Message to Extended Family (email on 17 July 2011)

Hello Nieces, Nephews, Brother-in-Law and Father-in-Law,

All my love to you and your children. I have heard how Carson has some medical issues – I am wishing mightly that it all works out.

Sorry that I have not included you on my emails to my immediate family, have copied Robin and Joanie. Zack, Grant, Andrew and Claudia seem to be handling my absence well – it helps that it is summer and they have various activities / camps as well as some downtime to hang out. May be different when they are all in school – we will find out soon enough.

I will be home from August 4th (should land at around noon tiime but expect to be pretty tired as I leave Kazakhstan at 6 am that day (meaning 6 pm August 3rd your time)). I believe Lauren, Jamie and Rose are coming down that weekend and the following week – please let us know so we can plan the August Birthday Bash. Grant returns from a sleep away camp on Friday August 5th afternoon – then leaves the next morning to go to Las Vegas / Sedona with Cooper, Bruce and Dick. I believe Grant returns on Monday August 15th. So if we want to include Grant we need to do it the evening of August 5th – does that work? OK if it does not, maybe the following weekend? Would Tina/Kevin, Lauren/Jamie, and Ali please reply to this message so we can make some plans – Zack is very busy this summer so we need to tie him down too. Really looking forward to seeing you.

Below is a note I sent to a wide group of friends. In some ways this place feels like a well run prison – you badge in and out everywhere, including to get food; you take the bus everywhere you go; not allowed to drive a car; no town nearby to visit. But it is not bad, very safe, people are friendly though not much chance to socialize since we are working all the time. I don’t mind the work, enjoy meeting new people, but really look forward to getting home.

See you soon,

Uncle Marc

Attached to this email were three documents: these docuements were copy/pasted to create the next three postings.