I might mention that it's fall 2008. How time flies. Here's a picture of me with friends in Colorado. While I was having sleepovers with the girls, Blair was battling Mother Nature in Ohio. Power's back on and things have returned to what passes for normal here.

Since I retired in June, I've been flexing my artist muscles. The renovation of the studio makes me take my new career more seriously. 

It's been a lovely, arty spring. David and Tessa have had several shows in various venues (Chicago, Pittsburgh, Coshocton) and after David's graduation, will be moving to Chapel Hill where they'll both teach art at UNC in the fall. Click on the images above to see David's shocking art.

Hillary's been in San Diego, nesting with Mike, hiking, working on projects…look at her travel blog to get a sense of how west coast life agrees with her.

Tessa's show in Coshocton gave us one of those brief windows of opportunity to get together. It was all part of the Dogwood Festival and the blooms along the way were a treat. To download the article about Tessa's art in the Spring issue of Surface Design Magazine click here or on the image above.

Blair and I have mostly been homebodies. Drumming, blogging, working. Life is good.

Such a party! Such a cake! See the pictures from our group's 60th birthday party. We celebrated the 60s…then and now…each in our own way.

Special thanks to photographers Terry, Jan and Hollie. 

View the pix.

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David's first attempt at averaging our faces resulted in this Rembrandt-like mixture. The female version resembles one cousin who didn't attend. You can see that most males lean toward facial hair. Most interesting.

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David lined us up and captured each of us at Thanksgiving dinner. He intends to run our pix through an algorithm he's devised to come up with the average relative. The program will compare 36 facial points and come up with what promises to be a strange amalgam of our clan.

Fall has been full of activity. From a week at Pingree, Colorado to an evening of drumming with artist friends to a visit from Maggie for a color workshop, we've packed the season full of fun and color.

Hillary's been traveling the country and we vicariously enjoy her Burning Man sojourn each year. David's entering his last year at CMU and Tessa's teaching there. Tessa's also got a full schedule of impressive shows in Cleveland, Pittsburgh and the Toronto area this fall and winter.

Blair's drumming has taken a more serious turn with the group often requested to perform at a wide variety of functions.

We continue to work our day jobs with the election having a significant impact on Cynthia's job what with lots of folks retiring and the administration changing.

And today Carol and I went to lunch with Aunt Mary and Rosemary who are here on a visit from Florida. At nearly 101, Aunt Mary kept me laughing with her stories about her continuing search for the perfect man. She certainly is a role model for aging well.

November includes a trip to Santa Fe for a week with friends and then the gathering of the family for Thanksgiving dinner.

Glenda Ferrenbach was here for a visit from France recently and we spruced up the site for her home in France. Take a look. 

We had a great time in Whistler, Vancouver and Seattle. Thanks to Mike and Min for the use of the condo and to Grace and Adolph's continuing hospitality.

You can see some additional vacation pictures here, including the incriminating one that shows us all relaxing with our laptops. Our hiking jaunts were interspersed with web surfing. Watching the mountain bikers careen down the ski slopes was something to behold.

It was a glimpse at another world and lovely chance to get away from it all.

First there was the ear operation…hearing's much improved thanks to medical science. Blair drummed in the Arlington parade this year. What a treat and a paying gig! The bedroom's done and lovely. On to the next project.

David's back from Serbia and Tessa's returned from her travels. Hillary leaves NYC in August for some new adventures.