Long time, no post. The past few months have been chaotic, if not physically, at least mentally.
Part of the delay is that Dawn and Matt are divorcing. There have been a number of rocky months and there was no resolution to their issues. Both are ready to move on separately. Like building a house, early on settlement issues were agreed to quickly. Now, they are down to finer details, and decisions are contemplated with more thought. Still, neither wants the divorce proceedings to drag on. Fortunately Brandon and Sophia have adjusted to the idea of living with Mom “here”, wherever that will be, and visiting frequently with Dad “there”, where rooms for them all have been added at the home where Nana and Pap live. Dawn hopes to keep Brandon and Sophia in their current school district, so while the neighborhood may change, there will still be familiar things around them.
Brandon took a golf class early in the spring and Matt said it really helped his golf game. Unfortunately the turmoil of separating and establishing separate residences has made father/son golf outings infrequent. Still, Brandon entertains himself with golf ball challenges.
Sophia’s continued her twice-weekly sessions in gymnastics. In late June the girls, from pre-schooler to high school, had an exhibition to share what they'd learned in the prior months. Sophia’s continuing her classes through the summer and may move to a higher class in the fall. She’s still a wee little thing and cute as a bug’s ear!
Dawn’s scouting for a second job to supplement her interior design income. Those openings that are available require someone who will work evenings and/or weekend hours. She doesn’t mind part-time, but needs a schedule that would allow her to be home with the kids at night. So, she continues filling out applications and hopes that something for which she’s qualified becomes available. In the meantime, now that their house is ready to show and been listed for sale, she has more time to work with established clients as well as seek new ones.
Brett’s still busy in Shanghai. He finally has an apartment (two-bedroom!). He gave me a tour via Skype the other day. Furnishings are Spartan but the unit is perfect for someone who travels a lot and spends many hours at the office. He has a flat screen TV and has had “Slingbox” software added to his laptop so he can watch TV programs aired in San Francisco! He and Michelle manage to be in the same place -- home in San Rafael or the apartment in Shanghai -- about every eight weeks.
It was the tentative plan that I would go to Shanghai in mid September and stay for about three weeks. Brett thought he’d be in the States to have meetings at the Company’s office in Los Angeles and then he, Michelle and I would fly back to Shanghai together. In the last few days he’s had meetings in Abu Dhabi (on the toe of the Arabian Peninsula) and in the next few weeks he’ll be moving his base of operation there. He anticipates 80% of his time will be spent working on current Corporate programs there and 20% in Shanghai trying to tie down contracts with Asian companies. My trip??? It’ll happen eventually, but I don’t know whether it will be to Shanghai or Abu Dhabi.
We’re just completing Hall of Fame Week here. One of the most attended events is the balloon fest. Generally after they lift off, the hot air balloons float east or south. This year the breezes carried them west and many floated over the condo complex both Friday evening and again Saturday morning. What a treat!!
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