Dear Family and Friends...We have enjoyed your cards and letters.
After a wonderful Christmas trip to Tampa December 2007, we missed sending our letter last year.
The photo at right was taken at 2007 Christmas dinner in downtown Tampa.

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News of 2007

Maggie flew to Costa Mesa, CA in February 2007 to see Catherine celebrate a full year of recovery and good health. Bruce took Catherine to Las Vegas in April for her 21st birthday, and in early May we three managed a weekend together at the cabin. Maggie developed a cough/flu/pleurisy and a stop at a Fresno 'Doc-in-the-Box' on the way to the airport led to her immediate hospitalization in Fresno--3 days in ICU, and a total of almost 3 weeks in the hospital. A pneumonia-like infection had quickly overwhelmed her immune system causing dangerously low blood-pressure. What a relief when she was finally released for Bruce to drive her home to Boise--a very scary and sobering experience. Both Jay and Catherine visited Boise in June and each later came for separate trips in the fall. In August 07, we thoroughly enjoyed a visit from Bruce's cousin Margaret Harling and her husband Joe. She was exploring 1800's Idaho family genealogy. Catherine was in Boise during the Harling stay and seemed enthralled by family stories and history. The year of 2007 wound down with our Florida Christmas trip. We and Catherine flew to Florida for a week with Jay. We relaxed with Jay at his apartment, met many of his friends, and enjoyed a lot of beach time with wonderful 80 degree weather. As is apparent in our couple-on-the-beach photo, Mag's good health had thankfully returned. We returned to Boise December 30th and a driveway full of snow to shovel.
Over the years, Jay and Catherine both would frown and say something like 'yuk' when Maggie and Bruce would compose then send out holiday letters each year. In Dec. 07, we were pleasantly surprised to receive from Catherine a card with pictures; and, to get Jay's holiday letter with photos which he had sent out to friends and extended family. He had been working full-time at Starbucks in Tampa. He took a course during spring 2008 at the University of South Florida Tampa campus to decide whether he would return full-time to academia to pursue an advanced degree, or pursue some other option.

Catherine continued to enjoy going to school and living in Costa Mesa. In 2007 Catherine shared a home with 3 other young ladies. At left, Catherine and Megan McDougall (a longtime friend from Boise..8th grade YMCA basketball) are holding their somewhat happy neighbor cat. She hadn't decided upon a school for her upper division studies--but it did take her father some 21 years to earn a college degree so she is still way ahead of things. In April 2007, Catherine and Bruce flew to Las Vegas so Catherine could play blackjack on the stroke of midnight of her 21st birthday. Of course, the dealer asked to see her identification and with a big smile announced to those nearby in the Venetian casino that she had just turned 21 years old.

Bruce continued to enjoy his semi-retirement (working about 1/4 time at BanBury Golf Course, doing household duties, and playing many rounds of golf) as well as completing many trips to and from California to conclude the sale of our cabin as well as visiting Catherine. Also, he had several side trips to San Diego to visit and golf with his college friend Bruce Valentine and his partner Barbara Miller--one of the visits during the October 2007 fires. The photo at right was taken thru his windshield on Interstate-5 coming into Los Angeles.

Maggie continued Speech Therapy work primarily with pre-school children. She felt fortunate that the School District found excellent substitute SLPs to cover her therapy time with kids & most of her paperwork during her 5 week medical-leave at the end of the 07-08 school year. That years' challenges included providing therapy to twins with their own speech system and to several Spanish-speaking children..Maggie does direct therapy in English but she sends home practice materials in Spanish. She also enjoys taking pictures of "her kids" with her digital SLR camera. The images provide powerful visual support for language therapy, and it's fun to share prints with parents.

News of 2008

The year began with the January 3rd escrow close on the sale of our Huntington Lake cabin...a process which took more than a full year to complete. Jay's course at the University of South Florida culminated with a 3 week trip through India in May. Maggie, Bruce, Catherine, and a friend of Catherine's flew to Tampa in July 2008 for a 12 day visit with Jay, which included 7 days in the Florida Keys. Our room had spectacular views as seen in the sunset photo below right. We drove to Key West--picture of southernmost USA at right.

Shortly after our trip, Jay moved back to Idaho in August 2008. His trip home was eventful as he drove across the South in the wake of Hurricane Dolly and just ahead of Hurricane Fay. With the cabin sold, Bruce only drove to California once in the spring and again in August visited with Catherine and spent a few days with his San Diego friends Bruce & Barbara playing golf. Maggie continues her Speech Therapy work with pre-schoolers at Koelsch and K-8 kids at Anser Charter School. This fall she took Spanish 101 at BSU...lots of work. Despite not having Spanish speaking preschoolers this year, Maggie really enjoyed the language learning. Bruce continues his part-time work at BanBury golf course. He enjoys helping with the BanBury website and has taken many of the photos for the website like the fall color on the BanBury 9th hole (below)...www.banburygolf.com

Jay continues his barista work (now in Boise) with Starbucks. He was named the Starbuck's Employee of the Month in November. Jay recently did training for substitute teaching in the Boise School District. He wants to get some classroom experience. He intends to become a school psychologist and hopes to find a graduate school program in school psychology somewhere in the West.

Catherine is waiting to hear on her applications in political science for Fall 2009 to several University of California and California State University campuses. She now has met all the requirements and has the necessary total credits as well as an excellent almost 3.8 GPA. She will be receiving her AA degree the end of this spring semester. The picture below was taken at a political rally she attended in Long Beach in protest of the November passing of California's Proposition 8. In October, Catherine and Maggie spent a weekend in Chicago at a 1st 'reunion' for JDM patients of Dr. Pachman. Catherine is one of a group who has committed to raising funds to cure Dermatomyositis. Her website is: http://firstgiving.com/catm

Any help is greatly appreciated--details on her website. There will be a weekend of Cure JM fundraising activities in La Jolla/Carlsbad, California the end of January 2009. Jay, Maggie and Bruce will join Catherine there for these events.

Wishing all our friends a healthy and prosperous 2009.
Fall Color on the 9th hole at BanBury golf course where Bruce works and plays golf