1994 is winding to a close and it seems that it was only yesterday that I wrote the last volume of the Cross tome. The repast of Thanksgiving is behind us (in more ways than one), and the season of Christmas is upon us. So much has happened this year -- sounds a lot like last year -- and this time of year everything seems to speed by even quicker. It’s hard to sit down and reflect in quietude - at least around our house. When I do reflect, I see we have a great deal for which to be thankful - our good friends, our health, our children and our faith. With some time off from my first shift job (i.e. Exxon, but not the second shift as Mom) during the holidays, I try to get the big picture into perspective and share with you the current chapter of our lives...

Another HAM-ster at the Crosses

If you read last year’s note, you know that John (AB5OX), Richard (KC5CHW) and I (KC5CIZ) all have our Ham radio licenses. Well, this year Robert studied very hard, took the tests, and joined the radio ranks as a “no code tech” with a call sign of KC5KIL. He got his own “handy-talky” radio and has been hamming it up with a lot of other hams, some about his age. He’s all ready to help out the radio club in supporting communications for community service projects, such as charity runs, walks, and bike rides.


Camp Cross and Scout News

It seems that our house on Ledgestone Drive is just a place to change gear for camping excursions. John and the boys have constant cabin fever and fight it by going camping. The number of family (the male fraction, that is) camping expeditions seems to be e,ver increasing. Being in Scouts gives them even more excuses to hit the trail. John, the camping aficionado, i.e. he REALLY loves camping, went with each kid individually to Scout summer camp. You REALLY have to like camping to do it in the summer in Texas (Heat = High, Bugs = Hungry). Robert and David each went to Camp Strake (just north of Houston) for a few days and also took in Camp Bayshore, a Cub Scout day camp, close by in Clear Lake. John and Richard went to El Rancho Cima, out San Marcos way, and Richard went by himself to Camp Strake. I know why the Scouts have khaki green socks -- there’s no way they would ever be white after one campout.

This year, we’ve all advanced a notch in Scouting. Richard is now a Life Scout with 49 merit badges to his credit. He’s now working on his Eagle project, an outdoor wooden play gym for little kids at the church where the troop meets. Robert’s a fifth-grade Webelo Scout and will get his Arrow of Light in the Spring, and get on to Boy Scouts and, of course, much more camping. David’s a Wolf Cub Scout and is really lapping up the program. John’s still the Scoutmaster for Richard’s Boy Scout troop, and is also the Webelos leader for Robert’s den. I’m the leader for David’s Wolf den. if anyone knows Scouting, that adds up to a lot of patch sewing.

Kid News - And Now There’s a Teenager in the House

Richard, the oldest, turned 13 this year, and now we’re the proud new parents of a teenager. Not exactly our worst nightmare, we are really proud of him and he’s had a great year. He’s now in 8th grade and in the honors program. In the academic arena, he worked hard and won honors for his science fair project (hold your breath) “Determining Speed by Audio Doppler Radar”. With guidance and support from John (an electronics engineer wannabe), the project received first in district and first prize from the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers in the metropolitan Houston competition. He also plays trumpet in the top Symphonic band at Space Center Intermediate, which has also been named the Texas Honor Band, the best in Texas by the Texas Music Educators Association. In light of this recognition, the band will play a special concert in San Antonio in February. Richard also made Symphonic band in the All Region competition. He was thrilled and so were we. Besides trumpet, Richard is continuing piano and is sounding better all the time. To round off his extra curriculars, he made it through another season of football. This year he played offense as a tight end. They won some, they lost some, but I say it was a success because he had fun and survived the season without any injuries.

Robert’s 11 and in 5th grade, the big kahunas at Armand Bayou Elementary. He’s doing great in school and was on the Math Triathion team this past Spring. He is also continuing with his piano lessons and progressing well. Robert loves all sorts of sports, but baseball still ranks number one with him.

David’s 8 and in 2nd grade. One of the big events this year for David is that he learned to ride his bike. Now it’s his major mode of transportation around the block. Like his older brothers, he is doing great in school and is in the Alpha program for gifted students. He’s in his second year of piano lessons and playing his way through the music books. Like Robert, David loves to play ball of any kind - soccer, baseball, football, etc. - and is always on the run.


And the Question is, “What is John’s latest hobby?”

As devoted readers of this rag know, John continues to push the envelope on hobbies. Just how many hobbies can one push into one’s life is one of its mysteries. This year it’s pellet guns, black powder rifles and six shooters. The black powder guns make LOTS and LOTS of noise and are VERY messy - something boy would like,

A Little Work News in case anyone’s interested

Work at Exxon as technology manager of the butyl rubber group keeps the other half very, very busy. Besides the normal day-to-day work, their division moved themselves, chemistry labs, and application equipment down from New Jersey, which complicated the research and development efforts. A heavy travel schedule also kept him from getting at all caught up. But when he is in town, we are able to commute together to Baytown, as official car poolers. I’m stifi working the business side of polyolefm catalysts - setting specifications, negotiating contracts, interfacing Exxon Technology and custom chemical manufacturers, and other wheeling and dealing, much of which is with lawyers. Need I say more?

HOT and COLD Vacations

We had planned to go to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks this year, but those plans got all messed up royally, so we chucked the whole thing and opted to try for next year. So, as a respite from the Houston summer heat, we opted to make a quick trip to Oregon. No respite there. In fact, they were setting heat records- 103°F in Portland. Even after 18 years of living south of the Mason-Dixon line, we aren’t used to the heat (John says speak for myself) - since we live in air conditioning most of the year. Anyway, we braved the Air Show in Hillsboro and, as a welcome reprieve, went to the new, air conditioned, OMSI (Oregon Museum of Science and Industry). OMSI’s latest addition is one of the last diesel-powered submarines, the U.S.S. Blueback, in which Hunt for Red October was filmed. Our guide served on the sub when it was in action, so we had a very interesting tour. For the rest of the week, the kids roamed the farm and did some target shooting with John. We tried to see friends and family as best we could, but time was too short to see everyone we would have liked.

I had so much fun last year on my ski trip to Breckenridge, I decided to join my girlfriends and go again -- this time to Purgatory in southwest Colorado. Early on, we worried about the lack of snow, but in the 2 weeks before we went in mid-February, more snow fell than had fallen all season. Then for the 4 days we skied in warm and beautiful blue, sunny-sky weather. There were even some very brave gals in swimsuits, if you can believe it. Anyway, the skiing was FANTASTIC!!! Having a condo on the slopes also made it very convenient.

For Thanksgiving, we stayed home and did our post-turkey day traditions. The boys (including John) went on their traditional campout the few days afterwards and I did my traditional shopping trip to the Galleria. We will also be home for Christmas with more of our own traditions - Christmas eve Mass, the grand opening the next morning, and the week-after-Christmas Boy Scout campout, where this year John will teach the Radio Merit Badge for the Scouts.

Well, we hope this finds you in the best of health and spirits. We wish for you peace at Christmas, now and throughout the New Year. And of course, if you’re ever heading this way, please, please come on over!