She is doing well and enjoys living in the Santa Cruz mountains. She is still working for the day care at a public grade school, de la Viega. She also does some childcare a few nights a week and Science Adventures (an after school program) in the summer. She passed the MSAT exams and is preparing for her Masters by completing some units at Cabrillo College this winter. She is looking forward to completing all her graduate studies so she can get on with the business of teaching!

You have already heard about Natxo, my Sister Chelong's youngest. He was nine months old when I was in the Philippines. From what I've heard he is as smart as a button.

Nancy and Melinda were going to join us for the Alaska cruise, but their daughter Jenny was having her first baby in August. She did! He is several months now and is the happiest baby you've ever seen. His name is Albertino.

Brandi had a baby in October, one of the cutest baby boys I've ever seen. His name is Baile Don. Brandi, Kristy and the whole family are gaga over him. They are his slaves.

Pamela, my sister Eileen's second, just gave birth to a boy four weeks ago, his name is Patrick Kelly. He is so strong and alert! This is my sister's fourth grandchild.

We went on the Olivia Cruise to Alaska this August. Our friends Keven and Kate also came along. We flew to Anchorage, rented a van and went on a land tour to Denali. We stayed at the Denali Lodge and went on a wildlife adventure about 70 miles into the park. We saw Cariboo, Moose, Dahl sheep and golden eagles. I of course saw a "phantom" Black Bear (which was quite embarrassing, because the bus stopped when I shouted "Black Bear", it turned out to be a tree stump, and a Black Bear hadn't been spotted in the park for ages). We also went River Rafting on the Nenene river. Had to wear "dry suits" with big rubber gloves and boots-very attractive! Very cold!

Then from Anchorage took a bus to Seward where we embarked on the ship which went through the inward passage to Cordova, Skagway, Juno, Ketchikan and Vancouver. From Cordova, we stopped along the Hubbard Glacier for about an hour where we stared at awe at BIG beautiful illuminated blue ice and watched slabs of ice break into the water causing a beautiful snowy haze and a small surf. In Skagway we took a helicopter and landed on a glacier, we saw a young 13 year-old lake formed by the glacier and huge crevasses. Mother nature is pretty impressive indeed! In Ketchikan we kayaked leisurely across a small channel and into the town.

As you can probably summate, we love these Olivia Cruises. So, once again, we signed up for a cruise next year to Greece and Turkey. It will be in July and we are really looking forward to it. The piggy bank definitely needs to be fed regularly for this one.

"Love or perish!"

Morrie Schwartz, from tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom