Tennison 1993 Christmas News

Hearth Notes
by: Joy E. Tennison, Editor

Happy Holidays from the Tennison's here in cold, damp California. We wish you and your family health and happiness for this Blessed Season and for the New Year. We breezed through 1993 first planning and preparing for Bev and Rick's wedding, and then recovering from it. These wonderful happy events are great but they do take time. As usual, one thing led to another, and we wound up with the back yard torn up just prior to the wedding because we decided to remodel and re-landscape the pool and patio areas. Nothing like Bobcats tearing up slabs of concrete less than a month before the big event to make your blood pressure soar. With the grace of God and a frenzy of activity, everything was complete--pool, patio, house, flowers, bridesmaid and flower girl dresses, and even Joy's dress. Where's Ray? Ray managed to sneak out of town much of the time during the activity at home--mostly on business. He did attend a family wedding in Phoenix. He works here in our home office when in town but must travel to clients frequently and to headquarters in Ohio when necessary. Meanwhile... Since Joy's work is local and timing quite flexible, there is plenty of time for sewing and other activities she enjoys. Genealogical research has been at a standstill for too long, so she plans to return to that in 1994.

Theater, activities...
A long February weekend in San Francisco at the "Archbishop's Mansion" was a treat from Ray's company, along with a chance to see the Broadway show Guys and Dolls. The mansion which survived the earthquake is now an elegant B&B and was a change from more frequent weekend getaways in the motor home to square dance. 

Yes, Joy and Ray square dance Tuesdays when Ray is here, attend a third Friday dance and an occasional "hoedown." Week-end trips have been to dances in King City, in Hollister, in Chico and in Napa. Bridge and pinochle are played monthly, dinner group bimonthly and "annual" events, like a November trip to Calistoga, and our New Year's eve party, keep the calendar full.

Theater was exciting this year. Local productions included Gypsy, Candide and Carousel. And in the San Francisco theaters, everyone enjoyed Tommy Tune Tonight. Rick's sister was in town when we all went to see Crazy for You. Pam treated Joy to Evita for Mother's Day; and Pam and Gail enjoyed Mom'sbirthday gift of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat as much as she did. The family made its annual trip to Ringling Brothers Circus in August, and Joy and Ray cheered at the Grand National Rodeo with friends in October. Phantom has just opened in San Francisco, and our tickets are for the end of January--can hardly wait!

Extended Trips curtailed in '93
Following the wedding, Ray and Joy visited Colorado---tea at Brown's Palace, some sightseeing and square dancing in Denver; then on to Colorado Springs to revisit Pike's Peak and Royal Gorge; and a drive to one of Colorado's new gambling towns nestled in the mountains. October's trip to Chicago was devoted entirely to visits with old friends. You know, the ones you've known forever and you never have to "think" of something to say. It was great.

Lloyd's P&L Solutions
Lloyd continues to run his computer sales and service business and now serves on the board of the Chamber of Commerce here in Lafayette and on the board at the condo complex. Add these to the number of business organizations he already belongs to, and he seems to be attending meetings daily. 

F&B Director, Mark Tennison, Jumps from Plane

Mark's job apparently wasn't exciting enough, so he decided to do something to add some zest to life--namely jump out of airplanes. When he first snuck in a video tape of his first jump, it seemed like a nice diversion, but now, only seven months later with 140 jumps under his belt, it is obviously an avocation. The franchise Hilton where he is Food & Beverage Director was acquired by a new company, so he went through that career trauma. So, work, jumps and a few pleasure trips to LA plus a business one to Scottsdale, Arizona have kept Mark occupied this year.

Fast Track for Pam
Pam's workload at Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal has not diminished. She is currently skiing in Utah, but other trips to Utah, LA and Chicago have been to take depositions, for document collection or business meetings. A friend whose apartment was burned out has been living at Pam's for a while now, but she should be back on her own soon.

St. Perpetua's Church site of 

Bev and Rick's Wedding The July 3rd Nuptial Mass was perfect, if hot. The ensuing reception(s) made it the "social event of the year." Well, it certainly was in our family! Rick's family came from Chicago, San Diego and Colombia while Bev's came from Phoenix. Friends arrived from all over and parties went on for days, culminating at the wedding followed by a "reception" at our home for 70+ family and friends and then an evening "PARTY" at a tropical estate for 150+ of Bev and Rick's closest friends... 

They enjoyed a pre-honeymoon trip down the coast to Morro Bay, etc. following the wedding then in August spent a couple of weeks in London and then Ireland. Rick's work as an account engineer with HP and Intel as clients, takes him all over the world--this year to Israel, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, etc., but this was Bev's first trip abroad, and she's ready to remain packed for any and all future ones. Teaching fifth grade does curtail her availability to travel. They have skied in Colorado, visited in Chicago and are spending Christmas with Rick's newly retired parents in Florida. If not traveling, they seem to be entertaining either houseguests from out of town or party guests for the evening

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Monica begins 1st Grade and Gail is still all wet!

Gail and Monica are now well settled in their home. With new furniture to sit on and a new car to drive around in, you never know if they are coming or going. Still Director of Aquatic Rehabilitation... Gail attended work-related seminars in both Las Vegas and Salt Lake City, and presented information to colleagues at the American Back Society on Aquatic Rehabilitation. She also managed to vacation in Mexico and in Hawaii (Monica enjoyed Hawaii, too). She is still working on her doctorate and is "about half-way finished." Before beginning first grade this fall, Monica attended tennis camp and swimming in the spring and summer.

Paul Tennison decides on UC Davis! 
Paul says all he has done this year is work and go to school, which is fairly accurate. He helped us a great deal with the remodeling and landscaping; he also put a fence on the hill which, so far, is keeping the deer out of new plantings in the yard. With offers from both UC Berkeley and UC Davis, Paul chose to attend Davis where he is now in the engineering program and on the quarter system.

Love,  Joy and Ray