Welcome once again to our class website!
Greetings to our ’67 Classmates, and thanks for checking out our class website!
We had a small but enthusiastic response rate to our recent survey regarding preferences for our upcoming 55th reunion—here are a few of the highlights:
- The most popular place to visit during reunion: the library, with the art museum and greenhouses close behind.
- The class survey got 80% of the votes for an after dinner program.
- The top topics for a presentation or panel were arts and culture; practical information; and Smith today–demographics and new programs.
- We were reminded that our plans need to include accommodations for classmates who may need mobility assistance.
We’ll be following up on your reunion responses over the next few months—watch for emails with further information.
The survey also asked about the biggest difference COVID-19 had made in our lives. All of those responses appear below.
The survey is no longer open for responses, so if you would like to send along ideas or ask questions you can reach us at SmithCollege67@gmail.com.
And don’t forget to visit our class Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/groups/274148363903658
Best regards,
Susie Bernat Rosenbaum
Kalle Gerritz Weeks
Alison Feiss Kriviskey
Nancy Greene Grove
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE COVID-19 HAS MADE IN YOUR LIFE?
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- Not having to commute to work! I LOVE teleworking!
- Not being able to travel and avoid the smoke and ash and heat of southern California. I miss our grandsons.
- Covid has once again made me grateful and increased my appreciation for how little a difference it made for me compared to its effect on so many others. We have a home, health care, yard to mess around in, family and friends to zoom or distance visit.
- Staying at home more with limited contact with family and friends and finding it very stressful
- I’m getting better acquainted with my cats.
- More personal time and time with my husband; a walk every day; more time with distant friends than usual, and more time with close friends by phone or outside. No music or culture except virtually (not the same thing); hard to see family far away; no travel abroad; and no standup cocktail parties – don’t miss them.
- My 45-year old son has been sick with it since late February. It has upended our family as a result
- My challenge has been to stay happy and satisfied at the end of a day–to have done things that contributed to those feelings, even if it was to binge on a detective story or make a pot of soup. This was important to me because isolation leads to feeling miserable and anxious.
- COVID-19 has revealed to me that I can be happy being isolated but it has also reinforced the importance of good conversation with family and friends.
- Inability to get together with family. I have a 5 month old granddaughter I haven’t met. Unable to sing in church choir and community chorus. Badly missing both of these.
- Great respect for the forces in our universe that are beyond our control and need to maintain balance during times of extreme uncertainty!
- Gratitude for all that I have.
- I am not going anywhere, especially not traveling including to see my kids and grandchildren.
- I had my first zit in 20 years from wearing an N-95 mask all day. Well, that’s not the biggest change–the financial hit that the hospital took resulted in a decision to close the Urgent Care clinic I’ve been working for for the past 13 years. Looks like I shall actually retire in January. Packing up, disposing of STUFF, rearranging my life to move to an island in Maine–where in summer I gather with Smith Alumnae!
- Abruptly halted my international travels forcing me to stay home and tackle all my postponed house and garden projects.
- Bad: loss of in-person time with children & grandchildren and international travel. Good: more time spent reading and writing. Not a trade-off I ever would have chosen, however.
- More isolation because unable to zoom (due to eye injury)
- Limited my time with friends and extended family. This has to end despite the risks. I am lucky, many, many aren’t.
- Unable to see kids and grandkids.
- Kept me from getting out and seeing friends.
- I’ve adapted pretty well, but am dreading winter and more isolation.
- For five months before COVID19 shut Hanover NH down, I was recovering from Achilles’ tendon surgery, which turned out to be good training – released committee and church work and took up reading, birdwatching, and a lot of introspection. COVID19 forced postponement of my hip replacement until May 29, brought my husband and me together in home projects and cooking pursuits, and opened our eyes to the empathy, intelligence, and love our grown kids have for each other as they have figured out how our family could get together safely numerous times over the summer. Still following protocols, still hopeful, and wishing all Americans believed in science.
- Since I had already retired and set up a newer and smaller house, there really hasn’t been too much change-except trying to organize a garden (have about 15 different magnolias and tore up a lawn to plant shrubs/flowers), enjoy my pets(a dog, a canary, five hens (three new ones came in the mail in late spring), and a horse who is teaching me better riding skills) and try to remember what day of the week it is. My sister lives nearby so that is a benefit.
- Curtailed travel plans.
- More cooking at home and less eating out, which I don’t like but don’t have much choice.
- Having to wear masks with my son and my granddaughter (1 yr old). We’ve been traveling 3 hours up and back on the same day rather than stay over at a hotel.
- My family is far away.
- Virtual reconnection with friends and family from all stages of my life.
- It is hard to separate COVID-19 from the 2020 election and national unrest. My anxiety level is heightened, and I am also feeling depressed. These are pretty new, and slow me down. It can be hard to get out of bed. I do try to be grateful each day for all the good things in my life, including so far pretty good health. This also is perhaps a new focus.
- My garden loves COVID-19! It was the only thing that kept me sane and not worrying about the world in crisis! Putting it to bed for the winter, so now what??? The basement! 😉
- It is hard to separate COVID-19 from the 2020 election and national unrest. My anxiety level is heightened, and I am also feeling depressed. These are pretty new, and slow me down. It can be hard to get out of bed. I do try to be grateful each day for all the good things in my life, including so far pretty good health. This also is perhaps a new focus.
- Like many of our classmates, I miss being physically close to friends and family, and I miss traveling. The Morris ’67s had to cancel our visit to Santa Fe in June 2020 –boo hoo. On the plus side, I’m digging into some projects I’ve avoided. Pandemic as procrastination-buster! Be well, all.
- Feeling grateful for everything I have…a decent place to live, a good companion in my husband, healthy, happy children and grandchildren. But it feels strangely like living in limbo (literal meaning of the word). Time has stopped. I feel like it is a dream. This really can’t be happening.
Portions of this website are password protected–if you don’t recall the password, send an email to smithcollege67@gmail.com and we’ll send it right to you. If you have problems with the email links, copy and paste the email address into your email application.