Most of us will remember 2001 as the year of the WTC terrorist attacks, both for the loss of lives and for the changes for everyone militarily, financially, and personally. We can look back on other events that we also will and should remember, the same way we’ll remember 1963 not only because of Kennedy’s assassination, but for the birth of our son, Michael. Here’s how we’ll remember 2001:

January: Hughes begins bagpipe lessons in preparation for summer gig; we explore mountains, beaches, cloud forests, cities, and jungles of Costa Rica on foot, swimming, kayaking, hiking, and on mountain bikes (the photo on the right is near the foot of Mt. Aranel, one of the most active volcanoes in the world) for two weeks. See here for details; Hughes flies to Columbus to perform at 15th (and his final) storytelling conference for Ohio State; Judy and Bella begin obedience school.

February: Ken Andrews visits during annual ski trip; finally enough snow here for snow shoeing; both busy with Chamber/Visitors Center (working with Michael to create Chamber web site (a good one; see it for everything you’d like to know about our area); also busy getting library ready for April opening; former Ohio neighbor Chuck Hodge pays too short a visit.

March: Snowy month; we stay close to home; neighborhood dinner club group keeps us warm and fed; dog training continues (Sophie starts agility classes), library opening preparations (picking up donations, cleaning facility, raising money, etc.); attend program on trip to Peru, Inca Trail, and Machu Picchu (see June).

April: Purchase small RV (low miles on ‘86 Toyota chassis: good mileage, very comfortable, gutless on the hills) and take maiden trip to Sand Dunes, Creede, Lake City.

May: Judy wins age group in Bolder-Boulder for 10th time in 11 years (did not run in ‘98 because of Australia trip); four days RV camping and biking in SE Colorado: dinosaur tracks, Old Bent’s Fort, La Junta; our back meadow turns green when the snow melts, and the hummers arrive at last.

June: Judy attends fire-fighter classes in Montrose; Peru is Grand Trip #5 (others were UK/Ireland, Grand Canyon rafting, Copper Canyon, and Australia/New Zealand): Amazon jungle, Cusco, hiking/camping 5 days on Inca Trail to Machu Picchu is incredible experience (see here for more than you might want to know).

July: Return from Peru, miss 4th of July in Nederland and scramble to get ready for 40th wedding anniversary party; grandchildren Griffin and Julia top age group hand muckers and spike drivers at Nederland’s Miners Days contests; celebrate 40th with Michael and Cindy, Debra, Dan, Griffin, and Julia plus another 50 or so family and area friends; leave next day for vacation with family to Steamboat Springs for a week of bicycling, tennis, hiking, eating, tubing, fishing, shopping, and sightseeing.

August: Incredibly busywith library, visitors center, etc., then slow down for four great days of area hiking with Philip and Ann Bennet, friends from our Switzerland trip last year; they join us at the “Picture and Pisco Sours Party” with Peru trip folks; Judy learns she needs cataract surgery on both eyes, plans for October and November procedures; we pack for 2-week RV trip to Wyoming to meet with the Eisenhuts and Williamsens for four days in Yellowstone and Tetons; Sophie and Bella have first experience with a kennel in Jackson (see here how beautiful Wyoming really is).

September: When we learn of World Trade Center tragedies on way back from Wyoming, we feel the need to be at home, so we leave immediately; find that all our friends are OK, though Dan was very delayed getting home from business trip to Europe; Judy’s Aunt Margaret (pictured below with Judy and Carol MacKenzie, Margaret’s daughter) visits for family wedding at the Stanley Hotel in Estes Park (think of Stanley Steamers and where the movie The Shining was filmed); we continue hiking new areas in the Indian Peaks (on the left is a view of the continental divide as we approach Devil’s Thumb Lake).

October: Mild fall weather continues, and so does our weekly hike; cataract in Judy’s left eye removed in routine operation followed by fast healing and recovery; we attend program on climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro and diving off Zanzibar, sign up immediately for trip next summer.

November: Surgery on Judy’s right eye also goes well, “new” eyes make world brighter and sharper than remembered; quiet Thanksgiving at Michael and Cindy’s—dogs play, so do Broncos, though the dogs do better.

December: Still not much snow, only a few cold nights; we install new tile floor in greenhouse (we’re almost done with remodeling projects envisioned 10 years ago); weekend in Vail with neighbors and visit with old friend André Willner in nearby Avon; Judy gets new glasses and can see perfectly for first time in years; end of the year social events remind us how fortunate we are to be surrounded by friends and family throughout the year.

        We hope your holidays are as joyous. May 2002 be better for everyone.