MERRY CHRISTMAS!  You’ve still got time to make a last minute Christmas order from Amazon via our website.  While you’re thinking about what gifts you’ve forgotten...the Court will come to order.

TOM GEMMELL reports around from Juneau: “Two girls in college this fall. Sarah (23) should finish up with a degree in Graphic Arts at Portland State University in December.  Margaret (19) starts her second year at Oregon State in late Sept -- medical field for now.  Zach (15) and I just got back from a Boy Scout trip canoeing the Yukon River 250 miles from Carmacks to Dawson City.  Good time and got to see the boys grow in skill and confidence.  Also been running a small passenger vessel this summer to Tracy Arm -- get to run through a field of ice chunks to get to the Sawyer Glacier.  Also working for a commercial fishing group -- got a rule through the federal process -- only took 4.25 years to jump through all the hoops. Jake (28) is a computer network specialist for the State Dept of labor.  Jesse (26) got married two years ago and is the Director of Youth Ministry for the Diocese of Juneau (Graduated form St Martins College, Lacey in 1999). Jed (21) is taking next semester off from school to travel; he has been working at a Juneau restaurant while going to school in Juneau the past three years.

BERT & SUSI KINGHORN have safely landed in Seattle.  BERT reports: “Can't seem to get the cold iron watch set though.  We have been very busy, though, including 4 trips to Madigan in just a few short months. While we moved our stuff in on 5 July, we have only been in town a total of about 10 days since then.  We did take our time coming across country.  We flew our to meet our household goods in late June only to have the truck break down.  It arrived and delivered  a day before our cheap seats flight back so we locked the door on all the boxes then flew back to Rachel's.  Actually spent almost a month getting here the second time with stops at Susie's parents and brother's as well as Rachel's.  Relaxed on the drive as well.  After being here barely a week we flew back to North Carolina for a family wedding and just returned. Alaska is next.”

The end of August AL GRACEWSKI sent a note saying he was job hunting.  “My job search has revealed a couple jobs within Northrop Grumman which should have job offers coming this week or next.  The first is with Sperry Marine in Charlottesville, VA initially on the Deepwater project.  The second is with Northrop Grumman Marine Systems in Sunnyvale, CA where they do quite a bit of Navy work for submarine propulsion turbines, generator sets, and similar work for aircraft carriers.”  Advance the calendar a month and AL reports: “Looks like off to the west coast we go....I have accepted a job with Northrop Grumman Marine Systems in Sunnyvale, CA.  I will be in place and working by 3 Nov.  Suzanne will stay in MD until house is sold.  More details to follow as this unfolds.   Good news and very acceptable for us.”  But AL, what about the tractors, cars and boat?  

Doctor MAWHINNEY is writing a book!  He reports: “My daughter, Kate (21) graduated from Marist College in May. I bonded with the boys in Newport in June; sat on the lawn and listened to the Boston Symphony at Tanglewood, played the ponies at Saratoga, watched the Red Sox dominate the Indians, hung out at Lake Taconic for a few days, went to several street fairs replete with fireworks, worked a conference at the Marriott Marquis in NYC, facilitated a week-long teacher training workshop, attended Harborfest at my brother's house on Lake Ontario, taught a course at SUNY New Paltz, and spent Labor Day at the Jersey Shore.  I officiated a football game at Norwich University -- it was homecoming.  At half-time, I got to shake hands with the college president -- a fellow named Schneider -- he looked familiar, but I couldn't place him.  I gave me the chills, though -- for a moment I thought I was back at the Academy.  I am living in an apartment in Poughkeepsie, NY.   Dan (25) comes over to the apartment and hangs out occasionally. If I am lucky, he will even sleep on my couch and drink any beer I might have in the place.  Spending a lot of time down by the river (the Hudson) reading and writing. I am working on a book about my ten-year experience at Rhinebeck High School. It should be a classic.”

Great photo of JIM & PETE.  Caption: Cost of sharing a room in NYC with a classmate - $62.50; Dinner, drinks and Montecristo cigars aboard the USS Intrepid - $125; Four-cheese Doritos for midnight snack - $3.29; Picture of two Goobers happy as could be - Priceless! Pete provides the details: “Reporting aboard the USS Intrepid in NYC. JIM SYLVESTER and I had an exceptional time and walked away with 3 dozen stogies each!  Good food, good drink, good time.  We had so much fun, we decided that we want to go again next year.  We might turn it into a boat trip to NYC from Connecticut as part of the package? Applications for crew mates will be accepted over the next three months; please submit your essay in 250 words or less, "Why you want to participate in Operation MonteCristo with two experienced Goobers.” Review and winners determined by SYLVESTER and BARRETT, all decisions final and non-reviewable!”

It's been a busy summer in Southern California.  No, not the recall. SUTTER FOX provides an update: “Laurel graduated a year early from UC Irvine and was the graduation speaker for her college.  She is now a medical student at UC San Diego.  I've included a photo from her White Coat Ceremony.  Darryl has been working as a production associate for MTV News in Santa Monica for nearly a year.  He shoots digital video (including the Academy Awards), writes and edits scripts, and plans stories.  I'm still doing some consulting work for USC. BONNIE and I are happy to get our puppy back.  We raised a black lab for Guiding Eyes for the Blind when we lived in RI.  Gina was recently retired and we had a nice trip to NY to pick her up.”

DAVE & CINDI HENRICKSON are back in the states for the immediate future.  “We finished up in Curacao in March this year after handing the reigns over to my extremely able deputy.  Eight-day weeks of 18 hour-days got to be too much and the sea called.  Five months of heated debate and sweaty effort getting the "Forever Young" ready for sea. We put ourselves on one of those self-imposed, impossible to meet, but damn it we're going to do it anyway schedules.  June 1st CINDI packed the final case of wine and roll of tp and we headed south for the beginning of a great 2 months in the Abacos, Eleuthra, Spanish Wells, Andros, and then on to Bimini.  It was just like I remembered it back in the WPB days - except for the fact we had to do all the work and position accuracy is now down to +/- 3 meters.  Incidentally, Bimini is actually a couple hundred yards or so further west than shown on the charts (I trust the GPS). Note to self, pay attention at night!  We're back for the moment, planning the next trip and refilling the coffers. CINDI tends the boat and I'm back on DynCorp's corporate staff. NATO beckoned last month and I had a chance to enjoy a wonderful 2 weeks back in Kosovo.  Things have calmed remarkably since my last trip in spring '99.  There's a new settled atmosphere and it's encouraging to finally see some budding economic development.  On a side note, we're always looking for quality project people who don't have an aversion to distant travel.  So, if anybody gets the itch, keep your resume current and my email handy (proteus@palmnet.net or dave.henrickson@dyncorp.com).  Working Dubai the end of this month and will need loggies.”

Another Doctor to be, but this one on the East coast.  CHARLES SIBRE reports: “Kelly did get an admission offer from Eastern Virginia Medical School (EVMS), located in Norfolk, VA.  I got the call about Aug 6.  I sent an e-mail to Kelly as she was on a 2-week trip to Europe.  She opened the e-mail while in Paris and said she "partied hardily" that evening at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.  She got home on Aug 15 and left on Aug 17 for school.  We are naturally very proud parents for her accomplishments.  Now if she can survive the equivalent of a 30 semester hour workload, in 4 years and lots of $$$ later, she will be a Doctor!”  CHARLES, you and SUTTER will have to compare notes...and checkbooks!  

Yes, my much better half and I are standing in wicker basket.  MARY JANE got me a hot air balloon ride for my birthday and it was an amazing experience.  We launched about a half mile north of the Chateau Ste. Michelle winery and drifted on the wind for a little over and hour.  We reached about 3500 and on a beautiful Seattle evening, drifted silently over Chateau Ste. Michelle, the Columbia Winery, and the Red Hook Brewery.  We experienced a very gentle landing and then enjoyed a great dinner and a few celebratory liquid libations.  We both highly recommend ballooning for your “Gotta Do It” lists.  And more great news...moved up 699 places on the waiting list for Green Bay Packers season tickets!  If the current pace continues, the kids will be buying them for me for my 100th birthday!  While I continue to wait, we’re adjourned!