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Overcrowding plagues Albany High School Well-earned reputation leads to packed classrooms

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Here’s a story from our local paper about the great reputation our school district has, and the difficulties it’s suffering as a result. Hopefully all of this will get ironed out before Callum gets to school age, if we still live here, that is. … [Read more...] about Overcrowding plagues Albany High School Well-earned reputation leads to packed classrooms

Christmas Eve, Home in California

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Well, we didn’t get to go to Scotland, but we’re making the best of it. We’ve spent Christmas Eve  "decking the halls" — putting up lights, lighting candles, lighting a fire in the hearth, playing Christmas music and generally making merry.  Now we are sitting down to watch "It’s a Wonderful Life" and sip Baileys on ice.  Then, of course we retire to await a visit from Santa. Better … [Read more...] about Christmas Eve, Home in California

Immigration Update #??

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As 2006 comes hurtling towards us, our on going saga (or should I say my on going saga) continues to drag on. As this Scotsman and his American family pulled into the drive on a ‘thank crunchie it’s Friday’  here comes the weekend sort of mood, the beginning of the weekend just got better. The letter from the U.S.Citizen and Immigration Services that we had been waiting for since our … [Read more...] about Immigration Update #??

Immigration Update

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For those of you hanging on with bated breath after our last post on the subject, let me offer an update on the immigration situation. We went on Monday, November 7 to interview at the San Francisco office of the Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (formerly INS). We waited nervously in the waiting room, wondering whether they’d split us up and ask us intimate questions to make sure we … [Read more...] about Immigration Update

San Francisco Morning

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A divine confluence of events — the Harrison Street exit being closed for Bay Bridge construction, the joys of being able to get the carpool lane (thanks to Callum making 3 in the car), and the exact time of year we find ourselves in — has been making for some beautiful drives into the city. We come over the bridge just as the sun is coming up and turning the water shades of magenta and orange. … [Read more...] about San Francisco Morning

Making Lemonade

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This weekend, we harvested some lemons from our lemon tree in the back yard. The top photo is of our award-winning giant lemon. Well, it would have been, if we had entered it into the local giant lemon contest, if one exists. That one lemon produced 12 gallons of delicious lemonade, some of which we can be seen drinking (with Erin, who offered lemonade-making assistance) in the picture at bottom. … [Read more...] about Making Lemonade

We Are In!!!!!

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Just a quickie to say we slept in the new house last night for the first time, and complete credit goes to our moving crew — part of which is pictured here hanging out by the chimenea in the back yard after a hard day’s work. Unfortunately, Erin and Debby had to depart before I managed to take out the cameraphone, but they were also critical to the success of the big effort. Many many many thanks … [Read more...] about We Are In!!!!!

2nd Quake in As Many Days

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Another one (4.9) struck today in Southern California, after the previous one (7.2) occurred yesterday North of us (and off the coast, prompting a tsunami warning). Anyway, I personally have felt nothing, thus far, but it’s kind of wild to be in the middle of it all.UPDATE: Oops. Make that four quakes. Neither Michael or I have felt any shaking. … [Read more...] about 2nd Quake in As Many Days