Katie and Dan's Travels

Dear friends and family,

Christmas is a week away. We are not sending cards this year because half of the content (and more than most would want to read) is already on this site. That does not mean that are thoughts are not with those dear to us at this special time of year. In fact, we have had more time this fall to think about – and miss – those who are far away and busy with their own lives and families.

I has been a good year, and we feel blessed. A car trip to explore Umbria in the spring reinforced our budding inclination to try the same kind of adventure in the southeastern coastal region of the US. Why not try for the same mix of cultural, historical and culinary exploration in our own country? Then we got swept up in a busy summer in Maine: the beautiful, happy wedding of my niece Elisabeth Motley in Salem, Mass. last June, three high school reunions, a service in Massachusetts to celebrate the life of a young father and husband of Small Point friends who died much too young, and a golden September with as much time spent sailing as possible.

It was only in late June that we received a positive response to the advertisement that our house in Switzerland was for rent. Just a few days before the Pfitzers set out on a 2-month trip around the world, Anke showed our house to a Belgian whose wife and two children would be joining him from the Philippines in August. The deal was soon sealed, and Dan flew over to Switzerland in early August to put our personal belongings in storage. Our tenants moved in the day Dan finished and flew back to Maine. Not having quite believed that this would happen, we had taken advantage nevertheless of Border’s book store closing to buy maps and guidebooks, which Katie studied while Dan was away. It was a bit of a scramble, but here we are in Florida, thrilled with how the adventure turned out.

As for 2012? Mostly unknown. Our house in Switzerland is rented through July. (Would anyone like to be in it during August or September? We don’t like to leave it empty.) It looks as though we have found a good place to stay in Eysins from January 18th for a month. We are eager to see family and friends in Switzerland. But there is the small matter of needing to get our car back to Maine in May, so the plan is to come back to Florida to hang out until it is warm enough to make the reverse journey further inland. That is as far as we have gotten.

Now, as this year draws to a close, our thoughts and hopes for your health and happiness go out through cyberspace. Happy Holidays, Merry Christmas and hugs a-plenty in the New Year.

Love,

Katie and Dan