Our US travels this year focused mostly on family and friends.  During the June trip to California, Karen was able to catch up with her good friends from years ago in the San Jose Planning Department, as well as her ex.

The San Jose Planning crowd – Tom, Michelle, Karen, Allegra, Kent and Jim

Karen with Kris Stephens.

In August, we spent our 8^th wedding anniversary in a lovely hotel by Union Square in San Francisco, a city we don’t get to visit often enough. We also enjoyed a delicious dinner in Sausalito with friends Terry has known since their time together as college students in Vienna people.

Dinner at Farallon.

Dinners at Jeanne d’Arc.

Later that month, we made a stop in Santa Fe, where we reconnected with Jim and Allegra Derryberry (from San Jose Planning) and Ann and Ruedi Hunziker (from Vienna).  We all enjoyed a wonderful production of “Madame Butterfly” in Santa Fe’s fabulous Opera House.

Karen, Terry, Allegra, Jim, Ann and Ruedi.

The stage for Madame Butterfly, at sunset.

In September, Karen made another trip to California which included a fun weekend in San Francisco with her sister, Sallie.

Karen and Sallie in Chinatown.

At the same time, Terry was in St. Louis for his 50^th college reunion.  He didn’t do the official St. Louis University events, but enjoyed reconnecting with college friends including Doug Kuhlmann and Jackie Dewar as well as long-time friends Anne Munroe, Paul and Michele Weirich (in Columbia).

Jackie and Terry.

Paul and Terry, then Paul and Michele.