Judy Ballinger reports, “The combination of being newly married to a man also recently retired from “regular” work and both of us getting increasingly busy with our own and friends’ art ventures has snowballed into a much too busy schedule. Our challenge now is figuring out how to slow down.”

Kris Campbell Joyce was a guest artist in Hokkaido, Japan, for one week and then traveled the country with BJ for two more weeks. Kris had taken a semester course on the history of Japanese art at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts and was well prepared for some of the things she saw. That trip was the highlight of her year.

Leilani Chen Viney retired 2 years ago, and is still a little in shock. “I’m still doing competitive ballroom dancing both with my husband and a professional teacher. It’s the closest thing I know of to the fountain of youth! I still keep in touch with my roommate, Gwenn Sterling Engle.”

Beth Costello Hobby enjoys “gardening, s’mores in the backyard with friends, not riding that darned bike like I should, eating out, giving art restoration seminars, re-doing the church landscaping, having a glass of wine now and then with my buddies, and really enjoying most of what it is to be 68! And, I’ve been a Great Aunt now for 5 months – how fun is that?”

Barb Cummings Stacks had very busy year. “We have just moved into a smaller house and are buried in boxes. Our new address: 42 North Main Street, Essex, CT. Telephone: 860-581-8770. There was interest in my book at our reunion and I am excited to share that it has been published. Childhood Roots, Raising Children Birth to Eight. Please email me for a copy.”

Angela Milea Mogin has a new grandson, Jason Andrew, the second son of youngest daughter Lauren Mogin Giamonna, born last January 23.

Ginny Munson Hammell moved twice in a year. “I have considered moving to Florida, but there are too many connections here…and now that I’m alone, I relish the (fast diminishing) friends and haunts here. Unhappily, no grandchildren yet.”

After teaching high school students with mild to moderate learning disabilities for sixteen years, Kitty Nevin Rieske was more than ready to retire. “Now I am enjoying being able to stay up to watch the Red Sox win the World Series and then sleep in the next morning! We can now travel on non-school vacation weeks and stay for more than a week.”

Jeanne Perkins Hofferkamp and Steve are expecting their third grandchild in December. They took a great road trip to Arizona and visited Grand Canyon and are still enjoying retirement.

Laurie Seymour Carlson spent the first half of the year recovering from a labyrinthectomy. “Since I live just a five-minute walk from my daughter & granddaughter, they are a big part of my life. I love it and feel truly blessed!” Her son and his family are also nearby.

Debbie Smith Aldrich has been free of breast cancer for three years. “Our library and my church provide me with a lot of pleasure.” Her children are both nearby, two grandsons are in college with one more to go, and Debbie has four great-grandchildren through a step-daughter.

Johanna Van Wert Thompson and Michael and both “retired” from part-time jobs this year and have very full days attending grandchild functions, traveling, and taking classes through William and Mary. “Fall is a wonderful time to visit Williamsburg and I would love to hear from anyone whose journeys bring them to this section of Virginia.”

Gail Witham Pohl and Doug had a memorable 2013, with trips to Italy and China, and a surprise quadruple bypass for Doug in August. One week after Doug’s surgery, they were in Pennsylvania for Gail’s 50th high school reunion. “The doc made me promise to drive and to make very frequent stops!”

Barb Wood Spellman had a busy year. “My husband retired in August of 2012 so there has been more time for travel. In October we added two granddaughters to our family. That brings us to seven grandchildren and four of them are girls — quite a change for someone who had four sons.”

I, Barbara Morgan Herron, retired at the end of June and started helping Craig with his film and video work. A highlight was working with actor Eric Roberts. I’m also retiring as Class Reporter. It’s been fun, but it’s time to move on.