Re: News from MN, 2/04/2007

Hi Bruce,

Glad to see that your brother in laws "down under" influence is finely
catching on. We''ll make an aussie of you yet :))

Love
Your Budgie Smuggler wearing Brother In Law :))

----- Original Message -----
From: "Bruce Winter" <brucewinter@gmail.com>
To: "Malcolm & Beth Winter" <mwinter@midrivers.com>; "Laurie"
<l.winter@earthlink.com>; <brucewinter@gmail.com>; <nick@misterhouse.net>;
<zachwinter@gmail.com>; <suewinter@hotkey.net.au>; "Brad & Sue Page"
<bsp@hotkey.net.au>; "Scott & Darcy Winter" <sdmwinter@imt.net>; "Mal & Kim
Winter" <malcolmwinter@hotmail.com>; "Paul & Mika Kitamura"
<paul_mika_kitamura@msn.com>; "Craig Kitamura" <bluegardenia5@msn.com>;
"Bryan Tate" <btate@spanish-peaks.com>; "Annie Tate" <annietate@rcn.com>;
"Ben" <bentateone@comcast.net>; "Jim Birkholz" <jbirchwood@comcast.net>;
<Nicholas.Winter@oberlin.edu>; "Mike & Tracy" <mtgates@rangeweb.net>;
<bruce@misterhouse.net>; "Jessica" <peteygirl84@msn.com>; "Cassie"
<caligurliwish@hotmail.com>; "Luke" <tensneone99@hotmail.com>;
<fact10dud@photos.flickr.com>; <samsingitagain@yahoo.com>;
<helenbarkan@gmail.com>; <bruce_winter.bruceletters@blogger.com>;
<brucewinter.postit@spaces.msn.com>; "Crystal" <icecrystal_09@yahoo.com>;
<julian_higgins@emerson.edu>
Sent: Monday, February 05, 2007 11:08 AM
Subject: News from MN, 2/04/2007

> Greets all,
>
> In the last 2 weeks, we (Helen and I) have traveled to warm waters and
> back (from 10 degrees F, to 80, and now back to -10!) and we found and
> communed with the world traveling Nick for a few days. And I have
> several hundred new photos I could share, but I've showed some restraint
> and pruned it down to the following 10.
>
> The 1st 3 are from Nick's trip. He is writing up a long missive
> describing his adventures, which I'll forward when I get it. The
> executive summary is that he had a great time and loves China. He made
> some good friends, didn't have any bad things happen, and will probably
> go back at some point. The photos show:
>
> 1: Some sort of small brick wall he stumbled on.
> 2: Nick getting schooled in fishing by a girl (she caught more)
> 3: Lost in wild forest in an oh-so-stylish pink jumper.
>
> I took him back the MSP airport on Friday. We may or may not see him
> this summer, depending on what he finds for a summer job.
>
> Helen and I had a wonderful time in St Thomas. I managed to spend
> almost all of our 8 days there either on the beach or in the water and
> not burn my pale white desk jockey body. The water was warm and the
> fish were amazing. We saw a billion multi-colored pretty fish, along
> with a turtle, sting ray, octopus, barracuda, and a shark. Those last 2
> were kind of big (4-5 feet), so we didn't dwell on them them too much :)
>
> The first 2 photos come from the a $20 underwater digital camera, which
> lasted for 3 days before it leaked and self destructed. I learned that
> if you bring a slice of bread to the fishes, you become very popular.
>
> The next photo is the beech that was 100 feet from the condo we stayed
> at, where we spent most of our time. It is called Secret Harbor for
> good reason, as it is relatively private. The harbor is shielded from
> rough ocean water, yet has beautiful coral reef for the fishes to play
> in. The 4th photo is from another beach on a neighboring island, St
> Johns, that we visited via a ferry (the kind that floats, not the kind
> that flys).
>
> That black spikey thing is a sea urchin. Beautiful, but nasty. My hand
> met up with a small one one day, so we had to fish a few of those pokies
> from my fingers. I was lucky and avoided the poison, so had little
> pain. Helen's parents joined us the last 2 days (it was their condo we
> stayed at) and it was her Dad was crazy/experienced enough to pick one
> of those bad boys up.
>
> That next photo, with that guy in the speedo tossing his shirt about,
> was not picked by me, but rather by Helen who mumbled something about
> 'gotta have the playgirl shot'. That is my first speedo, but unlike
> Sons Nick and Zach, who's faces contort at the suggestion of speedos, I
> like them. Not only are they quite comfy and slide through the water
> like a mouse through easy cheese, but they look different than the
> ubiquitous baggy swim suites that everyone else wears.
>
> The 2nd to last photo shows Helen wearing a winter coat in 80 degree
> weather, anticipating colder temperatures to come. Not me, I left mine
> in the car (Zack picked us up in Helen's pre-warmed car ... with butt
> warmers!).
>
> The last photo is today's mystery photo. Hint: It is alive and you
> don't want to use it as a pillow.
>
> May all your bowls be super happy!
>
> Bruce
>
>