Christmas – 1970

Welcome “Friend and Reader”; to the news of the year in review, the Barker “Show and Tell” of the South.
It is always amazing, if not down right alarming at the things done during the year that are brought to mind in rendering this annual effort. It goes a long way, I think in explaining the accelerated aging process that seems to be taking place.

At the outset, I suppose we could characterize this year as the year of the, a. Folbot b. mini bike, c. Bahamas and d. five thousand miles with camper, kids and camera – a saga.

A “Folbot” (fold boat) to the untutored is a double ended kyack looking boat. This on e is 17-1/2 feet long and is equipped with a sail rig. The boat is totally collapsible (an option) into 2 duffle bags if so desired. A folbot is ideal for ghosting around lake edges, running white water or zipping uncontrollable across various and sundry bodies of water under sail.

Bruce bought a mini bike, no definition needed, nor any elaboration contemplated, suffice it to say, the utility has been derived from the miles of company roads on the multi thousand acres under St. Regis control in the area. All the kids have had a ball with it.

Karen who will be seventeen in February (Great Scott!!) had a full year with extracurricular activity, YNCA (swimming and her first paying summer job at the snack bar) and Senior Girl Scouts, the latter which provided the highlight of the year, a trip to Euluthera, in the Bahamas.

Bruce, made life scout, was elected to the Order of Arrow, and was made senior patrol leader (he could say “shaddup” louder than anyone else) and played varsity junior high football this fall. His year was also highlighted by a camping trip to the Bahamas (Eulutera). (Isn’t that something else! Romantic Bahama Islands, wafting breeze and moonlit waters. When I take Joyce I will have forgotten the why since as of now I don’t even know the how.

Diane is engrossed in the band at high school where she played at all the football games. She plays the claronet (We were going to cut a record called the sounds and squeeks of Christmas) and enjoys it very much. She is also active in Girl Scouts and made a trip to Savannah this year.

George, the tiger, launched into his first year of organised football where he has become the “Dick Butkus” of Gray Y football (His normal field posture suggested the analogy at once) This team ended up third in the league. He is looking forward to basketball next. I wouldn’t miss a game for the world.

The family trip this summer included a stop in Atlanta to visit Six Flags Over Georgia. We stooped in Bridgeport to pick up Joyce’s mother and went on to Niagra Falls, 1,000 Islands, Ottawa , and back down through Vermont, and home again, some 5,000 miles and five blowouts later. I don’t really know see how we took 100 slides since it seems as though I spent the entire three weeks with Bruce setting up, taking down and fixing flats – but we would do it again in a minute, we really had fun at a reasonable cost.

We hope this letter finds you all well and in good spirits. May the New Year be a joyful and “nutty” as ours usually is and you won’t have time to worry too much about anything one thing too long.

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