Labor Day has come and gone signaling the start of the holiday
season. It is the time of year when our thoughts turn to you, our
closest and dearest friends.
Labor Day has come and gone signaling the start of the holiday season. It is the time of year when our thoughts turn to you, our closest and dearest friends. It gives us a chance to show our deep concern for you by preparing this form letter about us. So, we have lovingly dictated this letter, had our loyal and faithful assistants sort them by zip code, and prepare them for bulk mailing to you, our closest and dearest friends.
Having teenage children is certainly God’s greatest gift. Watching Drew and Vanessa blossom into responsible and appreciative adults is our greatest reward. The way they embrace their responsibilities at school and here at home is a credit to them and to our remarkable skill as parents. Why just the other day, I handed Drew $50 and told him to take his girlfriend somewhere special, and he said, “But Dad, I can’t take this. I didn’t do anything to earn it.” We laughed. “OK, just this once,” he said.
Drew is still tutoring the normal kids at the academy. His work with Amnesty International has forced him to give up his position as Chairman of the Young Republicans for Jesus, but there are only so many hours in a day. He barely has time to maintain his International Grandmaster status in chess, and when will he ever finish that second novel?
Vanessa continues her work with the blind. She was as surprised as anyone this spring when she brought sight to three people by just a laying on of the hands. Her tour of Russia this past summer as lead cellist, performing Dvorak’s Cello Concerto, Opus 104 was a rousing success. “The people are so charming, and it gave me a chance to brush up on my Russian,” she said when she got back. She paid the price for this tour, though, by only finishing second at the Ironman Triathlon. Oh, well.
Renée continues her cancer research and her work with the incurably stupid. Her book tour promoting her latest work, “My Friend Menopause,” was a rousing success. (Did you see her on TV with Diane Sawyer?) Apparently, menopause can cause some women to become irritable (?). Renée’s book helps women remain cheerful through this transition. How does she do all this, and her cooking show, “In The Kitchen With Renée,” and still have a gourmet meal on the table every night at 6:30? What a gal.
Our six-week trip to Fiji was a very enriching experience. Knowing your keen interest, I went to the additional expense of including several pictures of our trip. That’s Renée on the beach in front of the Hyatt Regency with Julio, our Cabana boy. And yes, that is her hang gliding off the summit of Mt. Tomanivi. That girl will try anything. The native people are so warm-hearted, and we found their abject poverty so charming.
Yes, we are very busy. It would be tiring if it weren’t so stimulating and rewarding. There are those with lives like ours that are condescending and pretentious, but we are fortunate that we are able to live extraordinary lives and do it with disarming grace and elegance.
So, tell us, we are dying to know, what is new with you? The help tells us that the fall TV line-up is quite good. Did you get a big screen TV? Wow! And there are so many channels now, I’m told. Well, you can bet that we are holding our breath waiting to hear the mundane and tawdry details of the lives of you, our closest and dearest friends.
