The year seems to
have sped by. However, there are some memorable moments. First
among them, THE WEDDING!! Tom and I went to Baltimore for the
first time to enjoy the wedding of Jason's old school chum
Nolan King: three days of food, fun, and friends. (October 5-9)
Nolan and Chelsea make a handsome couple and the wedding venues
were beautifully decorated with lavish bouquets.
Because events were scheduled during the late afternoon or
evening hours, Tom and I had time to walk around the city
and view libraries and museums. We felt that the West Coast
has lots to learn there. Most impressive for us was the
Black history museum which gave a detailed analysis of
the economics of slavery that we had never before seen.
We learned that Baltimore's industry in past centuries
was based on steel which hired free Blacks and slaves.
Steel was so critical to the local economy that slaves
were paid small amounts of money (vs. the lash) to keep
them working.
The second high point was the visit of my nephew, Keith, along with
his lovely fiancée, Anna. Keith has been living in Europe
(Austria now Italy) for about 15+ years. He is a professional
tattoo artist, a musician, a private plane pilot, and a linguist,
a real renaissance man. Anna is a model and in law school. She is
lovely, as beautiful outside as inside. And her English is
impeccable. My brother, Tee, shared a private visit and a
Lakers' game with his son. We all had dinner at Musso & Frank's,
a real gift as Keith and Anna were on a short visit and trying
to see as many sights as possible. (October 31)
And if you have been paying attention you know that this year I turned 80 in April. Ouch! Tom and I threw a casual party at our local pub. Our neighbors across the street own a restaurant, so we ordered food from them which they delivered and set up. We served cupcakes instead of cake - very COVID sensitive, and everyone there seemed to have fun including me! (April 13)
Through serendipitous emails, Tom and I were able to donate our outdoor tables (12) and chairs (43) that we used for 10 years for our Monday night dinners. The woman who drove down with a truck (August 19) is the executive director of the Ojai Storytelling Festival and for our donation she gave us all access passes to the current Ojai festival. We drove up, stayed in posh accommodations and enjoyed the tellers immensely! (October 26-29)
We caught up with two dear friends in May: Sandie, of our extended family, came and spent four days with us (May 20-23) and we met up with Chelsea, daughter of an old friend since junior high school, at Mule Days in Bishop, CA. (May 25-28). We took a short sightseeing trip to Monterey/Carmel area (September 11-13) and met up with Carol, a former JPLer.
In June we attended the annual, fund raising British Faire.
Later in June (22nd), we spent the day on Catalina
Island. We drove around on a golf-cart like motorized vehicle.
Really cool!
Locally we walk three times per week with a group of people we enjoy; we also have Sunday breakfast with them. Two Mondays per month we meet up with a group of friends at the pub. Tuesday evenings we have a small circle of friends for dinner. One Wednesday per month we attend the JPL retirees' luncheon to catch up with old acquaintances. And during the summer we have dinner at Front Yard Fridays on the lawn of some folks in the neighborhood.
Of course we have season tickets to the Pasadena Playhouse where
we saw "Inherit the Wind." The play was riveting, even more so
because 100 years later we are fighting the same battle. Tom
and I took two young men (age 14) to see the Tut Immersive exhibit
in Los Angeles. We had seen immersive exhibits before; they are
truly fascinating. Tut was no exception!
On the health front, Tom had trouble on a long Wednesday walk: one of his shoulders drooped and his foot turned inward. He spent four days in the hospital for observation but no diagnosis was forthcoming. He had a Mohs out-patient surgery on his pate recently to excise a skin cancer. He is due for a second surgery on a suspicious nodule in his ear. Surgery is set for December 26. All our shots are up to date and overall we have been well.
As we review our calendars, this year looks busy. We are grateful for our friends and the culturally rich environment in which we live, and enjoy seeing the beautiful mountains everyday!
Best of the season to you all and may 2024 be a year of family, friends, and good times! As they say in New Orleans, where we will be in April 2024: "Laissez les bons temps rouler." Let the good times roll!
Sincerely, Tom & Judy
626-398-0539, jn430414@gmail.com
