Then we dined at Bing Crosby's Restaurant

Our Day at Joshua Tree

The Day after Christmas

This is Jack the day after Christmas. On his scooter, in his Real Madrid pajamas. He wore his pajamas to bed Christmas night, all day today, and again to bed tonight. Chooch may have to do an intervention to get him to change out of them. And the scooter! He rides it everywhere. Brought it over to my place today, rode it around the flat, up and down the driveway, on the sidewalks, and then home. He is one happy kid...
---- Nana

Christmas in Palm Desert

Santa's Wonderful Visit!

Santa crept over our balcony very quietly last night and left almost a sleighful of gifts! He brought Jack an amazing scooter with lights and motor sounds and Jack has driven it around, showing it off to all the neighbors. Namy got the roller skates she hoped for. Of course, there was so much more. Their stockings were filled with candy canes, lollopops, toothbrushes, toothpaste, funny trick things among other surprises. Namy and I thank Kate for our genuine ladies' fans from Sevilla. I love my Anne Kleine watch. And Namy loves her Groovy Girl cat named Cha Cha. Jack smiled when he saw his authentic Beckham p.j.s. and he immediately put on the NYC police shirt from Kate. My one-of-a-kind music box is a treasure, Bill. Grampy's walkie-talkie gift was a showstopper. The kids can't wait to use it. Bob said the set is the good kind, the kind the skiers use. And the kids both liked the DVDs Grampy gave them and the presents from Uncle Bill Many, many thanks.

Nana was here early with a stollen for breakfast and coffee. Bob has already set up the webcam we gave her. And he tried to set up the wireless box...but she will have to call Hathway, as only an Indian company can figure out how to connect things to the equipment here.

All in all, it's been a magical day. You should have seen the gleeful faces in the early morning. Lots of Love Choo,Bob,Namy and Jack.

The two Bills and I made it to Palm Desert. Bill Jr drove the 11 hour trek from San Francisco down to Palm Desert not long after getting off the plane from India.

We have a nice suite though not the Presdiential accomodations of last year.

The Bills are now getting the free breakfast that you can eat outside by the pool. I was up on New York time for mine. Many kids are running around excited about christmas and we think of and miss Namy and Jack. I am sure they will be thrilled with all the great presents Santa Claus might bring them. ;)

Today we will do some last minute shopping and maybe take the tram to get an aerial view of where we are. It promises "360° of Wow" where rotating tramcars whisk you up 8,516 feet to the Mountain Station.

More later.

Miss you all at this time of year.

Kate and Bill and Bill

Two Days Before Christmas

It's two days before Christmas and we think we've seen Santa's elves peeking around, watching our behavior. And we've all been sooooo good. I have even decorated my palm tree with twinkling star lights and Santa ornaments. And see how the presents are heaped under the tree. Jack and Namy spend time counting and examining each one. We plan to go out to a pasta restaurant (Pasta Fresca) on Christmas eve with friends. Then on Christmas, we will celebrate the day at the Barnetts. I bought a stollen in Frankfurt as a breakfast surprise. Later, Namy and I will make ice cream snowballs with the coconut, candles and green food coloring (for holly leaves) that I brought from the US. (Just like the kind we used to buy.)

Hope Santa is good to everyone. My wish is peace from the North Pole to the South Pole. ---- Nana

All she wants for Christmas ...

"All I want for Christmas is my two front teeth." That could be Namy's song this year. She lost one of her front teeth a couple of weeks ago. The other one wiggled and jiggled but didn't fall out until yesterday when Jack bumped into her with his head. In the interim she had great fun showing off her one snaggle tooth. We all think Namy's new smile is a winner and we hope she can still eat Christmas candy without those missing teeth. --- Nana

Aunt Kate and friends at an art opening NYC

caroline,caroline,rose,me,stephanie and laura in her rabbit fur coat

opening of myartattack dec 8th nyc

View from the Top of the Rock

Kate and Dad had a great time in Lexington

Dad and I had such a good time in Kentucky. We were honored to be able to be a part of Big Mike's 50th. The Hoenscheid's are are lot of fun and a bit hard to keep up with. On Saturday Dad did a double header and we went to the races at Keenland and then he headed off for tailgating with Rob before the UK football game.

Aunt Mary Ann truly is the "Greatest" hostess, she toured us all over town and oganized bourbon tasting and scenic rides through the horse farm country.

On this trip I am happy to report I also tasted my first Penn Station sandwich. Mike's East Coast Style subs are delicious.

Love to all,

Kate

Paula Auntie and Mary Auntie in India

They've arrived. Paula and Mary are now in the midst of discovering India. Friday was spent on a taxi tour of Chennai. They visited the Basilica of St. Thomas, Spensers Shopping Mall, St. Thomas Mount (where he supposedly was martyred), the City Centre, a brand new shopping mall, and the dentist, where Paula had her teeth cleaned by a top notch dentist for less than $20. All went well until the air conditioning went on the fritz midway through the tour. But they survived.
On the agenda, an Indian breakfast, dinner with the Barnetts and Bill, and then on Sunday they will be whisked away to Pondicherry.
Watch this space for further adventures.

Jack's Sports Day

perhaps the internet will crash

well ... well....
look everybody... i am here in cyberspace....bet you thought you'd never see the day that i would be posting a blog. well it seems as time is moving forward i am at the caboose. and happy to be there.
now, i wish i had something interesting to share with ya'll. the last month i have been staying a mom's apt in chennai. i have been spending just about all of my time working on my applications for nursing school. i am applying to ucsf and sf state.
i am hoping to get into a program that will give me a rn and an advanced practice degree in acute care nursing. so all the herberts and friends out there..... wish me luck.apart from that mom and i have been creating some tasty meals on a daily basis and jack and namy have been coming over for afternoon swims. so there it is all.... my first blog entry. perhaps a bit long but hey... i have a little time to make up for. GO HERBERT BLOG!!!

Made it home

...I made it back to NYC. We had great tapas in Barcelona. Were ushered into an underground Flamenco Club in Seville. In Seville we also saw the remains of Christopher Columbus. In Madrid we visited the Royal Palace and the Prado Museum.

It is good to be home and sleeping in my own bed.

Katerina

Monaco Madness

Gina and I arrived in Monaco at midnight. Carol and Camilo our glamorous hosts picked us up at the airport and took us straight out to see the best that the Principality has to offer. We had a fancy drink at the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel and caught up. We then headed to Jimmy*Z, a nightclub with indoor-outdoor dancefloor. Gina bought us us each a $40 a cocktail and we sipped them very slowly. Hot well dressed millionaires did synchonized dancing on leather banquettes while many Tara Reid/Paris Hilton WannBes looked on. Even this New Yorker had never seen such a sight. It was a kick (see Carol's highkick).

The next morning was more civilized with a continetal breakfast at Carol's overlooking the Monaco port. We spent the day touring the Cote de'Azur by car and on the beach and then drove to Italy for a splendid meal.

Tomorrow night Gina and I take the train to Barcelona.

Au Revoir,

Kate and Gina

By bus and by rickshaw

It's another school day in India. Mama drops Namy and Jack at Nana's gate on her way to her Montessori classes. The big Billabong school bus arrives and Namy jumps aboard. Then Nana and Jack flag a nearby rickshaw and away they go to KFI school. Nana says helping the kids get to school brightens her mornings...rain or shine.

Kate at the Tate

Jo is a wonderful hostess. I arrived at Heathrow and took the tube in to London and a cab to her place. I was met by a big hug and smile and wine and good french cheese she brought back from her most recent trip.

We ventured out in her local neighborhood of Battersea and ran into her friends at the pub and drank champagne with them.

Today we slept in late and got up to go out for brunch. We then took a train to the Tate Modern. We viewed the exhibits getting our cultural points for the day and sat on the balcony cafe to see a great view of London and drink lattes and giggle.

Gina arives tonight.

Kate

Hitting the books ...

I thought I'd better send along proof that Bill is spending hours studying for the GRE test. Here he is at my dining table, working on some challenging math problems that could be on the exam. He's up until after midnight almost every night reviewing English, math and writing. Hold good thoughts for him. Especially on September 12th.

Busy days in India

Mom's place is jumping now. Bill is here and the kids love to come over and play with him. But most of the time, he is studying for his GRE test that happens on Sept. 12. When he takes a break it's to check his emails or to take a swim. Diana left a week ago after an amazing six weeks of Chennai and touring about India.
Mom is planning things to see and places to go when Aunt Mary and Aunt Paula come to visit in October.

A Wicked Day in New York

It was a thoroughly Wicked New York Day, Aunt Paula arrived from the East. Kate picked up her face companion at Penn Station in the morning. We had breakfast in a diner, nothing could be finer. We took a walk in Riverside Park and noted the historic monuments. Then off to Orchestra Row DD and our play. The woman next to Paula said she had always wanted to be a double d and was quite pleased.

Flying monkeys zoomed overhead, a green witch found her true calling flying on a broomstick, a beautiful blonde became less shallow and the wizard was revealed as a fraud. Hope you see it and we have not given it all away.

We had dinner near the Museum of Natural History on the Upper West Side. We had grilled fish and white wine and good conversation and last but not least a chocolate brownie with pistachcio ice cream. We walked home and got a decaf Starbucks on the way.

Arrived home to mom's call.

Your turn to update the blog.


Love, Kate and Aunt Paula

Where in the World Are the Herberts?

The entire Herbert family seems to have disappeared. Some news reports speculate that the H's have been abducted by aliens and are being held incommunicado. Last seen, Jack was swimming, Kate was in Austin, parents were at a baseball game, and Bill's car was hurtling into stratospheric mileage. Rewards, pitifully small, are offered for any update on this blog.

Hitting 100,000

Bill's stalwart Honda Accord hit the mileage landmark this week. Yes, 100,000 miles. It happened in the Park Merced neighborhood with me at the wheel. I expected fireworks or an equivalent. But all was quiet and the unflappable vehicle just purred on as if she were the latest 2006 model. Nevertheless, some congratulations must be in order! --- Mom

Mom and Dad at the Giants game

We had a gorgeous day in San Francisco for our afternoon with the Giants. Although the Giants lost, the afternoon was a winner. We brought sandwiches and enjoyed the view from the excellent seats Dad had got us.

We then toured the DoubleClick offices across the street from the ballpark. Seeing where all the big ideas are generated in internet advertising.

Overall a great day.

Mom and I had such fun today fixing up Dad's bathroom and buying him new towels.