Update from Rick

Just so everyone knows I am still alive and well here, up to until recently just alive, I figured I would chime in a little bit. Lynn has covered most of the basics so far, as she gets to spend most of the time with kids and in town. I spend most of my day at the shipyard so i don't do much except on the weekends, part of which I spend watching football (some things never change). Life at the shipyard is very interesting. First off, the shipyard is gigantic. It builds 60 ships a year and employs 25,000 people. All the DSME employees are Korean and where grey coveralls to work every day. The ex-pats all work for different companies and are from different countries (mostly american and european, with some brazilian) and where different colored coveralls (ours are red) so we all stick out fairly easily in the sea of grey. Most of the Koreans do not speak english at all, making conversing with the average laborer difficult, but through a little searching you can usually find someone to get your point across. The engineers for DSME all speak english so that is not a problem. The people in my office have all been very friendly and willing to help in both work related matters and Korean adjustment issues at home. Lynn has met a few other moms and had coffe the other day, I am sure she will fill you in later. Ethan has begun school as well, and is really enjoying it. Addison is still Addison, happy and growing. AS far as work goes, it is coming along nicely. I am riding my bike in every day (along with 10,000 Koreans) so Lynn can have the car, so I am getting my share of exercise. I am also getting to know the bike repair guy well, as it has broken down three times already since I have been here. In a couple more weeks I will have a Korean bike as he will have replaced every component on mine. It is like buying anew bike on an installment plan. I am also spending lots of time on the drillship which is 1000 feet long and at the top of the derrick about 500 feet off the water. It is a massive structure with stairs, stairs, and more stairs. By the time I get to the drill floor I need a rest from walking up all the stairs (55 just to get on the ship, another 95 to get to the drill floor). There is a masive amount of heavy machinery being installed and welding work going on constantly. It is very impressive to see in person. The other day they set a 3500 ton module on one of our ships. It was essentially a 6 story steel building filled with heavy equipment and pumps that they picked up with a floating crane and moved across the yard and set sown on our ship. It is really interesting to watch a crane move 7000000 pounds across the shipyard on the water. They also have a free cafeteria for lunch here (actually many of them) that serves Korean food. Very few non-koreans eat there, most go out. I have been there a few times and thought it was good, however I am still not sure what I ate. Other than that, work is going well and I am getting settled in nicely at home. Lynn and I are going out to dinner for our anniversary tonight and one of my co-workers will watch the kids for a few hours while we are out so we are looking forward to that. Everything else is good and I hope all is well with y'all back home...