Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt

 

 

 

 

In 2008 Julie and I spent a week in Egypt visiting Cairo, Luxor and Aswan.  Last week we escaped the dreadful cold British winter and took a week holiday in Sharm el Sheikh.  Our 5 1/2 hour flight was out of London Gatwick airport and we were so lucky to have no delays with all the the fog and snow. This small city of under 40,000 called the party capitol of the Red Sea, is on the same parallel as Miami Florida.  Sharm el Sheikh depends totally on desalinated water which is used for everything but drinking.  This is no problem for us as we didn't go to a week in the sun to drink water anyway.  All electricity here comes from the Aswan High Dam 700 miles away.  The currency here is the Egyptian pound, shown here, and ten of these equals 1 English pound so get plenty.  I took the last shot 5 minutes before we landed in Sharm. Most of the big resorts over here partner with airlines to offer some great holiday package deals.  Wish we had more travel time as our bucket list keeps getting longer.

Texas Work

Last week I traveled to Weslaco Texas to do some cosmetic work on our commercial building.  With a change of tenants this required painting, roofing, electrical, and some HVAC work on the exterior of the building.  I had as many as 10 workers hired to get this work done in the 5 days that I was there.  Every worker I had on this job was Hispanic and I have to say these guys are the best.  My limited Spanish is terrible in a normal conversation but on a job site I can communicate what I need just fine.  These workers put in a full day, then out comes the BBQ and the feast is on.   

Tea at the Ritz

Tea at the London Ritz is a sophisticated British tradition.  Black tie mind you, the world famous Ritz is usually booked out one to two months for the most exquisite afternoon tea. The management made a last minute holiday exception for what they called, a very famous American blogger and his beautiful wife Julie. We were honored beyond words.  Delicate sandwiches, baked jam, scones and pastries accompany a classy selection of teas.  You can also celebrate a special occasion with a cake and champagne, which is what we did.  The adventure continues....

Rubber Duck

 

Are you kidding?  Shown here is a giant 1/2 ton rubber duck floating up the Thames River under the Tower Bridge.  It passed the O2 arena and landed here in Canary Wharf for a rest on the canal outside of our flat.  This was a publicity stunt to kick off what was called a 250,000 fundation grant.  What a great way to get a festive holiday smile out of us Londoner's

Dutch Submarine Arrives

 

 

Just when I think I've seen it all, The Dutch Submarine HNLMS Bruinvis arrived yesterday and tied up at our dock.  We have had several Royal Navy ships here in the past which were opened to public tours.  This is the first submarine to arrive here on the Thames River in 15 years.  This diesel powered Walrus-Class sub has just returned from a NATO mission and the crew of 60 are taking a few well deserved days off.  I had a great chat with a NATO officer stationed here in England, who was a fellow American from Texas.  Hats off to all of our military and our allies,  you guys rock!

Scott & Brooke Summers

Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Summers.  Our beautiful daughter is now married to a wonderful young man and they start their life together.  The wedding was the best and the party after even better.  We do thank all family and friends who came to share this day with us.  It is a bit emotional for me as I was once the most important man in Brooke's life.  Now I pass that on to Scott with all my blessings.  We will leave the warm Arizona winter sun in a few days for our cold home in London.  The memories of our great time here just might keep us warmer...

Happy 35, Brent

 

 

Happy 35 th birthday to son Brent yesterday.  Now here in the Arizona sun Julie and I are reconnecting with family and friends.  Last night we got to celebrate Brent's birthday and spend time with the grand kids that we only see once a year.  We now are staying with great AZ friends and enjoying the winter. wearing our shorts every day.  We are in the last week leading up to our daughters wedding.  The bills just keep coming in.