Weissler Holiday Gazette

Hereford Arizona
December 2010

Oh no - it's Christmas (and Hanukkah, and Kwanzaa, and...) time again!  Maybe it wouldn't seem so fast if the advertising didn't start in October.  Anyway, it has been a very good year for us.  We had marvelous trips - to west Mexico (Durango Hwy and San Blas), Croatia (and Bosnia), and northwest Ecuador.  Mexico and Ecuador were birding trips with local friend and guide Mark Pretti; Croatia was a week on our own (Dubrovnik, Split) and a week of cycling with VBT on the islands of Brač (Liza's paternal grandparents' home island) and Hvar.  In the fall we did a terrific "rim-to-rim" hike of the Grand Canyon, from the north rim down, two nights at Phantom Ranch, then back out to the south rim.  Liza also travelled a bit for work, visiting a number of Army forts in the US (Ft Hood, Ft Bragg, Aberdeen Proving Ground, Ft Lewis) as well as a very enjoyable trip to Seoul, South Korea.  We enjoyed a few USC football games with family and friends - with Liza's family in Tucson against the University of Arizona; a trek (Liza only...) up to Corvallis, OR to see friends the Moshers and watch USC lose to Oregon State; and in Los Angeles at Thanksgiving to watch USC lose to Notre Dame.  (Detect a theme?  I think we're the jinx.)

In other news, Robert ended 25 years worth of employee status with the RAND Corporation (Santa Monica), switching to adjunct status.  He's been fortunate to keep the association even after the move to Arizona (9 years ago!) and it seemed like a good time to let him relax a bit.

Next year will be here before we know it.  Plans include a return to Croatia (Liza is trying to expand her limited vocabulary) for birding as well as a repeat visit to Brač, and a cycling trip in New Zealand with VBT.  We will be in LA in May for niece Maureen's graduation from USC (where has the time gone?).  If your travel plans bring you out this general way, let us know!

Wishing you a terrific holiday season and a marvelous 2011.

Visit also:
- Liza's blog: My Outside Voice
- Our Kiva page: http://www.kiva.org/lender/robertandliza2455
- And find us on facebook!