Hello from Brooklyn where as I write cookies are baking and hens are laying. Last January we took our first ever family winter vacation to warmer climes and spent 8 days in Turks and Caicos to general approval. This January, the family winter vacation plan takes us all to Costa Rico with some friends for the warmth and explorations. We’re still not certain what the summer of 2009 will bring for either Zoey or Masha. We’ll likely visit Grandma Claire on LBI at some point; a trip to the North Fork of Long Island for one or more long weekends is a certainty as we enjoy it a great deal; the pace is reminiscent of LBI years ago and the food and local wine is wonderful.
We do look fabulous at
the Plaza Hotel for the wedding of one of my ex-residents and the daughter of
one of my friends. I’m claiming credit for the Shidduch as she met her now husband
when she rotated as a student in our ER and I assured my friend, her father,
that my resident would be a good addition to his family. At work, we opened
additional space in our ER last winter and the patients have come—we’re busier
than ever; still 23 minutes is the median waiting time to see a physician—56
minutes is the national average per USA
Today (12/14/08).
This academic year, Masha is living at home with us and taking courses at Hunter while planning her next steps. In June, Zoey now majoring in Physics, computational techniques; moved out of the dorm and into off-campus housing with five others. One of the guys set the stove alight at 4:00 AM one morning to no one’s delight. In June 2009 Zoey plans a move to a different house with a smaller group of closer friends so mishaps are less likely—we all hope.
Simone’s farm has seven hens, down three thanks to our cat Chad’s efforts at thinning the flock of chicks in late spring. Simone again served as a site coordinator with the Cobble Hill Community Supported Agriculture program that supports local farmers and supplies us with fresh produce. She continues the Brooklyn branch of the German Shepherd Dog Rescue, just celebrating its tenth anniversary, that she helped establish when we were in Philadelphia
Three of Simone’s seven chickens are laying and we’ve enjoyed the eggs and given others as gifts. Ethel, the Buff Orffington held by Zoey in the photo on the card was the first and still champion layer. Our old GSD Hillary still hangs on at age 13 and somewhat more than 10 years with us. She’s been joined by Leo, a terrier mix in sheep’s clothing rescued from a local shelter.
We’re fortunate that our mothers remain active and mostly well though not without some of the challenges of great age. These family tidings remind me of friends who are struggling with their health and life itself. I hope you are taking care of yourselves and enjoying the world around you. We would love to host your visit to New York in 2009.























