Dear Friends,

2003 was a year of milestones.

We moved. We got two new cats. We bid farewell to Arlene Campone, who helped us take care of our kids for the past four years. We bought a new car (a Subaru Outback). That's probably enough upheaval for one year. But on top of that, Cindy's mom, Marilyn Rose Reynolds, died. Utterly unexpectedly. Cindy is an only child; she and her mom were very close. You will find a link to a separate web page devoted to Marilyn's memory at the bottom of this page. Next to that event, everything seems to be a bit of a blur...but truly, life goes on.

Julian just turned 6. Now he knows everything! He takes boys-only dance class at the Broadway Training Center in Hastings-on-Hudson, is about to start piano lessons, and is cultivating a vulgar sense of humor which must have descended through some recessive gene. Go figure. He has girlfriends galore, and his departure from kindergarten in Mount Vernon (when we moved to New Rochelle) was a cause of general heartbreak. We will have to watch out for him!
 

(Note that these incredible photos of us are by our friend Arnie Adler, from his photo exhibit at First Unitarian Society of Westchester.  We thank him for letting us use them on this website. The photos of cats, house, and Grandpa are by Cindy.)

Madeleine is well on her way to being 10. She writes (she won the 4th grade essay contest), draws (she is fascinated by Japanese Manga -- that's the still version of Anime), plays piano and flute, and is generally bright, charming, and considerate. She is certainly growing up quickly: her reaction to an insufficiently entertaining day at home was: "and here I am, stuck in this house all day, and I don't even have any nail polish!" This, from a girl who proudly calls herself "almost a tomboy." Go figure.

We added two kittens to our household in March...

They were tiny.

Now they're not!

Here are Simba (large, marmalade tabby) and Xena (plump, yet petite, calico).

Cynthia had the banner stress year. Her mom died suddenly and unexpectedly on June 24th, resulting in a three week trip to Florida during which Cindy rescued her Dad, who was stranded in Georgia, arranged the funeral, moved her Dad into a senior residence, and sold the house. Then she had to sell the car, which was done long distance. Not long after she got back, we finally found a house we could live with (not to mention in) and promptly bought it -- then we had to put ours on the market (it sold quite quickly, although it didn't seem that way while the process was going on), pack, and move. The move took place right after Thanksgiving, a nice relaxing time for total family chaos. The new place is (temporarily, we hope) dubbed the "palazzo degli cartoni" but we are making headway against the stacks of boxes. Somehow, she found time for her job with SoftWise, including 600 hours of overtime, as the time arrived for the issuance of their new product, Innova.  Oh, she still finds time to sing too!  And design and knit outrageous children's ponchos!  By the way, here is a sample of Cindy and Richard singing.  This is from Richard's album "O Vision Entrancing", the duet "A book of verses" from Liza Lehmann's "In a Persian Garden".  Click here to listen.

Richard had a banner year with The Western Wind A Cappella Vocal Ensemble: he is on their new "Holiday Light" album and radio special, which was broadcast and webcast across the country -- just about everywhere except New York City. Go figure. His two teaching jobs, at Manhattanville and Concordia colleges, took up lots of energy, and his private teaching studio grew by leaps and bounds. He continues as Music Director for Sutton Place Synagogue, and gives recital and oratorio performances whenever he can shoehorn them into his schedule. One of the highlights of the year was the flip side of Cindy's long trip to Florida: the dread combo of teaching an eight-day Western Wind singing workshop at Smith College and having both children in tow. With the assistance of a small army of local babysitters, not to mention many of the workshop participants, the experience became a summer Hogwarts-like wonderland for the kids (a week in a rickety old dorm, how enchanting!), and a memorable if hectic week for Richard. If only there were a photo of Julian being taught to play frisbee by Kristina Boerger, Eric Brenner, and Alan Reinhardt! The night after the workshop ended, Richard, Maddie and Julian arrived home to discover that the two kittens, annoyed at being abandoned to the care of our neighbor Linda who fed them for a week, had destroyed all the bedding in the house. Looking back, we laugh. (We didn't then...)

 

We all became more and more involved in the community we have found at First Unitarian Society of Westchester (in Hastings-on-Hudson). Cindy is now Secretary of the Board (ironically, her mother had become secretary of her Florida Synagogue's board just before she died), just took on the role of Web Mistress (www.westchesteruu.org) and still co-coordinates the Community Supported Agriculture group.  Richard directs the choir (and they got him such nice neckties this Christmas). Richard's mother, Sandy (Sondra K. Slade, who has become a major mover and shaker in the League of Women Voters) attends services.  And of course the children run rampant with the other kids.

Cindy's dad, Dick, joined us on Cape Cod this August --we all really needed that vacation!

Oh, our new house....

Everyone gets their own room and/or office!  Come visit us and see the outrageous color Richard picked for the living room and music room!

We wish you a peaceful new year. Dull would be nice, too....

Richard, Cynthia, Madeleine, Julian, Xena, Simba, Hoppy, Eenie, Moe and Tiger (frog and assorted newts)
 

Marilyn Rose Reynolds - 1932 - 2003  We will miss her.