Holiday Greetings from the Hills of Breckenridge

It’s been a busy year with the addition of our newest child Elena Lynn Scott on 19 September 1998. She’s a native of Vail so when we are over there we always ask for the local’s discount. Elena is beginning to smile and develop a very laid back personality. She likes heat from any source so everyone gets to hold her hence her nickname "The Orb" from the Woody Allen movie Sleeper.

Uh Oh, They are going to put me on the internet and I know this can't be good.

Maggie is now 19 months old and very busy all the time. Having her around the house is like the proverbial Bull in a China shop but even more so; at least the Bull gets tired. Her favorite show on TV is Teletubbies and it absolutely mesmerizes her.

I'm a wabbit, just a wittle wabbit

We went out to Hawaii for a couple of weeks for some sun in June and stayed with my father and his wife Amy in Kaneohe. Had a great time visiting and were able to hook up with Suzanne’s brother Bob and family in Waikiki. I went surfing with him and Keith (Amy’s oldest son) for the first time in 20 years and still had limited skills. It’s just like skiing; if you didn’t ever learn how, you still aren’t very good at it. Keith made a big hit with Maggie by making her balls of sand to investigate/destroy; it’s amazing what will interest a small child. On the way back, we stopped off at my sister Allison’s in Santa Monica for a quick visit and met up with my brother Jon and Allison’s friend Kerrin. Maggie saw the beach and made a beeline for the water.

August found us in the San Francisco Bay area for my cousin Rob’s wedding. We spent a week with Bob & Gail et al. up in Sebastopol near Santa Rosa where we had a pretty good time just hanging out. We went to the Sonoma county fair and I thought I was in Texas; the fact that it was 100 degrees just helped to complete the illusion. I went over to Fort Ross, an old Russian fur settlement, and walked along the San Andreas fault in a redwood forest. We then went into SF and met up with lots of relatives and cousins at the Stanyon Park hotel in the Haight Ashbury area next to Golden Gate park. The hotel was fabulous; actually old apartments. Our suites included a kitchen, dining room, and sitting room and rather than try and coordinate large restaurant parties, we sent out for food and drank really good wine. Rob and Cheryl were married at the Presidio military chapel and the reception at the officer’s club was a delight. They had a live jazz/dance band and the food was great. The next day, about 27 of us headed up to Sonoma to tour the wine country and once again, we all had a great time. Some made an ill fated attempt to bring wine home but we soon relieved them of their burdens; no sense carrying the stuff all the way home.

My mother was out to help with the new baby for most of September. She got a chance to see some of the fall colors but left before they peaked. The Gold Camp Road between Colorado Springs and Cripple Creek was spectacular this year. As a special present for Maggie, we bought a play gym for her. Kim (Suzanne’s cousin) and my mother put it together while we were at the hospital, much to their regret. Maggie loved it but it was unbelievably dangerous with lots of ways to fall off it onto the hardwood floor. My mom did a good job of keeping Maggie from hurting herself but while we came back from the hospital relatively relaxed, my mother looked ready to go in for stress. Reading the instructions afterwards we learned that it wasn’t recommended for kids under three or use without major padding. I got to take it apart and haul it back to the store where they told me it happens all the time.

Here's what my Grandma looked like when I arrived home from the hospital

Laurel, my younger sister was out here for 3 months and just left today, the 15^th of December. She’s been a big help with the kids and we went out to several of the area Hot Springs with Maggie. Once again, Maggie made a beeline for the water. We also managed to get out on a few hikes to keep up our walking skills; very important around here.

In other news, Josh the dog died. He was 17 years old and just couldn’t walk anymore one day so Suzanne took him for a one way ride to the vet, a nice man by the name of Kevorkian. I’m being extra careful to make sure I can walk in the future.

Bill & Barbara (my uncle & aunt) sold their half of the duplex and have moved to Durango. The day they moved has thus far been the only significant snow of the season; about 5 inches. A nice couple with small kids has bought their side and they come up on weekends from Boulder.

 

I wish that stupid fly would stop landing there

Best Wishes from all of us for the coming year,

Logan, Suzanne, Maggie & Elena