Dear Friends and Family:
Coming to you from our shelter-in-place in Berkeley, we send best wishes for peace and joy this season.
Eugene continues his work at Policylink in Oakland. Vonnie is spreading her wings and enjoys gardening, construction management, and hiking. Ruby is a junior at Berkeley High. Quincy is a first-year photography and design major at CalPoly SLO. Sulu loves her ball and off-leash walks on sandy beaches.
Our “Before Covid” or “BC” saying was “The days are long, but the years are short.”
Then Covid came along.
In 2020, February was 29 days long. March was 300 days. And April felt like five years long.
BC, we had a few years of holiday cards to catch up on.
Now like the Marvel Universe, time is simply a construct.
We get to present the timeline as we remember which will be mostly accurate and vastly incomplete. We spent the covid time, making homemade boba tea, baking chocolate chip cookies, sanitizing, binge-watching Netflix and Disney’s Marvel Universe, baking bread, taking long walks, eating lots of desserts, and deciding which local restaurant to do takeout.
Travel Highlights
BC (Before Covid) – In 2017, we traveled to Japan with friends, Jeff and Cherry, who led us on an amazing trip that indulged ALL our senses. We were filled with taste-tickling delights, beautiful natural scenery, creative exhibits, and art stores that filled us to the brim.
In 2019, we returned to Japan. This time, we did a bike ride through the seaside town of Onomichi – crossing over seven bridges to hop from island to island.
We miss traveling and look forward to seeing the world again.
DC – (During Covid) – In 2021, we traveled to Eugene, Oregon as part of a college visit tour. We even rode horses on the beach on the Oregon coast.
We forgot how beautiful the Pacific Northwest is. And how road trips connect us with each other and new experiences.
Things we created that bring beauty, joy, gathering, and community into our lives.
BC – Quincy completed his Boy Scout Eagle project which consisted of leading a team of volunteers to build a 60-foot long grape arbor at Urban Adamah, a nonprofit sustainable farm and retreat center in Berkeley rooted in Jewish tradition and practice. The arbor will enable people to gather and feel part of nature and community while sharing ideas and connections.
BC – Ruby designed and painted a 40-foot wide mural of giant flowers in the backyard of a private residence. The mural project consisted of designing, learning, and leading a team of artist friends to complete the artwork. This mural serves as the playful backdrop for family and community gatherings.
We are proud of both of them.
DC – Eugene and Vonnie completed a remodel of their back unit house. With the wonderful design by our friends Antonio and Eva of CLAD Studio, we lifted the house to add a first floor and built the kitchen of our dreams.
We have lots of bedrooms and bathrooms so we look forward to hosting you and reconnecting after long years.
Previous Incarnation of House 
New House 
DC – Vonnie and her Hacker Mom squad gutted and remodeled their physical space in Berkeley. They gave it a fresh new look and turned it into a modern space for kick-ass moms to support one another.
Milestone Celebrations – we have hit our ½ century mark
BC – Eugene surprised Vonnie with a 50th birthday Chinese banquet complete with the roasted pig and blinking eyes. Vonnie was overwhelmed by her blessing of abundance from family and friends.
BC – The kids planned and carried out a 50th bday surprise celebration for Eugene in Tilden Park where were treated with all your loving gifts of time.
Quincy graduated from Berkeley High in 2020. While he couldn’t walk the stage, our neighbors gathered and cheered him on with Pomp and Circumstance as he took his victory lap around our block in June 2020.
Ruby – Kept on Keeping on with a full plate of academics, she continued to explore new activities such as lacrosse, field hockey, and guitar.
We are so proud of how we are holding on with resilience and grit, love, and laughter during these last few years. And, we look forward to connecting with you on whatever adventure (or shelter in place), brings next.
With all our love and friendship,
Vonnie, Eugene, Quincy, Ruby, and Sulu the dog
PS: We are up for walks and hikes together, dinners (safety permitting), Zoom calls, and being pen pals. Please stay in touch.