Dear friends and family,
This year we were happy to get back to some level of normalcy after the worst of the COVID pandemic. We both continue to be retired, but are quite busy with our involvements in nonprofit organizations.
- Dan’s Intel-sponsored Encore Fellowship at Airway Science for Kids (ASK) ended in March.
- Dan was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Union Gospel Mission of Portland (UGM) and started a strategic planning effort for the organization. So far, Dan’s effort has succeeded in updating the organization’s mission and values statement.
- Nancy continues to contribute to UGM’s LifeChange for Women program by cooking, mentoring, and tutoring math.
- Nancy also continues to volunteer with Women of Vision, an affiliate of World Vision. She continues to be on the Portland area leadership team, the Chapter Development Team, and participates in projects for the local community.
- Dan joined the Watercolor Society of Oregon and is doing website design for the organization.
Our travel was disrupted again this year due to COVID and world events. For the second year in a row, we cancelled our annual winter trip to Park City Utah, as there was a COVID spike at that time. We also further postponed our planned river cruise through Eastern Europe, as the Ukraine conflict broke out close to our scheduled dates. Hopefully these trips will finally happen in 2023….
In the spring, we made several trips to help Dan’s mother move from Pittsburgh to northern Virginia. She moved into an assisted living community close to Dan’s sister. It was a lot of work, but all worked out in the end, and Dan’s mother is now happily established in her new community.
In October we spent a week in Palm Desert. It was a great trip including hiking, golfing, and visiting the Joshua Tree National Park.
 |
| Hike in Indian Canyons |
 |
| Joshua Trees in, of course, Joshua Tree National Park... |
 |
| Nancy and her new friend at The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens |
 |
| Butterflies at The Living Desert Zoo & Gardens |
November brought a new tradition: With my mother’s move to Virginia, our Thanksgiving was there with her and Dan’s sister, instead of cooking for the extended family in Pittsburgh.
We continue to enjoy the year-round nature show which takes place in the protected green space behind our house.
 |
| Pair of Red Tailed Hawks |
 |
| Bald Eagle |
 |
| Great Blue Heron |
We continue to run, to cook and bake, and to play golf virtually year-round. Dan has continued taking watercolor classes and is slowly improving. He also took a drawing class in the summer to help improve the realism of his paintings.
Merry Christmas to all, and best wishes for a great 2023!
-- Dan & Nancy
