March 2024 Hello Mariners, When addressing the last decade we will not only avoid the forbidden topics of sex, politics and religion, but not spend time on ill health and the foibles of getting old, the frustration with social media and technology or any nostalgic reference to the “good old days”. Even with those limits there is much to be said for the last decade. The most important is the family. First, it has grown since 2014. Alicia, our granddaughter, had two boys, Luke age 8 and Henry age 4. They are a delight and joy and we are regularly amazed at how quickly they are growing. We stay close to our children Derek and Stephanie and their families. This includes frequent visits to Stephanie in Boise, ID, and regular weekend meals in Santa Monica or attendance at our grandchildren’s school activities. We also look forward to our annual Thanksgiving celebration with my brothers and their families. Richard retired full time in 2017. We have learned to coexist. It helps that frequently Richard can sequester himself in the office in the backroom. Our travels have included road trips throughout the United States, river cruises in Europe and visits to many of the western National Parks. This included a memorable stay with our grandchildren at a Dude Ranch in Tahoe. Before Covid we enjoyed extended trips to NYC to visit friends and see shows. Speaking of COVID – it was a challenge to isolate and live with the restrictions. We had to learn about Zoom and eventually became comfortable using it for things from telehealth to regular visits with friends. We discovered the streaming services and treasure our Acorn and BritBox accounts. Who knew there could be so many mysteries set in UK, Australia and New Zealand? Preparing regular meals at home was an unexpected pleasure. Most importantly we came to realize that we can be very happy and satisfied with a quiet and simple lifestyle. We now know that all we need is each other. We close with a note of appreciation for the friendships we made and renewed at the 50th reunion. We enjoy a circle of classmates who are good friends (you know who you are). We stay in touch and have enjoyed many gatherings over the last decade. It is a tribute to the common bonds of our St. Monica’s experience and the open and accepting spirit in which these reunions are held. Hope you can come to the reunion. It will be an opportunity to make more friendships. RICHARD & ARLENE |
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