It's time to catch everyone up on the goings and comings of my sister Barbara. She and her husband Rafik have lived in Tunisia (That's in North Africa.) since around 1970. They gave me four wonderful nieces during that time; one now living in the United Arab Emirates and the other three in the United States. And this Summer they all returned to Tunisia for a visit, with children of their own!

As of the end of the school year, both Barb and Rafik were retired. Barb was a school nurse, but I'm told that Rafik, who is a medical doctor, might only be semi-retired since he still spends untold hours on the medical book(s) that he is writing. Their oldest daughter Leila, also an MD, is married and living just outside New York City. They have two children; Selma (4) and Alex (almost 3). Barb is holding those two on her lap. Leila is not in the picture. Their second daughter Mia and her daughter Farah (5 in three days) are living and working in Dubai. Mia, an investment banker, is on the right above, and Farah is standing behind her in the blue dress. She is evidently practicing her come-hither wink. Their third daughter Anissa lives with her husband in Michigan; although rumor has it they are about to move to California. Mia is holding their daughter Lilia who is 7 months old. Anissa was behind the camera for this picture. Their fourth daughter Nedra, on the left above, is actively pursuing a career in real estate. I believe she is also going to end up, at least for the time being, in California.

Barb is planning on being in the States sometime around the end of the Summer. With her State-side daughters living on either end of the country, no visit is simple. It makes visiting our daughter in Arizona seem like a breeze.