We appreciate all the friends we've made as we moved around the country and held different jobs. Some of our correspondents go back to 1950. We usually hear from each other mainly at the end of each year. Friendship is a true blessing!
Friends from Bob's first job in 1950
Jeanne & Bob Giguere: May the best gifts of the season be yours. Happy holidays!
Social Security Ferri Walsh, friend in Embassy, London: I ran my best half marathon in Tunbridge Wells in Feb. with my running Des, who is also in my cycling club. In July I went to the Lake District and climbed Helvellyn, going up the Striding Edge. It was a lifetime's ambition to do this and it took 6.5 hours, most of it being terrified, hanging on by my fingernails to sheer rock. Annelore Polzin, retired from Embassy, Frankfort, Germany: I am back in New York over the holiday period but have not yet been to the city. It's hard to understand the tragedy and its consequences. Shirley Alfini, Nan's fellow worker on the Modernized Claims System, 1988: We are doing fine - another year past with new experiences and memories. We have a new grandson. This makes 3. How blessed! Diane Thomas, formerly Huntington Park district: I now work for the Long Beach Public Library as a clerk, so for the first time ever I can come home for lunch, which is very nice. For the Long Beach Christmas parade we had a group of volunteers who made reindeer out of book carts and then marched. My cart won GRAND PRIZE and I got a prize for best ambassador of the library! Pat Robertson, Nan's fellow trainee, SSA, 1974: Haven't heard from you this season. Hope all is well with you and your family. Long live "Huntington Park District Office!" Desideria Green, Bible Study at work: May the new year be one of perfect peace and excellent health for you and your family. You are loved. Daryl & Ray Worley, Nancy's lunchmate, now retired: Daryl is still battling cancer, with tumors in her right leg. Fortunately, they are nowhere near any major organs. There are new discoveries for cancer cures every day and we are waiting for the right one for her. In the meantime, Daryl is also seeing a physician who is treating her with alternative therapies. This has very much improved her general health. While she can't do any heavy work, she has much more energy for having fun. Retirement would really be fun if we weren't spending so much of it on getting well. However, we do find we have more time now for a few things, like reading the newspaper, playing with the cat, eating meals out, and hugging & kissing. It is a well kept secret that this is a pretty romantic time of life. Genie & Bob Corbin (lunchtime Sew & Tell Group at work) : Ironically, the year is ending as it began – with real estate transactions. The owners of a farm that adjoins our south pasture in Nebraska want to sell, so we again have two contracts pending – one to sell our remaining 3-acre lot here in Maryland and one to reinvest the proceeds in the Nebraska property. Sure hope all goes smoothly this time! Wishing you a peaceful Christmas season – preferably one with no real estate hassles!
Friends from Downey, CA Russ & Lorna Lass, Downey Art League: We took our 16-year-old grandson Neil from Atlanta, GA with us to Texas where we enjoyed Russ' brother's big new house and great cattle ranch. Santa's Workers distributed over 2100 huge packages this week for needy children. Very tiring but lots of fun! Russ still wire- wraps jewelry and works on stained glass. Barbara & John Larson (John was also SSA); Barbara writes: I see Barbara Thorne, Marion Clauson, and Vi Chapman at SHW Associates meetings and we reminisce about our Bible studies in your home in Downey. Barbara Thorne, formerly a fellow member of St. Mark's Church: I am still trying to grow different kinds of things. I have orchids now, but the gardenia plant is giving me a hard time. My grape vine had a huge abundance of grapes. I now will have to learn how to make jelly.
Bob's Univac Friends Bob Fredrickson: I'm still "gentleman farming" and enjoying it. Joyce & John Mortison: We performed "Three Cultures of Medieval Music" at the Early Music Faire at an Episcopal Church in Atlanta in November. Some of the music is over 700 years old, and the Christian pieces were written by scribes at the monastery at Montserrat, Spain in 1400. We performed on medieval replica period instruments. Phil & Judy Schwarz: Hi. We've lived in our new town home nearly one year and are completely settled. Moving is difficult and we're in no big hurry to do it again soon. It's been fun arranging our furniture, placing our knickknacks, and figuring out window treatments. Our sod wasn't laid until the end of July and with that we had the landscapers cut out two flower gardens for next year. We have sun here, so gardening will be back in Judy's life. Our former home was all shade. We do miss the deer, however.
Friends connected with our church here Jean Ogawa, Tokyo, Japan: Wishing you all things bright and beautiful on this very special day. Although we are still in shock of September 11th and bio-terrorism. We pray for the peace of the world at this Christmas time. Carol& Jim Wilkinson ,(former choir member): We had a lovely trip the end of January to Lake Saranac, in upstate New York. We stayed at an historic hotel built in the 1920's that's run by students of the Paul Smith College. I was amazed at the beauty of a winter wonderland, just like in the pictures. We tried a day of cross country skiing, and I barely escaped falling through the ice on a frozen lake. The frozen waterfalls beside the road were exquisite ice sculptures in translucent pale blues and greens. We were able to see the Northern Hawk Owl who was visiting from Canada, White Winged Crossbills (which are pink birds) and a huge flock of Evening Grosbeaks. Guy Wolf, Nancy's friend from a diocesan committee: Mele Kalikimaha! Aloha Nancy and Bob. Mahalo for your holiday greetings. We are here in Honolulu until 1/12--will also visit the Big Island and possibly see my niece in Maui. If I can find a job, I'll be back. It took no time at all to adjust to 80 degrees daily. I hope to head to New Zealand in February, Australia in March and will be back in MD for April--in time for the third sacred conversation and convention. And that should end my work in the Diocese for the present. I am looking to see if there's something I can do here--will meet with some friend's soon. Trust you and yours will have a blessed Christmas and a great New Year. Akiko Matsumoto and Michiko Kurosu, Diocese of Tokyo, Japan-- Merry Christmas! Many thanks for your email greetings. We are fine and missing you. It was extremely good to hear from you, since the horrible terrorist attack didn't hurt you. The mailing service must cause you thinking about the difficulty and facing the computer. We'll see your Letter on the website within a couple of days, as we have been busy with year end works and of course going to church. Hoping to see you again. The Rev. Shoji Yoshimura, Masako and Gi Uchigasaki, and all the people of Tokyo All Saints' Church: MERRY CHRISTMAS! All of us wish all of you a blessed Christmas. At the end of the year, we would like to thank you again for your hearty hospitality to our young girls who visited your parish this summer. We sent a Christmas greeting card with about fifteen signatures of Tokyo All Saints' members to Christ the King Church the other day. We hope it will be delivered to CTK before Christmas day. Carol Diggs, former choir member: We are just finishing a week of 4 different concerts that Lindsay has sung for. Watch WMAR on Dec. 22 at 7 PM to see her with the Baltimore Choral Arts and the Peabody Children's chorus! A lovely concert in the Basilica!