Cohen family yearly recap, 2019

Happy (belated) New Year 2020!

St. Michael's Cave in Gibraltar

We hope this email finds you all well and happy.  This past year was filled with calmness and some traveling.  To catch you all up, we just returned from Spain about two weeks ago.  My Mom took everyone to the Costa del Sol for Christmas 2019.  We started in Granada then drove through miles of olives trees to get to Malaga, and we hiked an amazing gorge where we were right on the edge of steep mountains.  We then went to Marbella, which like Malaga is right on the Mediterranean. Then it was on to explore Gibraltar on the way to a night in Jerez, then off to Seville for two nights, and then for New Year’s Eve partying in Toledo in the town square with live music, dancing, fireworks and everyone eating and swallowing (or trying to at least) 12 grapes very quickly followed by Cava (Spanish Champagne).  We were there for a week with the entire family.  Everyone flew back on New Year’s Day except Brian, Amanda, and I we went to Madrid and then to Barcelona for a few extra days.  Side note Rebecca had been to Barcelona the previous year and didn’t want to go again, so she went home with everyone else plus she needed to get ready as she left for study abroad just a few days later.  We enjoyed our trip seeing the sights, spending time with the family, and having our fill of paella and tapas. The trip to Spain was a really nice way to end 2019.

Ringing in the New Year with Mom in Toledo, Spain

Brian and I did a little bit of traveling last year. It started with Mom, Susan, Lauren and I heading to Montreal to see my nephew Adam at McGill University.  He was on the McGill lumberjack team so we went to see him literally “cut wood.”  It was a lot of fun, however very cold.  We also met our friend Rachel for dinner while in Montreal.  Her sister Elaine and I were exchange students when I was 16 years old. They lived in England and we have remained friends throughout all these years. Rachel is hysterical and is a blast to be with.

Gray girls in Montreal 2019

Brian went on “spring break” in Florida in March (he called it seeing friends, family, and clients in Florida and going to two spring training games – I just call it spring break!).  Even still, I joined him for a long weekend in the Boca/West Palm area.  It was lovely to get away even for a short break.

In April we went to see my dear friend Valerie.  We went to Colorado Spring, Denver, Estes Park and Boulder.  It was great to see Val’s new home in Denver and spend time with her.  I thought Denver was beautiful and flat, and I wasn’t expecting that.  From Val’s home we could see the snowcapped mountains in the distance, just stunning!

In May, we headed for a different type of vacation Nashville with our friends Debbie and Marty.  Well, those southerners know how to party, as Nashville was out of control!  We had a blast and danced and drank our way through the weekend. It was so much fun. Brian also went on a work-related trip to Washington DC for a couple of days, and the good news is he got to thoroughly enjoy going to an economic conference and spending time doing things that I would have absolutely no interest in, such as going to the Library of Congress, and the Supreme Court.

With Debbie and Marty in Nashville

In July, I had hernia surgery. Unfortunately, I couldn’t go swimming or exercise for the summer break, so I spent it quietly at home recovering.  At the end of July, I did go with Mom, Susan, and Lauren up to Maine.  My nephew Lucas was on a sailing adventure from Connecticut to Maine (where we had to pick him up), so we all went to get him.  On our way there all we did was “drive, shop, eat and repeat.”  We had a lot of laughter.  When we picked up Lucas he almost had to run alongside the car because it was filled with “stuff”.  Don’t worry, we managed to squeeze him in.  In August, Brian and I went upstate NY to be counselors at a UU camp.  It was the same structure of the camp which the girls went to on Shelter Island for many years, they just changed the location.  It was Brian’s first time and we both had an enjoyable experience and plan to return next summer (if travel plans don’t get in the way of course!). 

In October all of us went out to LA for a Cohen family reunion with the “excuse” being Brian’s Uncle Ron’s 80^th birthday celebration.  It was fantastic, as the Cohen clan on the west coast did an amazing job planning and executing the weekend.  It was especially great for Amanda and Rebecca to meet Brian’s Aunts, Uncles and cousins.  It was a really special weekend and we are so glad we all went.

Yes, this is the actual Brady Bunch house!

Now for the update on the family. Right before Thanksgiving Brian and I were discussing our week ahead.  It was a Sunday night and he shares that on Wednesday of that week he is going to the hospital.  Me being me says “are you having a baby?” Unfortunately, that was not it.  He was going in for an angioplasty because a test came back indicating there may be a blockage.  Needless to say I was shocked and of course took the day to be with him.  It was like going to the mechanic for an oil change at the hospital, the patients went in and out all day, it was amazing.  The end result is that there was an 80% blockage and they put a stent in. He was home the same day.  This was a wakeup call for him and as result he has lost 25lbs to date.  I am so proud of him; it was certainly a rude awakening how life can change very quickly. 

Rebecca is a junior at UConn and switched her major back to accounting.  In May, she went to Portugal on a school trip, and on the way home stopped by London for a couple of days to see some friends. Over the summer she worked at the Teddy Roosevelt Sanctuary in Oyster Bay.  She loved the program and enjoyed working as a camp counselor.  In December she moved all her stuff out of her dorm because she is spending the spring semester abroad in Scotland.  She left January 7^th and is having a great time so far, and we are looking forward to visiting her next month. Rebecca will be working in West Hartford most of this coming summer, as she secured an internship with Aetna that she is very excited about.

Amanda continues to work at Stony Brook Hospital. She continues to be active with the UUFH and helps out some Sundays in the religious education program and participates in our local young adult youth group here. She also bought a brand new car a few months ago, a beautiful red Mazda SUV that she picked out. 

Brian and I are at our respected jobs and we both continue to enjoy our careers.  We still laugh and enjoy each other company.  We wish you all a Healthy and Happy (even though belated) New Year!

Hugs to all,

Debbie, her editor Brian, Amanda, Rebecca, and Buddy