week: minus 3

I got my orders!  Our staging event will begin June 4th in Washington DC; from there we will leave Reagan International for Accra on the night of June 5th. This is starting to look real.  On Wednesday the Doc took one last look at my blood pressure and counts and everything looked fine.  On Thursday Ken and I attended a farewell party at the University of Washington for all the Peace Corps volunteers who have been nominated or invited.  Quite a few former volunteers (RPCVs) attended.  I was the only invitee for Ghana, but there was one RPVC, Rhoda Karesartes (sp?), who taught high school science in the Volta region from 2009-2011. Quite a few former PCV's were released early and just back from Mali.  Some in this group had formerly been invited to Mali, but were transferred to other countries because of the recent political instability there.  I also spend some quality grandchild time this week, a Friday night pizza and movie night with 19 year-old Breauna and a Saturday morning baseball game with 8 year-old Evan. Evan got 4 hits! and two runs!  Busy Week.  Happy Mother's day all you moms!

Me, with Doug Angell (another math teacher invitee who was transferred from Mali to Tanzania),  and Rhoda (a returned PCV from Ghana–2011). We are enjoying a pot luck recognition event at the University of Washington.

This was a perfect week for riding, sunny and cool every day (i'm gonna miss this place),
Mighty Evan is at bat and he got a hit on the first pitch.
Then we played bingo and hiked along the Yakima River on a beautiful day in Ellensburg, Washington.