New Years 2024

 Wow, what a year we had in 2023!

I got a new hip in January and recovered more quickly than I had hoped (but unsurprisingly, it felt slower while I was doing physical therapy and healing!). It’s fantastic, now in the new year, to hike pain-free, though I may always be a 4-5 mile hiker and not a marathoner! I’ve loved getting back to swimming 2 or 3 times a week, weightlifting, dog walks and birding around Alameda and in the Regional Parks, and occasional longer hikes with friends. I’m so thankful for good health!! I’ve been busy all year with my birdy-volunteer work on the board of the newly named Golden Gate Bird Alliance (formerly Audubon) and co-chairing the related conservation group, Friends of the Alameda Wildlife Reserve. I co-led the Bird Alliance’s major fundraising effort, Birdathon, last year and am doing it again this year. Let me know if you’d like to financially support this important organization. One of our great joys was the drama of a nesting pair of Bald Eagles at our local Alameda Golf Course. You can read all about it in some of my news columns for the Alameda Post (https://alamedapost.com/features/alameda-life/big-junior-an-alameda-bald-eagles-story/). I love writing or editing some good news columns about our local wildlife! I’ve still got my chocolate business, www.cocoacase.com, and can hook you up with some awesome environmentally friendly chocolate! I did a few corporate events as well as donated chocolate to support nonprofits such as the Animal Shelter, BirdNote, and PTAs.

Bob and Mike Haugh with the Vespa

Bob is finishing up his last months (or year) with EB Municipal Utility District. He’s really looking forward to having more free time to work on his 1970s-era Vespa, spend time with me and friends, do more “whatever he wants to do - gosh (ala Napoleon Dynamite!).”

We had some fun camping trips this year with friends to Sugarloaf Ridge in Sonoma (twice!) and Grover Hot Springs. Post-retirement we hope to buy an A-liner trailer to camp even more comfortably than our tent. Our expensive new air mattress from REI saw us through this year - sleeping on the ground (and getting up inside a tent) is proving more challenging as we age. We still love it, though, with morning coffee, the smell of pines, birds and squirrels (bears and racoons, oh my!) – the beauty of the great outdoors! We’d like to travel the US and explore more National Parks as well as some international spots (not with the A-liner!): Italy, Denmark, Scotland to start.

We’ve made some trips to Sylmar/S. CA to visit Bob’s parents. His Dad is 91 and his Mom is turning 90 this month. They’re doing well and still living in Bob’s childhood home. His sister lives fairly close to them.

On a recent hike in Austin with Tanner, Renata, Will and Addie

We’ve made many trips to Texas to visit Sam and the grandkids and Tanner who lives just an hour away from Sam and kids. We’re learning to appreciate Texas, though we’ve found that only one season really shows any beauty: Spring. The Bluebonnets and other wildflowers really are amazing, and I live in hope to see a Painted Bunting on one of our upcoming trips (they've eluded my efforts so far)! Will turned nine in September, and Addie turned seven in October. They’re enjoying school. Will loves his theater group and was in the Lion King production; we were able to see a performance when we went to visit in December. Addie loves dance and gymnastics. Her trampoline skills are amazing and she got a balance beam for Christmas to go with her uneven parallel bars - she’s a powerhouse! Sam will leave the Army in May and begin working remotely for a tech company in Cyber Security sales. He’s looking forward to not working 12 hour nursing shifts and having more time with the kids. Tanner continues to enjoy his technical sales job and has just launched a new app www.hangardirect.com with a friend, sort of an AirBnB for airplane hangars. Pass the word to any of your pilot friends!

Tanner & Renata, his girlfriend; Renata, Tanner and Sam

Bob and I started attending a local church in Alameda, Christ Episcopal Church. We love only driving 5 min., rather than a ½ hour to Berkeley on Sundays. We’re enjoying getting to know this new community. I am still part of the Berkeley Women’s Bible Study on Friday mornings; this has been a hard year with the passing of some of our long-time members, but it’s a great supportive community I’m so glad to have in my life. We still meet with our “Small Group” of friends from the church who’ve been gathering monthly since our kids were in preschool. Bob & I also enjoy participating in the bi-monthly Midway Shelter (for homeless women and children) meal prep team with a group of friends.

We wish you a wonderful year ahead full of exciting adventures! Hopefully we’ll get to see you and catch up in person!

Sent with lots of love and apologies for no Christmas cards this year (thanks so much for yours!),

Sharol and Bob

Leading a birdwatching trip for 3rd graders at my favorite spot.