My Christmas Greetings to Blogland

Even though you (me) are Time magazine's People of the Year, the times they are a changing. Our legal counsel has recommended that we offer you a politically correct Christmas (oops Holiday) greeting this year. Thus “Please accept with no obligation, implied or implicit, our best wishes for an environmentally conscious, socially responsible, low stress, non-addictive, gender neutral, celebration of the winter solstice holiday, practiced within the most enjoyable traditions of the religious persuasion or secular practice of your choice.” Now isn’t that warm and fuzzy?

Let’s push on to the news from our town—the community that most people don’t leave because the roads out are too bad. Speaking of roads: IDOT stands for the Illinois Department of Transportation. Last year IDOT installed at over $250,000 each a series of electronic signs on Interstate 80 to provide information for motorists. Last week during our first major snowfall of the season I 80 turned into an icy mess of jackknifed semis and blocked lanes that stranded hundreds of people. Did IDOT use the new signs to warn folks of the danger ahead? “No”, said a spokesman, “the signs were installed only for Amber Alerts.” Now here’s a question for all of our readers. “Can you tell me where to put the extra “I” in IDOT?”

Jim and Jan have continued to enjoy the fruits of retirement. Jan still keeps the Warren County Library Board, the AAUW Art Presenter Program, and the women of AAUW on target while also managing to coach some student teachers for Monmouth College. Jim retires from the governing board of the Buchanan Center for the Arts at the end of the year and just last month got a special award from the Center for his long time service.

He will now devote more time to a new “unpaid” job titled Director of Advocacy for the Illinois Theatre Association. Both of us would like to spend more time attempting to improve our golf scores, but we have come to the sad realization that for folks of our age practice does not even make better much less perfect.

Since we have too many shampoos, pastes, and emollients to fit into one plastic baggie, we decided to forego major travels this past year. We did sneak in a trip to London last spring to lay some ground work for the 3rd edition of London Theatre Walks (http://londontheatrewalks.com), but the rest of the journeys were stateside. We spent some time in Arizona with my cousin, traveled to Cedar Rapids and Minnesota for family outings, and also made a lovely trip with friends to see some Frank Lloyd Wright buildings in the Madison, WI area. The most recent journey was a Thanksgiving outing to see my sister and her husband’s new retirement home in South Carolina. While there we visited the Biltmore Estate, Brattonsville Pioneer Village, and did a quick traverse through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. If you feel the need for a travelogue with additional commentary look at http://stirringthepudding.blogspot.com

On the children and grandchildren front we can also report reasonably clear sailing. David continues as a computer guru and continues to devote equal time to music. He was featured in an article in the Grinnell College Alumni magazine and his music web site http://howwastheshow.com won an award from the Minnesota Music Academy as Best Online Music Media resource in the Twin Cities.

Amy and her husband Todd continue to do the parenting gig while holding down full time jobs. Luckily Iowa, doesn’t seem to be suffering too much from a decline in demand for new homes. Todd, the big builder in the family, continues to build houses, while Amy continues to build the minds of the horde of young’uns that all the new houses seem to be filled with. They are both looking forward to one of those milestones for young parents—the reduction of day care costs when Mikel, 4 ½, goes off to kindergarten in the Fall. TJ, the little builder, will be 11 by the time you get this. He has had a great time this fall making marvelous models of native American houses for his history assignments.


While we are in the Iowa mode, daughter Amy told me about the newest rebate deal. It’s called the 401 Keg Plan and is a real winner. It is convivial, environmentally sound, and a money saver. All you do is buy $1000 worth of beer. After you drink it, you re-cycle the cans in Iowa and get $214 back. It’s a win-win for everything but your liver.


That’s about it for another year. You’ll note that I’ve stayed away from politics and social issues in the thirty-third edition of this letter; they are in the capable hands of our President and Congress. And that’s my last joke for 2006.

We hope your year has been as pleasant and rewarding as ours and that your holidays will see good cheer, good health, and fun family reunions.

Merry Christmas!