Nov 1992

1992 GRIMM CHRISTMAS

      When I told Dorothy I had managed to get a 3 1/2 week TDY back to the U.S. in November it didn't take her long to accuse me of doing this to get out of the annual Christmas card project.  Not true. It never crossed my mind. As you can see, I didn't get out of it completely.  One of my assigned tasks while she went away for three weeks - to the Cook islands, was to draft the yearly Christmas letter. Being the perfect husband, I am doing as instructed.
      As usual, some of you may have received some other Grimm form letters in 1992, so I won't dwell too long on details.  As for those of you who didn't receive other form letters and feel neglected, write more often and you too can receive these exciting adventure stories. Oh, that's why you don't write more often, you say.
      To pick up our adventures from my last Christmas letter -Dorothy, Toby and I traveled back to the U.S. last December, through Darwin (very hot and humid), Singapore (just overnight to make connections) and Hong Kong.  I think Hong Kong is one of the most interesting cities I've been in and I could go back a third time.  We spent several delightful days there, despite wearing my feet out, and decided we did not stay long enough.  In the U.S., we spent several weeks on the east coast visiting family and friends and had a wonderful time standing up the entire way in the entryway of a railroad passenger car all the way from N. J. to Baltimore.  No more traveling on the east coast the day after Christmas - ever! I had my 1982 Buick checked over well and we, along with Dorothy's mother, drove to N. Carolina to visit Dorothy's brother and family. Then Dorothy, Toby and I drove across the country to Oklahoma where we visited friends, and I put Dorothy and Toby on a plane at that point to fly back so Toby could try out for the State Junior Ten-Pin team (he made it).  I drove on across the Texas panhandle, New Mexico, Arizona and California, and delivered the car to Dwight at Stanford. Then I flew home to Alice.
      Dwight finished his junior year in June, and came here for the summer. He was fortunate in having a month's work at the newspaper, but couldn't find any other employment while he was here. Unemployment in Australia currently is over 11%.  But he had other tasks, including cutting out all of the photos he had taken during the time he had worked for the paper.  He made up books which he may use when he goes to look for a job.
      On his way back to school in September, Dwight and a couple of friends spent several days sightseeing in Sydney. When he got back to Stanford, he couldn't locate my car.  The girl with whom he had left it had moved and then went on vacation, and Dwight couldn't find her. Needless to say, when I found out I was not happy, but he did eventually locate the car and it is OK.
      
      The day Dwight left school in June, he learned he had no place to live this year.  The school took back the house they were leasing to a local fraternity because not enough people had pledged to live there this year which meant the fraternity couldn't meet its financial obligations to the university.  Anyway, during the summer Dwight received word from the university that he had been allocated a spot in the Russian Theme House (specifically for Russian majors).  There are a number of theme houses, but apparently if they are not full the university allocates additional people to them.  Dwight was not overly amused, but he seemed pleased with his roommate since the guy is a golf fanatic.  Dwight was complaining about the meals - not enough red meat, but a number of the residents are ganging up on the cook. Dwight is ahead in credits, so thinks he will be able to finish his requirements after the winter quarter in April.  I thought it might be valuable to be ahead of the mob when looking for a job.  Here's hoping.
      Toby turned 16 in March and got his license in April.  I learned my lesson with Dwight and got another car.  I now realize that people that buy their teenagers a car are not indulging them, but assuring themselves of transportation when needed.  Once Dwight got his license and a job I never had a car.
     Toby has done all of the family traveling until recently. He went to Darwin for the state junior ten-pin bowling championships in April, the national championships in Townsville in June, back to Darwin for a Sports Excellence Camp in July, to Darwin again for a math seminar in August, and just returned from Brisbane for another bowling championship.  At this last tournament he bowled 193+ for the first 16 games but still didn't make the cut.  The winning bowler (18 and under) had an average of 225-230.  Most of the travel was either paid for by the Northern Territory govt, or fund raising by the bowling group. He is starting to consider in which colleges he is interested. He has no particular school in mind, but wants to attend one in a warm climate.
      Dorothy has been busy all year in her job and in addition to covering all of the events in town has traveled out to Aboriginal communities to cover events at them.  I went with her to Hermannsburg, which is only about 80 miles from town (of which about 15 is dirt), but she went out to another one overnight that was 5 1/2 hours by road, most of which was dirt.  I also went with her when she accompanied members of the local Rotary Club when they went to Ayers Rock to mark the chartering of a new club.  For a free night at the Sheraton and a free dinner, it cost me 5 hours each way on a small uncomfortable bus and 4 1/2 hours at the dinner listening to innumerable speeches.  I have asked Dorothy not to do any more favors of inviting me along while she covers such events.  Because of the efforts she puts in she is greatly appreciated by a large segment of the community, but doesn't get a lot of respect at the newspaper, since her articles are not considered "hard news."  She lets off steam at home about the treatment she gets at the paper, but hasn't quit yet, despite repeated threats (to me) to do so.
      Dorothy just returned from her trip to the Cook Islands.  In case you don't know where they are (we had to look at the Atlas) they are just north of the Tropic of Capricorn and south of Hawaii. So what is Dorothy doing there, you ask?  Four years ago she attended the Fifth Festival of Pacific Arts in Townsville (east coast of Australia) and thought it was fantastic.  Indigenous people from all over the Pacific gather to compare cultures through art, dance, music, crafts, etc. This year the festival was held in the Cook Islands.  There was some concern that with the main island is being so small (population 10,000) that there would not be enough fresh water for the influx of visitors from all over the Pacific.  I'm sure the trip will be the substance of a future trip report, but I can tell you from the phone conversations I've had with Dorothy that it is quite an experience for her. She described the island as "primitive" even though they have some beautiful accommodations (as well as fantastic scenery).  She has now returned home and is telling me the stories of her trip and slowing getting the 22 rolls of film developed that she took on the trip.
     All in all it hasn't been a bad year.  We did have a minor family crisis recently when Dorothy's car - the 1981 Datsun was totaled as it sat in front of our house. We bought the car new in 1981 and it has been back and forth across the Pacific on both of our moves to Australia and both boys learned to drive in it.  So when a drunken Aboriginal rammed it into the yard next door, crunching the chain link fence with the front of the car, Dorothy got very upset.  However, about two weeks later, we found a very similar car at an auction at the local YHCA. Dorothy still misses her car, but at least condescends to drive the new (1980) one.
      There is not much to say about myself. I have not been out of Alice Springs since I returned from our trip in January.  So,I am looking forward to my TDY in November.  In addition to work, I will get to see my parents, and plan to stop to see Dwight on the way out of the country.
       I hope all is well with you and all or your family and friends and that you have a great Christmas, and a wonderful New Year.