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Christmas 1999 | New Years 2000 |

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays 1999-2000

Greetings!

1999 and 2000 have kept the Morgans busy with school; yes even Tim and I are back in the student pool again. Terry has been living in a cute 1920's bungalow with a garage where he can pursue his mad-scientist activities in between work, school, backpacking, and hanging out with friends. In April, 1999, Tim served two weeks with the Navy in Hawaii. (Rough duty.) I joined him for six days, reveling in a much-wanted vacation. We visited the north shore of Oahu, snorkeled in Hanauma Bay, and hiked Diamond Head - all while Tim was off duty, of course. But the highlight of our trip was the weekend spent on Kauai. We hiked the Na Pali coast, kayaked the Wailua river (and battled chickens), snorkeled and swam, watched sunsets and shopped - all in two days! Was this what it was like before children? As Tim retired in October 2000 from the USNR, this will be his last trip there for awhile. Jocelyn is living with her friends Katherine and Greg and little Celeste and involved in career exploration, (i.e., sampling many different jobs!), raving, and socializing. She is currently working as a server at a Baker's Square and a Coco', and improving her on-the-job Spanish. Amanda, the last one at home, is finishing up high school, playing music, and improving her socialization skills - on and off the phone/e-mail.

Speaking of our darlings - who we trusted to hold down the fort while we were in Hawaii - they had their own ideas. After all, Jocelyn was 19, and she and Amanda were responsible, (as far as we knew.) When Terry picked me up late in the evening of my return, he cryptically said "Don't worry about Jocelyn and Amanda, they're fine and they'll be home soon." Amanda must have cut school so they could go to the beach! A few hours later, two very excited daughters were in my room. I looked up and saw a silhouette...MICKEY MOUSE EARS!! Our two daughters had just returned from a 3-day jaunt to Disneyland! Shocked and groggy from jet lag, all I could do was listen to their story. They had reserved a motel and passes through AAA, planned and budgeted their expenses, arranged to get Amanda's assignments in advance, and told half of Petaluma of their plan. They even took sleeping bags and food with them in the car. Anaheim (Disneyland) happens to be about 500 miles from where we live, so it's quite a journey, including the pass that drops into the L.A. basin called the Grapevine, upon which it was snowing! Nothing happened, except running out of money for the final $2 bridge toll, and they had a great time! I knew I had to be really upset with them and they knew it, too, but I couldn't help but admire their initiative.

In summer of '99 several of Terry's friends graduated from college and we attended several weddings. One of them was for Jocelyn's best friend, Katherine, and Jocelyn was the maid of honor in a beautiful outdoor wedding. In August, my parents moved from their home of 53 years on the edge of Pt. Reyes National Seashore, and the family spent weeks helping them sort through and pack their belongings. The Joslin name is now part of West Marin history, and the elder Joslins live in Petaluma near my sister Joyce and me. In the fall, Amanda and Jocelyn both started working for a car dealership. Shortly after, Jocelyn bought a classic '67 Mustang - for $1200! It's a mechanic's dream - and parent's nightmare - and she had all the guys at work oohing and aahing. We just want the brakes to work and the RPMs to slow down to 3000 before jamming it into gear. After single-handedly supporting the oil industry for 6 months, Jocelyn bought a sensible Honda Civic. When we feel nostalgic, we drive the Mustang, which is still at our house, and consider it a long-term restoration project.

Amanda is a senior this year, the last one at home! She is engulfed in planning for college - deciding what college to attend, what to study, and the most difficult decision - whether or not to leave her high school friends. She is enjoying her job at a Whole Foods market. This past summer she and Jocelyn went to London and Paris with a teacher-led group. They loved the two cities, especially London, but it was in Paris that she found her love. No, she didn't bring home a handsome Frenchman. On a whim, but with guidance from some local musicians, she bought a dark red Gibson SG Standard electric guitar. Mom and Dad were shocked (understatement) at the purchase, and more upset at the lip piercing, but support her budding career as a musician. Since May, she has been playing bass in a punk rock band with two guys named Nick. They're all exuberant about the band and hope to start performing in the spring. (E-mail Amanda to get the band's web site address.) A big moment for Amanda was last spring when she and a friend and her friend's father went to Sacramento to camp out in front of a record store for a chance to attend a record signing for The Smashing Pumpkins. Not only did they meet them and get autographs, they were given tickets for the band's concert that night. (Lest you think Amanda is hopelessly lost in punkdom, she is a pretty normal teenager, and still enjoys working with younger Girl Scouts at summer camp.) Though her hair is black right now, the color usually changes once a month or so. She is also in journalism and photography this year and has set up a darkroom in Terry's closet and the bathroom.

Earlier this year Tim had to cut back on activities - even brewing! - due to back problems, but he's slowly recovering. In August Tim, Amanda and I took a trip to Lava Beds National Monument in northeastern California, where we did lots of cave exploring, then on to Ashland, Oregon, for a white water rafting trip and a Shakespeare play. We think we know the cure for the back problems - retire from work and spend our time doing the stuff we love! A big moment for Tim was his retirement ceremony in October in Monterey. He was well-recognized for his many years of service, and it was a very emotional ceremony. This fall Tim is busy taking classes in web design while I've been at the grindstone taking pre-requisites for application to the physician assistant program at UC Davis. We can start getting ready for Christmas - after finals this week! Since this year was one of those pesky birthday years that ended in a "0", we decided to celebrate by returning, after 13 years, to Brazil! We hope to visit old friends, swim, sail, eat feijoada and play music!

We hope that all of you are doing well and enjoying this season. It sounds like some of you will be coming this way in 2001. Let us know. We would like to see you.

Have a Joyous Christmas and Holiday Season!