Dear Friends:

Following last year's letter, my friend Bud Siemens stated that the letter was so long
that he and mate Nancy had to read it in relays.  Bud is now officially out of the Trust and, grudgingly, this year's communique is shorter!

My Mom, Lois:  Still in her care home in Dover, OH.  She celebrated her 91st birthday in August. Her health is deteriorating, especially memory.  Sister Gloria and I visited in January, May and September.  We plan a visit in mid-January 2002.

The Kids:  Chris continues at the digital map company Tele Atlas (formerly Etak -- the name changed this year) as a senior technical support engineer.  The company had some layoffs recently, like other tech firms, but Chris is not too concerned about the long term.  He began teaching yoga this year at gyms and Sun Microsystems and still teaches group aerobics.

Lisa, Andre,  Cole and Madison are doing very well.  Andre is looking at retirement from the Richmond Fire Department in 2-3 years;  Lisa continues as an RN at UC San Francisco and loves the hospital.  She works two days a week but is away for about 14-15 hours at a  time.  Cole turned 9 this year and  is growing quickly.  He has a great personality and is fun to be around.  Andre, a former college linebacker, is showing his son the ropes to carry on the family football tradition!  Maddy turned 6 this year and is a very sweet and wonderful young girl.  She loves kindergarten and is quite creative.  She is very cute and reminds me a lot of Lisa!  The boys are going on their annual fishing trek to Oregon on December 26th.  And a new addition to the family -- Henry, a chocolate Labrador retriever, is enjoying a dog's life.
 

Travel:   During the September trip to Ohio, I visited friends in Ohio, then on to Washington D.C., Maine, Long Island, Manhattan and New Jersey.  It was a great 3-week excursion which I wish I could do more often!

Accomplishments:    The back yard is, for all purposes, completed.  Water is pumping from Bacchus but I want to add some more water pumps and lights.  This and other minor works will be done in the spring.  I'm very pleased with the outcome.

Next Project:   We'll be finishing up new front and rear doors.  The back door to the yard is being designed and will be stained glass with a Tuscany motif.  The top half will be glass only.

By February, I hope to be in the kitchen.  The plan there includes appliance replacements and new stone countertops.  Then our army will march to the front yard and final victory will be achieved and that will end operations once and for all  [now have you heard that before?!]

Tragedies:  Besides national events, several of my friends lost their spouses this year but the greatest loss was the surprise death of Shirley Cuneo, my first wife and the children's mother.  She was diagnosed with bladder cancer early in the year, had a successful surgery but the cancer returned in the summer and she went down very quickly -- the children were at her bedside at UCSF for three weeks.  She was only 65 and such a loss!!  The kids are devastated as is her mother Bernice, 91, who lives in Benicia next door to Shirley's house.  In fact, Bernice moved to Benicia in 2000 to be closer to the family.  The grandkids are also having a tough time with the loss as Shirley was a big figure in their young lives.  We are all trying to step up and do more with them.  Jim Cuneo, Shirley's brother, was appointed by Governor Davis to the state Workman's Compensation Appellate Court in San Francisco.  He and wife Jana, who just got a job in the city,  are living near the Embarcadero.

2002:   Will be attending an Air Force reunion in Arizona and then in May a trip into the bowels of the earth to visit Havasupai in the Grand Canyon region.  In September, back to Columbus for a Sigma Nu fraternity reunion and the OSU football game.  And of course continuing with the SF Ballet, Opera, Symphony and several regional theater companies.  It's a wonderful and busy life.

Hope you and yours are well!!
 
 

Rick
 
 

The National Security Advisor and her go-to man when she needs advice!