Merry Christmas from the Clarks!

Hi All! Welcome to our new blog that will replace our annual Christmas Letter! Please feel free to comment and enjoy all the stories from all our wonderful adventures in 2008! Love, Pete, Alex, Sami and Christina~

Holiday Greetings from All the Clarks!

It seems like every time I settle in to reflect on our lives over the past years, it is snowing. This year is no different, as I have just come in from playing in the snow with Christina and building our first snowman of 2008. Loads has happened this year and we had a ton of fun, so I will just get on with the sharing of it while I enjoy my cup of tea.

January started out slow, which is always great after a busy holiday season. We had the pleasure of seeing Blue Oyster Cult in New York City at the Irving Plaza, which is now called the New Fillmore East. Timmy Zuicko surprised us by flying in from Minnesota for the show, and we also got to see the lovely Dani Roeser.

The next weekend was February, and we were off on a ski trip with the girl scouts and the Revueltas up to Butternut in the Berkshires. The girls had lessons and finally feel confident on the slopes. Peter and I went into the city on Valentine’s Day to have dinner with Greg and Heather Andrews and see Alanis Morissette and Matchbox 20 in concert at Madison Square Garden. We then hopped a plane for a trip to Puerto Rico during the girls’ winter break. We had such fun staying at the La Concha, which is the hotel my parents honeymooned at 45 years earlier. We went to El Yunque, the rainforest, spent some time in the mountains down south where my grandparents used to live, near Guayama, and enjoyed a full lunar eclipse with our feet in the Caribbean Sea. Puerto Rico is one of our favorite places in the entire world! Upon our return we went to see the Moscow Ballet perform Romeo and Juliet with the Samantha’s Girl Scout troop.

The beginning of March had us on the road again to Ridgefield Ct, to see BOC at a lovely little playhouse. This was the best BOC show we had ever seen up to that point, as it was the longest show they had ever played! What a treat! The next weekend, we took Christina’s troop to the New York Hall of Science for a sleep over, where the girls got to experience all the exhibits after dark. The next weekend was my birthday, and we saw Christina in the middle school play called Pirates, where she was part of the pirate crew and had a vocal solo. Dan Roach had the lead so both families enjoyed the weekend of performances very much. The next weekend, I took off to the west coast for my birthday present and hooked up with Jack and Alma Heffling, as well as Bob and Karen Cowley to see Blue Oyster Cult at Slims in San Francisco. We had a lovely time partying afterwards with Don Roeser and Melne Murphy at a Karaoke bar in the Japanese district of SF. The next day we drove up to Petaluma to see the band again in an old opera house that reminded me of a scene from The Lost Boys. There was graffiti all over the insides and skateboard ramps, with teenage skaters lining the walls high up top. Very surreal. We hopped a plane to Vegas the next day to see BOC at Boulder Station Casino, then spent another day touring around Vegas before flying home. The next weekend Peter left to visit Curt and Toni Corl down in Virginia and I took the girls to a magic show with Brian and Cheryl Roach and on a seal watching trip off the south shore of Long Island.

In the beginning of April, Peter and I had our first trip alone in ages, while my mom and dad watched the girls. We flew out to Salt Lake City and crossed the Bonneville Salt Flats into the mountains of Nevada. What a freaky drive, as all you can see for miles is flat white salt, where people have made signs in the crust along the side of the road with stones and beer bottles, and you can even smell and taste the salt it in your mouth for days after. We traveled through mountain passes all the way to Jackpot Nevada, on the Idaho Boarder to see 4 BOC shows in 2 days with the Hefflings and the Cowleys. Christina Maxwell also showed up and we had a marvelous party with Don Roeser and all the crew in our most excellent suite after the first nights shows. The town was so small that you could see the entering and leaving signs at the same time from the highway. It contained two casinos, a gas station and a trailer park, but we had fun anyway and really enjoyed the second night of shows. When we woke in the morning, we were horrified to see blizzard conditions for our drive back to Utah, but the Gods were with us when the storm dissipated just as we got to the mountain passes. The girls had their spring break at the end of the month and we traveled back to Cancun Mexico to spend a week there. We enjoyed swimming in the pool and spending time at the beach, snorkeling in X –caret and floating down an underground river, feeding the Iguanas and tropical fish by our dock and even seeing a crocodile on the shore there for the first time ever. We also got to parasail, which was something that Samantha had longed to do, so we all got up the nerve and went. Christina and I saw two huge manta rays swimming across the shallow coral reef from the air. It was amazing!

The beginning of May brought up the daffodils and tulips and so we found ourselves at the Huntington Tulip Festival with the girl scouts doing face painting and raising funds for our planned trip to Europe next summer with Sam’s troop. The Clark family gathered in Henniker New Hampshire to celebrate Mariann Clark’s 80th birthday, where she received a commendation from the governor of New Hampshire, presented by her friend “Tiny” Clark who is in the legislature. At the end of the month we then took the high speed ferry from New London to Block Island for the Memorial Day weekend. Having worked on Block Island as a teen and traveled there many times by boat, it was a joy to spend some time there with both Matthew and Diana Karas and my parents. We enjoyed great sea food at Finns, toured Mohegan Bluffs and the lighthouses and took long walks on Crescent Beach. The old Surf Hotel had just closed and was for sale—if anyone wants to invest 12 Million Dollars, I would be happy to run it for you! The next weekend we made a trip down to Baltimore to see the Red Sox play the Orioles at Camden Yards for two games. We got to see Manny Ramirez hit his 500th homerun before leaving to become a Dodger. It was a very surreal weekend, as there were more Red Sox fans in the stands than Orioles fans.

The next weekend in June, Peter trekked up to Boston to do some Red Sox/Mariners Games with Jack Heffling. We then had a wonderful celebration luncheon at Ruvo’s in Greenlawn for Samantha and her Girl Scout troop as they earned their Silver Award. It was lovely to have the Revueltas and my parents in attendance, as we were all so very proud of the girls and their big accomplishment. I got a chance to catch up with Kathy Johnson and Gail Esbin, my old friends from work, at a Japanese Hibatchi dinner the following week. At the end of June, we traveled up to Burlington Ma, so I could meet up with my dear friend Stephanie Griffin and her husband Terry and attend an Abraham-Hicks workshop, where I got on the hot seat and asked a question. It was a very spiritual weekend and I adored hanging out with Stephanie and meeting other “Abers”! While I was at the workshop, Pete took Terry and the girls to see Fenway Park and then to the Museum of Science. School finally finished at the end of June, with both girls making the High Honor Roll in their respective schools.

We spent July 4th with my sister Veronica and all the Andree’s at their home for a BBQ and pool party. That Saturday we took the girls to Yankee stadium to see a Red Sox game so they could get a look at the stadium before they pulled it down at the end of the year. It was quite an experience, even though the Sox lost! Summer settled into a nice pace, and the next weekend Sheryl Roach and I took the kids to Adventureland amusement park. My brother Stephen and his wife Krissy came up for a visit with their kids Katie, Matthew and David. Katie, my Goddaughter, starts Duke in the fall and I am so proud of her! Pete and I took Christina, along with Richard and Jackie Fusco to Twilight Racing at Belmont Park. We had fun picnicking and betting on the ponies, and Christina even won $35! We then saw BOC on the Great South Bay in Patchogue on the Sunday. We took a trip up to New Hampshire the following week to see Peter’s mom Mariann as well as Kevin and Natalie Laughy. We then trekked down to Pawtucket Rhode Island to see a Paw Sox game with my brother Matt and his wife Diana. We got to see Big Papi, David Ortiz do a rehab start at the minor league level and hit a home run out of this beautiful little park. We also enjoyed going Lindy dancing with Matt and Diana, which is something they so enjoy and do competitively. Samantha and Christina then settled into doing historical home tours for Girl Scout leadership hours at the Suydam House in Greenlawn on Sundays during the summer, which they found quite educational and fun. The next weekend I winged off again to the west coast to visit with Alma. When I flew into San Francisco, they lost my bags, and I had to borrow clothes from Alma for two days. We drove up to Redding, CA to see a BOC show, and the wild fires were so bad, the entire town was engulfed in thick black smoke. It was very unnerving, and I so feel for the people who have to endure such trials. We then cruised with the top down to Santa Cruz to meet up with Bob and Karen Cowley and see BOC play right on the beach by the pier. It was the biggest crowd I had ever seen at a BOC show, with fans spreading out on the beach as far as the eye could see! The next day we parted company with the tour and our friends and drove up the pacific coast highway to Half Moon Bay, and on to Pacifica for a lovely day of surf watching and an evening of fun at a local club. It was amazing that this town is only 15 minutes from SF, as it seems a world away.

August saw us back on the road. First, we hit Boston for a date with the Red Sox at Fenway Park, and we got to see Jason Bay’s first game, replacing Manny Ramirez. We then crossed New England to spend a week in the mountains at Stowe Vermont. On the way up we dropped in on Eric and Despina Lipkin and their beautiful baby girl Anna in MA. Chris and Patty Hussey also stopped by for lunch with their girls and everyone had a blast! In Vermont, we got a chance to see Jim and Gabby Glatz and their lovely kids Melana and Harrison before they moved to Nova Scotia. Even though it rained almost every day, we still had a great time enjoying nature, hiking on Mount Mansfield and the Stowe Green Trail. Back to Long Island for a few days and then up to Boston for a few more Red Sox games. We then went back up to Massachusetts for Clark Family Reunion, at Chris and Susan Clark’s home. It was great to see Pete’s mother Mariann, his sister Jeanne and husband Doug, sister Leslie and her kids, Emily, Hannah and Max, sister Allison, Chris’s kids, William, Andrew and Claire. Uncle Dave Clark also came down for the day with his grandson Morgan and son-in-law Blaire. We then shipped off to Boston with my nephew AJ for his first ever Red Sox game! Thank goodness they won, and we had a blast going on the tour of the park with him. When we got home, we spent a lovely Labor Day weekend with my parents at their home along with the Andree’s and Matt and Diana.

School started in September, with Samantha in 10th grade and Christina in 7th grade and at Stimson Middle School. Samantha tried out for the play and received a leading role, so play practice began in earnest. The first weekend in September saw us driving through tropical storm Hanna to see BOC play in Danbury CT. for two shows. The weather cleared by the second day and we had a lovely time visiting with Dani Roeser at the show. The next weekend we tail gated at Shea Stadium with the Roaches and the Revueltas and went to our last Met Game ever at that stadium. The kids got to run the bases after the game, and it was very moving. BOC played at Westbury the following week and then the girls face painted at the Historical Society Pickle Festival for Girl Scouts.

October began with Peter traveling to Virginia Beach to hang out with Curt Corl for their birthdays. For Peter’s birthday present, we all went to a Red Sox ALCS playoff game against the Tampa Bay Rays, where I clean caught a foul ball off Alex Cora! We then traveled up to New Hampshire to attend a party for Kevin Laughy, our dear friend who passed from this life soon after. We got to see Tom Smart and many other dear old friends from Peter’s youth. It was a blessed time as we also got to see Peter’s mom and spend his birthday with her. Our dear friend Marge Dorfmann took us to the Sweet Adeline’s concert the next weekend for the girl’s birthdays and we went out for a great Japanese hibachi dinner. We celebrated our 21st wedding anniversary the following week along with two sleep over’s for the girls, one being on Halloween.

At the beginning of November we got to see the Broadway play A Tale of Two Cities in the city with the girl scouts. My cousin Ghislaine came over from England for a quick visit and we got to see her at my parent’s house. Then, my parents watched the girls while friends came in from all over the world for a weekend of Blue Oyster Cult. Friday night was spent in Middletown NY with Jack and Alma Heffling and we had a great little party after the show with Mark and Lisa King, who surprised us by coming, Chuck and Lynn Saden, Don Roeser, and Marty and Cheryl Brilley. We then traveled back to New York City to see the Blue Coupe, and join up with Dave McConkey, Timmy Zuiko, Paul and Sue Gittens, Tommy Clark, Sadie and Rick Fijalkowski, Mark Middendorf,Daryl and Christina Maxwell as well as tons of other fans. Sunday, we picked up the girls and traveled to Hoboken New Jersey for a 3-1/2 hour hardcore fans only show at Maxwells, where 180 fans gathered for an extra special treat that they all helped to create. It was magical, and replaces our longest and best show ever! As if that wasn’t enough, I then flew down to Florida to join Alma for her birthday trip to see Nazareth. Since the band canceled a number of shows, we ended up spending two days in the Orlando area and then moving on to Clearwater Beach Florida where we enjoyed the gulf coast and got to see Don and Sandy Roeser at a concert where Cheap Trick played a 40th anniversary concert for the Beatles Sergeant Peppers Lonely Hearts Club album. The benefit jam session and auction afterwards was wonderful! The next night we saw Nazareth in Largo Fla and had a blast partying afterwards. Thanksgiving was spent at my mom and dad’s this year instead of our house, as they are traveling around the tip of South America between now and Christmas. It was great to play games with the Andree kids and visit with our dear Uncle Christo.

December has been as busy as ever, with no time to take a breather before Christmas, which will be spent at my sister Veronica’s house along with my brother Matthew. Samantha was spectacular in her play, A Delightful Quarantine and we look forward to many more performances from both girls, as Christina is preparing for the Middle School Musical in the spring. Looking forward to holiday gatherings with the Revuelta’s and the Fusco’s, as well as Clark Family Christmas up at Chris and Susan’s in MA. We wish you all wonderful blessings in the New Year as we continue on with this wonderful adventure we call life! Happy Holidays!

Love, Peter, Alex, Samantha, Christina, Maggie-Mae, Slinky, Calle and Scarlett Clark!