Neither of us remember what happened in 2009, off hand, and in fact we hardly had a chance to get used to it being 2009 before having to get used to it not being that anymore. So we've checked our email caches to try and reconstruct what happened.

Oh, yeah, Yosemite Heritage Holidays at The Ahwahnee -- the ninth one (there were two the first year) under various titles -- was a complete success. As usual, Tom worked hard to hold up his part in organizing, performing, and running things, and to ensure that it would continue in 2010 (including hammering out 5 different budget options -- not easy for a New-Math child of the 1960s). The event was approved for 2010, but unexpectedly canceled in August do to the poor economy. Well it was fun while it lasted. A memory of the event can be seen on our website at Heritage Holidays.

Diane and I enjoyed two happy reunions: July saw the MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship) "kids" all together in Cambria, CA with Den Mother Barbara at the helm, and in August Diane's 40th High School reunion. We also enjoyed several visits from friends to Yosemite, all of which helps us from going overly crazy for missing our dear companions and family.

We returned from the August reunion to the news that a Los Angeles area developer was suing to take possession of the wells and easements that supply our home (and forty-some odd others) with water. If they win, we'd all have to pool together to pay the legal costs and drill new wells, etc. To imagine the bad guy, just picture "Mr. Potter" in "It's A Wonderful Life" and you'll have it -- we imagine the end of our saga will be somewhat similar to the movie. You can read about it at our site: Fish Camp Doings.

Diane has survived another semester of teaching at the local college, and had some splendid triumphs introducing her students to actual learning -- something they are not used to, mostly. Pop survived eye-cancer with a successful operation that got it all out, but left one eye with limited mobility -- we hope to have that fixed in January. Otherwise he's doing quite well. So are all our elderly kitties -- 13, 14 & 15 years old -- the eldest hobbles a bit but responds well to Glucosamine, Chondroitin, and tuna.

Tom's first movie has sold about 800 copies its first year (we gave away about 100); you can see the promo at: Vintage Songs DVD. Since the Wawona Hotel will be closed January - March (leaving Tom with two nights per week of work at The Ahwahnee), we will be working at home side-by-side on hopefully gainful (if labor-intensive) projects, as well as getting ourselves off our duffs now and then to get some much needed exercise. At least we'll be shoveling our share of snow.

So here's wishing you and yours a delicious holiday season and a very very good twenty-ten, with lots of love,

Diane & Tom Bopp