Some of you may have heard that we have an exchange student with us now. Majeed arrived a week ago, and he'll head off to his permanent host family soon. He's a great kid, even if he likes NASCAR, ha ha. But he also likes video games and chatting online, horseback riding and TV (faves include Lost and Angel; I'm going to hook him on Heroes). And he's got a dry sense of humor; appropriate, since he comes from Bahrain, a sandy oil country in the Persian Gulf. I am ashamed to say that I had to ask the almighty Wikipedia for information.

But how lucky I am to have had the opportunity to do just that. Bahrain is a beautiful tourist destination and home to the most amazing, modern architecture I have ever seen. Majeed screened for us a DVD about Bahrain, and he showed Ian and me his long robe for festive occasions. It's wicked cool. And Tom's learning about how to prepare halal food.

Of course, learning goes both ways: Majeed learned how to sail yesterday. It was decent weather for sailing. Check out the pictures.

Someday I will finish processing and uploading the vacation pictures … but today is not that day. 

- Jean