2024 Annual Report:
Ben & Marj Shomshor Family
Advent – Christmastide 2024
Dear Family and Friends,
(And for those of you who lack a suitably enabled cell
phone, the QR code reveals the scene in the movie version of Harry Potter and
the Prisoner of Askaban in which Hermione Granger punches Draco Malfoy.
Explanation to follow.)
I’ve always done my very best to avoid, when possible,
“living in interesting times.” I’ve strived to be a supporting character in my
life’s novel, and so many of you have lent a hand (arm, leg, ear) in helping me
achieve this. But despite our best efforts “interesting times” come as a slap
to the head by a twenty pound chum salmon. Or 43 slaps to the head by 4 lb.
shads.
As of today, I’ve remained out of hospitals for one
continuous year. This allowed me to celebrate, rather unexpectedly, my 70th
birthday by feeding friends and family. Marj will celebrate her 70th
in 2025, and let me tell you that age isn’t slowing her down. What a year she’s had!
Marj has decided that any international wedding invitations
she receives she is going to accept. Earlier this year she packed her bags and
headed for another solo trip to Europe to visit former students in Belgium,
Switzerland, and attend a legendary wedding in Slovakia. She also kindly
ventured to Krakow and Prague: places which I’ve always wanted to show her
before my health limited travel options. My deepest appreciation to the
families Dubus, Senti, and Besler for hosting her and returning her safely to
me.
Together we were able to visit friends and family in
Nebraska, Florida, New Orleans, and Vancouver B.C. while later hosting guests
from Canada and Mississippi. For Christmas we have the pleasure of Anton’s
family and friends from Korea. While we’re renting out two bedrooms for the
winter legislative session there will (almost always) be room for YOU to visit.
I feed our guests well! BTW, while we no longer routinely host students, if you
are a former student who now has teenagers, Olympia, as you remember, is a
great place to experience America. Your kids are welcome to our home.
Marj and I hooked up the camper to take a long imagined run
down to the Columbia River Gorge for the summer shad run. I’ve wanted to do so
as long as we’ve lived in the Pacific NW but the timing was never quite right.
This year, I closely watched the dam counts, kept our calendars open, and went
down to the Bonneville dam at the right time. I had hoped to come back with
three or even four fish! Fortunately, the Yakama Nations fisherman we met was
willing to sell me some, but only if I agreed to purchase all 43 from
yesterday’s catch! Had to buy his cooler in which they were kept to boot.
Please, stop by and pick up some frozen shad roe.
The fall salmon purchase on the Skokomish River turned out a
little better; only bought three including a large chum. For Christmas eve
we’ll be serving the best salmon caviar I’ve ever made together with Coho
Coulibiac.
Marj answered the call to serve as a juror on a civil case
in Thurston County Superior Court. Although news about the federal judiciary
has not been… encouraging…she was pleased to enjoy an excellent experience
thanks to thoughtful and collaborative fellow jurors and especially a presiding
judge who truly appreciated the service of the jurors and actively shared with
them insights into civil procedure and local judicial practices.
Our children and grandchildren continue to do well. I hope
that they are also continuing to do good. At the end of last school year Sasha,
her husband Sean and children Emma Jo (age 3) and Rex (age 2) left Iowa to
return to Lincoln NE where they can be close to Sean’s family. Sasha gave birth
to a second daughter, Elliot Jeanne Mae Murphy, 6 lbs. 4 oz. earlier this week.
Marj will visit them in January to lend support. With three children at home
Sasha will not return to teaching this year.
Anton, now a major in the USMC, is training new helicopter
pilots. Together with his wife Melanie and four year old Fitz he is remodeling
property in Pace FL as time allows. Our daughter-in-law has the apparent
patience of a saint. For context, this is the kid who, in fourth grade, scored
sufficient spare change to pick up a garage sale TV and then, armed with a
drill, re-routed coaxial cable to his room. He has also picked up the
chili-production gauntlet which I laid down in ’23 after a half century. We were
together to celebrate his 1st chili party.
After spending five years assuming my imminent demise the
surprising rally in my health has forced me to consider the future in terms of
months, perhaps a couple of years, instead of weeks. Can’t begin to keep up
with Marj who in addition to caring for me, international travel, and long
distance grandparenting is also the co-chair of the maintenance committee at
Good Shepherd Lutheran, a 48,000 sq. foot obligation. I still actively
micro-blog about food and agriculture, am active in the local Slow Food organization,
and volunteer with our alternative high school’s urban agriculture and food
science program. I’m trying to work my way back up to 2 dinner parties a month,
and hope that 2025 will find us hosting a monthly Salon des Soupes to encourage
the art of civil discourse. We’ll continue to return to Nebraska several weeks
a year to spend time at the chicken coop and with grandchildren, and try to
make 1 or 2 trips to Florida.
Now to explain the opening teaser before closing. I first
learned of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s / Sorcerer’s Stone in a Wall
Street Journal piece in ’97. When the American edition was released the
following year I scored a copy in Seattle almost missing a red-eye flight to
Omaha. Not half way into the book I was crushing on one Hermione Granger.
(Note: I’m referring to the fictional literary character, not to the young Emma
Watson who so ably portrayed her in the movies. Note also that I am not a pedophile;
when reading middle grade and young adult fiction I am again that young lad
playing a supporting role in my own novel.)
As our kids grew the movies were typically released for the
holiday season. The family would watch them while home in Nebraska. For the
past few years Marj and I have re-watched the DVDs remembering those years. And
yes, I’m still crushing on Hermione Granger. Then, when re-watching the
aforereferenced scene this year I suddenly realized why. DUH! I’m married to
her!
Fearless, hyper-competent, intensely loyal, and perfectly
capable of performing magic with lumber, masonry, databases, and project plans
– yes. For over a half century Marj has been my Hermione. And this
Christmastide she joins me in wishing you the very best of the season and the
coming year.
Pray for Peace! Seek humility. And have a safe and happy Christmas!
Yours,
Ben and Marj Shomshor
604 Garrison St NE
Olympia Washington 98506360-943-5558shomshor@comcast.net
