12/2011 Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706
Dear Ones,
In leu of a calendar this year, we are posting on the web.
As world leaders and other finite folks looked for ways to save their own skins if not the global economy, we survived another year and even added a few positive life experiences–including some publications, a surgical improvement, NYC cultural events, and upscale family get-togethers. Global warming also got in a lick or two.
Publications? Ed self-published a book, published a book review and an article, and has another of each accepted for publication. Most involve illicit businesses, under which he includes not only Somali pirates but the taxpayer-exploiting defense industry. Anne, while still working on her never-concluding book, published a thoughtful critique of the reproductive tourism industry and a review of a book honoring an influential feminist writer who died unexpectedly.
Cultural events? Mostly in NYC, and especially offerings of Lincoln Center music makers: chamber music, orchestral, and operatic. Museum exhibits were also on our agenda, and occasionally a play or a lecture. (Ed had his other knee replaced in NYC, but we don’t list that as a cultural event.) Most memorable: London Symphony doing Britten’s War Requiem.
Family get-togethers really stand out this year.
- Very welcome guests included Anne’s grandson Zak (just graduated from Taiwan National University), and her granddaughter Abigail and son Chris.
- Ed’s son Rob also visited, then Coco with her daughter Mackenzie. Several dear friends also came by. (Missed no-shows take note.)
On the outgoing ledger are Anne’s trip to Houston in May for her granddaughter Malaika’s college graduation, and her year-end week in Barcelona, Spain, with son John and daughter Joanne. Together Ed and Anne spent a week in an architect-designed and owned house on the south shore of Lake Michigan with all Ed’s two generations, and a week in August in Burlington, Vermont, with Joanne.
[Left to right: TV gamers, 4/7/10/21+, big-time board game, being in charge (?), being Dad]
As our much enjoyed Vermont visit ended, Hurricane Irene came through and prevented us from returning through flooded Vermont. So we ferried across Lake Champlain and drove home through New York via various ad hoc routes. We had arranged with neighbors to move our outdoor furniture in, power was restored before our return, and we incurred no damages. Not so two months later. The day before Halloween, nature tricked us with a freak snowstorm that caused massive outages as it broke down still leafy trees including a grand birch that had lived outside our house as long as we’d lived inside. Also under the heading of damages incurred: a school bus (no kidding) ran into Ed’s car, but their insurer came through honorably.
Best wishes to one and all. Anne Ed adonchin@optonline.net efbyrne@optonline.net
