Settling in

Well, it has been a busy month.  Val and I went to my 50th medical school reunion in Boston. It was a good reunion--seeing a lot of my old classmates.  I had only been to one other reunion about 15 years ago and so it was interesting to see if I could remember anyone.  Turns out there were a lot of people I knew.  My old lab partner was there and it was the first time I had seen him in 50 years. We had a black tie gala at the Four Seasons and an evening at the Pops.  Both were really fun.  We also had a "clambake" at Legal Seafoods with a large lobster, clams, mussels and corn.  Yum.

Val explored Boston and poured some tea in the harbor where the real tea party was.  On Friday afternoon and Saturday we explored the historic parts of Boston on the Freedom Trail.  I had done this years ago, but this was Val's first time in Boston.

We got back just in time for me to fly to Nashville for the 50th anniversary of the Division of Clinical Pharmacology at Vanderbilt.  I was one of the first faculty members there.  It was very enjoyable seeing long lost friends and meeting the young Turks.  The medical school campus has changed so much that I couldn't find my way around. Val stayed home to get ready for our trip to California.

Back from Vanderbilt just in time for Andrew's graduation from Stephen F. Austin HS. Sugar Land, TX must be one of the most diverse areas in the country.  Andrew's class at the public high school is a great mix of colors from everywhere.  Many from India, other parts of Asia, as well as many African Americans and Hispanics.  Whites are a clear minority.  I think it is great.  Andrew will be attending Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.  It is very close to my brother Ken's house so that gives Andrew easy access to family.

On June 11, we flew to San Diego to spend the summer at our condo in Carlsbad.  Christopher's graduation from Carlsbad HS was on the 13th.  He will be attending Warren College at the University of California San Diego.  Craig went to UCSD so Christopher is following in his dad's footsteps.

We are getting settled in here.  We've been walking on the beach and starting to do a few of our favorite things.  We walked on the path at the Bataquitos reserve where we saw a lot of birds, including nesting Great Blue Heron and Great White Egret as well as some Red Shouldered Hawk fledglings. We are gradually getting the back patio organized with new plants.  

Great Blue Heron and 2 chicks

Two Red Shoulder Hawk Fledglings

Great White Egret

We will be here most of the summer with a brief trip to the East Coast where I have a meeting and a week in Sugar Land for followup visits to doctors and dentists.  My back has been good and I remain very pleased with the surgery.  I used to have to stop frequently and sit because of the back, buttock and leg pain.  That is gone.  I still have some low back pain, but who doesn't at age 75.