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December 2003 Durst update:
At
this point in our lives it’s probably enough to say that we’re still here, and
as healthy as we’ve been in some years! But the turmoil of the world around us
makes our quiet refuge seem almost unreal. And of course, from my viewpoint, quiet
is bad and I get impatient to be up and moving. Lincoln’s content to study math
and walk around the block every day the weather allows; Jeannette keeps busy with
work and karate and dog-sitting, and I keep myself more or less busy with the
zoo, where I do the docent newsletter and scan slides of exotic places in the
research department. [This is our youngest Golden Lion Tamarin monkey, Cindy
Lou Who.] Monhegan also claims a fair amount of attention in the summer, and
I still run the bus trips to New York six times a year – 18 years now, and as
popular as ever.
Of course all this doesn’t keep ME satisfied. This year, I went on an Earthwatch to Athens, Greece, for a couple of weeks and then split a week visiting Santorini and Naxos – beautiful islands both. I’m not sure where the next excursion will be, but I am sure that as long as I can afford it and am physically capable, I’ll be off when I can! [I took this iconic view of Santorini from a restaurant overlooking the sea. If you want to see a LOT more of my Greek pictures, look at www.briegull.com/Greece03/ ]
We
enjoy our only grandchild, Sarah, now 4 and like many girls of her age enamored
of Princesses. It rather bothers my feminist side that the old is again new and
girls are now more “feminine” than ever, looking for Prince Charmings to play
with the Disney princess girls, but on the other hand, it’s innocent play compared
to other options available in the world of toys.
I’ve started to get more involved with conservation organizations hereabouts – I did websites for Barrington’s Land Conservation Trust and for the Monhegan Associates but am ending my long involvement with the Brown Learning Community as its leadership and character change.
I hope you’re all thriving and encourage you to enjoy life like our sweet Sarah does, have a joyous holiday season and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!! To these sentiments, Lincoln says BAH HUMBUG. And encourages you to make a New Year’s Resolution to VOTE!
-Clare, Lincoln, & Jeannette Durst
(top: an early snow gave us a dramatic rooftop mountain range!)