In May we went to Greece and had a great trip. We spent two nights in Athens, then took ferries to Mykonos and Santorini, spending four nights on each. We rented a scooter and traveled all around Mykonos, checking our beaches and villages. In Santorini we climbed up to an ancient village and spent time on the black sand beach across the road from our hotel.

In June we drove to Nova Scotia and did a lot of rock hunting for amethysts and agates, and Dick met a cousin he hadn't even known about until he talked to relatives after the trip was planned. We plan to go back and see more of the beautiful countryside in the future.

My house in New London sold in July and it's certainly nice not to have to worry about shoveling walks and roofs as we go into this winter.

We stayed close to home this summer, just doing short trips camping and sightseeing in the Berkshires with the Top of the Hill Gang. This fall we did a trip to Martha's Vineyard with them, biking around the island and staying in a hostel.

One of the most interesting things that happened this year, thanks to the internet, was that I was able to contact Glasgow Royal Infirmary where my mother worked as a nurse in the 1930's. She had brought her nursing uniform over when she emigrated and I hated to get rid of it. The historical society at the hospital was happy to get it, and I know she'd be very pleased to know her uniform was being appreciated back in Scotland.

 

Dick's mother turned ninety this year - she had a great birthday party.

 

 

His son Rick has moved into their spacious new house with his family. Ricky is in first grade and Randy in kindergarten, so Michelle has taken a job as an aide for high school gym classes- brave soul. Cindy continues to enjoy her job as recruiter for Electronic Arts, traveling widely in that capacity. Heather enjoyed her time in Thailand and Nepal and is back at Brown this fall.

On my side of the family, Christy continues to work at the counseling center and has a very nice boyfriend. Rob is almost finished with his studies and trying to decide where to go from there.

Now we've just had a great Thanksgiving with the family and are looking forward to Christmas. We are very thankful for what we have, our health and our contentment. Next year will bring a trip to Tahiti and New Zealand in February and a bike and barge trip through the Loire Valley in France in June. Sometimes I feel like I'm living someone else's life, but I love it!