Sylvia's Journal

I continue the half day of work and half day of rest – that is just about right. Today I am going to drive myself into work, very very early before there are too many other drivers on the road. I have done some test drives around town and as long as I don’t have to buckle and unbuckle myself a lot, or move the gear shift from drive to reverse I am doing OK. I am getting quite handy with my left hand and arm.

Since I could not take Reinout and Maurits up in the skies over Essex County myself, I outsourced this to the Beverly Flight Center and went along in the back seat to make sure they got the royal treatment (they got more than that!).  I had arranged for a scenic/introductory flight and Maurits was put behind the controls in the left seat. He was going to take us up in the air and down again, coached by veteran flight instructor John.  

We flew over the waters where Andrew took them by boat the day before and we circled Cape Ann, over the route we had taken a week earlier by car. It was hazy but at 2000 feet everything below was quite clear; this included our house which we circled a few times. At the end of the trip Maurits received a student pilot logbook with his first flight lesson recorded. He also got a Beverly Flight Center baseball cap and a T-shirt. The outing was, no surprise, a big hit with both father and son, but especially with our pilot. What more could a 14 year old want?

Maybe going home, sleep in his own bed, tell his friends and show off his new iPod that looks like an iPhone but without the phone part. In between flying and boating he poured all his energy in getting the gadget geared up for the long trip home, with movies and music that would keep him occupied during the flight.

I made some significant progress on preparations for the Ghana trip. I finally got my ticket and produced a set of facilitator notes and wrote everyone I know there that I am coming their way. My energy level is increasing slowly and I am dosing my work hours so that by the time I land on Monday morning, I will be ready for the intense week of work. I am glad Diane is coming along to share the load.

We had one final American cookout before Reinout and Maurits drove off to Logan. The fresh corn and super hamburgers should see them through till they land in Amsterdam, allowing them to skip the airplane meal in the middle of the night.

While we waited for the hamburgers to cook Sita gave Maurits one last ukulele lessons and he was able to play along with her quite nicely. He is a fast learner in all aspects: bread making, iPod, motor boat, plane and ukulele – such a wonder boy.