The thermometer  fluctuates between freezing and high sixties since I arrived here two weeks ago. Yesterday was a typical NW rainy mild day, today misty and near freezing.

This evening we went with my three great grandchildren through the Norfolk, Va. Arboretum to enjoy the fantastic display of the Festival of Lights.

Mary, Mary quite contrary…..

The “George Bush” newest aircraft carrier, currently in Norfolk.

Tomorrow we all go bowling on the navy base. It is difficult to get the three great grand kids to sit still to get their picture taken. I still claim that my great grand kids are cuter than yours.

L.R. Madison 2010, Mark 2008, Lily 2011.

Last Sunday I went with Jeannine, my daughter, to the 8.30 service at Ste. Thérèse. And I herewith render the customary proof.

Father O’Brien

We were eleven at Christmas dinner, the entire family and relations of my daughter #3, Jeannine.

Clockwise the patriarch, Gabrielle, Sean (son in law) Jeannine, Katie (wife of grandson David) with Madison, David with Lily, MarkII with MarkIII, Tejah (Mark’s fiancee)

Sean retired from the Navy as a “Nuke” Chief Petty Officer in 2012 and works as a Ship Test Engineer at the Newport News Shipyard. Jeannine runs a cleaning business. Mark is an architectural draftsman in Texas. David and Katie work in Jeannine’s business. Gabrielle is following her dad’s nuclear carrier’s wake in training in Charleston N.C.

A warm front pushed the thermometer to 67 F (19,4 C) on Christmas eve. We went to mass in shirtsleeves at Ste.Thérèse. High pressure from the North dropped the temperature to freezing during the night and it is a glorious bright sunny day. The West Coast is reporting snow on Boxing day.

With the three great grandchildren between three and seven there were 67 gifts to unwrap on Christmas day morning.  The three Texans will be here until New Years day. 

Merry Christmas

To everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

I arrived last night in Virginia to spend Christmas with daughter #3 Jeannine and her family. We will be with my granddaughter Gabrielle my two grandsons, Mark and David and their partners and my three great grandchildren on Christmas. I have a one way ticket here and plan to return to the West Coast in mid/late January.

I have posted on this web site a chapter out of the “The Mastmakers’ Daughters” en de “De Mastmakersdochters” about the Christmas our mother and her prisoner friends spent in Dachau, exactly 70 years ago. It is a story of fear, despair and hope and also of a hilarious incident and a very clever escape.

You can find it under item 9) in the index, which gives some of the background of the events leading up to it, or go directly to: www.ComeToSea.Us/albums/Christmas1944inDachau.docx en www.ComeToSea.Us/albums/Kerstmis1944inDachau.docx