Notes from the Delta: Happy Birthday, Abby.

Today is a special day for us. It's Abby's 21st birthday. We couldn't be prouder--she's been a blessing to our family for two decades.

And I haven't written about our adventures in Dhaka for several months, since our trip to Sri Lanka last spring.

The Blue Mosque

Actually, we have had a few out-of-Dhaka experiences since I last wrote, also.

We made it through the end of the school year with Abby flying over, then going with Gail and Millie to Thailand for a few days before we all headed to Istanbul (old stuff, markets, whirling dervishes) and Athens (more old stuff, more markets, great food) on the way to STL, where we had several more adventures--Phoenix, Sedona and various points in between, Cardinals games, college visits, moving Abby into a house in Kirksville...

When we returned to Missouri, however, we found that my mother was in failing health. She died within a few days of our arrival. Today, November 16, would have been her 90th birthday. Jenny Rose had lived a full life and did a lot of good in the world, more than most people I know. I wrote a few pages about Mom, which you can read by clicking on her name.

It has been a strange year here in Dhaka. Our school is in the midst of a "modernisation program" which has caused a lot of stress in a variety of ways. A big part of the whole project was to replace the cafeteria and theater. In the meantime, Gail has directed an adaptation of Ovid's Metamorphoses in the swimming pool and is using a rooftop gym for Check, Please (28 kids coming over for the cast party) which will open next week.

The foyer

The Cambodia Room was my ManCave, but is now Millie's study hall.

Living Room/Dining Room

Meanwhile, Millie is gearing up for the basketball season. The Lady Tigers won the other international school's tournament last week and will host a local tournament next weekend, then host the conference tournament in December--I'll send the link for the live-stream. And Millie has been accepted at University of Missouri; she was the first kid in this senior class to receive an acceptance letter.

And I have almost completely recovered from cracking a bone in my arm when I fell into a ditch. I thought you'd like a few pictures of our apartment and the streets of Baridhara, our neighborhood.