I should be careful what I wish for, I guess. There’s lots of news to share!

Linda Stoddard Harper sent this update: “I love to procrastinate! So, I meant to send you something when Mark flew to Patagonia, Chile to begin a 90-day National Outdoor Leadership Program in September. Or when we moved back into the house in Elkridge (in October) .... Or about Thanksgiving (spent with Mom at Aunt Charlotte's in Virginia) or Christmas (Mom came down to our house, which was just about presentable, as long as you ignored the basement!) We were ready for Christmas, but in this eventful year, I never even got around to the Christmas letter.

“About 10 days before Christmas, Mark got an email from "Sea|mester" advertising scholarships for their trips leaving in January. As he hadn't found a job, he applied and got his acceptance the next day, with a scholarship for about half the cost! Luckily, he didn't need any special visas or anything! So, on 15 January, Mark flew to Phuket, Thailand to begin his 90 day program sailing from Thailand to Malaysia and back, on the ‘Argo.’ There are photos posted on the Sea|mester webpage/blog under the Thailand trip. The web address for the blog is www.seamester.com/blog/category/argo-spring-thailand-malaysia-2014. Right now, they're focusing on earning their diving certificates. By the end, they will also have done a basic seamanship course (for up to a 300 ton vessel) as well as biology, oceanography, etc.

“Meanwhile, Sarah is thoroughly enjoying life as a junior at St. John's in Annapolis — especially as now we're local and can attend things like Parents Weekend, or take her out to dinner. She's been home most weekends to help with unpacking and finding homes for everything.”

Here’s Judy Miller’s take on “Christmas in Belfast”; It was a three-ring circus. Think of it: the spread in age was 1 year to 75-plus; the Pierce tradition includes such full stockings it takes hours to open them; food in constant supply from Christmas Eve until Christmas Day noon; four dogs, one the size of a small horse and one the size of a mouse; everyone with hand on an iPhone or a iPad or a kindle, except the Luddite Millers, of course; two adorable little ones being carried around in L.L.Bean bags or pushed around the house in a box/sled or just making us laugh and smile. What a treat.

“Even though Sarah is 7 hours northeast of San Marcos, she flew in to join us for the holiday. She has broken into The Online New Yorker which her friends call ‘Not The New Yorker, but the New Yorker.’ They have published three pieces. You can find them on my Facebook page, along with a piece she wrote about poetry, which is hysterical.

“Roland is busy with mediation, water and tennis. I am busy with trying to keep a community education organization afloat, writing a paper for a group I belong to on MV where one year you give a paper and the next you give a tea (I prefer doing-the paper-years) and finally, talking myself into exercising regularly. I'm not doing well. I talk back.”

Here's a bit from Joanne and Richard Phillips: “Stephen was out bike-riding in downtown Portland last week when he saw a group of people looking up at a window in the abandoned Grand Trunk Railroad building. There was a snowy owl trapped inside. Stephen was able to get his camera and to take some photos, two of which appeared on the front page of the Portland Daily Sun on 16 January. The owl was rescued and taken to a sanctuary. Some of us had read that snowy owls have been around coastal New England in greater numbers than usual.”

Deb Stoddard says, “Just a quick note to let you know that David and I just returned from 8 glorious days in St. Maarten, West Indies. It was an amazing break in the middle of January. We snorkeled, swam, sailed on a catamaran and even played a little tennis but mostly soaked up the sun and the 'atmosphere' (aka food and beverages) of the amazing island. Needless to say, our dog Penny was very happy to see us and to be home after spending almost 10 days boarded. I'll be performing with the Dove Singers (www.dovesingers.org) again this March 22, 23, 29 and 30 and David also, if he passes the audition, to be one of the narrators. We hope to see many Islanders there!”

Stay warm, everyone!