Daily Archives: 01/02/2010

(Community Matters) Gosh, thinking back on the “weekend” just now remembering the extraordinary tour arranged for us at the McDonald Observatory.  What a perfect way to celebrate Benjamin Brooks’ 5th birthday, not to mention the visit from DC of Gabel & Dio and from Austin of Isaac, Charlie, Solvye, Emma & Max.

Foreground right: 0.8-meter Telescope. Background L-R: Struve Telescope, Hobby-Eberly Telescope, Smith Telescope, 0.9-meter Telescope  (McDonald Observatory pic)

Jill & Feferman inside the Hobby-Eberly telescope’s dome

inside the Harlan-Smith, 107-inch, telescope’s dome, touring with Dr. Sneden

we also had dinner in the astronomer’s quarters with Dr. Chris Sneden, his wife and Joel Barna, enjoyed the Twilight Party, the Star Party and walking the catwalk of the Harlan-Smith even later.  from the top of the Harlan-Smith to the sub-basement where the light is refracted, reflected and otherwise bent to remove imperfections – extraordinary.

(Community Matters) Much celebrating and lots, lots, lots quality time with dear friends.  Not only did we take over most of the Paisano Hotel but keeping the Rock Hudson suite as a hospitality suite as well as the site for the New Years Eve bash created a place for community and the making of even more friendships. (pic: Eugene & Boyd Elder)

Of course, those here all dear friends of mine & Steven’s.  And, we so wanted those who didn’t already to get to know each other even better.  Worked out terrifically that Margo & Gregory’s 5yo loved playing with Mitch & Ingrid’s 4yo, and that their 6 and 8 year olds, played so well with Sonya & Reid’s 8 year old, who obviously adored Nancy & Keith’s 13-yo twin son, ditto on Sonya & Reid’s 11yo daughter and Keith & Nancy’s 13 yo daughter.

Michael & Rachel new to this tribe and widely adored by the kids as well as the adults.  Helped that Michael brought all the sports equipment for Thursday’s three bursts of soccer & football.  The kids were no worse the wear, though the adults feeling a wee bit sore the next two days.   (pic:  Michael & Rachel Feferman, Dio Cramer, Max &  Emma Graves & Peter Johannsen)

And, mixing our tribe of 50 with another dozen Marfans and part-time Marfans made for a spectacular new years eve. Regrettably, I didn’t make it over to Tobin Levy’s bash, nor to the Teepee Party at Cosmico.  We did make Terry & Suzanne’s earlier in the day.

The Hilltop hotties hosted a New Years Day brunch at their place overlooking the city.   Rest of the day spent eating, reading, walking, touring and last night a big night for leftovers, dictionary, Banana gram, cards and more wine.

A couple of folks pulled out of town yesterday, nearly all the rest today.  Last night I blew out my back, so I haven’t been too helpful with the packing up and loading, and I’m now mostly stationary.  ughh

Some (not many) pics from New Years eve. 

Sonya Cohen Cramer & Jill McRae

Dick DeGuerin, Joe Christie & Mitch Berman

Michael Feferman, Christina Gutierrez & Hazel Barbour

Graydon Parish & Kim Hughes

Dio & Gabel Cramer, their daddy Reid Cramer, Max & Emma Graves

Robert & Valerie Arber

Susan Ghertner & Margaret Keys

Vivian Castano (off to left), Kim Hughes & Michael Mitchell

Terry Mowers, Barbara Hill & Suzanne Tick