Dear Family and Friends,                                                                   Dec. 13, 2016

This is my first annual summary that does not include Herman, and I am less motivated to write it. Relationships are so much more interesting than I am alone.

In January, just a year after Herman died, our great friend Oakes Spalding died.  I attended memorial services this year for my Go friend Roland Crowl, my ex-colleague Janet Forsythe, my neighbor Rob Denning, and  two members of my book group, Brita Stendahl and Molly Wiellette.  Most shocking of all was the sudden death of my cousin-in-law Tom McCann, who was so vital.  I flew to Chicago in June for Tom’s funeral.   And, just to get all the sad stuff out of the way, I was shaken by the election Nov. 8.  Here’s hoping our Constitution holds and that elected officials inspire new chapters of Profiles in Courage. On the Sunday before the election I spent a few thoughtful hours in  the Kennedy Library.

In February an 8-yr-old rescue cat, Miai, made herself at home here. She’s great! 

My cousin Anne Gunshenan and I took a trip to Ireland  April 26-May 6.  We visited Ceil McGowan (Aquinas ’65) in Sligo. We made pilgrimages to my maternal grandparents’ respective rural birthplaces in Clare and Mayo, way off the beaten track. I took photos of 58 avian species on the trip, and some people shots. http://theworld.com/~eva/ireland.html.

In June I had dinner with Ellie and Stauffer when they were in MA, I went on Glenn’s Berkshires birding weekend, and I visited Sue Baker Olson in VT.

In July I swam in Walden Pond with my old friend Buffy, who was visiting the East Coast from UT.  Bill Holden and Linda visited from Houston. Also in July I stayed four days with my cousin Marion Molloy at her son’s Brooklyn condo while he was away. We visited our cousin Sr. Eve Gillcrist in Amityville.  

The first week of August I enjoyed the U.S. Go Congress in Boston, and later that month I spent eight days in Nova Scotia with my sister-in-law Anne d’Entremont.  I went on a fishing boat excursion to Seal Island  with 7 little kids, their parents and grandparents. I spent quality time with pre-schoolers to nonagenarians.    

I flew to Chicago for a reunion of St. Bride’s class of 1960 held Oct. 1.  I took the opportunity to lunch with Patrick, Peggy, and Anne Guinan at “The Clare.” I stayed with my cousin Kathy McCann and  with Marie Drumm and Larry Held.  

This Fall my godson Conor McCann moved back to Chicago, but his cousin, Liz Drumm, moved to Cambridge MA  to begin a Nurse Practitioner’s residency.  

In October Brian and Tomiko stayed a few nights. We watched the 3^rd debate.  

MaryDan and Bob and Ezra and Laurel were here for a week over Thanksgiving.  .  

 Peace,                                                                                  eva@theworld.com