Roland, thanks. My new job is good. I have missed being needed, even it people are being paid to need me. I will send you a CD, it has just been nuts staying on top of things. Things are picking up speed now and it is so much fun. I visited an old woodworking friend tonight and showed him my process. He says he totally believes in it. He is no light weight in the world of woodworking and he is interested in playing a role in what I am up to. I am going for a federal grant for research that I will title lunch@the museum. It is an installation piece that involves a constructed space with people eating lunch in it at different museums around the country. Y'all need to cross your fingers cuz this is going to be a gas. Of course, I will need the grant or this is going to be out of gas.

My Daughter calls their band a heavy melodic progressive rock. they also like to use these bands as barmeters:tools, rush,you never know who/lsning

Hey Richard, forgot to congradulate you on your recent promotion. Also I'm sure you're presentation went well. We got the bid for the 14 acres over in Loganville and plan to be in by the 15th of next mo. Its a fix er up er but well worth it and theres and option on an adjoining 35 acres and another barn house. Its got a small creek and lots of pasture room for the critters. Quite apriject but should turn out nice. Presently I feel like I'm one of the Clampets or something. At least its out of metro, no sirens and much less traffic. Venive Beach is usually nice this time of year but the weathers been quite unpredictable so be careful Karen.

Hi guys! I have enjoyed reading everyone's entries. Glad you all came back. I am headed for Venice, FL this weekend with my husband and youngest son to check on my mother in law. I hear it is going to be cold there this weekend and getting cooler here in Atlanta as well. Its about a 7 and a half hour trip for us so not too bad. Have a good long weekend and I guess some are getting some extra days off up north with the storms. Is anyone else out there doing South Beach for the new year? This is my second time on it and this time I am feeling deprived of the sugars. I find that the second time on any diet is for me like sex over the years ..... you know what to expect and its not quite as exciting as it was the first time! HAHA!

Kathi, I remember you mentioning a while back that one of your kids is a musician. Is it your daughter or your son? How is he/she doing? What kind of music?

Patti, you don't sound so thrilled about Dave's job opportunity! I can understand why, but hopefully you'll enjoy having a lot of time to yourself to do whatever you feel like doing ...

Hi Everyone, I'm back. Just been heaven knows where but here I am again. It's interesting as always to read what everyone is up to.
Maui was fabulous and lush; We'd go back there anytime we had the chance. But the Big Island and Kilaua were amazing when we went to the rainforest and walked around on the volcano. Simply amazing. I was awestruck and dumbstruck. It doesn't happen often. I've never seen anything like it.
It's cold here and the weather is crummy. Some snow coming but rain on top of that so it won't last and the skiing isn't so hot, for those who care.
I'm getting ready to be a single woman.
Dave is moving to Baltimore for 4 months, leaving on Monday. He'll be working on some big deal program and I'm sure it's an honor to be chosen. (gag) I expect winter to hit with a vengeance the minute he's out of sight. My snowblower and I are going to become bosom buddies. do I sound bitter? It'll pass.
I'm travelling down to see him in Feb. and then the four of us are going to Plant City, FL to see my dad in April. It will be such fun to travel with the boys. It's been a long time since they've wanted to do anything like that with us. I'm anxious to see my dad.

Lori, thanks for the update. Its interesting that your kids are musicians and so is one of mine. Just by reading here on the site you've done a lot of traveling and seen lots of the world. I'd never been further than PA until I was 40. Now I'm a big traveler, hah, having been to SanDiego twice to visit my sister-in-law, and Raleigh, NC 5 or 6 times,to visit our daughter. Since we closed the vegetable stand, Neil has been driving truck for a company in Brattleboro. He drives in NE, with PA and NJ thrown in sometimes. So with all the driving he does, traveling really doesn't interest him. We're pretty much homebodies except for visiting family. I'm glad that your writing has been good to you. Its nice that your parents can come and visit with you and the rest of your family. Be good to yourself.

Kathi, here's a brief update. My husband, Avi, is Israeli. We met at the university in Jerusalem, and our 3 kids were born in Israel. We have a girl (25) and 2 boys (24 and 20). The older two are musicians, still struggling to make a living from music--though our daughter also works for my husband, helping him with the designs for the shirts he manufactures. The youngest works as an assistant sales rep for BCBG (women's clothing). And I write poetry and have been published in various literary magazines, which is rewarding for me (not financially!).

Lori, tell me about you, your family. Its been a long time. If anyone else would like to share the things I've missed, please do. Hope the rain stops soon. We are forcasted nasty weather for late tonight into tomorrow. Another Snow Day????? Hope not. They add them onto the end of the year. Well, everyone have a great day.
Happy Thoughts...

I'll skip the goldfish and dogs! I'll go straight for the grandchildren, whenever that happens. And, no, Kathi, I'm not bored by the Nana stories. And, yes, it's still raining here. It hasn't stopped for about 2 weeks. Our son went snowboarding at Mammoth over the weekend (about a 5 hour drive from here), and we were worried he wouldn't make it home since some of the roads were closed. He did get home safely, though--and thrilled about the snowboarding conditions there.

lori, the only one that ever got famous in forestry was smokey the bear and i don't think i have what the bear had. kathi is right about having another beautiful day in paradise here. i have to say that the grandparent thing still scares me a little. i am just hoping that my boys will be contributing members of society for starters. then maybe they could work up to it by beginning with goldfish and then maybe a dog. i suppose greater miracles have happened.

It was a beautiful winter day here in Vermont. We have 8 inches of new snow. Luckily it is the light and fluffy stuff that doesn't take too much effort to shovel. This week is suppose to get warm (for us). Maybe even a record high by Thursday. The shoveling was probably the highlight of the day. Besides the laundry, making dinner and watching football. My oldest daughter is coming home next weekend and we will have our Christmas. I put up this funky fake tree because I was gone over the holiday and didn't want to buy a real tree for my husband to forget to water. It certainly didn't smell like Christmas. And burning the tree smelling candles doesn't work. Oh well, next year. Hope everybody has a good week. Lori, is it still raining in LA? Hope I don't bore you with the Nana stories. You have to cherish every memory.

Thanks for the poem, Richard. Any words of inspiration are always welcome! And congratulations on your progress with your wood ideas. Will you still talk to us when you're famous?!

Kathi, I like hearing about your grandmother experiences. I'm not there yet, but it's good to know what to expect!

that is a nice fantasy. let's hope for it and the party will definitely be one that is "not to be missed." if it ever happens, i just hope it's before our 50th!

Is this when we get to say, "Little Dicky Loveless, I knew him when ...."? Congratulations Richard. I am impressed.

Pat how was your Hawaii trip? Haven't heard much about it. Now would be the time to appeciate the beautiful weather there! We are suppose to get more snow today. Hopefully, not the freezing rain. Hope everyone has a great weekend.

hi, my presentation and time at the forest products lab went very well. they assigned a researcher to act as a primary consultant to me. i also spent a lot of time with about four other reseachers who are available to discuss technical issues with me if i need them. they had some really good ideas on how to commercialize my work- which products first and where to have them made (roland, i will send a cd sometime soon). it was the result that i had hoped for.

lori, here is a second version of the same story written as a poem. i hope it is an affirmation to one of my favorite poets and what she is doing.

"I would rather be ashes than dust!
I would rather that my spark should burn out in a brilliant blaze
than it should be stifled by dry rot.
I would rather be a superb meteor,
every atom of me in magnificent glow,
than a sleepy and permanent planet.
The proper function of man is to live, not to exist.
I shall not waste my days in trying to prolong them.
I shall use my time" -Jack London

Let us know how it went, Richard! And tell us some more stories. I like the sailboat one.

Richard...I am sure you will do great. You obviously know a lot about what you are doing and are ready to show the world. Good luck. We did get about 6 inches of snow. Here was just snow. Further up 91 it was snow with freezing rain. Very nasty driving. Anyways, think positive! Have a safe journey back.

kathi, i hope the snow comes to vt. it snowed about 8" in wisconsin where i am now. i had a long morning driving from chicago to milwaukee. i am in madison now, which is like a big burlington. it is university centric. i need to go explore a little bit, but this sofa is so comfortable and i like the music that is playing on my cd player. i hope you all cross your fingers for me tomorrow am. i am presenting my wood process between 8:30 and 9:00. then i get to explore the lab and talk with researchers in every imaginable area that relates to wood. i will be very, very tired when i get home tomorrow night and i don't even know how that will feel just yet. i know it will be good. here is a story that i like. two men run down a hill to the waters edge where each has a boat waiting. one man steps onto his motorboat and says "i can't wait to get there!" the other steps onto his sailboat and says "i am already there!" i am trying to be the "already there" guy. it is a little bit of an adjustment but i think i am doing okay at it.

The snow is finally coming down. A big no school day here in Springfield. Hopefully, the freezing rain will stay away! The weather channel says 4-6 inches. We'll see! Everybody have a good day.

Got home in one piece and what a celebration those Mexicans have!!! Looking at more property tomorrow. Only 12 ac but house, barn, and stream off the beaten path but still a good central location. Kathi you sound busy, wow, grand kids.....makes us feel the years but then again it keeps you going. Sure hope this weather keeps up it hit near 75 today here and they still haven't forcast cold weather. We BBQed last night and some friends stopped over to make it merrier. The critters are well and we hope to get the donkey sometime this month.

Hi again everyone. I've been kind of busy the last few weeks. Avi and I and the kids were in Vermont for a week for my brother's son's Bar Mitzvah. I didn't get to see friends this time because we were too busy with the family--my brother's family and also my parents, who came from Israel for the event. We were pretty lucky with the weather, though I think I'd get really lazy if I lived in a cold place--even going out to throw the garbage seems hard when it's cold out! After we got back from Vermont, we had guests for 2 weeks. Avi's uncle and his family were here. Their daughter is studying at UCLA for a year. They live in Paris. As of yesterday, we have peace and quiet again, which is a relief! Actually, I'm not really complaining cuz that uncle is one of my favorite people in the world. I love talking to him.

hi, i am in a hotel in cayuga falls, ohio. it is where the snow, ice, etc that kathi mentions as coming her way is right now. i have a new job at my daytime- pay the bills place of employment. i am the technical marketing manager for north america. basically, i have a sales engineering department that has been formed with me at the helm. it is good!! on the woodworking front (that is the nighttime doesn't pay me nuthin, but i wish it did) i will be presenting my innovations for buildings at the forest products lab in madison, wi in two days. i will meet with many specialists and i am totally psyched.

Hi. I made it back from NC fine...Neil was there to meet me and was glad to see me! My new baby is so sweet. Camille is very mellow. She looks just like my daughter when she was born. Brings back memories. My 2 year old grandson Caleb, called me last night to sing You Are My Sunshine and say I miss you Nana. I had so much fun playing, cuddling and reading with him. I have to say its almost better than being a mother. Other than that, school started up so it was back to work. We have no snow and it was in the 40s today. A cold front is coming, so probably ice and snow is coming. You know this can't last! Hope everyone is happy and well.

Is everyone still recovering or what?????? Seventy degrees here today. I have been out raking. Awesome! Kathi, did you get home all right? Roland, are you back? Pat, has your tan faded? Richard, what is up with the job and the new venture? And Lori, where are you? To everyone else, join us please!

Hey ya'll from Mexico City!!!!!! Friends invited me down and even sent a jet!! Wow! Had a great holiday and New Year. Its been warm here and getting warmer as well as back in GA. We fly back tomorrow sometime.

Yes, the hair is still red....not as bright and with a few blonde highlights.....I don't get gray...just white! My grandfather had beautiful white hair...but I think I'll be an redhead forever....if Lucy could do it, so can I! Glad your house is still intact! and hopefully someone else had more of a headache then you....And don't you know, its your JOB to embarress your children. Remember they embarressed you enough when they were young, its called payback time! Hope for good flying weather on Friday and that my husband will remember to come and get me at the airport!haha....Happy Thoughts to all.

A new grandchild, wow! That's great. I can't imagine all of that just yet- but it will be cool if it happens. I think news of grandchildren, trees falling, and large family occasions would all make kamikazes seem like a good option to me. And, let's see there is my dog's birthday. Fido and I always toss a couple back for that one. Just kidding. Karen you know when to be wicked. I love that!

Congratulations on your new grand daughter Kathi, but I want to know how you still get to have red hair ....... and not gray? My hair dresser is trying to perform miracles with foil and dye on mine!! As for exciting and eventful, do you count a tree coming down on our house on the 19th and piercing the roof as well as coming into the master bath ceiling?? Sixteen for Christmas was exciting. It all went well, except for the last night when I was coaxed into doing kamikaze shots with the young crowd! I did score some points with the cousins but embarrassed a couple of my kids! Oh well. Having some friends in for New Years but it will be low key. I have been watching some of the coverage of the Tsunamis today ... how horrible. Happy New Year to All!

Hi Everyone. Hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday. I have a new granddaughter. She was born 12/20 at 9:52 am and weighed 9lb. 5 oz., 21 in long. She has dark hair, which was a little disappointing because my year old grandson has red hair like Nana. Anyways, there is nothing like holding a grandbaby. I will be in Raleigh until Friday and I will fly back home....I will be happy to get home but will miss my daughter and the babies. I wish everyone a Happy New Year and hope that something eventful and exciting happen to each and everyone of you. Happy thoughts .

I finally went snowboarding today. What fun! I hope you are all gaining weight and having a chance to play with family and friends. No more cookies, please- ahh, maybe one more piece of chocolate.

Hi everybody, I'm back and I'm cold.

Hawaii was wonderfull, but I missed my kids so I spent a couple of hours everyday taling to them on-line.

Today I starting a group of 30 learning how to knit. I do have fun"~!!!!

Hi Everyone! I have ten from Rich's family coming here starting this Wed. I am really looking forward to it but I have been pretty busy trying to get ready. Beds for sixteen is a trick! It has been cold here for GA. We may see some flurries on Sunday or Monday. I hope everyone has a great time with family and friends. We can all commiserate when we get on the January diet and get healthy kick!

hi, it is cold here this morning but it will warm up and i will go do xmas shopping and ?? work is slowing down and people that i work with are disappearing until after the holidays. it seems early, but i think it is because the co. i work for did okay this year after 3 bad years. only one guy lost his job this year. i will be doing a new job starting jan. 1 (at the same place) and i will travel a little more. i will manage people again after a two year (very welcome) break. and snowbaording?? next friday for sure! sugarbush is selling tickets for $5.50 for xmas eve skiing. hope you are all getting ready for some relaxation with your families and friends.

Great Richard. Please send a cd. Would love to view it and give feedback to you. My address in in the note to Pat just before yours. If you miss it let me email you the address. Looking forward to it!

Sounds like everybody is busy, busy, busy. I am trying to get everything ready to fly down to Raleigh NC on Sunday for the birth of my granddaughter. My husband unfortunately couldn't get the time off during the holiday season to come with me. Hopefully, he'll miss me enough for 2 weeks he'll remember to come to the airport and pick me up! Luckily I will miss the last three days of hectic Kindergarten. The little darlings will be really wound up next week. We have been making and creating those lovely gifts that parents treasure for years.....hopefully. May everyone cherish your families and their memories. Happy thoughts to all of you.

Thanks, Roland. My woodworking method is especially good for wood from Georgia. Just kidding, it is good for any wood that can be glued. That means any wood from North America. There are qute a few tropical woods that are difficult to glue. My first target for a building project is something at the scale of a small cottage or large out building. If you have MS Powerpoint i can send you a cd that shows what it is about. We have snow, at last, in Burlington. I haven't made it out snowboarding yet but will go between xmas and new years and maybe a day before then. At times last summer, I thought it felt like winter (like the whole stinkin summer!!), but this is definitely different. Be good, have fun.

Richard.....awesome man!!!!!!! Go for it. Sounds exciting and very practical and maybe wil send you through the roof financially!!!! God Bless You!!! Keep us posted please. What kind of native woods? Could it be used here in Ga on some of ours?

Thanks Pat. It is music to my ears (love you too). I will be doing my presentation at the Forest Products Lab in Madison, Wisconsin on January 7th. I am pretty excited. Fortunately, I can add it on to a business trip that get's me all the way to Milwaukee on January 6th. The VT Natural Resources office has also gotten Pat Leahy's office interested in what I have been developing and I think I will be talking with them before Christmas. It is all about my basic scheme which is to be able to use native timber for a classic style of building- kind of like post and beam- smaller parts- assembly like legos- and making use of wood that is not being used now. I'm needing some good vibes out there guys!!!

Why Richard, I have loved you since 1971. Go figure........ - )

We're on Maui now, just a couple more days of surf and sand. I'm loving it. there is a band playing below us in the courtyard Lori. You'd enjoy it.
True is though, I'm getting homesick.

That's great, Richard. When do you think you might be going to Wisconsin? I hope the woodworking works out for you because it seems like that is where your heart is.

Have fun, Patti! Which island are you on? I love Hawaiian music. Something erotic about it.

yeah, whoops my new email is lovelessr@verizon.net. lori reached me a couple of times and that has been great. it has not been that satisfying an email connection but it seems to be working okay now. if you write, i promise to tell you the secrets for being a really boring engineer. some think it is all about mindless attention to details. i think it is about avoiding decisions. the truth is that i am going for it right now. i have a new patent in place that i hope will get me back into some woodworking that is cool. i think i will get invited to the forest products lab in wisconsin to present my ideas. that place is mecca for future wood tech. please wish me good luck. this means you too, pat!!! i am not asking you to understand me, i just want you to love me. is that so much to ask?

I'm enjoying Hawaii very much. Any place warm is great for me. 5 degrees back home yesterday a.m. Ouch....

Pat, thought I gave you my updated info but email is punchman@joimail.com and address is pob 2294 loganville, ga 30052. Enjoy Hawaii!!!!!!!

Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving holiday.

I have a few names that need work so if you know what to do to correct their return of the new listing please let me know.

The following came back: Rick Fagan, Richard!!. Roland!!, Karen Hack, the Nancys Cordle, Yancy, and Bladyka, John LaPlante!!

We have heard from Dave Perrin and I can add him back in with his new address. Anything else you can tell me to help straighten this out, I will appreciate it.

Happy Thanksgiving from me, too, to all of you! We'll be having it at our house with all of Avi's family, plus boyfriends, girlfriends, and visiting cousins--so it might be a group of about 29 people. His sister helps me with the turkey, and another sister-in-law is bringing some vegetarian stuff. Otherwise I'd be panicking by now! Enjoy your families!

Limited rain up here in the north country. Kevin is driving home tonight about 5 1/2 hours so we're glad it's warm and not freezing on the roadways.

I left school about 2:30 and the pie baking began. It's fun to have the boys home to bake for. Kevin will stay maybe till Sat. Then back to southern Maine.

We leave right after school this coming Wed. for Boston. early flight to Hawaii TH a.m. Yummy!

Happy Thaksgiving everyone, may you all be with those you love - Pat

Glad there was no damage to your house. Its pouring rain here right now. The temp was very mild, its still 45 now at 5:30. There was no school today so it was cook and clean day. My daughter called last night and said she was taking Amtrack home and getting in Thursday at 5:00. That was a surprise, she usually doesn't make it home for Thanksgiving. She'll stay until Monday morning which is great since she has only been home once since last Christmas. It'll be a much smaller Thanksgiving with only six of us. Some change from the old days when all the in-laws would come and there would be at least 15 for dinner. I am most greatful for my wonderful family and good friends. Everyone have a wonderful holiday, wherever and whomever you are with.

Happy Thanksgiving and Gods Blessings to All!! PreThanksgiving weathere here is about par. We had tornado warning till 2pm toady and a few fronts come through and trees down, 2hr airport delays, and mucho freeway backups. Glad I did't decide to drive north this year. All I got was a limb on my roof and thankgoodness it is tin so no damage. Good weather for ducks though, ha ha. Cold front coming tomorrow night but supposed to be only into the 40's at night.

The very same to you Karen and to everyone else!
No snow here to speak of just cold and anticipating.

Hope you have a HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

No snowboards here Richard...... dips into the low 40's at night and will bounce back to mid 70's daily probably till after Turkey Day. We had to put down one of our prize show goats last night. It was sad but life on the farm. The Llama looks in on me eveynight through the window just to make sure I'n there. His name is Ghost (as he's all white and was born a year ago on Halloween). Hope all is well. Spending this Turkey Day here in GA at my friends sisters house.

Best Wishes to you Kathy and safe journey. Sounds like a wonderful Christmas present for a grandma. We will be driving to VT on Tu, picking up one of my boys in Winston-Salem, NC on the way. We will have Thanksgiving on Friday at my brother's in Southampton, MA and start the drive back on Sat. evening. I am a little worried about going to cold weather but glad to hear you have had 50's. My mom and dad said they have a momma bear and two cubs raiding their bird feeders ... yikes!

It was in the low 50s today in Springfield, so no snowboarding here. Neil and I will be celebrating our 32nd anniversary on Thursday. I always chuckle because all my male relatives had to miss deer hunting for a day to come to the wedding...they always reminded me of that even years later. Anyways, I hope everyone is well and getting ready for the holiday season to begin. Anyone have big traveling plans? I am going to Raleigh to my daughters on Dec. 19. She is having a baby on Dec. 20...a planned c-section. So I will get to be with Caleb my 2 year old grandson and a new baby for Christmas...

Hi, Can we go snowboarding yet? Real life sure has really hard experiences to get through. I like snowboarding because it gets me out of my head and into a world that doesn't freak me out. Maybe I'll get better at reality with a little more practice. I was in San Francisco for halloween. It was a blast. I also walked in a redwood forest for the first time. Wow. 2300 year old trees, 325 feet tall. Be good, have fun.

Wow, thanks Brian. I'd forgotten about someof those people. Springfield still lives!! Dick always made people happy and you're right, there's lots to live on the fun side and take all you can now because you can't take it with you.

Brian, thanks for giving us the details of the funeral--and for your reminder about not living "timid, uninteresting lives."

Got a note from Krishna yesterday asking for MaryAnne's address. I don't have it unfortunately but she did follow this a.m. with a copy of Nickki's letter to her following attending the service and gatherings for Dick. As Brian said an amazing tribute. Nicki didn't find the address either though.

My suggestion is that the Davis Memorial Chapel must have the family addresses on file and will forward messages to them.

We got snow starting lst Friday and it's cold enough that the ground is still white and there's a lot of black ice. I'm really having a little trouble with the idea that my son is on a bicycle in the dark of night wearing no helmet. I've got to convince him to start walking. For a smart kid he's not very bright. Parenting never ends..........

Did anyone get MaryAnn's address?
We just had the first ten minute snowstorm of the season. Tonight is suppose to be the coldest night of the fall. Makes you want to dig out your longjohns for recess duty tomorrow. We had a kindergarten come in late today minus a coat. "I forgot it". Imagine a parent bringing a 5 year old to school not knowing he doesn't have a jacket on. Anyone have big plans for Thanksgiving?