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May your new year be rich and textured, with moments of peace and joy; and with the freedom to experience the sad or difficult times without undue aversion or suffering. That these instead can flow through you like ever changing weather patterns.

Resolution #1:

Learn 'Blackbird' – by the Beatles – on the guitar, to the point of fluency. And not just the chords. A guitar-playing Peace Corps friend showed me how to play from 'tabs.' These are a sort of musical notation for the guitar player, like me, who can’t really read music.

Resolution #2:

Learn Eva Cassidy's version of ‘Over the Rainbow' to the point that my fiancée's beautiful soprano will be accompanied, if not by an equally talented musician, at least by one who will not embarrass himself.

Resolution #3:

What the? Yes, you read that right, I am engaged to a lovely woman, Dwan Reece. And

we plan to have a tiny wedding service with just our teenaged children this summer. Her daughter Maya is 15. Exact date is as yet to be determined. Will let you know when it happens.

Some other news: Eli is a senior in high school. His grades haven't ever panned out, so he will be going to the nearby community college. Which may sound negative – but he is actually quite happy to be going to Montgomery College, and I'm sure that the school is a fine institution in its own right. He has yet to decide on a field of study. And if he does well for two years there, he will be eligible to transfer to the University of Maryland, or another state college. He plans to share an apartment near the campus with two friends also attending MC.

Spencer is a sophomore at the Canterbury School up in Connecticut. He continues to love dorm life, and sports, but is finding the academics more challenging this year. Send him your thoughts and prayers.

Miller is continuing to 'enjoy' Sidwell. The quotation marks indicate that every morning (almost) he tries to make a deal to get out of going to school – just this one day dad, please… But nearly every afternoon when I ask how his day was, he says 'good.' (Even today when he came home with a nearly broken toe from wrestling.) I think the point is, he's not a morning person. This year he has been to at least a half dozen Mitzvahs so far (either Bar or Bat), and looks quite handsome in a blazer, tie, slacks, and yarmulke.

Oh, and I've been thinking about going back to school - social work of some kind, or psychology. I am interested at this point in both clinical and research directions. Otherwise, I continue with my men’s group, meditation groups, and writers’ group, though the grief that my writing has focused on seems to be losing steam. Which is a good thing, the 'work' having been helpful.

The boys and I made it to Nepal this year, a pilgrimage long in coming. (If you are interested in more travelogue about this trip, you can read earlier posts in this blog, just scroll down to ‘The night bus from hell’ and read chronologically up. Trust me, the trip gets better…).

Peace and love, Peter and the boys

Now for some pictures:

Trip to Nepal

At my niece Emily’s wedding in July. (Note Miller’s studied ‘secret service’ look.)

Dwan and I at our engagement dinner.

Coda: It has been said that everlasting friends can go long periods of time without speaking and never question the friendship. These types of friends pick up like they just spoke yesterday, regardless of how long it has been or how far away they live, and they don't hold grudges. They understand that life is busy, but you will always love them.