Big Events in Boston and NH

Paul and Pia's Engagement Announcement March 11,2011
Zach in the middle - Pia with her ring.

Brunch with Peg, Rich, and Fletcher Davis

Our KIA Soul - neat little SUV!

Winter in NH.

Annual March Party - Bunny and some of the guests - Sally and George Chase, Charles Lemeland

We had a good trip to Boston and New Hampshire. I had asked Paul privately on Wednesday how things were going with Pia and he said great - we're thinking of getting married. On Friday, Alice and Peter Cura - who had missed a party with the Hamilton girls on Thursday - came for a drink. Paul asked for our attention and with a grin and a nice little talk announced he and Pia were engaged, planning a summer wedding, and pulled out a ring for Pia. We were very appreciative of being included in the first public announcement - Pia's parents were to be told on Saturday! Zach arrived with his girl friend from college and cocktails became a dinner - as always very enjoyable for us. I'm really happy for them as its been a long and sometimes bumpy road for them but, as Paul told me years ago,"Pia's the girl I want to marry." The relationship has grown and they seem very comfortable together and Zach appears a happy part of the mix.

Besides the engagement, Paul ( he is his own boss and takes time off to be with us when we visit) and us spent the afternoon at the new American wing at the Boston MFA - a spectacular addition to the museum. I also visited City Year and Be the Change headquarters -Alan Khazei, a former SPS student, founded each and set up the interviews for me. Both organizations depend on 18 to 26 year olds to operate and the headquarters and programs are very inspiring.

They have web sites you can Google of you want to know more or ask me. Matt and Rachael might both be interested in City Year - participants give a year to work in city schools as tutors and mentors.

On Saturday, Peter Cura drove us to concord where we rented a car that Mom fell in love with - it is a smaller and cheaper version of our Subaru. We spent the night in Portsmouth and had Sat. lunch (1:30 to 5) with the Millers who looked better than last July. The kids are all OK and Perk is making thousands as CEO of Universal Sports, enjoying it - he will be involved with the London Olympics and has just signed an exclusive contract to cover World Rugby matches.

Sunday we had lunch with the Davises and got caught up on six years of activities including both Fletcher's and Chip's marriages and the birth of Chip's first child - second is due this summer. It was fun. Sunday night we were in Concord, dinner with n fairly new friends, and Monday I went to work on the AP programs. The three days went well.

We stayed with Anne Tuesday through Thursday. We saw a good bit if Bunny including the annual March get together of Chases, Lemelands, and Sayces. (Often joined by differing 4th parties.) This year an old friend, Chris Hamm who is in the legislature, came. We had some laughs at the incredibly conservative actions of the Republican legislature - a NH Army, everyone can carry a gun without a license - several schools have cancelled trips to the State House as all the legislators are carrying guns - too dangerous. Budget cuts for health care to eliminate all support for handicapped kids and adults; eliminating a slight increase from last year for car licenses to pay for bridge and other highway repairs and eliminating half the jobs in the Department of Transportation and privatizing such functions as snow plowing on the highways and all repairs. (Who pays when work is outsourced?) Etc. Etc. As Paul Hodes indicated, NH is the laughing stock of the country among the Democratic politicians, but it doesn't make the headlines as its not as focused as Wisconsin. It would be a belly laugh if it weren't so tragic.

Anne seemed fine, Bunny has failed a bit since last July - he had a mild heart attack this fall! and the Chases are aging. Jane and Charles seem much the same. They all asked about all of you and Mom passed around a small book of photos. It was a good trip and I think I'll get another invitation for next March. We hope so. The new Director sat in on half my talk and gave me glowing complements in reporting the visit to his Chief of Staff - always nice to hear and nice to have the Director feel that way.

Glad to hear Rachael is off to a happy start at QUT. It sounds good. Personally, I wouldn't jump to Psychology right away, but I would investigate what it entails. I'll send more on that to Rachael. Congratulations to Sarah and the DI Team - well done! Good luck (break a leg!) at State's! Sorry about the lacrosse injury but maybe it is a message to heed - too much and the music seems a good fill-in. Hope Matt has recovered from soreness. Great to see Reid heading down a Danger Slope (see geocache page) -sorry about the Haiti trip and hope it can happen soon. Love Boden's hair - Mom, Boden, and I went to see Annie at the library this afternoon and spent time rubbing each other's heads - result? Boden wins the softness award.

Love to all, Dad/Babbo