Happy Christmas, Hannukah, Kwanzaa, Festivus, and New Year from the Hammers!
Christmas 2019 was the biggest gathering of our clan in more than a decade! The New Jersey Hargadons, the New York Whytes, and we Hammers and the Woodheads from California convened in Albuquerque at the end of December to celebrate with the Shander-Bawden-Wascher families there. Christmas Eve the whole lot of us got together at Michael and Shander’s house.
Counting the New Mexico folks there were more than 30 mishpokah — the four Bawden-Hammer offspring from back east plus the two Bawdens from Abq were there, as well as all of subsequent generation save Santagio, who was off in Mexico.
Johnny, Kerenza, Teona
The rest of the year made up a nice mix of work and family, travel, and enjoying life in SoCal. In January Stephen was invited for performances in Bogotá, Colombia, and Ruth came along for a fascinating but all too short visit, a high point was the Gold Museum featuring intricate Pre-Columbian pieces. In May we were able to fit in a trip to northern Europe for a Baltic cruise along with our friend Lenore, highlighted by a two-day visit to St Petersburg. Then in November we finally made it to Yosemite National Park, a fabulous experience.
While not on the road we continue to like sunny SoCal, enjoying visits with our great neighbors in Valley Glen and Alison, Charles, and Dylan five minutes away. Over the summer when we were renovating our kitchen we were able to stay in the apartment over their garage for six weeks (not sure it was such a plus for them, but they at least got some babysitting and dog-walking out of the deal). A few weeks ago they had their annual potluck Thanksgiving party, with 17 friends and neighbors in attendance. Dylan of course is continuing to grow in size and cuteness, walking like a champ and fascinated by anything mechanical, also making more expressive noises, although his discernable vocabulary thus far is limited to “up!” and “uh-oh!” with the occasional “da-da.”
We went to visit both the Whytes in Fishkill and the Hargadons in Glen Rock while back east in August. Teona and Ray are heading for empty-nest status: Kevin is now a junior at U of Maryland, and Samantha is becoming a HS senior next year. Kerenza and Kenny’s Owen turned 7 this year and is in second grade; Kerenza and Owen made it out for a visit during Spring Break — we crammed in a lot of attractions including the Japanese garden installed at a local sewage plant, Union Station where Owen entertained a couple of LA’s finest, and hat shopping at the Oliveira Street market
On the way home from the summer’s east coast jaunt we stopped off in Albuquerque. Greet is finishing up a semester in Prague and will return to U of New Mexico in January; Kat was graduated from high school in May and is now a freshman at Colorado State. We didn’t make it to Boston this year, but fortunately Bill and Becky were able to come here a couple of times, encouraged by Bill’s work projects and the chance to hang out with Dylan/Elvis. Brook is still in Providence, finishing up her nutrition degree and pursuing internships. Charles’ parents Pauline and Graham were able to come for a couple of extended visits this year.
Meanwhile, we’re keeping on, in pretty good health despite the vicissitudes of getting older. We both had cataract procedures in the spring—Ruth had both eyes done and is seeing beautifully, Stephen had his questionable right eye done which required six months of drops and follow-up work, but is now seeing somewhat better out of it. Ruth’s digestion continues to stabilize with intermittent issues. Editing work keeps coming in, and she’s still enjoying the SoCal climate and making her garden ever more idyllic. Stephen had performances this year in New York, Washington. San Francisco, Mexico City, and Colombia as well as with groups in the LA area, the Aston Magna festival in Massachusetts, and the festival he helps organize in Blue Hill, Maine. Jack the wonder dog at age 4 is reveling in being spoiled with treats, cuddles, and tummy rubs and becoming steadily calmer and ever more affectionate.
Not a bad year on the whole despite the craziness of national and international affairs. Hoping for things to move in a less exhuasting direction in 2020, and wouldn’t the timely departure of Agent Orange help with that?
Hoping to see you before long!
love,
Ruth & Stephen