We were all excited about the eclipse.  Our class Astronomer, Ann Merchant Boesgaard, traveled from Hawaii to Burlington, VT, to get a good look. The rest of us traveled, too, or stayed home if we had a good partial eclipse on the menu.  Ann kept us posted, and here is her collection of photos.

Here in Annapolis, MD, we had a 80% eclipse, so our eclipse looked like the photo in the middle row on the left side. It was pretty wonderful.

June, 2022
This announcement is from the University of Hawaii:

From Liz Barrett, September 29, 2021:  After more than 3 years, the sentence for “The Capital” newspaper murderer was handed down yesterday. There is now a memorial in Annapolis.  If you don’t know about this, refer to my post of August 16, 2018 below.  It still hurts.  The 2 young women in the photo, Summerleigh and Montana, were both in my chorus, and their mom was a good friend.  She is shown at the bottom on the right of the five victims who were killed.

My Roommate and Old Friend, by Liz Hottel Barrett, 4/3/2020

What a surprise for all of us on the chat group to hear from Bunny Richards.  She was my sophomore roommate, and we had some good times way back when.  Lord, it has been about 50 years since we’d been in contact.  I found that she is living in a retirement community in Massachusetts, so I called and was so happy to hear her voice. 

In those early days after graduation, she was working (house construction) in Boston where I lived, and we saw each other a couple of times; but we lost touch, and I tried to reach her several times over the past 50 years or so.  No luck.  I knew she was living in Maine, and I have a house on an island in Maine.  In fact, when I co-chaired our reunion (our 40^th I think), the reunion committee chairs met on our island, and so I tried to get Bunny to join us; but I never got through to her.  I knew she was living with a woman named Gretchen who always answered and with whom I’d leave a message.  Not being able to reach Bunny was a sadness for me.

I had a special reason for wanting to see her and talk to her and relive some of the silly things we did.  Bunny and I had so much fun together freshman and sophomore year that I assumed it was fun for her, too.  Those of you who were in Mead and then North Mandel must remember some of our hilarious Bunny/Liz stuff.  After sophomore year, we went our separate ways and had very little contact during the next two years, but I assumed we’d remain friends.  I now realize that for Bunny, it was probably not much fun to be at Mount Holyoke.  When we were in college, I knew nothing about homosexuality.  I don’t think I knew the word lesbian.  I never considered it a problem or even a topic of conversation, but then I think many of us were pretty clueless and naïve about much of life and social relationships.  I’ve always wanted to apologize to Bunny. 

I was married in 1962 and had three boys.  After almost 20 years, my husband and I divorced, my older two went off to college, and then my youngest and I had a few wonderful years together.  Seven years younger than his siblings, Andrew was diagnosed with a rare and fatal blood disease at age 12 — learning that he would not live a long and happy life.  During those few years he was my best friend and amazingly artistic, handsome, and personable.  Everyone loved Andrew.  We did musical theater together, our first when Andrew was a little VonTrapp kid and I a nun – with many more to follow.  I have such wonderful memories of our fun together.  After Bryan and I got married, Andrew came out to me.  He was a beautiful sensitive gay guy.  There were many tears.  Through the UU Church, Bryan and I went to workshops on homosexuality, and Andrew was very proud of us and our activism with PFLAG.  We three enjoyed many musicals and dramas, always in Christmas Carol together.  As I am writing, I realize that I could write about Andrew forever.

Andrew died in 1998.  We moved to San Diego for a couple of years where Bryan and I marched together at the Gay Pride parade in 1999.  My son John, wife Bambi, and two-year-old Tucker lived in San Diego at the same time.  What fun for us to be together.  The following year John, age 33,  came to terms with his “suppressed homosexuality”.  This was a very difficult time for him and Bambi while they were readying for two years in Sri Lanka for Bambi’s doctoral research.  (Many of you remember John’s emails from Sri Lanka.)  Something that still makes me sad is that John and Andrew never knew that each were gay.  John didn’t know about himself until after Andrew died  – they could have been so much comfort to each other.  What a shame.

Our last year in San Diego,  I was Co-Chair with Rocki for our 40^th MHC Reunion.  Working in San Diego and helping Rocki get used to how to use email and her computer (such hilarious memories of that), we started putting together activities for the weekend.  I felt sure that there were 1961 classmates who might look forward to support from other parents of homosexual kids.  So Bryan and I used PFLAG materials and offered a support group for classmates with homosexual kids or other people in the family. Our workshop was a wonderful success.  We gave support to a classmate who made me feel very good about our entire reunion.

And so I hoped that Bunny would come – over and over I hoped that, year after year.  I wanted to be given the chance to show her and other lesbian classmates that we have come a long way and to apologize for our ignorance.  We are all very different people now, and none of us want to feel that we hurt any classmate during those four years.

That reunion was 20 years ago.  I hope it’s not too late.  I still hope Bunny will come to our next reunion. 

(Editor comment:  Bunny joined the chat group 1/28/2022 — hooray!)

May, 2019

So in my dream I am at a reunion on campus, showing a much younger alum the far end of campus where I tell her I lived in both Buckland and Abbey.

But I am there searching for the hospital where I am about to give birth!

But I also know I am about to be surprised with an 80th birthday party!  And I don’t want to ruin everybody’s fun making it happen!

But I really need to find the hospital!  So there is Liz Hottel Barrett to help me. (And in real life when we were Girl Scouts at an overnight in Winchester’s Fels park I did get “surprised ” which Liz might or might not remember.) 

Then I wake up, grinning, because I am almost 80, in my 30’s and 12 all in the same dream. And something new and exciting — a baby certainly is that — is about to happen!
Such is the power of dreaming.

MY SISTER BARBIE’S 80th SURPRISE BIRTHDAY PARTY
     Liz Barrett, Annapolis, MD, May, 2019

Cast of other characters include Barbie’s son and my nephew, Dickie; my ex-daughter-in-law Bambi;  my eldest sister, Loie; and Bambi’s boyfriend, Farid.

Background:  My sister Barbie lives alone, in a senior condo in Severna Park, MD, just ten minutes from me.   She has dementia but is in good physical health.  Her 80^thbirthday was approaching.   Her son Dickie made plans for the surprise: 40 people were invited for a catered party to be held in her condo’s Community Room.  

As an added surprise for Barbie, my eldest sister Loie, age 88, decided to come visit.  Loie lives in a retirement community in Bangor, Maine.  She has difficulty getting around, uses a walker, is pretty frustrated with her lack of mobility, and yet her mind is still in superb condition.  She is addicted to her cell phone, worse than a teenager.  A flight for her is a rare event, but because it was going to be such a great surprise for Barbie, I asked her to come here. Bryan and I moved upstairs to give Loie our downstairs bedroom and left the party planning to my nephews.

On Friday morning, my nephews, wives, and a couple of children paid a surprise visit to Barbie.  She was beyond excited and called to tell me about it.  We planned a celebratory family brunch for Saturday noon at our favorite restaurant.  Obviously I couldn’t tell her there would be a 4:00 pm surprise party, but I knew the brunch would be a perfect opportunity for Loie to surprise her.

On Friday afternoon Bryan and I were getting ready to leave for the airport to pick up Loie.  At 2:45, I got a text from Loie in Philly telling me her flight to Baltimore BWI had been delayed.  At 3:30 her flight was canceled — we couldn’t believe it.  She could get a later flight at 9:30 pm from Philly to National Airport, about 45 minutes from us in DC; but we did not want her to have to wait 6 hours at the Philly airport – all of it difficult with just her walker and no companion and exhausted.  So in the midst of a huge thunderstorm, rush hour traffic and horrible visibility, Bryan and I drove to the Philadelphia airport to fetch her.  It was a 3 1/2 hour nightmare-of-a-drive for us, followed by a long delay trying to locate her one bag.  My least favorite statement from any customer service rep is now, “I’m not sure where it is, but it’s in the system.”

We arrived back home at 10:30 pm.  I went ahead with the yummy crab cake dinner we were all looking forward to, followed by a dessert of fresh stewed rhubarb with cream.  In spite of our exhaustion, it was all scrumptious and we three had a lovely candlelit dinner.  We went to bed well after midnight, completely wiped out.  Loie announced that she did not want to do anything on Saturday until the party at 4:00 pm.  Her last words: “I don’t want to get up before noon!”  I was disappointed to have to back out of our planned brunch, but I understood.

So Saturday morning I called my nephews to cancel brunch.  Dickie told me that at 3:30 am, Barbie had been taken to the hospital by ambulance.  She had a high fever and a leg so painful that she couldn’t walk.  The doctors didn’t know what was wrong but said she would have to stay in the hospital until they could get a better picture of what was going on.   At 10:00 am, the surprise party and  catering were cancelled, and Dickie began to schedule 24-hour help at her condo before she could be allowed home. I could give her some of my time, but certainly not all…

Barbie still didn’t know that Loie was here from Maine; so early afternoon Loie and I went to the hospital to surprise her.  She most certainly was completely surprised!  Even though she was not allowed to get out of bed, we all enjoyed the celebration with a delicious Maine seafood stew I’d been saving in my freezer.  Though nothing seemed wrong with Barbie, she still had to remain there, a huge frustration for her.  Late afternoon Loie and I left the hospital and Barbie.  A dozen family came over to our house for a delightful back yard supper party around the pool.  The weather was lovely, and we lit the fire pit for the evening.  Bambi brought yummy appetizers and a meal of kabobs from Farid’s restaurant.  More rhubarb for dessert.  It was all terrific for all of us except for Barbie.

On Sunday, we went to the hospital with more stew and entertainment for Barbie.  Most of the day was spent in her room — still no information from the doctor about what might be wrong with her!  Dickie continued to work on the 24-hr care schedule.

Monday morning Dickie called me to tell me that Barbie had returned home Sunday night.  The PT person reported that there was absolutely nothing wrong with Barbie or her leg.  We took Loie to the airport.  End of story.  End of weekend! 

Footnote for Foodies:  if you, too, love Maine seafood like we do, you must try Laura’s Seafood stew at The Red Barn in Augusta (455 Riverside Drive).  You can even get it frozen on their web site — just add cream.  Of course, the shipping costs more than the stew,  and one cup of the stew is 800 calories! 🤗

Ann sent this email to the chat group on January 14, 2019.

Hello All,
I have just been awarded the highest prize of the American
Astronomical Society.  It’s a lifetime achievement award.
I am amazed and giddy!  Here is the link to the official
press release with 2 photos.
Aloha,
Ann Merchant Boesgaard 1961

http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/info/press-releases/boesgaard_russell/

Zillions of our class sent their congratulations to Ann:
May I add my CONGRATULATIONS to you, Ann, certainly one of our most esteemed classmates?! Your award and recognition is wonderful. I don’t begin to understand the areas of astronomy you research and have explored , but how great that your colleagues recognize and understand your contributions and expertise and have honored you.  WOW!!! 
Sherry Welles Urner  

Congratulations, Ann. Absolutely outstanding achievement!
Carol Sweeney Benson

Congratulations, Ann!! What a fabulous honor!
Barbara Hartt Hise

Brava, Ann,
What wonderful and truly deserved recognition. I’m proud to be able to
say I knew you when….
Affectionately, Sandy Iger Kohler

Congratulations and thanks for sharing the link with the impressive
story of your accomplishments! Elsa Anderson van Bergen

WOW!  What an honor for you and for MHC and for all of the rest of us too!!!   I am so impressed and pleased to hear this.   Bravo Ann.  You make us proud.  I guess we really are going to have to learn the difference between green stars and blue stars — or was it blue stars and red stars — I can’t remember what you told us at our 50th Reunion!
Judy Marshall Kennedy

Congratulations, Ann, and to think you were one of us way back when.  What a fabulous honor and one well deserved.  Marian Strong Moore

What an amazing honor!  We’re all proud of you -and you could even explain some of it to us at our last reunion. Sending many  congratulations, 
Dee deFerranti Abrahamse

What terrific news!  Loved reading your super-impressive bio too!   Thanks for sharing!
Cheers, Kim Kimball Holmquist

Ann, What absolutely splendid news.  Congratulations on such a prestigious and impressive award – you deserve it!  Loved the bio.
Liz Thornton

Dear Anne, You’ve raised the bar.  Congratulations on your incredible award! You’ve given us all great joy with your success.  And wouldn’t it be fun if there were a Mount Holyoke group at your lecture.  Hope that works out.  
All best, Sue Wheatley Carr

P.S. Liz Hottel Barrett and husband Bryan, Bobbi Childs Samson, husband Chris Hamilton, and Frannie Blair all went to Honolulu, Hawaii, for Ann’s award and lecture in January of 2020.  It was an amazing event.  Lucky us!  Web Mistress Liz Barrett.