January and February, 2006
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CONTENTS OF THIS ISSUE: THE LATEST ADVENTURE (Darrel Murdock) Click ANOTHER YEAR CLOSES (Tripp Family) Click GREETINGS FROM NON-MUSERS (Friends) Click HOLIDAY GREETINGS FROM MUSERS (Musers) Click TIM IS HOME! (Natalie Murdock) Click MY HOLIDAY (Jim Slivka) Click ARIZONA CHRISTMAS (Margery Aukstikalnis) Click Part 2 CELEBRATING MY NEW NAME (Dianna Leary) Click BEEN A WHILE... (Valerie Davidson) Click REPORTS & SPREADSHEETS (Mer Murdock) Click A WARM, HOMEY CHRISTMAS (Kathy Skow) Click MISSED THANKSGIVING (Roy Murdock) Click BRIDGE CLIMB (Carl "Chip" Martz) Click HAPPY THANKSGIVING (Daniel Leskinen) Click KENNISTO/KANNASTO (Valerie Davidson) Click OUR THANKSGIVING (Nancy Murdock) Click WILLIAMSBURG NOTES (Nancy Murdock) Click SEASON'S GREETINGS 2005 (Charlie Frost) Click Part 3 REMEMBERING MY MOTHER (Nancy Murdock) Click MARY SALMINEN (David A. Salminen) Click HONORING OUR VETERANS (Nancy Murdock) Click ADDITIONS TO THE LIST (Brian Funaiole) Click YEAR 2005 IN REVIEW (Bob Murdock) Click FOR STEWART (Nancy Murdock) Click |
Photo by Margery Aukstikalnis
"Ice & a Flaming Sunrise" Quilt Gallery |
and Nicole Tripp |
Tripp Family Samantha is now in second grade, likes her teacher, and is doing well academically. Her class has taped a television show to present to her school about different topics they have studied in class. She is still playing piano, and did very well at her fall recital. She started Brownies this past fall and will be joining with a children's' chorus in January. Nicole is anxiously waiting to start school in the fall. She signed up for Daisy Scouts, but no troop has been formed yet in town. She learns so much at daycare, and is starting to learn to put letter sounds together a bit. Dave is still at the police department, though he is looking into some more full-time fire department opportunities potentially for the new year. Jeanne is enjoying another busy year with the Springfield Symphony Chorus (check out her website for the chorus at http://members.aol.com/SpfdSC). She is on the board of the chorus this year as well. We enjoyed a long-overdue trip to Florida last spring, enjoying the warm weather after a cold New England winter, as well as a business trip to Boston (for Jeanne's work), which turned into a wonderful partial vacation for us. We have returned several times, including once to go see the Star Wars exhibit at the science museum. The girls love Star Wars, and know all the characters and plots from all of the episodes. We hope 2005 was a good year for you and your families, and hope that 2006 brings you peace and happiness. Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! With Love from The Tripps - David, Jeanne, Samantha & Nicole Friends We had a nice Thanksgiving at the Marina in Huntington Beach with Russ’s niece, her husband, and their baby. In September we made the trek up to Washington and Oregon to visit my relatives and friends. Don’t know what we will do next year. The Rockwell Retirees group had a dinner on my birthday, Nov. 29, which kicked off the Christmas round of parties. The choir party will be at our house. The Gem and Mineral Club had a Thanksgiving picnic in the desert last Saturday. It was cold, but we bundled up, used the car for shelter, and kept a nice bonfire going. The food was good - turkey and all the trimmings! Our Gem and Mineral show came off okay in November. Lots of work, but fun too. Santa’s Workers will have their final toy giveaway next week. I will miss them but will find other things - like the archaeology class I am taking now. Also we are still taking the Palmdale City sponsored bus trips. We plan to go with them to view the Rose Parade floats Jan. 3. Have a great holiday! 2.) From Nancy’s co-worker, retired to the Chicago Area: I’m really enjoying being with my family again. The weather has been cold, but my sister’s house is very cozy and warm! I wish you a wonderful Christmas and happy New Year. --Janice 3.) From a former neighbor I had to find a Christmas card that did not have much writing so I could write as much as I want. So this is my greeting: “Keep spreading cheer.” It’s been a very long time since I’ve received the special Murdock Newsletter, and as always, it was very interesting and motivating. You see, you two have a way of sharing joy and hope through your year of memories. You know, you two have been married for as long as I’ve been on this earth, and that’s very encouraging because I just got married in 2001. Just to think of being with one person for that long seems like a lifetime. However, if we can be as happy as you two are, I guess being with someone 55 years wouldn’t be bad at all! I’m still living in the Stone Age, so I don’t have Internet. I do have a computer but it just sits and looks at me and I just look at it. In other words, shamefully, I’m computer illiterate. I do things the old fashioned way: write and go to the library. Even your 96-year-old cousin is an inspiration for me! Well, my family is fine. I have seven grandchildren now, and my husband has five, so you know what our house will be like on Christmas, but I am finished with all my shopping, and now I only have to cook for fifty people. You and Mr. Murdock are welcome to come. You’ve been here before; I’m right down the street from you. Well, I’m running out of writing space, so I’d better close now. --L. 4.) From Bob, Bob’s Univac co-worker, retired to MI: Wishing you a Very Merry Christmas and a Healthy & Prosperous New Year. We’re having a cold and snowy winter so far. The weather has changed significantly in the past few years. It sounds like we are not alone, as you have your share. Unisys (Univac) isn’t doing too well, according to news reports. I guess the workforce is in the 30,000+ area. All the best to you. 5.) From Akiko, friend from our Sister Parish in Tokyo; she visited us and our church this summer. Season’s greetings and best wishes for the New Year. It was incredible to be picked up at our hotel in Reston, VA. It must be a long way to visit with us. Thank you so very much for helping us in visiting Christ the King Church and the late Earl Hagan’s cemetery. I’m looking forward to seeing some of you next year in November. Please note this photo of your art quilt hanging over my bed. In addition, I need to introduce my younger days with my daughter in Michigan. This is my watercolor painting. 6.) From Caren & Paul, a quilting friend and her husband: We count you among our richest blessings. 7.) From a former neighbor and his girlfriend: Warmest wishes for a happy holiday season, Whether called Christmas and/or Chanukah May you have many gifts of love And those from St. Nicholas. PS: How about getting together for a meal PF Chang’s may we suggest Good food with good friends Some say that we are blessed. -- Joel & Kay 8.) From Mala, a quilting friend now living in NC: Greetings! All is well here, and we hope all is well with you.  May God bless you. I miss you all. 9.) From Ronnie, a former co-worker: Nancy, thank you so much for the Christmas greeting and our annual update. It was a pleasure to hear from you and read what's been happening. I wish you and Bob the Safest and Merriest Christmas and a Joyful New Year (2006). 10.) From Joyce, Bob's former Univac co-worker, in GA: Happy Holidays to you! It was good to hear from you. Your letter sounds like you have a lot of activities and a big family to enjoy. We are thankful for a busy retirement. We came through the hurricane season with minimal damage, so were among the lucky ones. We were booked on a cruise, but the ship was chartered by FEMA to house hurricane workers in New Orleans, so our cruise was canceled. We're planning another one for February. As for our musical activities, we are currently performing at several venues. The Alpharetta city band has two Christmas concerts coming up. Our Musica Festiva consort performed at the Decatur Holy Trinity Episcopal Church. Joyce is playing flute at the 1853 wedding reenactment of Mittie Bulloch to Theodore Roosevelt in the Antebellum Bullock Hall Plantation Home. John is also performing in St. Bartholemew's Church Advent Program. We hope that this is a joyous season for you! 11.) Dec 25: From Marianne, a retired former co-worker: Thanks for both your Thanksgiving and Christmas messages. I hope that you are having a wonderful Christmas Day. (Since I sent this to work, hoping you had a great Christmas...) I am a little annoyed. We had a very cold December for Chicago (about 15 degrees below normal) with consistent snow covering until... Christmas Eve. We were then hit by a heat wave (i.e., above freezing temperatures) that took away almost all of the snow. Now, is that turnabout fair? Last year Christmas Eve was the coldest night of the winter, and we had a mild season. Sounds like the Lunch Bunch has slowly become smaller and smaller with Phyllis and Janice retiring. How are you doing? I'm sure you have found another band of Merry Women. I am keeping very busy doing nothing. One thing I must do this year is get my apartment updated. We'll see if I live up to this New Year's resolution. I continue to really love retirement. I wish you a wonderful 2006. Come see me if you come this way, and take good care of each other. [Ed. Note: My new lunchmates consist of 1 woman and 7 men! This gives me a little different slant on life!--NAM] 12.) From Jean Ogawa, our Tokyo "Daughter": We always pray for our friends in Christ the King Church, and I always think of you at the prayer. Muse Readers I hope you have a very merry Christmas and a great new year. Nan, do you think you might retire this year? I’d like to work three days a week but don’t see that happening. Our Christmas season is very white, as we got 13 inches of snow on Friday. Enjoy the holiday! [No, I’m definitely not retiring until at least late in 2008. I’m almost 74, but I still feel I’m better off working. -- Sr. Ed. Nancy] 2.) From Art & Lorraine Murdock: Hope all is well with you. Our thoughts are with you during this special time. 3.) From cousin Bradford Howlett: Hope this finds you all in good health. I have been fine. 4.) From cousin Clyde Howlett: Merry Christmas 2005. I had a hard time with cards. First the mirror fell off the door and broke into pieces. Next the new program that I just got from Broderbund was too much for me. So I had to switch to an old original Print Shop 06, which is the best of several that I have. I can do things with it. So I ended up buying some ready-made cards that I am sending out to you. But I have had more trouble with them. Next year, if I live that long... I am 96 and still get up at 5:30 and have breakfast with Pauline. 5.) From cousin Priscilla and Roy Januskiewicz: It was fun seeing you both at the Attitash Mountain Village Resort in New Hampshire in September! We enjoyed your company, the lunch, and the beautiful scenery on the way. Have a blessed Christmas and peace-filled New Year! 6.) From Becky Murdock: To the both of you... Wow, what a year this has been! But it showed me what family means to me. I hope 2006 is a good one for all of us. 7.) From Carl (Chip) Martz: Alex will be two in January and is on the verge of talking. Cami is three and a half and has started pre-school.  I went on a group tour of Australia and New Zealand this year and took the “Bridge Climb” at Sydney. We wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! Love from all of us in California! [Click here for Chip's Bridge Climb.] 8.) From our granddaughter Khendra: Dec. 30: Christmas went well here in MO; we enjoyed the celebration and are looking forward to the new year. I found out recently that I made the Honor Roll again, which was good news. I am already looking forward to next semester, although I am enjoying my time off, of course! 9.) From Rickey, Deanna, Daniel, Jack, and Trinity: From our direction to your direction, we are sending you our best wishes in having a Merry Xmas and Happy New Year. Enjoy the holidays. 10.) From niece Missi Sargent: I just wanted to let you now we took our family website down (www.geocities.com/sargentfamily04). Hopefully I will find time in the future to put together another music site. I'll let you know when it happens. The reason we took the site down was money and security. It made Kurt nervous to have all our family pictures and names up on the site. Some wackos are out there. Kurt and I have never been happier. We are going on our delayed honeymoon this week to Ft. Myers, FL. Happy New Year. 11.) Niece Denise Chapman sent a photo greeting. Click here to see the family photo. Natalie Murdock Haha, yeah, I have seen those gingerbread houses where they don’t believe in “decorations” for the outside, and you’re literally left with frosting, 4 walls and a little roof. LOL, so the one we have, WITH decorations, should be fun. Speaking of decorations (and villages), my Mom has gone crazy with her Christmas village. She gets soooooooo excited to see that little village lit up when she gets home. I get home before her so guess who is left with having to turn on allllll those village houses individually?? Haha. Well I must get to work, MERRY X-MAS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! [Click here for Natalie's greeting card.] Jim Slivka Yesterday got up and went to Sean (Godson #3)'s in the morning in Ellicott City (west of Baltimore) for present exchange and see what Santa brought - way too much! Then went to #2's for present exchange and 3 PM dinner. Then went back to #2's for the rest of the day - got home about 11 PM. Tim, Godson #1 in Charlotte, called me several times the past few days - he did not go home to Pittsburgh as he is headed to Miami for the Orange Bowl tomorrow. He graduated from Penn State in '02 - his Mom is my cousin Sandy. #3 is very curious about #1 so I called Tim and put Sean on the phone. Tim was really great - now Sean wants to meet him! You never know what impact you have on kids. I rarely miss any of the kids’ or their siblings’ soccer or baseball games or dance recitals - I am like their uncle. Well, #2's older brother gave me his soccer trophy (they won the 10-11 league title this fall) as he said I was as much a part of the team as anyone on the field - their #1 fan! I almost cried. Just got in from doing Meals on Wheels and #3's family is coming over this afternoon. Happy New Year. Margery Aukstikalnis The interesting phenomenon, however, is that as the wind velocity changes, the hollow yucca stalks hum with a low resonance, a couple octaves below the sound coming from the chimes. The notes change with the wind, and if I stick my head between the stalks, the sound is awesome! It's like having our own didgeridoos!!!!! I shamefully admit, I have a stack of Christmas cards, still waiting to be addressed. We did manage to get a few out to friends who are housebound or don't have internet, but our lives have been so crazy I'm afraid I will have to put the rest off 'til next year. We finally threw in the towel on any major plans for Christmas Day, and we will roast a Cornish hen to share, and open our token gifts to each other. We plan on having a real Christmas with our family when we return to New England in the spring. We have put a deposit on a brand new double wide, three bedroom manufactured home. It should be delivered in February. The cost and hassle of getting our single wide fixed up was beyond our desires to be comfortable. We are in the process of selling the single wide, but that won't physically happen until the new one is ready to be delivered. We are enjoying 75 degree days and 45 degree nights this week. We finally got past the "cold snap" which barely made it to 60, and our water pipes even froze one morning. Can't complain, though. It ain't snow! Actually, we had a brief rain shower during the night last week. It caused the dog to bark at the strange noise. We hadn't had a drop of rain since we arrived November 1st. It wakened the creosote and sage brush to create a most unusual, pleasant aroma in the air. We hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and that all is well with you and yours. Dec. 22, 8:18 PM: Yes, the Century Plant is a nickname for one of the yuccas; there are many. And the yucca is one type of Agaves. There are many of them, too. We are slowly learning the subtle differences between similar types of cactus. It's quite a study. And fun to identify how many we have right on our own property. Someday soon I'll begin to identify all the many colored rocks! Oh, by the way, we added another bird to our list; the roadrunner ran across our driveway yesterday. We have seen them on the highway and in the mountains, but this is the first one we have had visit us here. |
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