. Celebrated my 65th birthday on the 13th with them.
February - drove to St. George, Utah, for a four-day Elderhostel program which encompassed the geology of Zion National Park, a day at a 5-star spa, and healthy eating/homeopathic medicines. Left knee began hurting during the trip. It took months to find out that I had a torn cartiledge which still needs to be repaired.
March/April - busy with activities in the Desert Newcomers Club, Red Hat Society, and playing bridge a couple of times a week.
May - spent ten days back East visiting with Barb Crowl, my old HS buddy in NJ, and attending a family reunion in NJ. Drove down to Milford, Delaware to spend time with my sister Merle and her husband Joe.
June/July/August - HOT, HOT, HOT. Activities same as March/April.
September - went on my first cruise, a two-week cruisetour to Alaska on Princess Lines. Great, great, great. Travel companions were Merle and Joe, Audrey and Arpad and friends of Audrey. Spent another week in Vancouver, Victoria (Butchart Gardens) and Seattle visiting with Sandy and Frank Breen (friends from Madagascar) and Marie Wickens (an old grammar school friend from NJ.) See separate blog on my Alaska cruise experience.
October - spent a week with Chantal Bolstein (Madagascar friend) and Roseanne Messina (friend from school in NY) visiting three national parks -- Zion, Bryce and North Rim of the Grand Canyon in Utah and the South Rim of the GC in Arizona. Ran into a guy I worked with in Islamabad at a small pitstop just north of the North Rim. Talk about a small world.
November - traveled to South Africa (36 hours going, 38 hours returning) on November 15 to visit with Samantha and her children Oriah and Kei for 2-1/2 weeks. Celebrated Oriah's 5th birthday on November 28. It rained 14 out of 17 days there. Spent a weekend at a Bhuddist Retreat Center attending a women's retreat with Samantha and her mother-in-law. See separate blog on this trip.
December - will spend Christmas holidays with Audrey and Arpad in Albuquerque.
Preview for 2008
President of the Desert Newcomers Club for 2008
Elderhostel trip to Desert Hot Springs, CA in February
Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for 2008.
Tel: 702-818-5641
Cell: 702-215-9102
E-mail: ellen_rose61@hotmail.com
Blog: http://www.myblogbyellenmrose.blogspot.com/
January - spent a week in Phoenix with Audrey and Arpad Karika in their timeshare. Celebrated my 65th birthday on the 13th with them.
February - drove to St. George, Utah, for a four-day Elderhostel program which encompassed the geology of Zion National Park, a day at a 5-star spa, and healthy eating/homeopathic medicines. Left knee began hurting during the trip. It took months to find out that I had a torn cartiledge which still needs to be repaired.
March/April - busy with activities in the Desert Newcomers Club, Red Hat Society, and playing bridge a couple of times a week.
May - spent ten days back East visiting with Barb Crowl, my old HS buddy in NJ, and attending a family reunion in NJ. Drove down to Milford, Delaware to spend time with my sister Merle and her husband Joe.
June/July/August - HOT, HOT, HOT. Activities same as March/April.
September - went on my first cruise, a two-week cruisetour to Alaska on Princess Lines. Great, great, great. Travel companions were Merle and Joe, Audrey and Arpad and friends of Audrey. Spent another week in Vancouver, Victoria (Butchart Gardens) and Seattle visiting with Sandy and Frank Breen (friends from Madagascar) and Marie Wickens (an old grammar school friend from NJ.) See separate blog on my Alaska cruise experience.
October - spent a week with Chantal Bolstein (Madagascar friend) and Roseanne Messina (friend from school in NY) visiting three national parks -- Zion, Bryce and North Rim of the Grand Canyon in Utah and the South Rim of the GC in Arizona. Ran into a guy I worked with in Islamabad at a small pitstop just north of the North Rim. Talk about a small world.
November - traveled to South Africa (36 hours going, 38 hours returning) on November 15 to visit with Samantha and her children Oriah and Kei for 2-1/2 weeks. Celebrated Oriah's 5th birthday on November 28. It rained 14 out of 17 days there. Spent a weekend at a Bhuddist Retreat Center attending a women's retreat with Samantha and her mother-in-law. See separate blog on this trip.
December - will spend Christmas holidays with Audrey and Arpad in Albuquerque.
Preview for 2008
President of the Desert Newcomers Club for 2008
Elderhostel trip to Desert Hot Springs, CA in February
Happy Holidays and Best Wishes for 2008.
Tel: 702-818-5641
Cell: 702-215-9102
E-mail: ellen_rose61@hotmail.com
Blog: http://www.myblogbyellenmrose.blogspot.com/
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