Feb 28 - john's computer has been down for several days, so it is time to catch up with some new photos. First of all, john and joyce were invited to attend a really fun event at Fort Leavenworth put on by the Canadian officers. They really put on a blast of a good time with their "SnowJam 2007" party! They hold this in lieu of having their National Day event on July 1, as they feel that it is too close to our Independence Day. The Canadians REALLY know how to party! Here are some of the outlandish photos from this great event:

March 14 - john, joyce, and tucky just received a very interesting email from Basso in Benin, West Africa. john, joyce, and tucky met Basso as an officer in the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth some years ago. He is a very intelligent person. Here is what he has to say about living his life in Africa:

Hi Joyce, John and Tucky,

If I did not give quickly an answer to your last email, it is mainly Benin is again in the trouble it was in during 1997-1998. Electricity power is a major problem to Benin. You can be working in a Cyber, telecharging or writting an email when suddenly electricity goes off. And you have lost all you were doing. Food is always damaged in the fridge. In the pubs beer and other drinks are served at plain temperature. The workshops are running very low. Even last night we did not have light until this morning 07H:30. Maybe it will go off again during the day Even last night we did not have light until this morning 07H:30. Maybe it will go off again during the day The reason is that we are in the dry season in West Africa. As Benin imports its electricity power from Ivory Coast, Ghana and Nigeria,and there is not enough water in their dams, those countries having cut down the quantity of electricity the use to deliver to Benin, we are in trouble. Last time Benin Government announced that it is managing to getting an electricity generator to handling the matter.It will be a gaz running generator.

You assume thatit is said cats sleep 13 hours a days and that you believ eit. I know that here too, cats can sleep very long time. But I do not think they reach such a performance. Our cats need to run long way before finding out their feeding. So, if they sleep so long they will fall in starvation.

About my father’s burial, I said there were two services : one catholic and the other traditional. In Africa, though most of us have been converted in foreign religions such as christianism r islam, we continue to follow part of our ancestors believings. Mainly in the death matter. It means after the coffin comes from Church Office some specialists set some trditional objects in the coffin and say some prayers before the coffin is put under ground.
Here too ‘’ visitaztion’’ can be held before church or after church.
My father has been buried at home, in a special building set for the occasion. It is a way to get protection from dead people in the compound.
You also wonder whetherdoes one store the body such a long period beforehaving the funeral. Many reasons: the first is that the traditional burial has to get a favourable day for it. The second is that it allow the sinistred to run in order to get money for the burial. The third is that it allows people to set the house more showable. But here, with the muslems the burial is held the day of the death. So can we say that it depends on traditions, religious confessions and the heaviness of the pockets.

All is going fine with me. At the beginning of my retirement I thought that after a while I would undertake something to do. But I gave up very early. There are so many workless persons in the country. I am living only from my pension. By squeezing the tap a bit, I am getting through.
Here days are coming and passing. The hope is that the game last the most. I spend days visiting friends, playing cards, having drinks, reading, watching TV, ...

When electricity power will be stable, I will visit your activities’pictures on the site you indicated.

Take care and Bye Bye.

Basso