The VOGT Family TreeHouse

Christmas 2006

Another year ending, time for another VOGT Christmas newsletter. I wonder why I’m always surprised when the time comes to sit down and write another yearly summary.

This one’s a bit more difficult than usual to get started on, for a number of reasons. Prominent among the reasons has been the lack of seasonal enthusiasm both Lynn and I are feeling this year, coupled with our delayed start to the season. For the first time in my memory we were away for Thanksgiving week and then some, so the starter’s gun for our self-imposed Christmas [cr]rush (prepping, planning, decorating, etc.) was at least a week late. That, plus a general lack of enthusiasm kept us running late with everything. Our outdoor Christmas lights are finally up, but are more modest than in years past. Our indoor lights and decorations are finally up, but the storage boxes are still lingering about and need to get back into the attic and out of sight. And here’s our Christmas letter – late, arriving with our Christmas cards – late. Can we detect a pattern here?? ☺

Lynn is still working at the Cambridge Quilt Shop (http://www.cambridgequilts.com/), and teaching more classes too. If you’re in the area you can sign up for a class with her or any of the other instructors! She entered her first quilt show this fall, sponsored by a local quilters’ guild she belongs to. Her quilts (including the ones in the show) are on the family web site in the quilt gallery.

Gene’s still working at MITRE – it’ll be 20 years next August. Time flies when you’re having fun (or at least getting paid!). Not as much traveling as in years past (but still some), so I may lose my “elite” status on USAir. A small price to pay for not having to travel so much! The yard work continued this summer, but between more pressing time demands and a continuing battle against Plantar Fasciitis in one foot, not as much got done as I would have liked. The second raised bed was started in the back yard, but I wasn’t able to get all the blocks in place or lay the irrigation piping. Something for the spring.

Megan is living in Lowell and still works at Bose Corporation in the Technical Service department. She’s enjoying her job and looking for further advancement. She’s also moving into her own small apartment in Lowell , rather than sharing a large apartment with 4-5 other people. Her current boyfriend (Dan) also lives in Lowell and also works for Bose – convenient, I guess!

Audrey is still working as an assistant manager with the EB-Games, the computer games chain. She’s moved from the Waltham store to the Burlington store. It’s a bit closer to home. She’s still living at home, but working on getting out on her own soon. The October 2007 wedding date for her and her fiancé Jake Serson may slip back a bit – no word on a new date yet.

Gene (and by association, the family) had fun last spring and summer as he won a lottery which included the right to buy tickets to ten Red Sox home baseball games! Red Sox tickets are tough to get, so it was a windfall. We, and/or friends, visited Fenway Park ten times over the course of the season, including opening and closing day. For a true baseball fan, that’s quite a treat!

Gene and Lynn reprised our anniversary celebration again this year with a lobster-fest at our house on the 4^th of July. A lot of fun and good eating was had by the 17 people in attendance, but the weather (torrential rain) made it a bit more stressful than last year. We also returned to the lakeshore in Maine with friends for a week in the woods in September. It was a great break, very peaceful. Pictures of these and other activities are on the family web site, on the scrapbook page.

Lynn and Gene also treated themselves to a week-plus out in Colorado at Thanksgiving, visiting my sister and her family. It was quite a change from our usual holiday tradition, which involves staying close by the home front. We had a great time visiting with all the nieces and nephew and grand-nieces and grand-nephews! Lynn had been out visiting in April, so it actually was her 3^rd trip to the Rocky Mountains this year.

The sad event of the year, and the one that stays with us, especially through the holidays, is that Gene’s sister in Colorado lost her husband this June. Dave passed away quickly at the age of 67 after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was smart, friendly, one of the nicest people you could ever want to meet, and the best brother-in-law anyone could ask for. They moved their family from Woburn to Colorado 30+ years ago, and raised their three daughters and a son in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains . Their 4 children and 5 grandchildren are all relatively close by ( Denver , Cheyenne , San Francisco ), so they’re all able to support each other through this devastating loss. We all miss him a lot!

Love to all, Merry Christmas and a happy and healthy New Year for you and your family!

Gene & Lynn