NANCY TRESSEL BROWN

Just got back from tricycling a book over to Alice Riddle Metry as she’s going back to Detroit in a couple of days. Just finished the book in time to keep her out of trouble for awhile.  We had lunch with Stevie a couple of months back and had a GREAT time. Had a cat (Balimese) disappear also about two months ago. Her sister is handling this better than I. What you don’t know is that I used to cry when Lassie didn’t come home and cried harder when she did (Even if she was a he).  In this case, I feel like Peter Pan. (Never did grow up). In Roger’s and my life cycle, we’re looking at moving to a retirement home. (The Dreaded Home). He’s gung ho, but I’m dragging my feet. I’ve always felt (as learned at Hood) rules are made to be broken.

Other than the above, Mr. Lincoln, I enjoyed the play. Take care of yourself, Molly. I enjoy reading about everybody.

GENIE (EUGENIA) SMITH DURLAND

Doing this by email is so easy. Hope you have happy travels. Latest from us is that Bill celebrated his 85th birthday in March and we had a huge party for the event. He finished is 8th play which goes into production May 21 and 22. Writing plays and books keeps him young and me too, since I do all the editing, communications with publishers, and lots of the leg work on play production.

We have two great granddaughters and a third (daughter or son?) on the way in July. One is in Hawaii with her parents (our grandson who supervises construction projects there) but the other is right here in Colorado so we see her often.

We continue to be very active in our Quaker Monthly and Yearly Meetings, and look forward every year to Yearly Meeting – coming up in early June in Ghost Ranch New Mexico where the hiking and birding are unmatched!

As always I will have my birthday – 81 while there.

ANN  FORTENBAUGH EICHOLTZ

Unfortunately I do have news this time.  Paul died on April 19th, and I am trying hard to adjust to my new way of life after 58 years together. My family and friends have been so supportive and have been  helping me get through all the “stuff” you have to do.  Molly, where do you go in PA?  Are you ever near Gettysburg?  I would love to see you. 717 359-0289or you have my email.  Nancy Cohen Locker is in Gettysburg and I see her occasionally.  Have fun on your travels.

SUSAN WINTER SMITH

Does time roll around faster or is it me? Anyway, not much to report from the Great Northwest. We are settled into our routine in our apartment after three years. I confess I still miss our house on Mercer Island but know this is way easier to live here.

We acquired the cutest little dog last summer when we rescued Mandy from the Yakima Humane shelter. She is a little white poodle mix. I never really liked poodles but she is so very sweet.  We went to Phoenix in April to visit our son and his wife. Very much enjoyed seeing them in their new home. The day we arrived back home I entered the hospital with bilateral pneumonia.I was a sick puppy for a while but am slowly recovering. I have idiopathic Pulmonary fibrosis (meaning only idiots get it) so the pneumonia really hit me hard.  Mother’s Day was delightful with two of our kids coming. We had a lovely brunch here (that I didn’t have to cook). We heard from our daughter in Bellingham and our grandkids as well. We have two grandaughters in college now, one a senior at Western WA and the other a freshman at Evergreen College.

This is all there is and it isn’t much, and do what you wish with it. Enjoy all your travels.

ELEANOR HESTON SHIPLEY

My Dad was Assistant to the President there while I was in high school so Hood was my second home.  I went to Connecticut for two years, then transferred to Hood as a day student.  Got married that Thanksgiving.  I did not graduate because #1 child (Ginger Shipley Hankins, Hood 1980) arrived exactly ten months after our wedding.  Mamas were not allowed in those days!  So now here I am these many years later with four happily-married offspring, 13 grandchildren (#14 on the way!), and one great-grand.  I have lived in the same house for 46 years – up on Gambrill Mountain overlooking Frederick.  Unfortunately my husband died very young so there have been many tough battles to fight.  I guess I have made it!  Pretty strong for an 81-year-old.

PEG REEVES LEOPOLD

From Christmas and another letter, Peg’s shared stories of her family and extended Leopold family adventures sounded exciting for those who attended (not always Peg) – to include the finals of the women’s World Soccer contest (yea, USA) in Canada, a Leopold family reunion in Duck, NC where they filled out ancestry kits (she didn’t share if she is linked to the Neanderthal line), and a number of stories from the younger generation.  What a variety of involvements – Early Childhood Education, UVA linguistics and Spanish teacher/advocate for teenage children of immigrant farm workers, massage therapy, musician and photographer, and doctorate study for physical therapy.  Peg herself continues in yoga to help those ailing bones and works with the Master Gardeners.

MOLLY SMITH SPERANDIO

If I didn’t travel to see family and friends, I probably wouldn’t travel at all – too busy doing the things I’m interested in here at home.  My sisters’ reunion in April is always a blessing to me – to be able to spend time with my four older siblings – and this year enjoy celebrating the matriarch of our generation’s Smith Family celebrating her 90^th birthday – Kitty Smith Dunn, Hood 1947 – in June at the extended Smith Family Reunion, our 35^th year together.  I was also able to travel to CA (flew this time) and enjoy my four grands, children of my deceased son, Doug.  Life goes on with us octogenarians – we have our aches and pains to deal with and now bilateral Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (CTS) is telling me maybe I need to look for someone else to take over this editorial job.  Hint, hint!! 😉