Happy Holidays!!!
No one mails anymore so we have decided to share our year-end family recap online as so many people still do.
What a year! We’re in year 2 of Kugel and Hammy living the high life in Scottsdale. Kugel begins training in January as a Navigator buddy at the airport where he will greet passengers and other pets. We’re not sure how friendly he'll be with the bitches. That's a 'female dog' for those of you ready to hit the #metoo hashtag.
This past summer we celebrated four years in our new, downsized villa (it’s like a regular home but smaller) here in tony Troon Village, as opposed to Troon North where ANYONE can get into. Beautiful view, no neighbors, top-of-the-line appliances, sex swings in the bedroom, and a secret dungeon we had built, kinda like a bunker. Yeah. That’s right.. kinda like a bunker!!
Little brother Hammy began his freshman year at Stanford this Fall and is leading the anti-BDS (that's Bad Dog Society) movement with his fellow classmates. Meanwhile, Kugel won an award for academic excellence at Yeshiva University for his senior dissertation on faith titled: “Roses are Red, Violets are Bluish, if it wasn’t for Jesus, We All Would be Jewish.” He is currently weighing job offers from Purina and Chewy.com.
Barry has been retired for four years and hasn’t shaved since July 2018. And you should see his face also!
Hope is still lawyering, fighting the good fight for students with disabilities. We are all so proud.
My mother-in-law Joan and boy toy Charlie are doing fine. She’s 91 and doesn’t need glasses; she drinks straight from the bottle.
Sister-in-law Lori celebrated her 60th birthday last week and hubby Jeff took her to Las Vegas. She recalled a loveable story when she was 8 and said: “Mommy, when can I give Daddy his birthday card?” Her mom said:” At 3 o’clock when he delivers the milk.”
Went to Florida for an Islamorada trip with Hope’s cousins Dr. Howard and Nancy. He is a noted pediatric neurosurgeon. He said it really IS brain surgery. Had a great dinner with great niece and nephew Dagny and Mo, niece Lisa and Mensa husband Todd, sister-in-law Judge Amy(ret.) and Hope’s brother-in-law, and my parent’s other son by birth, Alan. Nephew Jesse couldn’t make it as he texted he really doesn’t like us. Get in line, pal!!
This time in 2021, we ‘began’ a 21-day cruise from Miami to LA. I spent nine of those days in quarantine. Hope only spent five days, though negative, and got to enjoy some off-ship sightseeing. She encountered a baby tiger head shark in Cabo, but it let her pass - professional courtesy.
Barry cut down on his martini drinking. Tito’s sent someone out to the house to check on him and they determined he just forgot where he put the olives.
Hope continues to come home to wonderful meals. When Barry is away, she eats popcorn but she says the spa boy, Stavros, is learning to cook, so please don’t worry about her. She’ll be fine.
Arizona kinda turned purple this year and turned back the right wing-nuts. While Guns have dropped in popularity, Axe-Throwing is the new Black.
Barry laments he is on the Back Nine of his life, looking out at the future. Seeing him golf, it looks like he is already at the 18th Hole.
Hope got a new Peleton rower and is up at 6 am every day and exercises until 8:30. She is so committed to remaining a size 0, while every other woman is committed to saying, under their breath: “Bitch.”
Hope still has her Hummer from 2006. Barry is still praying for a hummer.
Barry still smokes cigars. His breath is bad and hard to kiss, but Kugel doesn’t care.
2023 brings promise. Remembering those we love, loved, miss and still have. We must forge forward to the future. A life lived in fear is a life half lived. Challenge everything we ‘think’ to be true and embrace what we know and hope to be true.
Happy Holidays,
Barry, Hope, Kugel and Hammy
everyone feel free to pass on.we all need a laugh these days, where possible.
Happy Holiday greetings my friend. You make me smile, you make me think and you make me remember why I love you. Wishing you the best in 2023 and forever.