2021

Louise and I are still living in beautiful downtown Butler, Maryland with dog Holly, five chickens, two cats, snake Corny, and lots of firewood split by Paisley Louise — love it. Family inventory: Son Bob, 23, works at a machine shop in Timonium, he brings metal shavings home; daughter Martha graduated UNC 2017, circled the globe several times, speaks Mandarin, birdwatcher, now working for DOT in Manhattan, lives in Brooklyn (who doesn’t?) with Danny. Daughter Edith and husband Dave are teachers outside Boston, Edith special ed and Dave high school biology at Natick High (Doug Flutie’s alma mater), they have three glorious offspring: James, Nor-nor, and Bellie, ages 3 to 5, in virtual constant contact. Albert, Gilman class 2000 (may not admit it) lives in Hoes Heights off Falls, and is professor of film at MICA/JHU. Catch his movies online — Sylvio and Strawberry mansion (debuted at sundance and sxsw), and animated Tux and Fanny (in Russian), all by Albert Birney. Oh yes, staying at home all this time we've gone dwelling crazy — we’ve put a yurt in our back field, tiny house adjacent to our house, row houses in Fells Point, and 39th and Greenmount (garden district), and remained car crazed with a ‘79 Ford truck (runs intermittently), ‘92 Toyota truck (runs all the time — drive to work), ‘82 VW rabbit truck (diesel — starts right up), ‘61 corvair (runs great — was featured in a movie), ‘09 Kia (most reliable we have), VW station wagon (too fancy), ‘72 VW bus (needs work), ‘86 Toyota RV (love it, been to Canada and South Carolina, it’s a dog, top speed 55), and Honda dirt bike, and minibike with new oversized motor I put in (too fast — very unstable), two tractors — a ‘61 Ford 2000, and a ‘59 Massey TO35 (cut the grass with the ford, To35 is a lawn ornament) — bus and TO35 — retirement projects. Tore my achilles last fall pushing the dumb a** ford pickup — Obie called me to commiserate — made my day.

Co-presided with Wick Sollers at the wedding of my goddaughter, Alex Tickner, at Lake Tahoe a year or so ago. I think David was looking to save a few bucks and I was very honored to participate. In case Dave forgets to write in, Alex and Brian have a beautiful new baby boy — sure to be an All-American with that pedigree!

If you’re in the neighborhood, check out the reincarnated Butler Cabin — Ted Bauer’s worked his magic again – he's got a big triumph motorcycle strapped on the ceiling — it's packed almost every night! Dodging COVID, I’m still going into work at JHH five days a week — I like work but every day I can’t wait to get home. Last week on the way home I noticed the crusaders of St. Pauls playing a lacrosse game, something drew me, and I turned in. Just seeing a live contest of any sort was a welcome, but I must say unusual experience — I know I’m getting even further over the hill when I got choked up, simply looking around at the family spectators in masks, cheering and clapping, flashing back while thinking about what we’ve gone through the last 12 months or so. How will these kids remember all this? I hope everyone has all their family members to celebrate this reawakening with them. Was great to see everyone at our 40th — I regret not spending more time talking with all you guys back in the 5th form room — what a blessed opportunity we had — it’ll be our 50th before you know it — look forward to seeing you all!