Greetings of the Season 2011

Happy Hanukkah     Merry Christmas     Feliz Navidad    

Happy Kwanzaa 

Feliz Dia de Reyes     Happy Eid al-Adha

It is time once again to reflect on the past and hope for the future. We have much to be thankful for this year. 

Superstition Mountains

Gary remains active in retirement serving on three local boards and one national committee.  He also teaches a short course or two for seniors through the local lifelong learning organizations.  He is still learning how to say “no.”  Vina continues to volunteer with her consumer work at Call 12 for Action, enjoys her ladies golfing group and her Spanish conversation group.  We both enjoy the opportunities to hike around Arizona and California. 

Overlooking the 17th hole

We spent last spring enjoying the Phoenix area with hiking, golfing and visiting sites in Arizona.  We were fortunate enough to attend the Phoenix Open Golf Tournament, an LPGA tournament and visit the amazing Musical Instrument Museum.   

Ajo H.S. Class of 1961

We enjoyed a visit from Northwestern friends Bill and Susie Wright, toured the Boyce Thompson Arboretum and we were able to help Tracy Davis (spouse of nephew Dan) celebrate her birthday at John and Vera’s.  Vina served on the planning committee for the Ajo Reunion where her high school Ajo Red Raiders class celebrated their 50^th reunion.  A good time was had by all attending.

Vina’s maiden Aunt Queta passed away at the age of 92 in April.  Vina is settling up the estate.

In May we headed off to San Diego where we spent the summer.  Towards the end of June we began a two week cruise up the Rhine, Main and Danube Rivers. Our travels began in Amsterdam and concluded in Vienna.  In between we visited 15 cities and towns, went through 66 different locks, and gained a sense of history from the middle ages through World War II and up to today. We had a great time and made many new acquaintances.  A detailed blog of the trip with day-by-day descriptions and pictures may be found at: http://garyandvina.blogspot.com/2011/07/cruising-great-rivers-of-europe-2011.html or by scrolling down this blog.

In San Diego we discovered and joined two senior hiking groups and explored parts of San Diego we had not discovered before.  Again it provided the chance to get to know more good people.  We got to watch the Parade of Tall Ships entering San Diego Bay again this year.  It is an amazing sight to see.    In September we were able to visit with Vina’s cousin Olivia and Ben Skwierez at Vina’s sister Elsie and Eddie Avalos’ home in Los Angeles.  

We enjoyed the first part of ASU’s football season but can easily forget the last half.  

Vina, Marilyn Jo and Cricket

In October we were able to join Cricket for a lunch with sister-in-law Marilyn Jo Sotelo who was visiting Phoenix.  Family and friends are so important.  

On the home front, Bob, Natalie and Mike are well and working hard in San Diego.  Bob and Natalie were able to come to Arizona for Thanksgiving, which we shared with Vina’s sister Cricket, now well on her way to recovery from her liver transplant last year, and her husband Marty, their son Marty Jr., and his wife Larissa and cousin Jimmy.  

The Kleemann's - Gary, Vina, Natalie, Bob and Mike

For the future?  Let us all hope for good health, modest wealth and many friends.  Let us all hope and work for Peace on Earth and Good Will towards All.  We wish you all of the very best for 2012 and hope that our paths might cross during the coming year.

Please click on any of the links to see pictures.

We have posted pictures collected throughout the year at: http://picasaweb.google.com/garykleemann.