Saturday, December 16, 2023

Baby it's Cold Outside

Only ten more sleeps!  We have a little more decorating to do, but Mary has done a lot, and me just a little, like taking advantage of my height for the tree-topping angel and the lights and the outdoor wreath, and a new star that lights up the birch tree at night. We have not graduated to inflatables. But there's still time. 

Since our last letter was devoted exclusively to a certain wedding, there is much to catch up on other happenings. After the wedding, Jeff and Melodie headed to the beaches at the Maldives, which looked pretty spectacular and chill.  Daniel went to Paris for a few days which looked like a different kind of spectacular and chill. Johanna went right home, but she had told us she was leaving NYC, so home may be back at Pennington, temporarily. She's looking at places along the Hudson River, perhaps even Hudson itself. Fun to plan, and dream.

While away, we noticed that Tina had quite a trip herself, joining a group for a tour up and down the Nile. Incredible scenery and lots of smiles in her photos.

Out in the Midwest, Claire came back for Thanksgiving, and we pass along photos of the theatrical accomplishments of Auden and Elliot.

We also talked to David and Paula, who is coming along nicely on her recovery, as she said she's been doing stairs and is comfortable walking around, and perhaps even driving. It seems David has struck up a correspondence with Karl Rove after a cold email response to a WSJ op-ed.

Speaking of recovery, Annie has been nursing a foot problem, exacerbated undoubtedly by hours of standing during you-know-what. She's had different diagnoses from torn ligament to arthritis, which means different treatments. Staying off her foot has probably helped the most, but that means staying cooped up inside. She is now back to outdoor walks, but taking it slowly. Not too slowly though, as she wrote this morning that she and Sankar are off on their post wedding trip to points west, Kerala and Ooty.

Other recoveries are in the coughing department, Mary and Margaret have had lingering, mysterious coughs. Negative Covid tests, but progress is slow. Mary feels good enough to go to the New England Masters Swim Meet this morning.

More big news is Joe and Leonor got their household shipment and car from Brazil, at long last. They've been living like nomad/campers for a couple of months, so it must be a relief. It looked that way for three kids who got reacquainted with their beds and toys and books. What an ordeal.  Luisa has started day care for a couple of days a week, and seems to like it.

Also, down in DC, Simon graduated to the next level in swim class.  He had made a lot of progress while in India, putting his head underwater, jumping in with reckless abandon, and making his way to the side of the pool.  And loving every minute of it.

Cincinnati update.  David sent an article saying that Coney Island was closing. Some of us remember P&G days there. I wonder if we were told to wear coats and ties there too. Coney Island had been in operation since 1886. Now it'll hold Taylor Swift concerts.

Life is good. We're expecting Joe and Leonor and family this week, through Christmas and beyond. Happily.

That's the news from Lake Pontoosuc.  Love from up here. 









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