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Ludlow, VT - December 2021
Dear Friends near and far!
Here we are again, another year is slowly fading into the distance behind us. While we have our sights firmly set on what’s ahead, it is always interesting to review the past year and realize just how much has happened. I asked Klara recently what her favorite memories were of the past year. She, Matthew, and I agree, that our trip to Europe in October (two weeks in Germany and one week in Ireland) was, hands down, the highlight of 2021. But Klara said she also loved the many sleep-overs with her friends Brooklyn and of course Phoenix, who sadly moved away during the summer. She is off exploring the South of the US in a converted school bus with her parents. 2021 was also a year in which Klara continued to hone her artistic skills, especially in drawing. It is an activity she loves and excels at. Since turning 10 in August, Copic markers and other high-end art supplies, have filled her birthday and Christmas wishlists. She is also well into 5th grade in school and according to her teacher, Klara is doing really well, in fact, she wishes she could clone Klara and have a few more of her in the class. Klara has also finally gotten a chance to experiment with learning the Saxophone, we shall see if that hobby sticks.
Asides from the big travel highlight, there were so many other little events that moved us forward. All the way back in January of 2021, Klara finally got her own room again, which she decorated and painted in the brightest colors imaginable. Matthew splurged and got a fancy espresso maker, which has turned even me into a coffee drinker and we enjoyed many Fika breaks on our scenic porch. It is undoubtedly one of the best features of our little house on the hill, the porch, and in April of 2021, after years of waiting, we were finally at a point in our house renovation project, where I could stain the porch and buy furniture in order to turn it into an outdoor living space. It added a whole new attraction to our home. During the summer months, we took up paddleboarding again on Klara’s favorite lake, Woodward Reservoir. And we all got tested, tested, and tested again until the tests came out of our ears (or noses?) - especially during our travels. Covid is clearly still very much with us! But we are delighted to say that we have (so far) stayed negative and are all vaccinated now. We are at least trying to do our little part to keep things in check, which sometimes seems like a vain endeavor.
Now for the big news though, which is of course not news anymore! For us, as a family, the event of most significance for the road ahead was the decision we made about halfway through the year, that in 2022, after Klara completes 5th grade, we would all relocate to Germany. It was a possibility often discussed, but never realistic, given Matthew’s and/or my employment, as well as the big house project that needed to get completed. But all of that changed in 2021, especially with the end of the house renovations in sight.
As a result of this anticipated ‘course adjustment’ gears started shifting. Matthew left his job in the middle of 2021 and started to focus on finishing our house. Progress has sped up significantly since he has made it his full-time job. In the late summer and early fall, the house got a layer of wood siding on the outside and a wood stove was installed in our living room. We have already been enjoying it thoroughly during the early, cold winter weeks. Making a fire in the morning, before breakfast, to warm up the house has become part of the morning routine.
I for my part finally finished a project I started many years ago. I had made it my goal to simplify life so that if/when the chance might arise we would be ready to move. It was fitting timing, that just as we were reflecting on the 10th anniversary of John’s passing this past November, I was able to finish the final installment of working through and organizing all the things he had left behind. Over the years, I had passed on, sold, and donated many things, but I was still left with a sizeable box of photographs, negatives, and of course digital files of photos and videos. During the final months of my ‘year off’, I finished organizing the physical photos into binders for John’s parents, John and Rosa. I also scanned photos and negatives and compiled them with the digital files in a reasonably organized fashion, put everything on memory sticks, and passed those on to family and friends who would have been a major part of John’s life and who own and are part of those digitally collected memories as much as I am - maybe even more so. Prior to that, I had spent much of my time, doing the same work to my own collection of pictures. Finally, at the end of October, I went back to teaching at the Okemo Mountain School for one more season. I am currently tutoring science (mostly chemistry and biology), as well as some math courses (statistics and calculus) for the winter months.
So, now that the simplification project is complete and Matthew is finishing the final projects on the house, all we really have to do is pack our suitcases (and a few boxes to ship), and go. Piece of cake! We are incredibly excited about this new adventure! So, as usual, the past year has been busy and 2022 promises to bring some really big changes for us - bring it on!
Whatever the New Year may hold for you, planned and unplanned, we wish you health and happiness in 2022, and hopefully, a healthy dose of mostly worry-free time spent with family and friends.
With much love,
Uli, Matthew, & Klara
Daisy & Biscuit
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