<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;" class="">Daer Mary,<div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Many happy returns of your 76th Birthday! Here it is already August 1. ! </div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">With my love,</div><div class=""><br class=""></div><div class="">Isobel xoxo<br class=""><div><br class=""><blockquote type="cite" class=""><div class="">On 31 Jul 2025, at 12:14 pm, mary hampton via OE <<a href="mailto:oe@lists.wedgeblade.net" class="">oe@lists.wedgeblade.net</a>> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div class=""><div class=""><div class="ydpd2e23027yahoo-style-wrap" style="font-family:Helvetica Neue, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif;font-size:13px;"><div dir="ltr" data-setdir="false" class=""><div class=""><p class="ydpa3f53858MsoNormal">A Year</p><p class="ydpa3f53858MsoNormal">August 1 I will be 76 years old,<span class=""> </span>I reflect on this turning.</p><p class="ydpa3f53858MsoNormal">In June we had a different vacation.<span class=""> </span>We took a Viking river cruise on the River
Elba.<span class=""> </span>WE started with two days in
Prague, then 5 days on the river and 2 days in Berlin.<span class=""> </span>It was a more pampered way than we have
travelled with tours every day, excellent meals and drinks included.<span class=""> </span>I wondered if I would have had the endurance
for a longer cruise.<span class=""> </span>We followed this
with 10 days in England.<span class=""> </span>Highlighted
more touring by train, staying with Stuart’s sister, Brenda and visiting His
brother Malcolm.<span class=""> </span>I also met and
immediately bonded with Quaker, Bill M – we are both penpals of Joseph on Texas
Death Row.</p><p class="ydpa3f53858MsoNormal">One of my favorite actions in England is to visit the
multiple small thrift shops.<span class=""> </span>(Every
charity from Air Ambulances to P.E.T.A. seems to have one in every local High
Street.)<span class=""> </span>After shopping in some on our
day train trips and having a longer wander in Watford High Street I observed my
purchases:<span class=""> </span>assorted Knick knacks for
gifts, 3 blue handkerchiefs, a blue dress, blue blouse and blue, print
skirt.<span class=""> </span>I do not do this consciously.<span class=""> </span>I have worn them all since I got home.<span class=""> </span>One young woman at Meeting affirms “Blue is
good on you.”<span class=""> </span>Without my asking.<span class=""> </span></p><p class="ydpa3f53858MsoNormal">I just read <u class="">Iron Boy</u> by David Marshall.<span class=""> </span>So did Stuart.<span class=""> </span>When I talked to our daughter Lis, so did
she.<span class=""> </span>I remember many years ago being
asked if I grew up in the Order.<span class=""> </span>“Yes,
but I was 20 when I came.”<span class=""> </span><span class=""> </span>A world of difference in being 20 and deciding
and 6 and told this is where we live.<span class="">
</span>Thank you, David. </p><p class="ydpa3f53858MsoNormal">In February the State of Texas executed my friend of 16
years, Richard Tabler.<span class=""> </span>When we were
travelling, I learned of the death of Martha (SKY) Dempster.<span class=""> </span>Martha was my college roommate, invited me to
RSI, and was my bridesmaid.<span class=""> </span>It has been
ten years since we talked; a loss.<span class=""> </span>I
also lost Donna S, a dance instructor here in Austin.<span class=""> </span>Then 130+ died in floods between the Texas
Hill Country and Travis County where live. </p><p class="ydpa3f53858MsoNormal">In the midst of life, you know.<span class=""> </span>My year has been given to activity familiar
with the exceptions being the last two months.<span class="">
</span>Being Quaker, Religious Society of Friends.<span class=""> </span>My shorthand definition “Go cheerfully
through the earth responding to that of God in everyone.”<span class=""> </span>Some of that translates into direct care; I
am currently clerk of Care and Counsel, our local pastoral care committee. <span class=""> </span>Death Row and other prison visits are
important to me.<span class=""> </span></p><p class="ydpa3f53858MsoNormal">I dance. This one of my communities meets twice a week for choreographed
play,<span class=""> </span>I continue to keep an art journal—now
on Volume 6.<span class=""> </span>We are lucky enough to
live an hour or less from our children, Elisabeth and Christopher and from our
grandchildren.<span class=""> </span>LIFE IS GOOD.</p></div><br class=""></div></div></div>_______________________________________________<br class="">OE mailing list<br class=""><a href="mailto:OE@lists.wedgeblade.net" class="">OE@lists.wedgeblade.net</a><br class="">http://lists.wedgeblade.net/listinfo.cgi/oe-wedgeblade.net<br class=""></div></blockquote></div><br class=""></div></body></html>