Chanhassen, MN Update: Jarby

Lee & I visiting Mayan Ruins in Belize.  Amazing!

Status Updates: 2010
First Quarter

• The fabulous trip to Belize - adventure at it’s best.  Hiking, biking, kayaking, diving, Mayan Ruins, howler monkeys - and marvelous relaxation.
• Snowshoeing adventures at the Minnesota 
Landscape Arboretum.   Ahhh.  So peaceful 
and great photo moments.

  

  "Girl Band Plus Jeff" following
  our show at Whiskey Junction in Minneapolis

   
• Jarby joins a rock band - plays keyboards.  Another item off the “bucket list.”  Now THIS is how we do retirement!  “Girl Band Plus Jeff” (Jeff is our drummer) rocked Whiskey Junction in February (and May, and October)

Playing synth and keyboards.  What a blast!

Second Quarter

• Travel to Chillicothe, Ohio to watch my godson, Cameron graduate from high school.  Was fun to watch his band play and to experience a wild few games of "Wii Rock Band" with him.  And to say he is a terrific drummer!



Picking out "stage wear" is a ho

• Piano time in high gear - leaning to play jazz.  Electric guitar lessons/practice fill the house with “unique” sounds.  Cats hide in protest.  Go through lots of ear plugs for some reason???  LOL.
• The gardening projects heat up - glad to be at the maintenance stage.  My knees object to all that work.

Third Quarter

• Yet another trip to Denver this year - celebrating my uncle Oliver’s 94th birthday.
• Jarby’s Jazz Trio - “The Malbec Method” - plays at an outdoor festival in 94 degree heat.  Even the cool jazz didn’t help.   Bad, bad hair day!  Thank goodness for my fedora!
• Add new instruments to the collection.  Remember melodicas????  And then, there is the “Stylophone”
• Piano time in high gear - leaning to play jazz.  Electric guitar lessons/practice fill the house with “unique” sounds.  Cats hide in protest.  Go through lots of ear plugs for some reason???  LOL.

Got brave and played lead guitar on the
Red Hot Chili Peppers "Otherside" tune. 
About as hard rock as I can manage!  LOL.

Fourth Quarter

•  GB+J plays Whiskey Junction again with a new lead singer and two guitarists (yes, I made my public debut on one song!).  Keyboards are my thing, however.
• Annual trip to LA.  Thanksgiving in West Hollywood.  Always a crazy time.  Lot’s of good celebrity sightings.  Jane Lynch from Glee, Neil Sedaka (Breaking Up Is Hard To Do).  Loved the Griffith Observatory
• Unexpected long Denver trip.  Right before the holidays.  Moved my uncle into a great Assisted Living community in NW part of metro.  He’s very happy with new home and best gift of all -- he is safe and has 24 hr medical care on the premise. 

Ready for my martini!

 In Conclusion

It is always a great pleasure to pull this annual epistle together -- it is still a terrific way for all of us to stay connected in that "sisterhood" thing we promised to uphold.

 Until next year!

Jarby

Bozeman MT Update: Deb H.

OMG!  I can hardly believe that 2011 is nearly here!  It has been quite an exciting year here at the Hoffert houses.

Let’s see, where were we last year at this time?  Oh yeah, my very pregnant new daughter-in-law was here for a visit while Chris was in Iraq.  She headed back to Hawaii on New Year’s Eve.  As her due date approached, we wondered if Chris would be able to get back to Hawaii to be there for the birth.  Somehow it all came together and he did arrive in time to help with the delivery of his little girl who was born on March 19^th.  He was given extended leave since Allie had no one else to help her take care of baby Caroline Adair.  Sadly, Chris had to go back to Iraq for a few months.  Around the beginning of June, Chris called to see if he could send Allie and little Caroline to Bozeman for a visit.  Seems she was somewhat depressed and was having a hard time taking care of baby on her own.  Now, what kind of grandparents would we be if we said no to this?  Allie and baby Caroline (named after her great grandma who also has red hair) came for a visit and arrived around the 19^th of June.  They were able to stay until the 25^th of July and arrived back in Hawaii just a few days before Chris came home from Iraq.  We had such a good time bonding with them both!  But now, we miss them terribly!

Adair turned 18 on March 6^th and graduated on June 6^th.  She has decided to attend The Academy of Cosmetology here in Bozeman.  There she will be learning about hair, makeup and nails.  However, since we have been talking about another trip to Hawaii, and they don’t like new students being gone for long periods of time, we have put off getting her enrolled.  Our 10 day trip originally was planned for between Oct and Dec of this year, but now has been postponed until Feb.  In the meantime, she has found a part time job at one of our grocery stores working in the floral dept.  She has a guy friend (we don’t call him boyfriend) she has been seeing for about 6 months now.  Austin seems very nice and respectful and, for Adair’s convenience, lives only a mile away.  She spends her spare time drawing, crocheting, sewing and playing games on her laptop.

Martin still works at the GranTree, although we don’t know how much longer.  He is very tired of the BS that goes on there and would like to find another job.  We know in this economy though, that that may not happen quickly, so he tolerates it all.  He has taken up the hobby of selling items on ebay.  He’s not making terrific money but we are starting to clear out the storage unit some.  He joined the technology age and upgraded to a Blackberry phone – mostly so he can receive and see the videos of “his little girl.”  Then bought himself a laptop to view videos on youtube and to view bluray movies during our flights to and from Hawaii.  We are now a three laptop family and after two months, I finally got our home wireless router to work with everything.

I went from working part time the first of the year to unemployed and working under contract from home for same companies the first of March.  While doing this, I was looking for full time employment expecting to quit the ‘at home’ work.  In June I managed to snag another part time job.  But soon it became nearly full time and I was continuing to do my ‘home’ work.  I had been at my new job for nearly two months when a previous employer called me to see if I was interested in coming back to work for her.  It took two more months before we agreed that I would come back.  I was able to get the salary I wanted while only working 35 hrs/week (still too many with doing my ‘home’ work too) and I have immediate benefits!  I am doing the same work as before – AR and AP - but there was only a small amount of learning I had to do.  I keep hoping I can quit the working at home, but find the new grandbaby is expensive (we like to spoil her already) so will continue to do until I go crazy or drop from exhaustion.  My gardening was a near disaster this year with getting hit with two hail storms within 2 weeks of each other in May and June, but I kept plugging away just so I could enjoy my time outdoors.

Chris is back in Hawaii now loving the time he can spend with his two girls.  Allie, who was in the Coast Guard when Chris met her, was given an honorable discharge after the birth of Caroline.  She now spends her days entertaining her.  Chris’ enlistment will be up by this time next year, so he has some serious considering of whether to stay in or leave the Army after 10 years of service.  Caroline has just turned 9 months and is such a happy baby as you can see by the pictures:

After having one heck of a long winter last year (Oct – May) we are not at all excited for this winter.  Our Feb. vacation can’t come soon enough!   In fact we had to cancel once when we tried to book in January and almost got cancelled again!

            Our wish for you is that 2011 brings you good health and all the happiness you can stand.

Love in DZ,   Debra Steinwand Hoffert      drhoffert54@gmail.com  

Hawley MN Update: Vickie

Happy New Year Sisters!

                  Our new year brought us new joy with the birth of our grandson Jaxon , August 12,  just one day from Grandma’s birthday.  He is so fun and with Amanda living in Hawley we see him at least three nights a week. 

                  Our grandsons are our joy these days.  Our Carter is now 2 years old and talking.  He loves Nana’s pancakes, so of course I have to make them every time he comes to visit. 

                  Our children are still in their same jobs, although our youngest, Andrew, has moved to his own apartment.  He conveniently lives across the street from Hooters.  He doesn’t have cable, so he is at the nearest place that has a TV quite often.  Any guesses where?

                  This past summer, we rented a lake home for a week and had the best times with our kids.  I wish we could buy a place, but Chuck won’t let me since it is his busiest season.

                  Its hard to believe that I can retire in three years, but I don’t think I will.  I love my job and I thoroughly enjoy the union work I do, so why leave something I enjoy.

                  Chuck just had rotator cuff surgery, so it had better not snow too much, because I don’t know how to run a tractor.  I could use the snow blower in town with no problems, but a tractor, I don’t think so…..

                  I hope you new year will be as exciting as ours is and please call me when the DZ get together is in the cities, I do have personal days coming.  On a side note, our own Melinda Haun is now the CEO of Fargo-Moorhead Untied Way.

Vickie Quiner Carlson

St.Paul, MN Update: Linda Johnson

Happy 2011 to all,

2010 in Review….

Ice Fishing Catch

January, February and March were spent ice fishing

January – Vikings/Games Enchilada Party

Vikings Enchilada Party

March- My mom’s 80^th birthday party in International Falls – had a great turn out and we ran out of food.

May – Fishing opener on Rainy Lake in International Falls

I caught the first fish on Opener

June- my mom found our she had a cancerous cyst on her brain and had surgery

July – 4^th of July in Balsam Lake WI and a week’s vacation in International Falls

4th of July

July 31^st - I was struck by a car while walking in a parking lot – broken right ankle and non weight bearing for 6 weeks  (put an end to my summer!)

Pink Cast

August – Spent 9 days in I Falls after my mom went back into the hospital and was diagnosed as terminal

September 1^st – my mom passed away

Sept 17^th – got rid of cast on my leg, got crutches and a boot

September 27^th – Went back to work, got rid of the boot but have a brace, was able to drive again

October -15^th – got rid of crutches

November – New roof on the garage

December Blizzard

December Blizzard – 20+ inches of snow

December 29^th – Ice dams and water damage in the house.  Dealing with the insurance company now and getting a plan together to repair the damage.

I am hoping 2011 will be a better year for me and all of you.  I went down and joined the health club in my building and my goal is to go 3-4 times a week after work.  I gained 30 lbs while “off my feet”.

I had the opportunity to meet up with Jarby for lunch the beginning of November.  Great to catch up!!!

We should get a gathering together again…..maybe in the early spring.

Running short on time and very busy at work.

Love in Delta Zeta,

Linda (Hopke) Johnson

Linda Johnson

Sunset on Rainy Lake

1755 Ames Place

St. Paul, MN 55106

651-238-3191 Cell

952-837-8595 Work

lindamj87@yahoo.com

linda.johnson@northmarq.com

Rainy River Fishing in July

Susan Island on Rainy Lake

Nancy's Cabin on Rainy Lake

Rochester, MN Update: Beth Solie

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Delta Zetas,

Jarby gave me an extra day to get this letter in and I feel a little like I’m still in college with having to get my paper done; not exactly with a hang over but still having motion sickness from a cruise from that I can’t stop swaying. 

 My oldest daughter Krista, graduated this year from Luther College and is currently living in Ecuador teaching English with World Teach.  Darryl, our younger daughter Paige, and I met Krista for a Christmas holiday in Quito, Ecuador plus four days on a boat in the Galapagos Islands.  It was an incredible vacation learning Ecuador’s customs and sight seeing with our daughter as our interpreter.   

The Galapagos was truly amazing with snorkeling with sea turtles, sea lions, colorful fish and yes, a few sharks.  The animals on land were so interesting and not afraid of people as have never been hunted and is where Darwin’s Theory came about. Our 16 person cruise ship had a great crew and all interesting passengers. We all celebrated New Years together learning to Salsa dance, star gazing, and counting down in Spanish.  We were proud to make it our whole vacation without getting robbed or sick and it was so fun to spend time with our girls.  Paige goes to college in Rochester at RCTC.  It was a rude awaking for us three to get off the plane last night getting back to winter.

Darryl has been retired now for two and a half years.  One of his projects this year was to plan a two week golf trip to Scotland this past September for us and three other couples.  He took care of all the arrangements and T times and we played many of the historic golf courses and stayed in four cities. We enjoyed the people and the pubs!  We also toured a few castles and gardens and I skipped golf one day and toured the Edinburgh Botanical Garden. Priceless.  It was a dream vacation that we have waited many years to take and it exceeded all our expectations.

Ok Darryl is retired but I do work a lot!  My business is crazy busy and had to finally turn away clients.  I try to help all my past clients be successful with their landscapes and gardens but I didn’t really know what I was getting into when I committed that to them.  If I only spend an hour with each in the spring, that is 50 hours on top of all my new designs going in plus maintenance at the Country Club and a few wedding and graduation customers that want annuals and special attention.  Whew!  I got it all done but was lucky to have my daughter for the summer to clone myself.  And I’m lucky that Darryl does all the grocery shopping and cooking.  I still teach middle school gardening classes and write a column for the garden club newsletter for my Master Gardening hours. Also this year I had two of my designs on the city wide Garden Tour and will be a speaker for the Rochester and Flower Garden Club in January.  Of course there is nothing I like better than talking about gardening so it is really not like working.

Just one more travel paragraph but Darryl makes me go.  He wants to spend winters south so we chose Florida this year.  We rented a condo for six weeks and even though is was the coldest winter in Florida for the past 50 years we had a good time and met great people, many from Canada.  It made for great golf conversation with the Olympics and you could hear yelling during Hockey games, even at our condo with Jamie Langunbrunner being from Cloquet.  I try to go to all the gardens I can while traveling for inspiration.  We stopped at Callaway Gardens in Georgia, The Biltmore Estate in North Carolina, and Naples’s Botanical Garden in Florida.  We also stopped at Tiger Wood’s golf course that he is designing but somehow it just wasn’t as enticing as it could have been.  (Darryl chose that side trip) 

It seems we have now gone from graduations to weddings.  It is fun to join family and friends for these fun weekends.  I helped a friend decorate her son’s wedding and learned it is a lot of work so I will stick to designing gardens that host weddings.  So far I have had four wedding yards and a few wedding brunch yards.  I still thank my bridge group for starting my business as they have all hired me and given out my name.  The good thing is…I still have a little time for bridge.  Have a blessed New Year. 

Beth Hennum Solie

    

Chillicothe OH Update: Lori Lippert

DZ Sisters...

Another year zooms by and here we are trying to catch everyone up in a few short sentences. How wonderfully absurd!

Cameron and Lori
celebrate his big achievement.

The Lipperts remain in good health and good spirits in spite of losing Brandt's parents four months apart. Brandt's mom, Joanne, lived with us and died in October of 2009. His dad, Lou, died in February of 2010. 

It was certainly a strange holiday season without both of them.  I've been without my parents for several years. These changes serve to remind each of us to treasure those close to us and live in the present each and every day.

For Cameron's graduation reception,
I baked several cakes from scratch
rather than serve a boring sheet cake.
The cakes were a hit!

Our number one son, well, our only son completed his high school journey this year.  Jarby, Cam's godmother, joined us in celebrating his graduation. He began a new journey towards computer geekdom at the university level with classes starting in July. He was a bit put out that all his friends were enjoying the summer carefree while he was studying. If all goes well and he doesn't change majors, he will finish well before all of them and be starting his career while they still will be hitting the books. He should be completing his bachelor's degree in 3 to 3 1/2 years.

Cameron Brandt Lippert
Class of 2010, Unioto High School, Chillicothe, OH

We enjoyed a nice family vacation -- visited Brandt's brother Gill in Mechanicsburg, PA, and then headed into D.C. for a few days. Again, we didn't get to all the places we wanted to go.  Mostly because our feet gave out. While we enjoyed the convenience of the their metro system, the stops still are too far apart so lots and lots and lots of walking is required to get around.

2011 has started with a new challenge for us. One of our three cats is experiencing kidney failure. We are having to hydrate him several times a week through IV. I never would have guessed I would be doing this. We will be very sad to lose him.

Brandt and Lori "chilling" at yet another Open House party

Now that Cam's out of high school, Brandt and I are both job hunting and doing house projects so we can put it on the market.  We'd like to get back into a larger city - one with a bit of culture to offer. Send a prayer in our direction that someone will be needing to relocate here and will love our house! If you have any job hunting advice for a "woman of mature years", I'm open.

That about covers the highlights. So please be well, be safe and be happy.

Love,

Lori Lippert

43 Quail Road, Chillicothe, OH 45601  
llippert@roadrunner.com    740-779-1944   740-703-0225 (cell)

Marshall MN Update: Beth Ritter

 

Hi all you past Delta Zetas!  What a title we still get to carry!  Get out that badge or lavalier, just for a moment!

I’ve been mulling over Jarby’s invitation to “set aside some time, pour a refreshment –vanilla coke at the moment but a chelada beer on a hot day or a hot buttered rum on a normal MN winter day would be even better. So here’s the story of 2010 for us.

I started the year out taking another ‘financial planner’ on line course through Mankato State. On line learning is not for the procrastinating.  I lowered my sights to the goal of ‘passing’, found that a 3^rd time reading something finally made it ‘stick’, still treated the prof like he was 30 years older than me with a “Mr.” in my e mails, and actually used the excuse of ‘having to study’ frequently.

Student-hood was interrupted by ‘daughter-hood’ in February.  My dad was in a car accident and spent 4 months between hospitals, nursing home, and his ‘home’.  Wow – how are they ever going to handle us millions of post-baby boomers when we get there?  It’s almost too scary to have to worry about!   I know many of you have walked this walk.  My parents are now in an assisted living place in Marshall.  I’m playing sideline ‘monitor’ with their house for sale, medical apptmts and wishing I’d kept a few more ‘treasures’ from their house!  It was a fast process.  One moment changes a lifetime.  There should be a better way to ‘use’ the wisdom of our ‘aged’.  Could someone start working on that for us in 30 years?

Our kids are doing well.  Chris and Heather became house owners in Bloomington last year, and pet owners to Jade, a white lab, this year.  They are learning & using lots of new life skills; tree trimming, fence building, landscaping, etc.  Commute time is great for Heather and central for Chris.   Kelly had a great job opportunity come up and moved back to Marshall in June to do ‘contract’ speech therapy services to nursing homes in southwest MN.  She misses ‘kids’ in school but has a knack for her new clientele. She puts 3-4,000 miles a month on her car so will become an expert winter driver this year. It is really nice having her back in town. Nick is still living the great life of college student and summer construction worker.  He keeps my ego in check – I still know very little, according to him.  That change will come, oh wait, maybe there is some truth to that – depends on the topic!  .

My list of ‘to do’s’ for this year include some travel, one final class on ‘taxes’, finding a ‘volunteer’ opportunity with the Hispanic/Somalian/Hmong, a book club with my mom, making more time for friends and for the Y, and increasing my tech abilities. I have an unused facebook page that Kelly thought I should have -  so will be getting to that in January.  Sorry – no pictures, not much posing time this past year and my hair’s a mess right now!  At least I have some, and I’m keeping it un-grayed. In next year’s picture, I’ll be 10 lbs lighter!

I’ve reread last year’s letter and am awed by the challenges and entertained by the ‘I can relates’.  Welcome to the letter, Anita!  Linda – I hope you’ve recovered from your accident.  And, my sympathies to all those who were without some family member this year.  That circle of life is meant to be – as new babies start showing up in your pictures!

Something I recently read highlighted the positive power of nostalgia – I totally buy in to it.  This annual letter makes me remember you all in such good times.  Thanks for your updates and I hope “life” treats you well this new year.  God bless and keep you,                               Beth R