I expect nearly all of us wanted 2021 to be normal. I did some things this year I hadn’t done for more than a year and also hunkered down a bit. I hope you and your families were safe and healthy during this unforgettable (or forgettable?) year.
For me, the year started with a couple of unusual experiences.
I’ve been a volunteer at the Farmers Insurance Open golf tournament in San Diego for almost 10 years. In January, the tournament took place, but without fans. (Then why have marshals?) I was assigned to a different hole than in the past, however — Torrey Pines’ #3 hole South Course, the most photographed hole on the course. It was a somewhat weird experience, but a relatively pleasant one.
You can see more from that tournament, featuring some awesome skyscapes and turbulent weather here.
Early in the year, I was elected president of the Anza-Borrego Foundation (ABF), official nonprofit partner of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, the state’s largest at 640,000 acres. I am, of course, unworthy to hold this position, but very honored to do so. I have been a member of the board for several years and was vice president for five years.
In November, I joined other trustees in the desert for a board meeting, the first time we had held a meeting in person in nearly two years. I had the pleasure later of joining colleagues on an excursion into a remote area and welcomed the desert experience again.
My grandgirls started the year schooling remotely and returned to school in person in August. Adeline is in 4th grade and Alice in 1st. Meredith continues to work at the local Boys & Girls Club and Winter at Charlie’s Foreign Auto in Encinitas.
Dillon, who had lived nearby for several years, moved to Michigan in early December to join sister Julia and brother-in-law Sam in Ypsilanti. That’s why he’s in the picture with them. Julia and Sam bought a house there in November.
Bodacious “Boo,” the cat Julia and I rescued in 2005, showed major signs of distress in June and he was euthanized. Boo was not an “easy” cat, but he was also unforgettable and he has been very much missed by me. That said, within a few days of his death, Julia sent me a picture of a rescue cat in San Diego and I secured her. When she hid in the fireplace soon after arrival, she got the name Cinderella.
Also, in June, another distinctive experience for me. I served as a volunteer at the US Open Golf Championship, played at Torrey Pines. I was Hole Captain at #11, a par 3 that had the highest scoring average relative to par on the course. I supervised 28 marshals who worked am or pm shifts over a few days. The hole captain had the sole privilege of working every shift over seven days. On the second day of the tournament, I was caught in perhaps my favorite screen shot from my golf experiences. Much more about the US Open here.
We celebrated Alice’s 6th birthday in July on the beach with guests, as we had in 2019. That was when a lot of people thought we had overcome the virus. Then Delta dawned.
The BC San Diego alumni chapter renewed football game watches this fall, choosing a location that offered open doors for air circulation. It was fun. Some new folks joined us. Just wish the Eagles had done better.
My BC buds and I decided in the spring to reinstate our annual football game gathering. We gathered for the BC-NC State game Oct. 16. Over 8 days, I also visited family and friends, spending a couple of days on Cape Cod. As always, Marcy and Larry Kenah were gracious and generous hosts.
On Halloween, Meredith, Dillon, and I attended the Patriots-Chargers NFL game in SoFi Stadium, LA. We literally had seats in the last row of a 70,000-seat stadium that is an engineering marvel. Protocol was that everyone was to wear a face mask, but it was honored more in the breach. I am not a fan of the modern sports experience. The atmosphere is too loud, people are too drunk, the focus is on constant “entertainment,” not the sport. Get off my lawn! As usual, there were more fans of the opponent than of the Chargers. Pats won, 27-24, allowing a late TD to make it close. More about that experience here.
Baxter has noted he’s the only living creature among us not included in this letter. ‘Nuff said.
Merry Christmas to you and your family. I hope we will gather again safely and happily. May 2022 allow us to renew!