Family Letter 2006

Dear Friends,

I hope you have had a happy and healthy year. Good health is such a wonderful blessing. Travis and I have been very fortunate in that respect. We are 74 years young and stay very active. We work in our flower garden, grow all our vegetables, run the senior citizen exercise classes at our church, and I cook once or twice a week for my family and friends. There are always at least 24 people at my table. (See photo.) I also finished (finally) my second cookbook. It is called “Supper’s At Six-Second Seating”. It will be available around Oct. 1st 2006 and will contain over 300 recipes. So you can see I stay very busy. Actually the only time I feel old is when I look in the mirror. (Of course that problem is easily solved.... I just take off my glasses.)

And now for the family update.

Ramona, (President) said to let everyone know that she celebrated an important anniversary! This is her 10th year of being on a diet and not losing any weight. She also survived a year of daughter Madison’s drivers training and managed not to have her foot go through the floorboard of the front passenger’s seat. Speaking of Madison, (Chief Cookie Taster & newly licensed driver) she was accepted at the N.C. School of Science & Math in Durham, N.C. for her junior and senior year in high school. This is quite an honor and we are very proud of her. Ramona says she will miss her. However, she also says she really hasn’t seen Madison since she got her license. Madison’s absence means that her Chief Cookie Taster status will be bequeathed to cousin Isabella. Since Isabella describes herself as a “dessertarian” we know the job is in very capable hands. The Assistant Cookie Taster will now be her sister Fiona. Grandson Jed, (Cookie Taster Emeritus) is still taking a break from college to pursue his songwriting & is studying guitar. He has built a sound proof room in the far corner of his parent’s basement and is working hard to save enough money to outfit it with the equipment and software he needs. Ramona is already planning what she will wear to the Grammys.

Son Michael, (Vice President) continues to volunteer at church and has become quite a bike rider. He usually rides 150 miles a week. Sister Ramona asks, “Wasn’t it enough that she had to worry about a 16 year old new driver-now she has to worry about her 51 year old brother speeding down curvy country roads?” Actually Mike has had one rather nasty accident. However he is not sure what hurt the most- the 4 broken ribs, or overhearing one of the nurses refer to him as “that elderly gentleman that had a bike accident.” Ouch!

Have a wonderful 2006 & 2007 and I wish you much joy and good health.

Evva Hanes