2015 -- The Year in Review

Another year has come and gone.  It is time again to write our annual holiday letter.  Happy Holidays to all! 

2015 has been a good year for the Kleemann’s.  We feel fortunate to be in good health although we have gained a few more creaks in our bones and joints. We keep trying to ignore the years.  We continue to think of ourselves like we are in our 40’s!  We keep pushing ourselves to move – move it or lose it.  Though Gary continues to be the energizer bunny, Vina says “no mas” on occasion. 

We continue our retirement tradition of wintering in Tempe and spending the summers in San Diego.

In San Diego we got to see our off spring (want to say “kids” but can’t since they are in their late 30’s - early 40’s).  They are enjoying their lives so we have to coordinate schedules to get together for dinner on occasion.  Mike still DJ’s so he works late in the evenings.  He also video edits as an independent contractor during the day.  In August he gave himself a vacation of traveling to and exploring Thailand.  It was a great adventure and he really enjoyed it. 

Bob is now working for a company that produces election software.  They claim the Oscars and Emmys as clients.   They are hoping to produce and be certified for more state and national elections in the future.  Bob says his brain is drained at the end of a day – a good feeling.  Natalie is still in Human Resources in the School of Cognitive Sciences at UCSD and continues to enjoy the work. 

A highlight of the year was our trip to Italy in September, where we celebrated our 45^th wedding anniversary.  It was a wonderful trip with great people, interesting sights, wonderful food and some really good wine.  Gary is still working on organizing the pictures and will have them posted online Real Soon Now. 

We went to San Diego for Thanksgiving.  Bob and Natalie hosted the dinner.  They always do a lovely job – both excel in the kitchen.  Mike brought vegetables with a definite spicy Thai influence.  It was great to see our kids all working together in the kitchen.  They all call themselves “foodies” and we think that they may be taking after their great-grandfather Kleemann who was a professional chef.

Gary has cut back just a bit on his leadership roles in various local organizations to be able to devote more time to travel and other activities.  We will see how long that lasts!? Vina continues with her volunteer activities, golf and enrichment classes.  We feel truly fortunate.

We wish you all the very best in 2016 and hope that our paths might cross many times in the future.

What follows below is a chronological recap of our year in review.

Yee Gads, another year.  We have been busy.  Retirement is good.  Below is a chronological review of what we have been up to during the past year.  Click on the links to see the pictures.

Last December we joined good friends Dave and Karen Schwalm to see the Las Noches de las Luminarias at the Desert Botanical Gardens.  After the annual New Frontiers for Lifelong Learning holiday luncheon we headed back to San Diego for the holidays.  We arrived in time to attend the OaksNorth Hiking Group holiday party.

As is our tradition, Vina fixed the traditional tamales (with the help of Costco and Manuel’s restaurant) on Christmas Eve.  Bob and Natalie hosted Christmas dinner.  Bob sous-vide the tenderloin to perfection, then used a torch to brown the outside.  It is always fun but humbling to learn something new from your children. 

During the holidays we hopped over the mountain to visit Bill and Susie Wright who were RV’ing in Borrego Springs during their annual southern trek to get away from Portland weather.  We played some really bad golf and ate some really great food.  Who would have thought in Borrego Springs?

In January Gary had eye surgery to correct a small “hole” in the back of his eye.  Vina had a minor procedure as well. All went and is well.

February brought Thomas Friedman to Gammage Auditorium at ASU, which we were privileged to attend – the privileges of living in a university town. 

March was a three for one.  We travelled to San Diego for a long weekend.  We were able to have brunch with the kids and have dinner with Vina’s friend and former housemates Nan and Joe, Carole, Buzzy and Suzanne.  

Then we were privileged to attend the memorial service for Marji Ryder.  She and Vina taught together in San Diego at Pomerado School way back when.  Pat, her husband, followed her explicit instructions for a burial at sea and celebration of her life. 

April was time for the annual Ajo Reunion in Phoenix bringing together many people with some connection to Ajo, the small southern Arizona town where Vina grew up.  The Class of 1960 tries to get together for lunch this time as well. 

In May good friends John and Joan Hendricks from Sacramento (by way of New York) came for a visit.  We had a great time showing them around.  We all enjoyed a visit to the Musical Instrument Museum (MIM).  In honor of their visit, we were able to arrange a dinner with John and Joan, Dave and Karen Schwalm and Sam and Pat Obregon.  It is always a challenge to get a word in edgewise with this group.  

June saw Gary reaching a milestone birthday.  Vina hosted a 70^th birthday party for Gary at a San Diego favorite restaurant with family and friends.   Seems like only yesterday that Gary was in college….

In June Vina drove back to Arizona to Tucson for the funeral services for Elva Valdez Flores.  The Valdez family and the Sotelo family have been long time friends.  While in Tucson, Vina stayed with college friend Eloise Carrillo.  It is amazing how old friends can reconnect so quickly. 

In July we took a drive up to Palm Springs to help good friend Bob Serrano celebrate his birthday with a lunch at Billy Reed’s, a favorite classic mid-century restaurant. 

August brought wine tasting at the local wineries east of Escondido with friends Doug and Cathy and Sharon and Joe.  We were surprised at how many wineries have opened up there.

Gary has been working on a proposal to improve the pathway leading from our area in Oaks North to the Community Center.  The HOA Board refused.  **#!*!  Gary is persistent though.  A project for 2016.

Our younger son Mike decided to give himself a vacation (he is an independent contractor – so he doesn’t get any vacation) and went to Thailand for the month of August.  He sent pictures of him playing with Bengal tigers and using mama tiger as a pillow.

We spent September exploring Tuscany and Umbria in Italy.  It was a great adventure with lots of cooking, eating, drinking, and learning about Italian culture.   We are in the process of writing a blog and posting the pictures about the trip.  When completed it will be available at: http://garyandvina.blogspot.com/2015/12/tuscany-and-umbria-2015.html.

In October we got into our regular fall activities with New Frontiers, the ASU Emeritus College, the ASU Retirees Association, golfing, Call 12 and ASU football.  The Ajo Class of 1960 held its annual birthday for the whole class.  

Gary continues to teach classes for New Frontiers for Lifelong Learning.  This year Gary taught a new workshop on the National Debt.  It was Gary’s first time teaching this workshop and it proved both challenging and fun.  As with most classes, the teacher ends up learning more than the students.  Gary also taught his Time Management for Seniors class, which he has been teaching for many years now but for some reason Vina has yet to take the class.  He also did a presentation on our Russian trip.  He managed to get the 3,000 pictures down to just a little over a 100.   

November also brought the Schwab Cup Golf Championship to Phoenix and we were fortunate enough to attend with San Diego (and now Arizona) friends Berta and Dennis.  While I believe golf is better watched on TV, it is fun to go and see the players live.  Vina and Berta made sure they checked out Fred Couples.

The football highlight was ASU beating the UofA in the state rivalry game.  Go Devils!

Thanksgiving brought us back to San Diego. Bob and Natalie hosted – beautifully and deliciously, as always.   It seems that all of our offspring (Vina no longer will call them “kids”) are talented in the kitchen – perhaps taking after their great-grandfather Kleemann who was a chef.  Mike is now resettled in a new place and hoping to restart his garden.  

It has been quite a good year!