GREETINGS JANUARY 2021
Happy New Year!

In last year's newsletter ..... Thankfully, 2020 is now behind us (as are '19, '18 and '17). Compared with other years, we didn't do much, probably not unlike many of you. We are thankful to be retired and healthy. But here are some of the goings-on chez van Hecke.

The year started with a visit from Gaie, whom we knew from when we lived in Syracuse in the 80's. We had reconnected during our grand tour of the NE last year. Any and all visitors get taken to Bandelier and Meow Wolf...

← Gaie at Bandelier


So we took Gaie to Meow Wolf, Santa Fe's well-known immersive art experience. Little did we realize that only a few weeks later, this iconic center, which has been replicated in several US cities, would be shuttered for the rest of 2020. It is a crowded space, with many areas where the idea is to touch everything. The very thing that made Meow Wolf so exciting to experience led to its closure.

Then the pandemic came to New Mexico and everything came to a halt. However, construction was still allowed, and the ongoing front steps project proceeded. Hubert had designed this years (decades) ago, and it finally got done. In the spring we'll do shrubs and flowers.
As the months dragged on, one highlight was that every second Friday, a few houses down, a band, the Banded Geckos, would set up and play. We and our neighbors would carry over our chairs and enjoy this. By the end of October, it was too dark and too cold, but we're looking forward to spring performances.

From the right: Margaret, Walter, Saskia, Deb, Laura, John  →

In May, Saskia obtained her Master's degree speech and language pathology at the U of Arizona. She received the Outstanding Clinician award. Between graduation and starting her first job, she visited New Mexico for ten days. We dragged her out to various vigorous outdoor activities.

← Here she is along the Rail Trail between Santa Fe and Eldorado

We are so lucky to live in this beatuful place. We have discovered trails and paths where we can ride or walk for hours and only see one or two other people. This particular trail, El Camino Real, runs from Okay Owingeh Pueblo (to the left, 28 mi) to Mexico City (to the right, 1439 mi). We didn't go that far.

Our skies really are cerulian like that.

Can you find the Rio Grande?

With barbers closed, Deb is reluctantly becoming quite experienced cutting hair.

Closing in on 2000 miles on the stationary bike, to keep improving the new knees. Other activities that have helped are Pilates, yoga (online with Tyko) and PT with Gretchen Johnson. How could I not improve?
No one came to the door at Halloween, but we did leave goody bags out for the neighborhood kids,
Niels and Tyko seem to be doing as well as could be expected in this very odd year. Niels is working as a programmer for the Denver Health Department. He can work from his home office. Tyko works at the YMCA in Denver as a personal trainer and yoga instructor. For Deb, one of the highlights of the week is the online yoga class. Not only is Tyko a very good instructor, but it's a chance to see Tyko, Niels and sometimes Saskia. What a treat! This picture was taken on one of their few visits from Denver earlier this year.

Andrew and Saskia are still living in Tucson, at least for the time being. Andrew is completing his doctoral thesis in the next few months and will be teaching a class online for the University of New Mexico next semester. Saskia will complete her clinical Fellowship year in April. We hope that they'll move closer to Santa Fe, but of course that will depend upon where they find employment.


← Deb and Kamala and champagne on November 7th.

Thanksgiving brought a turkey (same) and Zooming with the kids (not the same).

What else? Starting in March, volunteers at Make started fabricating PPE for distribution in the city and in Indian country. We made thousands of face masks, face shields and bottles of hand sanitizers. At the SF Alliance for Science, Hubert and other volunteers are making math and science videos for use in our local schools. Deb worked hard on the election. Another bright spot in the week was the conversational Spanish class we took with Hubert's longtime teacher and classmates. Keeping busy.


OK, we were supposed to be there on December 14, but we weren't. Better luck next year.
And finally, a Zoomed Christmas and 2020 is all done!
 

Wishing us all health in 2021 and the ability to visit and even hug (gasp!) our friends and family members!

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