Highlights of 2003

HIGHLIGHTS OF 2003

January We had a visit from Oakland friends, Heidi and Don Zwakenberg. Heidi's first visit to Hawaii was great fun for all of us. We enrolled for yet another session of basket making classes with Gail Toma and Valerie continues rehearsals with the Honolulu Symphony Chorus.

February Valerie starts training to become a docent at the Hawaii State Art Museum (HiSAM). Bonnie Connor visited. Bill started working with the Voyaging class at Windward Community College as tutor and celestial navigation consultant.

March On our way to Phoenix for the wedding of Valerie's son Nicholas and Sarah Veirs, Bill took a side trip to Portland to visit daughter Katie McCabe and family. It was a fabulous wedding, officiated by Kimmerie. Nic and Sarah came to our apartment in Honolulu for their honeymoon while we played in Oakland. Back in Hawaii we had a visit from Valerie's friends Jennifer Chavez and Aann Golemac.

May Bill flew to Long Beach in order to help our friends, the Hazletts, sail their new boat, Pua'ena, to Waikiki. The crossing took 17 days.

June Valerie started a Hawaiian language class and, with the Honolulu Symphony Chorus, sang with the Royal Hawaiian Band at the Waikiki Bandstand. We all played long and hard at Valerie's 45th (!) high school reunion including reunion with favorite "get into trouble" friend, Kathleen O'Connor. We joined the partiers as the reunion went on to the Big Island where we extended the trip to visit friends all over the island. We visited Valerie's old haunts, hiked to the Waipio Canyon rim with a former classmate one day and walked out to view the active lava flow another which was a powerful and dramatic first for both of us.

July We had the wonderful opportunity of working with artist Patrick Dougherty on a major installation at The Contemporary Museum. At the same time, we worked the midnight to 6AM shift at race headquarters for the finish of the Transpac yacht race from Long Beach to Waikiki. Valerie completed her docent training and encourages any and all of you to visit HiSAM. It is a great museum.

August Susan Rose and Mary visited. We went sailing and had fun reminiscing about our old escapades on the barkentine "California".

September We enjoyed a two-week trip barging on the Canal du Midi in France with good friends Carol and Frank Plasil and their friends John Wurtz and Jonna Datz, and another two weeks with Carol and Frank in Spain ( Barcelona and Bilbao and the fabulous Guggenheim Museum there.)

October Valerie performed Brahms' Requiem with the Honolulu Symphony Chorus. Lisa and Jim Sides and their kids Austin and Kelsey visited. Lisa and Valerie worked together for years and it was wonderful to see her and her family again. We joined the Kaneohe Yacht Club. Bill, in preparation for next year's Pacific Cup, took his crew out on an overnight sail. They almost got to Molokai before heading for home.

November Marge Bartolini, dear friend from California, was here recovering from running a successful mayoral campaign. We talked and talked and ate and talked and ate. Glorious. Toward the end of the month we left for Boston where we were met by Valerie's daughter and son-in-law, Kimmerie and Brian. Together we drove to New York City where we met up with Nicholas and Sarah. Why New York? Karen Kennedy, the brilliant director of the Honolulu Symphony Chorus, had been invited to conduct at Carnegie Hall and 80 members of the Chorus were able to join her! We sang Mozart's Solemn Vespers at Carnegie Hall on November 30th. It was a thrill beyond words. While in New York we all had brunch and a fun tour around the East Village with Valerie's niece, Keira, and her partner Mike. It had been too many years and it was wonderful to reconnect. We also were able to take in the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall (live camels, sheep, donkeys...) and the new play, "Wicked" that is based on the Wizard of Oz story from the point of view of the Wicked Witch. We loved it.

December Following the New York festivities we went back to Boston to spend some more time with Kimmerie and Brian. We spent more time than we had planned when the first blizzard of the season closed Logan Airport. It was beautiful but we are glad not to live in it! We got back to Honolulu in time for Christmas (about 74 degrees and sunny), the annual Beethoven's 9th Symphony and a rainy New Year's celebration.

WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST YEAR YET.
If you, like we, are not happy with the state of the nation, we urge you to get involved!
Love from Valerie and Bill.

January	We had a visit from Oakland friends, Heidi and Don Zwakenberg. Heidi's first visit to Hawaii was great fun for all of us. We enrolled for yet another session of basket making classes with Gail Toma and Valerie continues rehearsals with the Honolulu Symphony Chorus.
February	Valerie starts training to become a docent at the Hawaii State Art Museum (HiSAM). Bonnie Connor visited. Bill started working with the Voyaging class at Windward Community College as tutor and celestial navigation consultant.
March	On our way to Phoenix for the wedding of Valerie's son Nicholas and Sarah Veirs, Bill took a side trip to Portland to visit daughter Katie McCabe and family. It was a fabulous wedding, officiated by Kimmerie. Nic and Sarah came to our apartment in Honolulu for their honeymoon while we played in Oakland. Back in Hawaii we had a visit from Valerie's friends Jennifer Chavez and Aann Golemac.
May	Bill flew to Long Beach in order to help our friends, the Hazletts, sail their new boat, Pua'ena, to Waikiki. The crossing took 17 days.
June	Valerie started a Hawaiian language class and, with the Honolulu Symphony Chorus, sang with the Royal Hawaiian Band at the Waikiki Bandstand. We all played long and hard at Valerie's 45th (!) high school reunion including reunion with favorite "get into trouble" friend, Kathleen O'Connor. We joined the partiers as the reunion went on to the Big Island where we extended the trip to visit friends all over the island. We visited Valerie's old haunts, hiked to the Waipio Canyon rim with a former classmate one day and walked out to view the active lava flow another which was a powerful and dramatic first for both of us.
July	We had the wonderful opportunity of working with artist Patrick Dougherty on a major installation at The Contemporary Museum. At the same time, we worked the midnight to 6AM shift at race headquarters for the finish of the Transpac yacht race from Long Beach to Waikiki. Valerie completed her docent training and encourages any and all of you to visit HiSAM. It is a great museum.
August	Susan Rose and Mary visited. We went sailing and had fun reminiscing about our old escapades on the barkentine "California".
September	We enjoyed a two-week trip barging on the Canal du Midi in France with good friends Carol and Frank Plasil and their friends John Wurtz and Jonna Datz, and another two weeks with Carol and Frank in Spain ( Barcelona and Bilbao and the fabulous Guggenheim Museum there.)
October	Valerie performed Brahms' Requiem with the Honolulu Symphony Chorus. Lisa and Jim Sides and their kids Austin and Kelsey visited. Lisa and Valerie worked together for years and it was wonderful to see her and her family again. We joined the Kaneohe Yacht Club. Bill, in preparation for next year's Pacific Cup, took his crew out on an overnight sail. They almost got to Molokai before heading for home.
November	Marge Bartolini, dear friend from California, was here recovering from running a successful mayoral campaign. We talked and talked and ate and talked and ate. Glorious. Toward the end of the month we left for Boston where we were met by Valerie's daughter and son-in-law, Kimmerie and Brian. Together we drove to New York City where we met up with Nicholas and Sarah. Why New York? Karen Kennedy, the brilliant director of the Honolulu Symphony Chorus, had been invited to conduct at Carnegie Hall and 80 members of the Chorus were able to join her! We sang Mozart's Solemn Vespers at Carnegie Hall on November 30th. It was a thrill beyond words. While in New York we all had brunch and a fun tour around the East Village with Valerie's niece, Keira, and her partner Mike. It had been too many years and it was wonderful to reconnect. We also were able to take in the Christmas Spectacular at Radio City Music Hall (live camels, sheep, donkeys...) and the new play, "Wicked" that is based on the Wizard of Oz story from the point of view of the Wicked Witch. We loved it.
December	Following the New York festivities we went back to Boston to spend some more time with Kimmerie and Brian. We spent more time than we had planned when the first blizzard of the season closed Logan Airport. It was beautiful but we are glad not to live in it! We got back to Honolulu in time for Christmas (about 74 degrees and sunny), the annual Beethoven's 9th Symphony and a rainy New Year's celebration.
	WE WISH YOU ALL THE BEST YEAR YET. If you, like we, are not happy with the state of the nation, we urge you to get involved! Love from Valerie and Bill.