Merry Christmas 2020!

If you're expecting a sad recount of what could have been in 2020 without Covid-19, this holiday greeting will disappoint you, but I think most of us have had enough ruminating over regrets for a reality that never was.

Let me summarize that our kids and their significant others all kept their jobs, working remotely.  While we all missed doing some favorite activities during the last three-quarters of the year, we carried on, making the best of what was available.  I must confess that we continued to enjoy life.  None of us contracted the much-feared disease, as far as we know.

After traveling so much in 2019, I was reluctant to embark on our South America/Antarctica cruise in January, but we thoroughly enjoyed that journey through the Southern Hemisphere with our long-time friends Mike and Linda.  Tango and penguins stood out among many highlights.

We're forever grateful that we cruised while we could.  Because we help friends who are following their dreams, we're happy to still be standing as Cruise Planners as we enter 2021.

Still domiciling in relaxing Redondo Beach, we continue to enjoy long beach walks daily in a perfect climate when we're not traveling.  We often spot dolphins, sea lions and other wildlife.  Both cable TV and internet reception proved strong, so life is very good indeed.

With the extra free time available this year, I took up two new hobbies, or should I say regressed to my college years? The Great Courses lured me with a special rate for unlimited online education, so I proceeded to begin 18 courses of between 8 and 48 classes long.  So far I've completed about two thirds of those classes and plan to take many more course beyond that. I've covered the equivalent of another year of university general education, I would guess. I also picked up my guitar steadily for the first time in years, practicing about 45 minutes to an hour almost every day. When she and her parents came to visit us, Emma learned a few guitar chords and sang a duet with me of "Shallow" from A Star Is Born.

Always an avid reader, Julie finished over 100 books this year.  She continues to follow her schedule of daily activities and spends a great deal of time planning our future.

We mixed in some overnight stays with Darlene, Brooks and BG3 at their lovely home in Point Loma, where we kicked back or feasted, but also found time to solve the world's problems.  We have joined them for Christmas in sunny San Diego as a change of pace this year.  We plan to drive up to Big Sky to kick off the New Year.

We're blessed to have a second home in gorgeous Big Sky, Montana, where we spent more time this year than any so far.  We began by skiing on New Year's Day at the end of a very Merry  Christmas vacation with Jay and Sasha.   Then in March, we returned to join Amy and Lukas for awesome spring skiing.  Darlene and Brooks again graciously hosted us all on these stays for what is the best skiing in the world.

Jay and Sasha drove up to be with us in Big Sky for Father's Day, taking a few days on their own to visit Yellowstone National Park and a horseback excursion while we watched their new puppy JoJo.

Julie and I were enjoying such a wonderful stay in Big Sky that we simply weren't ready to go back to the chaos that Southern California seemed to be --- at least in news coverage --- so I flew to LAX to pick up prescriptions and the mail, and then I flew back up to extend our stay.

We drove home to Redondo Beach to welcome Gina, Emma and Laszlo, who flew out for a fun visit in August.  We loved having them with us to play games, go for walks and share meals.  Emma showed off her roller skating skills on the bike path along the beachfront.  After they spent a few days with another branch of their family, they returned, and we all went together for croquet and lasagna in Brentwood with Jay and Sasha.

A long-in-the-works plan called for Julie's sister Jacque and her husband Mike to come to Montana, so as crazy as it may seem, we drove back up to Big Sky at the end of August for another wonderful stay.  We first met up with them on a day trip to what had once been Mike's Uncle's cabin on the Madison River, where they spent a couple of nights before coming to Big Sky.

In November, Gina, Laszlo and Emma hosted us on our outstanding extended sojourn for a fabulous Thanksgiving in Pennsylvania, with Amy and Lukas driving over from Jersey City to join in the festivities.

We all were happy to help with preparations for the Thanksgiving feast that Gina and Emma had carefully planned.

Among the highlights was the annual production of Grandma Mary's Fruit Cake, spearheaded by Gina. 

In June, Amy and Lukas had visited Merion Station for Emma's socially-distanced tenth birthday party.  Amy also stayed a week at Gina's home in August.  

On a road trip, Amy and Lukas met up with Gina, Laszlo and Emma at Ricketts Glen State Park in Pennsylvania to hike and explore waterfalls.

All those shared memories that we missed made Julie and I jealous, motivating us to seriously consider moving to Pennsylvania.

The pandemic forced Amy to give up roller derby when Covid-19 shut down first the season and then almost everything else in the New York City region, but she helped Emma learn how to roller skate during her visits to Merion Station.  Amy stayed fit by working out at home using exercise videos and kettlebells.

Amy's good friend and co-worker Rachel and her fiance Oliver moved into Amy's highrise in Jersey City, so they were able to form their own "bubble," which kept city-life happier.  Rachel postponed her big wedding, but they ended up being married in a smaller ceremony on Amy's balcony.  Amy became certified as a minister in order to conduct the ceremony, so the guest list didn't need to expand beyond their bubble.

Amy and Lukas also spent a lot of time in upstate New York visiting Lukas's parents, who live in the woods near a pond and a small farm. We were happy they enjoyed long stays away from the city. They also took a multi-day backpacking hike in the Adirondacks High Peaks Wilderness with two friends. They conquered the challenge of "three mountain summits, unexpected rock climbs, pouring rain, a bear, trails that turned into streams and a collection of joint injuries inherent to a 40-mile excursion on slippery, steep and uneven terrain."

On the career front, Amy's employer was bought out by North Equity's Camden Media, who subsequently promoted her to Vice President of Digital. Her boyfriend Lukas's energy storage company launched a successful Initial Public Offering, moving them out of the start-up phase and generating a lot of excitement.  He was recently promoted to Senior Scientist.

Jay and Sasha also found navigable career channels through the rough seas of 2020. Advertising became a lower priority for some businesses like restaurant chains forced to shut down. After all, what is the point of promoting your dining or vacations if big cities and states have blocked the bulk of your business opportunities? Nonetheless, in his position as VP of National Advertising for Universal Music, Jay managed to hit his numbers by placing music in ads for national consumer brands, tech giants and big box retailers whose businesses flourished in that same socially-distanced environment. Sasha's fundraising efforts raised lots of money for UCLA Health, a leader in medical research.

They accomplished all despite working remotely most of the year. While they couldn't take an international trip to one of the exotic destinations they particularly enjoy, Jay and Sasha hit the road in their Range Rover with iPhones and computers, working much of the summer from Park City, Utah, where they helped Sasha's mother Libby sort through and either pack or discard a liftetime of family possessions.  Back at home in Brentwood, they found incredible sunsets while relaxing in the hot tub after work or cruising in their classic MG with the top down.

They also took a cross-country drive to spend Thanksgiving with Sasha's grandmother Maudie, who would have been without family for the holiday. They will spend Christmas with Libby in her new home in Venice, California, along with Sasha's sister Whitney and her husband Adam. Jay and Sasha also got together with us a few times for a walk or a meal, including in Brentwood for Mother's Day.

The big event in their lives was the adoption of JoJo, their adorable Cavalier King Charles Terrier-Beagle mix pup. When they purchased her from a breeder, they didn't know they would be working from home, but that turned out to be a blessing. They never had to leave a simpering puppy to go to the office.

After Gina kicked off the year at a workshop on developing PhD programs in epidemiology in Zurich, Switzerland, her office at Drexel University soon became virtual for most of the year.  That didn't slow her down.  An exercise and diet regimen brought Gina down to her high school weight.  In 2020, she published a half-dozen peer-reviewed articles in prestigious public health journals. In bigger news, Oxford University Press released her first book, Urban Public Health: A Research Toolkit for Practice and Impact.

Zoom allowed Gina to teach classes as well as attend meetings throughout the year. Laszlo also worked remotely for Drexel much of the year, but when school resumed in the fall, his computer support position required his physical presence four days a week (plus one day from home) to facilitate remote education.  Laszlo worked some evenings preparing high schoolers for SATs.  Emma's school had a series of starts and stops, but Zoom classes didn't stop her from excelling, as we were able to observe when we visited in November.

Sacrificing the play and social interaction as a child during this pandemic could easily be an excuse for whining if not clinical depression, but Emma came through it all smiling and cheerful. Academically, she's earning an A+ in 7th/8th grade math, reading and writing better than most adults, and mastering every other subject put before her. Independently, she's been learning foreign languages, roller skating and piano. She also finds time for interactive video games with her friends. She understands having more time with her parents is a blessing, and she makes the most of that.

In addition to being great hosts and visiting us in California, they took a few family trips to Nanuet, New York, to visit Laszlo's parents Z and Ria, who also come to see them occasionally. Gina, Laszlo and Emma took a family trip to Asheville, NC, where a highlight was a visit to America's largest home, the luxurious Biltmore Mansion, and a Pinball Museum. 

As promised at the outset, rather than list marginally insignifcant complaints about events outside of our personal control, this holiday letter has recapped a wonderful year for our family. 

Our hearts go out to families who lost loved ones or had businesses go under. May this holy season bring solace followed by renewed optimism to any who are hurting, and good tidings for all.

Merry Christmas!

Wes, Julie and Family