April 16 in Amsterdam Airport

Well Folks (Beloved),
This is my first official blog from another hemisphere. And I am in the throes of, not really jet lag, but just lack of sleep. I usually don't get jet lag going east, only coming back west. I am avoiding the chocolate stores that are calling my name. When I come home I will get you all some. Lynn, also check your e-mail, because I will send some to you directly when I get a chance. The cost here for computer use is 6 Euros for 30 minutes. As usual, Amsterdam is shrouded with stratus clouds and rainy. Not often do one see the sun here. It was great to have Sam and Ewan take me to the airport yesterday. When we got out of the car, Ewan was determined to take over porter duties, pulling my hands off the luggage. He was going to pull the whole load from the parking lot to the terminal by himself. He definitely is a doer - not needing any permission - just go for it. Sam and Shelley are in for a wonderfully, wide ride. I love it! He is quite a guy! You got to love him. As for Eliot, he is still in the staging mode, and he will be wonderful too!
As for the balance of this day - my plane for Rome leaves at 1:10 pm and arrives in Rome at around 3 pm. Francis Santos will pick me up, then I will probably have dinner, then freshen up and teach this evening for 3 hrs. on Pauline Theology - ironically just a few blocks where Paul wrote the last of his corpus - the Prison Epistles from the Mamertine Prison. But of course, Laura, I must have one gellato before I do any teaching - jus to get the juices flowing.:)
BTW, when I got to Memphis, I just had time to get to my next gate and I boarded first, because they called rolls 10 and 22. My seat was 22g. They were called first because they are bulkhead rolls. Lynn, thank Heather Underwood for me. Those are wonderful seats at the front of a section with unlimited leg room - ahh!
Times almost up. Will keep you all posted. Keep those comments coming. They are fun to read.
Love,Dad
PS. Rick, I loved your Russian comment. Couldn't read it though. Is it just English with a Russian Font?