More Portugal

Vilamoura marina- Tim and I walked along the beach and around the marina. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant on the water where I had a yummy beef and Guinness pie served by a lovely British ex-pat. Many Brits retire to Portugal . There were hardly any tourists because this was the week before Christmas.
Me on the beach in Vilamoura- great waves and a handful of surfers.

Tim had taught Michael a code just before we left for Portugal. Michael became obsessed and kept a trip journal written solely in code.

Kyle continued to whip out his iphone every time I asked him to pause for a photo.

Katy enjoying Lisbon harbor. To the left is a tall statue of Jesus similar to the one in Rio and to the right is a bridge that looks like the Golden Gate.

I dare you not to smile

Portugal

As soon as school was out on Friday, we dashed for the airport and flew to Lisbon, Portugal. We spent one day exploring Lisbon before driving south to Vilamoura on the Algarve coast. We stayed there for six days before returning to Lisbon to fly home on Christmas Day. The weather was in the low 60's with not a snow flake in sight. After sleeping 10 hours every night, we drove to different beaches and cliffs along the coast, ate out, swam at the indoor pool (too cold to swim outside), and saw Harry Potter 7 again.

Michael atop an ornate, free-standing elevator designed by a student of Eiffel. Great views of Lisbon.

Another shot from the viewing deck at the top of the elevator. Kyle decided to take pictures of me everytime I took pictures of him. Katy does not like high places! St. George Castle can be seen on the hill behind them.

On the grounds of Lisbon's St. George Castle.

Katy, Tim, and Michael at the beach in Vilamoura (Algarve coast in the south of Portugal). We stayed in a near-by resort and most days Tim and Michael came to the beach to check the tides, collect shells and broken pottery (Michael thinks he found ancient Roman pottery), and play in the waves.

Standing on the most western point of Portugal. This was the "end of the world" for Europeans until the beginning of naval exploration around Africa and to the Indies.

Some last-minute Christmas shopping at the mall in Faro.

Christmas 2010

Back at our favorite nursery to choose this year's tree. While we are on vacation the week prior to Christmas, we'll hide the tree (keeping it safe from a curious cat) in the computer room and have the cat sitter keep it watered. Then when we return on the 25th, we'll move it to the living room for decorating.

This is the last EVER of the annaul hideous pile of boxes to be mailed to the US! No more Christmases overseas with mail delays, late packages, miles of bubble wrap, and those blasted customs labels.

Katy and Michael during the intermission of the school Christmas concert. Katy plays flute in the high school band and Michael sings in the middle school honor choir.

When we returned from Portugal, this was what remained of our Christmas tree. Evidently the cat sitter had been pouring the water into the part of the base that is open to the floor. The result is a dead tree, swollen parquet tiles, and a trail of needles out the front door after Tim dragged out the "corpse."

2010 Christmas Card

Simply Memories Christmas 5x7 folded card

Visit Shutterfly.com for classic photo Christmas cards.

View the entire collection of cards.

This is NOT shameless self-promotion! But I get a $25 coupon at Shutterfly if I post the card link here. Those of you who normally receive a Christmas card from us will receive this card in the mail in about a week so you can ignore this or, you can take a sneak peek.

Marine Ball 2010

Our third and final Marine Ball- here we are at the head table with Alon Redlich of Sikorsky Aircraft and the guest speaker, Marine Col John O'Hey. Ambassador Feinstein and his wife Elaine were on the other side of Tim.

The marines who guard every American embassy around the world, host a ball in November. This year we were at the Sheraton Hotel and enjoyed many hours of good food and conversation. The music was not as good as in previous years.

Official ball photo. Just like on a cruise, there's a photographer taking pictures which are ready for you to buy before you leave.

Other than the attache ball in February, this could be the last time Tim wears his mess dress as an active duty officer!

The Atlanta House

This is where I spent two weeks this summer scrubbing walls, woodwork, appliances, windows, and floors. Early morning hours were spent outside pruning, edging, weeding, and mowing (there's a steep hill in the backyard) before the summer Georgia temps rose above 90. A new tenant moved in soon after so the work was worth it.

It's a cute house in a peaceful neighborhood but Atlanta would not be my first choice for full-time living- too many hot, humid months. Some day the real estate market will recover and we'll sell it but until then, we'll continue to navigate the scary world of rental property ownership.