Through 4th July Independence day holiday.

It's been a busy weekend!

On Monday June 28th I had a visit from Hiro S., my Japanese ex-student. Then on Monday evening I went with Sue Z. to see the movie "Knight and Day" (staring Tom Cruise). It was fast paced action and very funny.

I've spent so much time this week on the eBooks - compiling, finding the settings all moved during compiling and having to rearrange every page again - figuring out how to set up affiliate sales - and am still struggling with how to put them in zip files, upload them to my website and make a download link for buyers. It's all so new to me and slow going but I'm slowly getting there.

Friday Hiro S. came and picked me up and we had lunch together at Square One - local restaurant. Hiro has a lot of respect for me and seeks help with his life plans. His dad runs a Buddhist temple in Japan.

Friday night I had dinner at Home Restaurant with Jackie K.

Saturday was a work on the eBooks day and then on Sunday, July 4th, Independence day I had a day of play.

At 3:00 pm I set off on the 18 miles to Sunland to friends Javier and Vanessa G's home and a BBQ. My friend Joe L. arrived and to my surprise 4 of my ex-students arrived there also - Damiano S, Jerome G, Juan Carlos R, and Hiro S,. again - along with a couple of other old friends Mark and Jerald who I had not seen in many years - and lots of Javier and Vanessa's family members.

We had a great BBQ meal with hot dogs, beef, chicken, salads, olives, pickles and other goodies.
Then out came the watermelon, pineapple, cherries, chocolate biscuits, donuts and cake and ice cream - desert choices. Of course I had some of everything!

Then six of us ended up playing Texas Hold Poker. There was myself from NZ, Joe from China, Juan Carlos from Dominican Republic, Mark fro Germany, Damiano from Albania and Jerome from Holland. Incidentally the host, Javier is from Ecuador and Vanessa is from the USA. It was an international poker game for sure - I wasn't first out but I didn't win either!

By the time that was over it was getting dark and the local families all began setting off their fireworks in the street. Some were very impressive, particularly as they were bursting directly above our heads.

That was all over when suddenly the major firework display at the nearby Sunland park started up. Wow! That was really something! Just amazing - really, really impressive and very beautiful.

It went on for a long time and what we though was the final big climax kept turning out to be just part-way-through surges.

When it was all finally over and we had chatted around we all took out leave and headed off home.

Today, Monday, July 5, was the off-work-holiday for everyone as the 4th fell on Sunday this year. This morning I answered a call for help from Sue Z. and drove to her place to help her with a computer program problem. She eventually got some very nice business cards created and ordered and was happy for my help.

The rest of today I watched an old Yul Bruner movei, "Men of the Sun", on TV and I have worked for hours on the eBooks problems.

Well - that's the update for now - I'll talk to you all again soon.

Lots of Love,
Barry