The Christmas weekend was wonderful. I had a great time visiting with friends Oakland and we had a very nice dinner. Our group was smaller this year as several people were out of town or otherwise committed to other events.

The news on Sunday about the earthquake and tsunami in South Asia ruined the otherwise great weekend. It does not seem possible that so many people could be victims to one event over such a wide area. It will undoubtedly take many months to get back on a normal footing but for those who lost relatives and friends in this disaster, things may never get back to normal.

I know a few people in Thailand and I have heard from all except one. They are fine but I am beginning to worry about the one who has not responded to my e-mail. None live in the effected areas but there was a chance that someone could have been in the wrong area at the wrong time. I hope that Anant is simply slow to respond to my e-mail as usual but then perhaps he has friends or relatives in the stricken areas. Right now I don't know.

I will be returning to Thailand soon but this journey like my others is to Bangkok and Chiang Mai. I have never been a beach person. Now I have an additional reason for not being one.

The news was a downer on Sunday and the gray gloomy skies plus the chill in the air made for a miserable day. The heavy rains last night and today however, have helped to moderate the temperatures somewhat so it is not as bad now.

The rains are predicted to continue most of the week so New Year's Eve is somewhat iffy at this moment. Maybe there will be a few lingering showers but hopefully we will not have anything like the heavy rain we had most of last night and today.