December 2004

  Cheers to you from the Rosner family!

Just returned from a relaxing week in Boca Raton, Florida, where we visited Jeff’s mom, Grace, along with Jeff’s sister Marj and her family who came from Chevy Chase.  Explored the Florida Keys, walked gorgeous (but chilly) Miami Beach, and viewed the awesome Art Deco Historic District.  Also experienced Morikami Japanese Museum and Gardens located in nearby Delray Beach, where we entered a zen-like state wandering the 200 acres devoted to buildings, lakes, islands, bridges, plantings and waterfalls.  All in all, it was an excellent opportunity to share family time together.  We’re continuing a second week of vacation here at home.

Sonia, a senior at Palo Alto High, is 17 and in the limbo-land of awaiting responses to her college applications. A National Merit semi-finalist, she enjoys her AP calculus and computer science classes.  This fall she started cycling, going for rides around the world-famous 16-mile “loop” through Portola Valley on her new silver 24-speed Trek road bike.  Last summer Sonia worked as a YMCA camp counselor here in Palo Alto.  Sonia continues her musicianship as first chair clarinetist in the Paly Symphonic Band and teaches private lessons to fifth grade clarinet students. 

Ari, now 19, is a sophomore at UC Santa Barbara and has declared his major: Mathematics.  Last June Sonia and Ronda helped move Ari out of his dorm and into his two-bedroom apartment (see photos) in the community of Isla Vista, which he shares with a colleague from Palo Alto High.  It’s a short ten-minute bike ride to campus for Ari, who took classes during the summer and achieved upper-class status this last quarter.  It’s not overstating to say Ari is thriving in his new locale of Goleta/Santa Barbara.  He’s still a film buff and piano player in his spare time.

Jeff continues to evolve his musical repertoire in various jazz, rock and R&B groups playing piano and various saxophones, but mostly tenor and baritone.  He’s playing out weekly on average, primarily playing piano in a jazz trio, but still playing in the sax section of the Foothill big band. He remains a department scientist at Agilent Labs, mostly working on new business development activities.

Ronda, in her sixth year at Agilent, still manages operation finances for the Life Sciences Group, and, following a new interest, began to support business development projects this past year.  Great news at work is that a second analyst will come on board to be trained in January, taking a portion of Ronda’s currently unwieldy workload.  Business travel in 2004 was limited to Delaware (in February!), but a trip to Germany is planned for March. Favorite movies were Return of the King, Lost in Translation and Love Actually.

After attending our nephew’s Bar Mitzvah last January (see photos), we hosted Adam here for a week in June and visited Alcatraz and other SF attractions, as well as Santa Cruz and Big Basin Redwoods Park.  In August Ronda visited her parents in Susanville (northern California), and set up a computer system for them -now they can email the latest news.  Ronda enjoyed a lovely weekend with girlfriends in Carmel in October, hiking around Point Lobos and being wined and dined in a luxurious manner.  The post-election depression has finally lifted – on to 2008!

Enjoy health, peace, and love during the coming year.

Much Love,    Ronda, Jeff, Ari, and Sonia Rosner