Hi & Goodbye

Part of the reason John and Johanna came for a visit was to see Ariel and Ash.

(Thanks, Cam for getting this fun shot of cousins in the foreground with Sam and Ash sword fighting in the background.)

We met up with them at Buena Vista Park, near Golden Gate Park in the city.





It is amazing how close we have become to Ariel in such a short period of time.



Espeically considering we only met her a few years ago.

She's a wonderful person and I am thrilled she was in San Francisco for the past eight months.

We have been able to spend time together and get to know each other better.

I'm proud of the success she had getting established here.

We've really enjoyed getting to know Ash better too. She's a cool person and so much fun.

However, they have decided to head back to Ohio for awhile.

We will miss them but are glad they will be closer to their family and friends there. I know they have missed them.

Ariel may come back in November for some work she earned a grant to do. (Did I mention I am proud of her?)

I hope she will be around for Thanks-
giving. My Aunt Maria (Dr. Norton) was invited to present at a conference in San Francisco just before the holiday. (Did I mention I'm proud of her?)

She and my cousin Kellie, decided to make an event out of the opportunity and invited my folks and other members of the Powell clan to converge on the Bay Area to give thanks and celebrate together. At first, I wasn't sure it would work out. I'd thought we'd be in Chicago for Thanksgiving.

Cameron's brother, Eric and his wife, Sarah are due to have twins (a boy and a girl) any day now. (Did I mention I'm proud of her?)

We're all anxious to meet these babies but Cam said that if my family wanted to come for Thanksgiving, we'd go to Chicago a different time.



He's planning to go for a visit by himself in October and we hope to all be able to go around Christmas.

I look forward to being back in a city we love (in the winter no less).

In the meantime, we're enjoying sunny skies and temperatures in the upper 80s.



And Buena Vistas.

(It was a pretty view).