More powder at Aspen Snowmass

The snow continues to provide great powder but the overcast sky makes some runs challenging as there is very little definition of the bumps. The gondola is a great way to ride up during a snowstorm. A there are always after ski parties.

skiing Aspen Snowmass Colorado

We are at Aspen Snowmass for a winter vacation. Our first day included new powder with snow flying up as one carves gentle curves down the slope. However, the snow did not stop with daylight. Skiing during a blizzard requires using “the force” rather than vision to guide one’s progress. We made it without falling but not without some sore muscles. For Apri Ski we Went to the Silvertree to listen to Twrp Anderson and his group do country ballads

Center for Children with Special Needs - Bangladesh

I would like to thank you and the Rotary club for your continued hospitality and allowing me to talk about the progress of our matching grant application for the Centre for Children with Special Needs in Dhaka Bangladesh (http://www.ccsnbangladesh.org/ ) . Things are looking good and we hope to have an approved grant in the not too distant future.

The lead club for this matching grant is the Merrimack Valley regional club in Chelmsford. Other clubs and individuals will be able to contribute to this effort once we have approval and a grant number. This effort will multiply $3,500.00 in donations to over $11,000.00 to help a group of crippled children that have few other alternatives for a better life in one of the poorest countries in the world.

It would be great if the Your club would consider a donation of $500.00 or whatever you think possible. Also, individuals who are planning to contribute to the foundation will be able to do so using the grant number when it is available and get Paul Harris credit. It was great to hear that the club matches contributions to the foundation by club members. Unfortunately, as I understand it, once they have made their foundation donation they cannot go back and designate this project. Therefore, designating CCSN can only be done after the grant is approved and a number obtained.

Thanks very much for your help and consideration.

Winter snow in Groton MA

It is another snowy day. As we are in the 20’s but it seems warm compared to the last few days with temps below zero. Yesterday we walked hounds with a group from ONBH on the cranberry bog in Carlisle MA followed by a great breakfast of bacon, eggs and ham in the house at the kennel. About 10 members participated. After that I took Gidget on a walk in the tree farm which was easy as trees have been harvested and someone ran a snowmobile over the trail. So much for walks in the cold but if one dressed well it is not so bad.

Dolphins jumping wake in Naples Fl Christmass 2008

We are spending Christmas in Naples FL with Wendy's mother. I took a fishing trip out of the harbor and encountered these dolphins jumping the wake of the Lady Brett.

Rotary Polio Immunization trip to Nigeria

Last December I participated in a Polio National Immunization day in Bangladesh as part of a Rotary group. Another trip but this time to Nigeria was attended by some on the Bangladesh trip and organized by Ann Lee Hussey. Dino from Quebec Canada was on both trips and sent me the pictures below. Dino said:

HELLO and Happy New Years. I was(with my friend SERGE,Ann Lee and 10 Rotarians of the USA) in Nigeria from 23 nov to 05 dec 2008(Kano,Joes and Kaduna)for a SNID.We gave the polio’S vaccine to 7000 children in 5 days.If YOU MEET THE Kano’s Rotary’s Club(or Kaduna’s or Joe’s);tell them that you are A FRIEND OF ANN LEE.You will receive a lot of smile…Dino

Christmas in Naples Fl

Life is Good in Naples Fl

We are spending Christmas in Naples with Wendy's mom escaping from the weather in New England.

Thanksgiving Day Hunt ONBH

The Old North Bridge Hounds on Thanksgiving Day.

Take a look at : (click on the following link) http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/6690387_8GKZr/1/427100521_3kUUf#427044491_fBQN8

The Thanksgiving fox hunt and dinner

I started out the day with coffee at Dunking Doughnuts followed by laying the drag for the ONBH fox hunt in Concord MA with Pam, Stu, Dan and chief Fox Kathy. Two hounds followed the drag and nine went the other way after deer. A little while later the deer went running by followed by the errant hounds. Eventually the pack got back together and the hunt continued. Jinny Z. fell off with three fire trucks coming to the rescue. It looks like she will be OK. There was a black tie stirrup cup with grilled sausages. Latter we had an Indian princess over for Thanksgiving.

Obama HIV testing poster Nairobi Kenya

While on a Rotary International medical mission to Nairobi Kenya I found this poster featuring President Elect Obama and his wife Michelle encouraging people to be tested for HIV infection in the hall outside a Voluntary Counseling and Testing clinic in the Mathare slum.

Barack and Michelle in Kenya - AIDS poster

While at a Voluntary Counseling and Testing clinic in Nairobi Kenya I saw this poster on the wall. They visited Kenya last year or the year before. It is interesting that Bush's push on AIDS is a major source of funds for these clinics but it is Obama who gets the press.

Rotary Medical Mission to Kenya and Safari

The medical portion of this trip is chronicled on my blog

http://kenyaaidscarl.blogspot.com/

Leaving Masi Mara and Kenya

Exploring the Masi Mara by baloon

Today I got up at 4:30 and coffee and cookies were brought to my room at 4:45. They have a guard walk with you from your tent to the lodge so that nothing attacks you. We left for the balloon ride at 5:15 to meet at a near by Lodge. Bob and Kay went with me. After all the people had arrived we walked a distance through the woods to a clearing where they were blowing air into a couple of giant balloons. The balloons were attached to very large wicker baskets that could hold about 12 people. After the balloons were partially inflated the captain ( there was one for each balloon) turned on the flame and the gas bag began to rise to the vertical. The basket had foot holds and using them we all climbed over the top and into one of eight sections on the basket. The bottom of each section had a cylindrical inflated pillow that we were to sit on upon landing. Additional flame caused the balloon to rise and we were off. The Masi Mara is flat to slightly rolling with several rivers (dry in some places) flowing through it. The Mara is mostly grassland with trees along the river. We saw a fantastic sunrise as we rose. There were hundreds of wildebeest (Gnu), zebra and many different antelope. We also saw a heard of elephants and some hippos in the river. Giraffes were in many places starting their day of munching. In addition to our sister balloon, there were several more in the distance. Our captain was a great guide pointing out the various herds of animals as we passed over. He didn’t have much control of direction but could raise or lower the balloon and using vents on the side, rotate the basket so all could see and our landing was in the proper orientation. The landing was very gentle and we did not tip over. About 8 workers in red uniforms controlled the balloon on lift off and landing. We were then driven a short way, (we aren’t allowed to walk in the Masi Mara to protect ourselves and the animals) to a champagne breakfast on a small rise. It was a large breakfast with egges and pancakes cooked to order in the open.

Our driver then met us and took us on another game viewing drive. We had seen everything except at leopard. We drove and drove in leopard friendly areas without seeing one. Eventually we spotted a BBC video crew that had left a monitor van to keep an eye on the leopard. After a time taking video and pictures we moved on back to the Masa Mari Intrepid tent camp for lunch. The have had the best food of all the lodges we visited. After a pleasant lunch with Bob and Kay I said good by and finished packing and went to wait on the bus to the airport. There was some confusion about who would take me to the airport but I was finally driven to the dirt strip about half a mile away. While waiting for the plane a guy drove out next to the strip to shoo zebras off the runway. Zebras on the runway are a unique problem that comes with the territory. The flight allowed great viewing of the great rift valley and we landed at Wilson airport without incident. This is a small plane airport and I had to be transferred to the Kenyatta International airport. The head of the tour company, Michael, met me and took me and my baggage to the big airport. As the small planes couldn’t take much luggage he had kept my large bag from the day before and brought it with him. I got to the airport at 5:00 to wait until my 11:00 departure. I was able to get on the Internet which has not been available for the last couple of days and work on these notes.