Season's Greetings from Harriet Benson

September 3, 2009
Season’s Greetings!

Which “season” you might ask. It’s meniscus season!

Here I sit recuperating from a knee operation. Immobility suggests I should write everyone now, during my recovery.

My father died three years ago (at a ripe old age—I hope I have his genes!). The years before that, I had focused several vacations on enjoying his company. Somewhat at a loss for a vacation destination, but with a desire to do something different in 2007, I went to Laramie, WY where I worked in the University of Wyoming Geology Dept for three months. I loved it! Geology, the people I met, and living in Wyoming during the summer.

Summer of 2008 I returned to that area—spending a week in Laramie—and enjoying Riverton’s balloon festival, traveling over the Bighorns where my grandfather had hunted many years ago, visiting friends in Bozeman, and finally staying in Kalispell where I could see Glacier/Waterton National Park again.
A lovely trip in all but one respect. As most of you know, when I travel by car, I take my dogs. Orthopedically challenged Barry and beloved Ben, who had been my soul mate over several bumps in life’s road over the past 11 years, began the trip with me. Ben, however, died unexpectedly from an idiosyncratic liver problem during the trip, which meant that my sightseeing included the offices of six veterinarians along the way.

As 2008 came to a close, I realized I wanted a new puppy to celebrate the holidays with me. And Bandit, another long-haired, black/tan doxie, came into Barry’s and my lives. Bandit is an adorable, joyful boy, and a great addition to my family.

My passion for Stanford women’s basketball continues undiminished. I was flattered to be the subject of an article in Women’s Basketball magazine in 2008 entitled “Super Fan”. Stanford played in the Final Four in Tampa in 2008 and again in St. Louis in 2009. Such excitement! I love to support these talented student athletes by attending as many games as possible, whether at home or away, and especially Final Fours. I’ve also been fortunate to continue friendships with a few of the graduated players. I’ll be vacationing with one of them this November; another has lived with me off and on over the last five years, now as a medical student.

The other college-age woman in my life is goddaughter Elena, who is now a sophomore at UC San Diego, planning to be involved in the environmental sciences. I enjoyed visiting her, my cousin Dave and his wife, two former Stanford basketball players, and all the painted cows (Elena with cow on right) in La Jolla.

Did you realize 1959 was the year our modern age began? Such is Fred Kaplan’s premise in his book 1959. Although he enumerates several significant events (at least in hindsight), I’m not convinced. It was, however, an important year: I graduated from Paseo High School then, fifty years ago. We had a lovely reunion in Kansas City this spring—wonderful memories and an opportunity to renew friendships. In addition to contact with those attending the reunion, I have been motivated to find two other classmates and one faculty member this summer. (In the process, I found a “lost” Wellesley classmate too!)

And it has been good to touch base with ALZA (especially at the 2008 reunion!) and non-ALZA friends.

My vacation this summer was low-key compared with the prior two summers in the Rockies. I drove to see my Aunt Jean in Eugene, OR. She is 95 years old; although totally deaf and somewhat crippled with sciatic pain, she lives alone and does very well.—good genes there too! We had a nice visit, and I enjoyed seeing Crater Lake again, but my return was clouded with news that her son, my cousin, died of cancer a couple days later.

It seems that many of my communications now enumerate illness or death. It happens with getting older. But I am fortunate yet—in good health (despite the pesky knee), busy with volunteer work, basketball, landscaping and gardening, book club, seeing family and friends. I look forward to several trips in the next six months, including Austria, Southern CA, Oregon, Arizona, Texas, and Colorado.

Although I have joined Twitter, I don’t tweet. Although I have joined Facebook, I don’t update my wall. Although I blogged regularly for the Fast Break Club for two years, I retired from that a year ago. But I can and will answer if you communicate with me. (But don’t expect a Christmas letter this December.)

Life is good; I hope it is for you as well.


Harriet, Barry, and Bandit