Merry Christmas!

Our Christmas morning began in a fog. Fred was out early with the camera and I've put together a short slide show for you. Early Christmas Morning

A few minutes ago I took more pictures. The sun was shining on the trees and it was absolutely beautiful. Minutes later the sun disappeared and it now looks as if we have lost our pretty day. It is not awfully cold, though, so we really don't mind. We aren't going any place today, having celebrated with our family last night.

While everyone was here, we called Namibia and talked with Bill, Monika and Jo-Ann. It was about 11 p.m. there and they were just winding down from celebrating Bill and Monika's wedding. Monika's mother insisted they have a reenactment of their wedding - in traditional wedding costumes. Bill didn't say what they were dressed in, but he said there were at least 75 people there and at that hour they were still drinking beer and partying. Monika told me she wore a special dress, but we didn't get further particulars. One of Monika's sisters used Bill's video camera to record the ceremony, so we'll see it when they get home.

We all had a chance to wish them Merry Christmas, and Bill told us they would be leaving Oshakati, Namibia, for Johannesburg in South Africa on Saturday. We think they'll be there until they leave to come home. They're hoping to get the final paperwork for Jo-Ann done within a few days, but Monika said this is their summer there and lots of people are on vacation from their work so they have not been able to connect with the people in the embassy at Johannesburg who were assisting them with the documents. She said she thought by being there they would have a good chance of getting things done all the same. We're hoping they will be successful and come home a bit early.

Here are pictures taken at about noon today. Christmas Day at Joe's Pond