Morning all

Last Thursday evening, Jim and I left for a four day weekend in Ottawa to celebrate his 60th birthday and the end of the Tulip Festival in the capital. BTW the Festival this year had a British theme and was quite lovely. I got to eat a 'banger on a bun' and drink a warm brew. Loved the banger but not too thrilled with the brew ;-)

Coming back into the States on Monday, Jim handed our passports to the examiner in the booth. He was asked the usual questions, where do you live, how long were you in Canada, what do you have to declare. Never once looked for the I-551 stamp. Never asked his status in the States. Handed the passports back and said "have a nice day."

Well off to spend the rainy weekend with some girlfriends in MA while Jim repairs a laptop for his sister and builds my daughter a new system here in New York. You all have a good one and remember to say a pray and thanks to our veterans on this Memorial Day weekend.

Rita
whose 85 yo dad will be marching this Sunday as a veteran of WWII

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I am glad to hear that your dad is still kicking and especially that he is
marching this Sunday. We cannot do enough to support our veterans and the dirty
job they did for our freedoms. Sometimes people forget that bloodshed earned them
all that they have now.

Tell him "Thanks" from Che-Ning and I for his service to the US.

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Did he open the passport at all 'cause they manage to look at these things very
quickly IMHO. When we came back from the UK after the New Year I pointed out my
wife's change of name stamp because they often miss that and get confused later.
Without missing a beat the inspector (this was the airline pre-inspection in London
btw) says, "That's right - changed from Deana Michelle Hoisington to Deana Hoisington
Platt. Did you have a nice birthday on the 27th sir? Is your wife going to have a
nice birthday in three weeks?" I was gobsmacked!

Andy.

P.S. Properly kept British beer is not warm it is just not super-chilled!

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I'm not really here - it's just your warped imagination.

Actually I thought he would have done something like that but I handed him the passports opened to the front page, one inside the other, I watched as he looked at both front pages, closed them and handed them back. Guess from the names in the passport, the few questions asked, he knew Jim was legit. He doesn't look like someone that you would want to smuggle into the country. Perhaps out, but definitely not in.

Rita