New year, same old news

January 11, 1999

It seems hard to believe we're into the final year of the 20th century. Well, if you want to be technical about it (and who really does?) there are actually 23 more months until the new millennium, but no one else is counting this way so why should we?

We're a bit late with the January missive because it has been a busy few weeks. Christmas was grand, despite the usual last-minute hustle-bustle that comes with trying to find gifts, wrap them, entertain and conduct life in general. We somehow survived and even managed to host the holiday gathering that was attended by Glenn's folks and Roni's sister, Jacki, and her family.

We have all battled illness in the past month. Benji has had one cold on top of another, thanks to the fact he now attends preschool three hours a day three days a week where he is exposed to a couple dozen other kids and a couple million germs. Glenn got zapped by the creeping crud three days before Christmas, but fortunately had recovered enough by then to enjoy the festivities. Roni was not as fortunate, contracting her version of the ailment a day before the holiday. Nonetheless, she bravely performed the role of gracious hostess even as Glenn had to depart before dessert to spread Chrstmas cheer at the office.

With the holidays winding down we found some time for one of our favorite hobbies — railfanning. We spent a foggy morning Dec. 29th in Stockton watching trains at Stockton Tower with David Epling, John Manter and a host of other folks we'd never met until that day, but whose company we enjoyed. On the homefront, Benji and Glenn embarked on a bold plan to convert the spare bedroom into an HO layout that will join the one Benji already has in his bedroom. As of this writing the clutter has been removed from the room and track plans are being designed.

Jan. 4 brought a special visit from one of Glenn's longtime friends, Glen Campi. It was the first time the two Glen(n)s had seen each other in more than 2-1/2 years, and the afternoon included lunch at Little Manuel's in oakley followed by a loooong walk on the recently extended Marsh Creek Trail. Plans have already been discussed for a barbecue get-together sometime this spring at the Campi homestead in Morgan Hill.

We have had more than our share of equipment failures and mechanical glitches in the past few weeks, it seems. On the heels of the now-infamous November hard disk crash that claimed many of our files, Roni's photocopier decided to call it quits in late December, followed by Benji's computer monitor. A decision to water the front lawn on New Year's Eve resulted in a stuck sprinkler valve (in the on position, unfortunately) that required immediate replacement. Glenn got a spiffy new glass-mount antenna to use with his scanner in the car, but then the DC adapter cord died. On the functioning-but-could-go-at-anytime list are the garbage disposal, the odometer on Glenn's car, the shocks on Roni's car, the laser printer, the VCR and ... let's face it, we should have studied to become mechanics instead of writers and photographers. We hope this is all just a precursor to winning the lottery and then we'll all have a good laugh about it over a glass of champagne.

Hope your new year is a happy and healthy one.

Glenn, Roni and Benji

Return to Friends and Family Corner