Hmm ... it has been a while

This isn't a post just for the sake of posting. It's more like a news release into a black hole. I get the sense that the Waickmans don't check in much, nor share much. I do see Bethany's updates on Facebook, but they are, by nature, terse.

Anyway, here's a brief update from Montana. We are hosting the Notre Dame Summer Service student for eight weeks. Eddie Guilbeau is from Louisiana -- he's here to help with the Food Share summer feeding program for kids. He's an engineering student, player in the ND Band, and an outgoing sort.

This weekend, Ann and I will celebrate our 17th anniversary. I think we've beat all the bets in the pool among Ann's Ohio boating bunch. Also up this weekend -- happy fathers day to Tony, Mark, and Michael! Your fine children are testament to your wise choice of wives.

Just gotta say ...

For many years, I have been privileged to be part of the Waickman clan, slogging through the joys and sorrows that visit every family. I've enjoyed my association with all the Waickmans, often for reasons that remain inchoate even to me. So, I hope with all my heart that my adopted family will understand the import of this very personal announcement -- Ann and I have decided that, at this point in our lives, it would be best for each of us to face the truth and recognize that we should ... this is hard, I know ... that we should ... after so much time and effort that we have invested in our own lives and the lives of others ... that we should ... how does one say "I love you" in a language that speaks to the diversity of our common experience? ... that we should ... well, I'm sorry ... I just can't say.







Cheers.

And April Fool.

Back at the ranch ...

Things have been busy on our side of the Mississippi. In particular, Ann has been going great guns to get the Mardi Gras party going for Helena Food Share. Should any of you be in the neighborhood on the Saturday after Ash Wednesday (which is today), do drop in for a good time for a good cause! Meantime, keep those cards and letters comin' on in!

New Look for The Blog, New Digs for Bethany

Hello all (all...three of us?)

I am celebrating the two-week anniversary of my new apartment! I am based in Boston now (Brookline, to be specific). I flew out here the first week of Jan. and, between little tours and very hospitable friends, spent a merry month wandering address-less. Before coming to town, I sent a note to everyone I knew in the area letting them know I was looking for a place and to keep me in mind if they heard of anything. 

I got a response from a friend who heard about a place from one of the families she works with in an after-school program. Turns out this lady (and her son) had moved out of her apartment over the summer to her fiancé’s house, but because of how her mortgage is set-up couldn't legally rent it out. She mentioned to my friend that ideally she'd like to find someone who could watch her 8 year-old son after school in exchange for use of the apartment. That's me now!

I'm living rent-free in a private apartment in an up-scale Brookline neighborhood. I have room for guests, dinner parties, jam sessions, cooking, the works! I'm ideally nestled between two branches of the T and can walk to practically everything I need (grocery store, bank, cafe, park, my benefactors' house, etc.) I'm living more conveniently than I ever thought possible. My darling parents were even in town a few weekends ago (when I wasn't) and dropped off a lot of my belonging and instruments, so I'm feeling right at home. The people I work for are very sweet and understanding of my fluctuating schedule. Speaking of which...

Even though I'm not paying rent, I still need to buy food (and health insurance). That side of my income is coming entirely from gigs these days. I'm still in two contra dance bands, but have signed on with a more active touring musician. Most of my playing currently is with fiddler and singer Lissa Schneckenburger from Brattleboro, VT. She lives down the street from some musical heros of mine, where I spent many a weekend while I was in school near by. We've had a few mini-tours since Dec. and there are some exciting festivals and bigger trips coming up this summer. For the past few years I've played almost exclusively in dance bands, and it's been a little nerve wracking (but good) to now be in formal concert settings. So far it's just been the two of us traveling and playing, but for bigger venues we'll fill out the band with a bass player and an accordionist. You can get a sense of Lissa's music and see where we'll be in the future at: http://www.lissafiddle.com We were in Maine a few weeks ago and did a brief TV spot to promo the weekend of concerts. It's on-line now!: 

http://www.wcsh6.com/life/programming/local/207/story.aspx?storyid=99327&catid=50

This little update is turning into a novel, so that's all for now. Maybe next time I'll get some pictures together. Hope you're all well.

Take care,

Bethany

A New Look ...

The Waickman Blog has a new look, although I don't think many look at it. Maybe this comely photo will attract more participation. Meanwhile, we're still celebrating the Inauguration of ObamaNation!

Have a fine 2009

We had a fine time visiting in Akron. Many thanks to all the Waickmans, especially our hospitable hosts - Mike & Mary Beth, as well as Mark and Pat. We also enjoyed a fine brunch at the Petrarca home and good times at Marie's. Thanks again, and best wishes for the new year. John & Ann

Merry Christmas!

I'm hoping some of the Waickmans look at this blog now and then. If so, you'll know ... that Ann and I wish y'all the best of holidays. Have a great Christmas, and we'll see some of you in Ohio to help ring in the New Year.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Best wishes to all the Waickman clan and assorted hangers-on. We all have much to be thankful for -- in more ways than one and on more days than one. And best wishes heading into the year-end holiday season. John & Ann

Adventure Ireland

Hey all! 

I'm celebrating my recent freedom from academia and summer employment (in what some have called my mid-midlife-crisis...) by taking a 2 month hiatus to Ireland! I've reached the chronological half-way point and it's been just great so far. I've been doing a fair amount of hiking, or "hill walking", and playing lots of music. 

I'm traveling with a baby Martin guitar that was generously gifted to me just days before leaving. It fits as carry-on in all the overheads of planes, trains, and buses, and is a sturdy little composite-constructed instrument. I have had many fitful dreams in the past involving traveling with my "real" guitar (that I spent my last pennies outfitting with a mic and pickup system this spring), so it's nice not having to worry about it in hostels and luggage compartments. 

I flew into Shannon and started my trip up the west coast in Killarney. I've spent anywhere from 2-7 nights in Dingle, Dun Quin, Doolin, Galway City, Letterfrack, and am now in Westport. I've been staying in hostels and making my itinerary about a day in advance. The weather this time of year is a little iffy, and some places have closed for the winter (or gone to winter hours), but of what's available I've basically had my pick - which is working well with my day-to-day planning strategy. I think this is a much better way to go than being here for the all-out tourist season.

Here are a few pictures.

A rainbow over the Cliffs of Moher last week:

Galway city...Quay St...maybe?

The calmest waters I've seen here so far. This is a sunset on Dingle Harbour.

A view of the Blasket Islands from my walk around Slea Head (a 19 kilometer trek) - the very tip of the Dingle Peninsula. It's the most westward point in Ireland. "The next parish is Boston" they say.

This one is from Yesterday! I walked up Diamond Hill in Connemara National Park. The hostel I stayed at in Letterfrack was an old monastery built in the 1840s and was about 25 feet from the back gate of the National Park. Great little town that was having Sea Week festival that featured some great players. 

Hope you're all having a wonderful autumn (and having some great 'craic').

Take care,

Bethany

Summer's end

Hey y'all,

I was looking back at my older posts on the blog and I noticed how excited I sounded last winter while describing the "warm weather down south". Truth be told, I got my wish! I'm sweating down here in Baltimore, wrapping up my summer rotation and getting into the swing of fall classes. I've decided to focus on cancer immunotherapy for the next few years, and Hopkins has been fantastic in providing opportunities to pursue the subject. It's fun juggling classes and lab time, but it's never dull. Hope all is well! AW

Someone's gotta do it ...

Well, it's mid-August and time to look back at some summer events. We had the annual Family Picnic on July 26, involving about 40 people. All of our kids and grandkids made it to Montana. Here's a photo of that bunch at Holter Lake, with only Briana's and Hannah's husbands missing from the picture. (They had excused absences.)
A few days later, we celebrated Ann's 55th birthday. It was rather a quiet celebration, as she was involved in "Volunteer Appreciation Night" at the food bank. Here's a photo of Ann tossing beanbags in Portland.
We hope all is going well for all the Waickmans, and we look forward to SEEING SOME NEWS ON THIS BLOG. I know all caps is tacky -- makes it seem like one is shouting. I guess I am. Happy rest of the summer!

Waickman Family Blog! I've been reading the posts here and have been known to comment occasionally. I think it's about time that I bring you all up-to-speed on the Life and Times of Bethany (via photo captions)!

In May I graduated from UMass, Amherst! My dear parents, mom's parents, and Nicholas came to commencement (graduating class of 4000-ish). Nicholas took this happy little picture.

I'm now at Pinewoods Camp in Plymouth, MA. It's a folk dance and music camp that runs different sessions from the middle on June until Labour Day (Early Music Week, International Dance, Scottish Country Dance, English Dance, American Week, etc). The camp crew is made up of a about 15 college-aged 

musician/dancers/enthusiasts. For the third consecutive summer, I'm on the grounds crew. 

We start work about two weeks before camp opens. After opening we all get 2 days off together and generally have a "crew outing". This year we went for a hike along the National Sea Shore. We had a picnic lunch on the beach and took this smashing crew photo.

We recently had a Kitchen vs. Grounds arm-wrestling championship. I sealed the win for Grounds with an excruciating ten minute stand-off (pictured below).

A number of my band-mates also work here. We're kept pretty busy during the days cooking, cleaning, and generally running camp for a 150 people. We have some great after-hours hangouts though. 

Above is a session with a fiddler from my contra dance band, Anadama (www.myspace.com/anadamamusic). 

Below I'm playing a game with the fiddler from my other band, The Hip Bones (based in Amherst). The game we made up involves spinning a penny ("serving") and then attempting to blow it into your opponents' goal through a home-made straw...

I hope you're all well and are enjoying the summer so far! 

Keep in touch, 

Bethany

Aidan and Denali

Howdy there!

Wow... I've been woefully neglectful in participating here... but I'm back in the saddle again.

The photos you see here are how I've been spending my time. Two wolf pups will be joining the Ambassador pack at the International Wolf Center on August 4. They came to the center at twelve days of age and are in the process of being socialized to humans over a period of three months before joining the adults in the main enclosure.

As it happens, I was invited to join the Wolf Care Staff in mid-April, so I've had the opportunity to participate hands on in this socialization process, and have spent about three weeks in Ely since May 12. I'll be traveling north three more times this summer, including a week to assist with the introduction into the main pack.

All I can say is Wow.

While socializing the pups is an amazing experience on its own, being on the Wolf Care staff also includes interacting with the adult wolves which requires the slow and tenuous process of gaining the trust of Shadow, the dominant male in the pack. That process is a humbling experience in and of itself.

Enjoy the pics...

Awen

Mothers Day

Before the day is done, we need a shout out to all the Moms in the family. So (I hope I get this right) ... Marie, Lynn, Ann, Pat, Marianne, Mary Beth, Kit and Awen ... HAPPY MOTHERS DAY! Y'all rock.

The Annie Waickman

Things seem pretty quiet on this Waickman blog, so I guess it's time to stir it up. First of all, we held another Lost & Foundation benefit in Helena on April 20. As usual, Ann was a prime mover and shaker. She did find time to sing a couple songs, too. Here she is during the prep time at the benefit site, a local convention center.

If you click on this link, you'll find a local news story about bison meat going through Helena Food Share. I particularly like Ann's foot-stompin' quote, "My job is to find food." Pretty interesting, and now she's lining up to cart away Bambi carcasses when the urban deer eradication program begins. That's our Annie!

Let's hear from some other Waickmans, eh?

An engagement in the family!

The big news in the Moore family? Abram asked his girlfriend to marry him, and she said yes! Her name is Desiree Furman, and she's also an attorney in Chicago. Here's a photo of the happy couple, and you can find out a lot more about the betrothal by clicking here.

School pick

Hey guys,

Just a quick update. I've decided to attend Johns Hopkins for graduate school starting this June. This past winter has made the idea of spending the next few years in a warmer location MUCH more attractive!

Equinox Greetings

We hope all is well with all the Waickmans. Seems the midwestern weather hasn't been real spring-like. Rather mild in Montana -- but also not very vernal. For Easter, we went to Maurika's house in Missoula. Here's Ann with the newest grandchild, Piper. We look forward to more posts on this blog; it's a great way to stay in touch (assuming you want to stay in touch, that is). John and Ann

Totally Tolle

(Ok... first the disclaimer... Kit is typing on my computer - I bear no responsibility, liability or culpability for the valley girl inflection...... - awen)

Awen, Ann W. and I are all participating in Oprah's book club/webinar featuring Eckhart Tolle 's book A New Earth. In it, he talks about how humanity has an opportunity to create a new, saner, more loving world. We're really enjoying it and thought that some of you might want to join us. You read a chapter a week, then can hear Tolle discuss the book with viewers online through the webinar. To jump in and check out the webinar click here.

It's positive and constructive...rather refreshing!

Let us know if you're following the book. We'd love to hear what you think.

And... The Van Gogh of colored eggs at work... here he is!

(And more pics have been posted of our remodeling - click here )