We hope this holiday season
finds you and your family in good health!
Our New Old Home
It’s been a year of change for us…
Earlier this year, our neighbors asked if we would be interested in selling our house. We didn’t have the house on the market, but we had been thinking about moving into a smaller place and decided to take advantage of the opportunity.
We ended up buying a vintage home around the corner and we have fallen in love with the old home’s radiators and glass door knobs. We already knew a few of our new neighbors and feel quite at home in this 1936 colonial. We are very happy we made the move!
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[column] Grady gets a Brother
Grady & Chester
Sadly, we lost Tilly just before the move. After waiting a few months for Grady to adjust to her new home, we adopted Chester – a rescue puppy about the same size as Grady. We’re not sure of his breed but he has quickly found his way into our hearts, and the ornaments on our Christmas tree!
Grady and Chester have become best friends and are becoming inseparable. They run, bark, play, and become jealous when it comes to getting undivided attention.
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[column] The 48 Four Thousand Footers
View from Mt. Jackson
With the move and all the packing and unpacking, we were only able to climb three more mountains this year: Mt. Waumbeck, Mt. Cabot, and Mt, Jackson. We are now ¼ through the 48 4,000 foot peaks of the NH White Mountains.
We are working out through the winter so that we will be able to blaze through the rest of the 5,000 footers and some of the higher 4,000 footers this summer. We are looking forward to climbing with both Grady and Chester!
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Work…
Karen continues to work at Easter Seals and was promoted to Senior Director of Program Operations. She is responsible for Data Management, Business Intelligence, etc., and is running several programs as well. Karen also celebrated 15 years of service with Easter Seals this year.
Steve continues to work at UMass and is now the Principal Project Manager for the President’s Office University IT Services. Steve was also asked to write a weather blog and publish his forecasts on the President’s Office website.
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What is a “Sharn”?
The Sharn
According to Karen, a “Sharn” is an outbuilding that is too big to be a shed yet not big enough to be a barn… According to Steve, a “Sharn” is what you end up with when your wife says no to a barn. We have built various sharns at the last 3 of the 5 houses we have lived in over the years, with this one big enough for the tractor and workshop. We plan to finish the project by running power to the sharn this Spring. Steve can’t wait!
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Weather Forecasting
The DWC
The new Daukas Weather Center became operational in July of 2013. This wood-trimmed oasis of science & technology, complete with large windows and its own door to the back yard that leads to the Sharn no less, is the perfect refuge from which to observe, predict, and report all manner of natural phenomena!
Occasionally, the dogs and I are invited to spend some quality time together in the “DWC” watching the Weather Channel, but most of the time it serves as a great home office!
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Family…
Both nephews on Karen’s side of the family are in university and enjoying the college life. John is a junior at Purdue and James is a freshman at Villanova. Both are doing well and are expected home for the Holidays.
The Daukii nieces and nephews are also doing well… Molly is moving to Florida to pursue her dreams of running her own salon. Nicholas is a senior at Johnston and Whales in Rhode Island and is expected to graduate this year with a degree in Communication & Design. Jessica finished her degrees in Music & Teaching and is now a full-time music teacher in Michigan. John is completing his graduate work in the classics at Oxford and should be back on our side of the pond next year.
Our mothers, brothers, brother-in-laws, sisters, and sister-in-laws are all doing well. While there have been a couple of knee replacements, an occasional rotator cuff injury, sprains, strains, and other age-related ailments, all have pulled through swimmingly I’m happy to say!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!
We hope this holiday season is warm and safe,
and finds you surrounded by
family, friends, good food and cheer!
Here’s to 2014 – may it be the best year yet!
Karen & Steve
Grady & Chester
