Dear Friends and Family,

Another year draws to a close and I sit down to type the most challenging of Christmas letters. The year 2000 held many joys and deep sorrow for us. I will begin with the triumphs and joy we have experienced during the past twelve months. And what better place to begin than with Adrian? He's still very interested in his piano playing and lessons. In April he performed in his school's talent show playing "Phantom of the Opera", complete with mask and cape. (note: Adrian plays that piece so well that he will be in a recital in February, 2001 at the Chrysler Museum in Norfolk to perform "Phantom"! All are invited!!) Adrian ended fourth grade with a bang by being presented with the Stephen Gibson Award, the highest honor given to a fourth grader at his school, based on academic achievements and citizenship. He attended a basketball camp and several weeks at a Time Traveler camp, exploring dinosaurs, Egyptians, and cowboys (just to name a few!) while I taught summer school. Adrian and I still bowl weekly on our Big and Little League. He now holds a 97 average! Fifth grade brought harder subjects and new routines, but he's doing very well. In November Adrian celebrated his eleventh birthday with a Harry Potter costume party. Lots of magical fun! (For those of you familiar with these wonderful books, Adrian became Harry Potter, Robie became Professor Snape and I, Professor McGonnegal.) This year Adrian discovered cooking and, like his father, seems to be a natural chef. When you're in our area, stop by for supper and experience his wonderful fisherman's pie.

Robie has been in the same job (working at Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet) for almost a year now, which is something of a record! He remembers, when he was young and his father was in a similar staff job in London, that the most his father would say about his job was that he spent the day shuffling papers. He thought his father was only covering highly classified and exciting work; but now that he is in a similar position, he realizes that that is all the job really does entail - shuffling papers! Except that now he shuffles e-mails. He's made no more progress on writing his novel, but is doing lot's of what he calls "background reading," which seems to involve buying every book in the History section of Barnes and Noble.  He has, however, extended the pond and started lining it with plants; it should finally look really lovely just before we have to move.  The toads certainly appreciate it - I counted seven of them out courting one night!  In addition, a huge green frog has taken up residence, which makes me think of Gollum every time I catch a glimpse of it.

In August, Robie's sister Pam, her husband Peter Walshe and children Ben and Robyn came to stay with us for a few days before we all went up to Washington DC and then on to Ohio.  It looked as if the Walshe's may never arrive: they were due at Norfolk airport at six in the evening, and finally arrived shortly after two the next morning, but they had the opportunity to spend many hours enjoying the beauty of Newark airport, and undying courtesy of airline employees :-)  In DC, we visited the new exhibit at the Smithsonian Museum of  American History about submarines in the Cold War.  Most of the parts and pieces in it had been taken from the USS Trepang, which was the second (of three!) submarines that Robie decommissioned as XO.  We had a lovely time in Ohio, joined by Robie's other sister Sandra, and Bob Seitz (who had an even worse time with Amtrak than the Walshe's with Continental).

The latest addition to our family, Millie, another rescued greyhound, has had a shaky year. Last Christmas day she tried to walk across the pond, which was frozen over, and fell in. After what seemed an eternity of blood-curdling screams, she emerged, with a tear in her leg which earned her a trip to the vet for stitches, and a red and white bandage straight out of The Cat in the Hat. Three weeks later, she got another tear in her shoulder (we never did work out how), and got more stitches. At this visit the vet recommended health insurance for her, which has been working wonderfully: she has had no more injuries! We finally taught her not to chase the cat, Belle; indeed, Millie learned not even to look at the cat. The two animals finally arranged a territorial division in which Belle lived exclusively upstairs, and Millie downstairs. This lasted for more than half the year, when Belle suddenly decided to venture downstairs. When she encountered Millie, Millie stood stock still staring fixedly at the wall ("I am not looking at the cat!"). Since then, a peaceful (if occasionally tense) coexistence has been negotiated throughout the house, which gives us great hope for both the Middle East and Northern Ireland. Belle still uses her diminutive size to bully Millie on occasion; when Millie refuses to rise to her bait, looking away with determination, Belle has been known to walk right up to the dog and slap her on the nose to get her attention!  Elliot, our senior greyhound, is doing well, despite a bit of arthritis.  He stays out of the cat-dog thing.

This past year brought one of the greatest losses of my life. In March my mother, Justine, died. The year has been a most difficult one, but as I grieve her death, I am surrounded with love and support from my family, friends, and co-workers. In one of the great ironies of life, it took a loss of something so precious for me to realize how much I have in my life. As we celebrate this Christmas, may we all remember the happy times, the family times, and be thankful that our lives were touched and shaped by such a caring, gentle person as my mom.

	Lee Ann with Robie, Adrian and all the pets