Lets get this going again!

Hi All, Dad reminded me about the blog, which I had totally forgotten about! So I got back in and am posting some updates from the Hawley-Tropmans. We've had a crazy summer with Kevin breaking his collar bone (ouch), though he is doing great now. I have been sick most of the summer with some awful sinus infection (yuck).But we did make it to NC (photo below, I forgot my camera so the best photos were taken by Jessie and Mom)

That was a great trip despite the heat! We did miss having Matt & Molly though (and Kevin of course) We also went to the cottage on Skegamog Lake over July 4th and had a great time. We are looking forward to seeing Glen Arbor for a few days this weekend.

Girls are sad that it's August which means school is just around the corner. I am very busy at work and it gets busier in September, so I'm not looking forward to that either!

Hope we can get this blog going again!

WOW! CONGRATULATIONS!!

HEY, M & M, I tried to post a comment but that did not work, so had to go this route...still a bit shaky on how this thinggy works I guess. But I did want to say to you (and to the rest of the gang) that your new place looks fantastic! We are so psyched for you...and can't wait to see it in person, though that won't be till the end of May when dad & I are able to come out. Meanwhile, we hope you enjoy and bask in the pleasure of becoming homeowners again (and hope you aren't afflicted with any of the problematic aspects of same). And PLEASE post more pics! Can't wait to see it all, so happy for you both! Love, mom/Penny

Just keep moving!

Hi all,

We've moved to a new place! Our new address is 10210 Chaplin Ct, Stockton CA 95209. This new place should allow the dog to have a good run-around in the back yard (in the apartment every time he needed servicing it required a leash, shoes, keys, the whole shootin match) and also I should be able to practice there. Molly and I are excited - we get a fridge today! Anyway I'm going to attempt to add a couple of pics...
Matt

Dad's Sunday Letter 3-5-11

I discovered that I have not sent a "Sunday Letter" since December, so it seems about time! So much has happened since the November post - including a record breaking winter (both in terms of temps and in terms of snow. As some of you know we just had another several inches of snow last evening. This winter we have had to cancel 5 events - 2 dinner parties and three trips up north, because of snow!

But we are all looking forward to warmer weather, especially Mom, who takes cold and snow personally! There are signs. The birds are now singing in the morning. I was at the hardware store today and see that they are stocked up for spring - fertilizer, tools, etc. So we can look ahead. For me, March 17th is the last day of winter. I say that because it was on that day in 1973 that we had our biggest single snow and we were "trapped" with the Birdsall family for three days.

I am pretty busy so my thoughts are more focused on work. For one thing, I am rewriting Successful Community Leadership, at the invitation of the publisher. But now it is called Successful Community Organizing and Leadership. I am working on a paper focusing on bad acting nonprofit CEOs and what their boards did (mostly nothing) about it. I am self-publishing a small book on Meeting Humor (which includes "Raffi's Rules for Jewish Meetings" from the Reconstructionist Magazine.)

And I am preparing for a variety of summer activities. One of them is teaching a week-long course at Notre Dame on Executive Leadership in Social Benefit Organizations. That is the week before the North Carolina Adventure. So I finish Friday at 4, and we leave Saturday at 10AM (flying). By the way, I made arrangements for early check-in, so the place should be ready at 1PM. M and M, we hope it will work out for you to come. I know there might be some conflicts though.

So we thought that we could divide up the provisioning and meals at 2 days each. If Matt and Molly are able to come we will reconfigure. Mom and I will take Sat and Sunday. The next four days are up to you kids. Friday we can go out to dinner - on a Dutch basis. How does that sound.

One thing I would also like to get on your calendars is Friday, November 18th. That is the special concert that has been sponsored by a SSW alumni in honor of the School's 90th birthday. There will be a specially commissioned choral work celebrating social work, composed by a fairly famous composer, Bruce Adolphe...(I know you know of him, Matt, maybe Molly too?). It will be at 8 PM, with an afterglow, and perhaps a lite meal before. The University of Michigan Chorus is performing it, and the program will be about 30 minutes I think, maybe a bit longer with introductions and the like. I will probably be wearing a Tux. J and M, perhaps you could stay over.

We are hopeful that M&M can come, and then we can have a b-day party for Matt - a little belated but close enough for government work!

Mom is out, and after lunch I will be working on the income tax.
Love to all
Dad/John

March!

Well thanks Dad for calling to ask about posting because it reminded me that I have forgotten about our blog! The months of December-Jan have been really busy at work for me. But things have settled down a little bit now. We just finished a week of Charlotte having pneumonia which has been really hard on all of us. But we are finally (maybe) seeing an improvement - fingers crossed.

Will sign off now so I can remind Dad how to post!

It's getting colder!

So, I thought I would post a random picture from our trip to the FL keys earlier this year! BRR today seemed like the first day that I could picture it snowing.  We are very excited for Thanksgiving at the Schenks! The girls were just there today and reported having an AWESOME time. Kevin is excited to see the TV again :)

It will be nice to have a day off since things have been really busy lately around here. Nothing really exciting to report about - Roxy is doing well with her house training and is growing but is still a "small dog" for sure! Scruffy is enjoying playing with her but does get a bit irritated at times! All other animals are fine (Frogs, Rabbit and Hamster).

Kevin is still also really busy but at least he is able to take Thursday off!

I could go into more details on work related issues but you'd be nodding off for sure. Matt, your birthday sounded like fun! Can't wait to see you guys soon.

xoxo

Whew! we did it!

Hey, folks, just checking in after the "big week" last week when dad had so many duties with the kick-off of the SSW 90th, which went very well. I went to the big all-day Friday presentations, which were so remarkable...the "Youth Mosaic Theater of Detroit" did a very powerful presentation on dialogues/stereotypes/issues among and between races, and it was fabulous...all the actors are ages 14-17 or so, and they get the material from workshops held with kids from all over Detroit - all of different races. It was so amazing. Then there were several other mind-expanding programs as well...at the end of the day we had the alumni board of governors here for dinner, about 25 folks...and that went very well too. On Sat. a.m., we had the keynote speaker and his wife over for breakfast. Both of them were students here and we know/knew them pretty well but have not seen for some time, so it was great to catch up. After that we watched the UM go down in blazes again...so sad, looks like no bowl game again this year, not that I care, but I know some folks do. Oh well...later today Sarah & family are dropping by for a bite of dinner.
Next week is the countdown to Thanksgiving, of course, but we do not have to deal with "the bird" this year...Jessie & family want to do the hosting, so the rest of us are going in there, bringing some sides. Wish Matt & Molly could join too, I always remember Matt saying Thanksgiving is his favorite holiday...hope you guys have a great one! Not too long now till we can all be together, I am psyched for that...meanwhile, sending lots of love to everybody, mom/P