The Martin's Blog

Tom – Horrendous computer problems!  I have been trying to connect to the Wittenberg server for three days in order to get a Power Point presentation I am supposed to give to the entire university on Tuesday and have been unable to do so.  I emailed the various error messages to Wittenberg.  I called them several times but was not able to get any assistance.  I finally made a contact with Rick (1am our time) and he said he would get them moving.  So this morning I get an email from Scott giving me three separate instructions – none of them worked!  Meanwhile the computer techs at U of Ruhuna are trying but unable to help.

Now compound this with Wittenberg email problems and I am about ready to pull out the last of my gray hair!  After several tries, I am able to get to my Witt email but I am shortly timed out, or if I do any operation e.g. open a different message, delete a message, click reply to a message, etc., I am kicked out and have to log in 2-4 times again just to get back to where I was!

Helen – This morning after our walk on the beach (which we now guesstimate is 1.3 miles round trip) we went boogie boarding because we found an old one on top of the refrigerator.  Tom had trouble with his knees when he got to the shallow end but I had a few really good rides…wish I were 20 again and could try surfing with the young couple from Australia and New Zealand who are here on summer break.

Moon setting as we start our beach walk

The one boat of a village on our beach

Catch of the day!  – Note the U.S. Aid shirt (received after the tsunami)

Aussie surf chasers

Boogie boarding – our house beyond wall (can see roof) with small hotel behind

I think that I mentioned in the previous email that the new hotel had its grand opening last night.  We saw them preparing all day and wondered who would be attending…wish we knew in advance because they partied until 3am and since we couldn’t sleep we could have joined them…there is a dirt one lane road separating us and they look into my outside kitchen.  We shut all the doors and windows but the eves are open so we felt the band and the loud speakers were in bed with us.  We were pretty ticked and were going to complain this morning when the surfer couple on the beach said that the party was for the workers who just completed the work.  Since they are renting next door to the hotel, they went over to investigate and were asked to join the party for free food and drinks…once again we missed a great opportunity!!

TGIF and hopefully the computer network will be set up in the house and we will be able to work from there.  This week Tom has a major university presentation (whcih he is still having trouble accessing from Wittenberg though he called the university at 1am our time since the party was keeping us up!!) and both he and I begin teaching classes this week which I have already explained in the up coming sequel.

Enjoy the weekend!