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2023 Update:
I am pretty much a homebody now days but what a wonderful place I have to call home. I love Boulder Colorado. I have lived here since 1980. There are great discussion groups here with the theoretical physics fellows from CU leading Cosmology discussions as well as all of the visiting artists, writers, musicians, and scientists who descend on the University of Colorado campus.
Then there is Denver proper with the Denver Center for Performing Arts, the Natural History Museum, and the Art Museum. If I get tired of spending time in my head there is Rocky Mountain National Park, Garden of the Gods or any number of hidden little canyons and waterfalls. Here I am a year ago after finding a road I’d never been on before. At the end of the road was a lovely waterfall and park. I spent a beautiful afternoon there.
When I traveled more I followed people I wanted to learn from such as John Philip Newell from Scotland or Robert Bly the poet. I took sculpting from Wendy Froud who created Yoda with Jim Henson's workshop. I am curious about so many things.
My decades as a teacher find me still writing to many of my old students. Now they are parents and teachers themselves. I really enjoyed being a teacher and librarian.
Roger Smith my partner and I live with a 6 year old tomcat near my two sons and one grandson who is a computer programmer in Denver. My other grandchild was just hired as a producer/director for Northwest PBS in Washington state. She has walked the Pacific Crest Trail twice from Mexico to Canada alone.
I am looking forward to being with all of you again this September.
Previous Update:
Oh my! What has happened in
the last 40 years? I've lived here in Boulder Colorado for most of
that time.
I was a librarian in a middle
school that was a part of the NCAR, University of Colorado, and NIST
community for over twenty years. I loved that. Then I taught
literature as a professor at Metropolitan State College in Denver
for ten more. I loved that too. The picture of me that you see was
taken by a student last spring which was the last time I taught. I
have since retired.
Now I am traveling to places
where the stories I always taught began and am spending time there
photographing and writing. Two years ago I was in the Outer Hebrides
in Scotland. This summer, I will be in Ireland for the month of June
following the paths of stories set out in the 1800's by W.B. Yeats.
I have two sons who are
Language Arts teachers and graphic artists here in Boulder and two
grandchildren who have passed beyond the grandma stage because they
are super cool dark teenagers. Did we have any of those other than
Jerry Ducharm who if I remember correctly bit the heads off of
frogs?
Like several of us, I too was
married for three times and now am not. What's up with that? I'd
never heard of divorce when we were kids.
Steve Warren once said than we
were such good and nice people even when we were teenagers. He was
right. We were. As you think of that time, doesn't it seem like a
dream?
I remember walking along
Ravania to school. I loved Turkey Run and canoeing down Sugar Creek
past Deer's Mill. I had so many hidden places in Happy Hollow.
Horseback riding at King's Hill was great. I remember those goofy
cards we held during those killer basketball games with Jeff as the
pep club. I remember the smell of greasepaint as a thespian. I
shoved a pipette through my hand in Mr. Guy's chemistry class just
as he said twist the pipette don't shove it. Mr. Bush's advanced
Biology opened worlds for me. Tim Burton would be proud of the poor
little chicken I had to inject with testosterone in that class. I
thought the proms and New Year's dances were heaven. I haven't
danced since!
Do you remember those goofy
tubes we had to go down for fire drills in Junior High? Remember
Paul's Place where we could get candy and wax bottles with sugar
goop across the street somewhere near Morton School? We also get
those streamers that we could spin around us at recess. I got stuck
with all my crinolines in the tube. My saddle shoes and bobby socks
were a great addition to the scene. Mr. Deer had to climb up the
escape to pull me out! Arghh!!!! Remember our field trip to
McCormicks Woods in Southern Indiana during fifth grade?
Now I live in a big house
outside of Boulder with two dogs, a cat, and a second story full of
art and books. I am at home with the mountains, streams, snow, and
rocky trails.
I just heard from my college
room-mate that she is coming to visit me the week that we are having
our reunion. It will be the 40th anniversary of her wedding where I
was maid of honor so I may not be there with you. I hope that you
will email me or call. I'd love to hear from any of you or talk to
you whenever.
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