December 15, 2005

Dear Family and Friends,

Every year around this time we try to touch base with all of you. At this moment it is very cold and clear outside, and there is an inch of snow on the ground. Our Christmas presents have been sent and Marty has assembled our tree and strung the lights. I still need to hang the ornaments and write this letter.

Margaret, Rob and Eric are all due here next week. Margaret has said Joni will come with her and Rob has said he will bring Kasey. (Those are the friends who live with each of them.) Marty's mother Alice will also be an important part of the Christmas festivities. We have the offer of a neighbor's vacant house if it becomes too crowded here.

At the top of my list of significant happenings this year, Marty and I have been following the South Beach Diet since Nov. 1 (doctor's orders). So far we have each lost fifteen pounds and are going strong! It has given me a renewed interest in food shopping and cooking.

And now our highlights of 2005. Last spring I broke a bone in my foot while carrying a basket of laundry down our stairs. This resulted in several sedentary weeks, which were tolerated with the help of a mail order DVD service, thoughtfully provided by Margaret.

Luckily the foot mended in time for the second Reissner reunion in Germany, with Margaret and Eric joining us. We were fifty Reissner descendants from four generations--including my brother John, his wife Zollene and their kids Steve and Kate. We also visited my Mom's hometown Meiningen, uncovering much meaningful Siegel family history, and Oestrich-Winkel, to see our niece Chrissy Ewing and her husband.

Other highlights on our 2005 calendar: I visited John and Zollene in North Carolina and we visited Pam and Phil Hoffer (Swarthmore friends) in Vermont. The theologian Dom Crossan with whom we toured Turkey came for a weekend of study and worship at our church. We also had visitors Bill and Gayle Ewing, Tom and Linda Ewing, Inge and Jack Silton (my cousin on my Mom's side), Ben and Richard Wood (fifth cousins on my Dad's side) and Ted and Ginny Moore (Swarthmore friends). Other than that, I've kept reasonably busy with YUWO, our church, and Branford activities, while Marty has been involved with computers, ham radios and a variety of other interests.

Have a Merry Christmas and/or a Happy Hanukkah. We hope you'll tell us what's new with you.

Love, Eva

--evaewing@yahoo.com--
28 Wood Rd., Branford, CT 06405

 

And see Martin's letter for 2004.