2009 Christmas Card
Key to the symbols Dec. 13, 2009
Written by Eva. Approved by Herman
eva@theworld.com herman@theworld.com http://theworld.com/~eva
We spent New Year's morning racking up 22 species near Nahant—Brandt, etc. In Feb. Herman showed me White-winged Crossbills...in Mt. Auburn! So far, Herman has 308 MA species in 2009, including Painted Bunting, Ivory Gull, and Summer Tanager. I personally had never gotten a Kingfisher in Somerville before, but this year I saw one on multiple occasions while walking along the Mystic River.
This was our year for Nat'l Parks: In April we went to the Grand Canyon, Bryce, Capitol Reef, Arches, Canyonlands, and Zion. In Nov., after taking Amtrack to Charlottesville, we went to Shenandoah with Ellie & Stauffer where we saw our second bobcat in the wild! Utah was Herman's 49th State. We were in a UT restaurant showing the game of the week live when Jacoby Ellsbury stole home.
Having successfully defended his thesis on computer languages in Edinburgh, my nephew Ezra based himself at our house for 3 months until he found an apartment in Somerville and a job in Cambridge (In that order!).
In August Roland, Wanda and I drove to George Mason University in VA for the US Go Congress. On the free day I met my friend Marigail at the Julia Child exhibit. We lunched in the best museum cafeteria ever (at the Smithsonian's Native American Museum). I caught the last shuttle from the Fairfax metro to George Mason, having gabbed for 12 hours. I played in 2 MA Go tournaments and TD'd 3.
Sept. 21 my job at Parametric Technology Corp. was “moved to a lower cost geography.” (Shanghai). I attended the wedding Oct. 11 of my colleague John Crawford who had been laid off with me. An a cappella chorus, complete with conductor, was near the front of the Swedenborg chapel. They sang classical music until the bride made her entrance, when they broke into “Going to the chapel, gonna get married...” Lynette processed rhythmically and radiantly down the aisle.
MaryDan and Bob came to Somerville for Thanksgiving weekend, bringing a carload of Ezra's “stuff.” We had 9 at our table, including 2 of Ezra's Somerville friends, and Anatoly (another colleague laid off with me) and his wife Natasha. On the Saturday the 3 Coopers and I took a 3 hour spin on the bike path. We picniced.
Happy Yuletide,
Eva and Herman
Last revised: Dec. 28, 2009