Christmas Letter 2020

Same occasion, Mary with her HAPPY NEW YEAR tierra

The whole group.
We've been good friends with Ed and Beth Grady for several years and had dinner with them regularly.
That all stopped when COVID lockdown was declared. We've all had to eat in our rooms.
It's very sad that Beth's cancer came to a head and she died before things come back to normal.

Beth was a very dear person and wrote widely-used accounting software for Southern Pacific Railroad.

We've enjoyed having Julie close-by in Auburn -- 25 mile half-hour drive through beautiful countryside.
This is her mobile home, which she's made very comfortable and with good use of furnishings from our Lake Wildwood home.

Mary and I have had to walk all the way around The Lodge to get to our car
because during COVID lockdown entry is allowed only at the front entrance.
In the spring the walk was very pleasant as you can see here. They also take us by golf cart if we ask.

Here I lagged behind to take this picture of Mary approaching the main entrance.
Those are beautiful dogwood trees on the left, with azalea below them.

Same trees viewed from entrance side.
That's the golf cart in which Eskaton staff takes us to our car.

Other trees near the entrance bursting with blooms that we see up close when we walk in spring.

Also this spring we made our usual drives through the beautiful acreage homes in the plush part of Penn Valley
(just a few miles from our former home in Lake Wildood, which is also in Penn Valley).

Mary and I exchanged these pop-up cards on our 63rd wedding anniversary.

And this beautiful bouquet which we picked out together.
That's my favorite painting done by Marcia in the far right background.
Marcia is Mary's brother Gus's wife, both gone now. Mary and I are the last of the Mohicans in both our families.

In this record fire and smoke year a painful fringe benefit was spectaculary skys.
This is looking west over The Lodge roof with pine trees just outside the dining room main windows.
Mary is sitting with friend Harlow Rothert, both wearing masks.

Our children, Barbara, Julie, Craig and Dave put together a memorable 90th birthday for me in Pioneer Park, Nevada City a few miles from us.
Being able to enjoy it with the love of my life still beside me was also special. Now we're both 90 and enjoying life.

Group photo near the same bridge over a creek, both courtesy of Barbara.
You can see all of Barbara's pictures in Birthday
Three grandchildren (Nadia, Maddie, Tyler), one grandchild (Rory), and Barbara's Andy missing.

No snow yet, but I hope in January we'll see a repeat of this scene from our living room window.
Merry Christmas from Mary and Herb