Greetings to family and friends!

As many of us ponder recent economic events including record job losses, reduction of 401Ks to 201Ks, and bailout demands from various companies claiming to be “too big to fail,” it is easy to overlook the emerging crisis in the North Pole.

The Elves Employee Kollective (EEK) is not willing to concede previous agreements with management for lifetime pensions (a costly ongoing obligation considering that elves have an average life span of 800 years). Santa’s failure to move more quickly in modernizing the workshop and retooling for the 21st century as well as his persistent reliance on fossil fuel as his only reindeer supplement for sleigh power have resulted in a North Pole balance sheet at the end of the year that remains in the red – and that is not a festive red, my friends.

One solution is a huge NPB (North Pole Bailout) - but the bah humbug US Senate is digging its heels in on that one. Our only hope now is a visitation from three ghosts:

FDR, The Ghost of Christmas Past (with a “New Deal” and the assurance that the only thing we have to fear is fear itself…)

GWB, The Ghost of Christmas Present (when disaster strikes, “shop ‘til you drop for the USA”) and

BHO, The Ghost of Christmas Future (“hope that seems more and more audacious every day”)

Meanwhile, we are grateful for all we still have here in Boulder, Colorado. Caitlin is completing her junior year at CU, doing extremely well in organic chemistry and studying like mad for her Calculus final. She is hoping to shadow a doctor at the People’s Clinic over the break to see what that is like and is signed up for volunteer work at an AIDS clinic in San Francisco over spring break. Shannon is returning to CU after a year in the Real World working at the Boulder Café, and expects to complete his degree in Integrative Physiology in a couple of semesters. In his spare time he loves bouldering at a climbing gym called the Spot. Mark and I managed to finally replace the appalling and ancient green awning over our front porch with a new and better porch that wears the Christmas lights well I think.

We join Dr. Seuss and the Grinch in the sentiment that, despite any material disappointments this season: “Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas…perhaps…means a little bit more.” From all of us to all of you – a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Mark, Lynn, Shannon and Caitlin