New Things Must Begin

Beatrix has turned 12. Therefore, it is her turn to call the shots and direct a trip anywhere in the world. She has chosen Milan, Italy. On June 11th, Sheelagh and I flew to Washington to pick up our lovely young travelling companion. But, we live in a different world now and Beatrix first had to fly to Houston, Texas to take part in the National finals of the School Debating Championships. Tadaaa! Beatrix, in her first try! came in seventh in the country in public speaking. We are all very proud of her. And her school team was in the top 10.

While Bea was doing that, Liam and Ngila and us drove up from DC to Boston. It took 2 days and so we stopped in Princeton for a hotel and a dosa dinner.Ngila is extremely fond of dosas!

On Friday, we finished the trip, stopping off in New Haven, CT to have a peek at Yale University. Ngila had been there earlier in the year for a Mini UN conference and she showed us around. We saw the wonderful Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library which has walls made from 1.5 inch Vermont marble. You can see through them from inside.

Yale is a beautiful place which, looking at its architecture,

 seems to want very much to be a British university.

















Both of our Grand daughters have said they would like to attend Yale. Their Father has suggested that a few scholarships would be required.

On Friday evening, while we awaited Bea and Janelle's arrival,  Liam took me to a baseball game at charming, old Fenway Park. The Blue Jays were playing the Red Sox. It was a good game, but a poor ending for my Blue Jays.

While we did that, Sheelagh and Ngila visited the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. It was a hit for both of them.

What with flight delays, our debater didn't get to Boston until after 2 am. So, today has been a quiet day in which we visited the Isabelle Stewart Gardner Museum of Art and had a pre Italy ice cream.