Christmas 2004

Dear Friends,

Here it is the end of 2004, and I say as I do every year, "Where did it go?" You may have noticed (or not) that the McPhersons did not send greetings of any kind last year, unless it was an informal "Help! I'm getting nowhere fast!" slapdash greeting. This year, however, I am trying my best to get ahead of the curve, and let you all know how much you mean to us BEFORE Christmas arrives. And I do think that Christmas is a good time to catch up with everyone - we'll tell you our stories and hope that you tell us yours.

Thanksgiving of 2003 Ainsley and I went to Guatemala for my sister Freddi's daughter's wedding at Lake Atitlan. My niece is a journalist in Guatemala City, and her husband, from Peru, is working in the Peten, where he is teaching residents renewable economies, in an effort to save the rainforests in that part of the country. We had one fabulous time. As soon as we returned, Ainsley began to research educational programs abroad, and will be leaving for Costa Rica in February, not to return until January of 2006. Although she is thrilled and excited, I may not survive. Still, I know what a wonderful opportunity it is for her and know she will gain much maturity and perspective on the world which our small part of the United States does not afford. In my more vindictive moments, I giggle at her having to learn physics or calculus in Spanish.

In addition to getting ready to depart for a warm winter, she has been taking Spanish I and Spanish II concurrently, doing well in each. (Actually, she was supposed to have finished Spanish I during the summer, but the correspondance has been painfully slow - don't tell the guidance counselor at her high school that she didn't finish Spanish I before taking Spanish II!) Her bus driver is also the cheerleading coach; when she found out Ainsley was a gymnast, she recruited her for the High School cheerleading squad. She still spends 18 to 20 hours a week training for gymnastics, still plays the piano, still takes Honors courses in school. I have no doubt that I would never have been able to handle at her age what she pulls off so gracefully.

I continue to be active in the local theater scene, performing in 3 or 4 shows a year at various theaters near Chatham. It is getting to the point that directors call me to ask me to be a part of their cast, rather than me having to audition as an unknown each time, which is really gratifying. In addition, I am the Drama Coach for the Chatham Middle School and have formed a wonderful collaboration with a local playwright, who works with the children to write original plays which we perform - several of which have been published, with the local kids listed as "original cast", a real thrill for all of us.

I rode in a fundraising bicycle ride this past October from the Cape Cod canal all the way to Provincetown, a distance of 60 miles. I finished 70th out of 300 riders (young Turks, weekend warriors), in 3 hours and 42 minutes. Unfortunately, I have a lot of difficulty walking, as my knees continue to deteriorate with arthritis (bicycling is way easier than walking!).

Jim also has begun to bicycle and can frequently be seen on the Cape Cod bike trail. He also is the parental expert on gymnastics moves and can see things - good and bad - at gymnastics competitions that elude me. Of course, he also ends up as our technical guru, keeping the computer network at home humming.

So - the McPherson's keep perking right along, creaking joints and all, trying to stay active in order to avoid petrification. Jim and I are hoping to do a little traveling next year, while Ainsley is gone, although economics and local commitments will keep the travel from getting out of hand. We do wish you a holy and serene Christmas and holiday, and a happy and prosperous New Year.

Our best to you,

PS: See this year's meager photos - and those for 2003 from our Home Page!