Wishing you all a

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

The Bush’s at the White House with Paul and Andrea : Presidential box at the Kennedy Center

The President is not popular with all, but John can’t resist sending these photos.

Frances and John pursued community interests with vigor this year. John recorded, edited and produced several local T.V programs and hopes to get on the Board of Winchesters’ TV station. His chess club lost

its home in the Town Hall but found a new meeting place at the Church of the Epiphany. John’s genealogical research, (with significant help from Clare) finally linked the family with the 1908 “Shallcross Pedigrees” which allows us to at least name Shawcross ancestors for quite a way back. With the help of the McCaffry clan, John gathered photos of the “Uncle Frank” Runacres paintings onto www.shawx.com. This web page (gift from Clare) includes chess, tennis, genealogy and family documents. Frances remains active in the Catholic Church, organizing the Altar Servers; reading on Sundays; and helping to welcome Immaculate Conception Church members following the closing of that church late this year. She attends Voice of the Faithful meetings; believing that it is necessary for the laity to support good priests and work for change in the church. John is still working three days per week; he currently has an assignment to introduce a new quality system nationwide. For Frances, the major event is her decision to make this her last year at Wellesley College, finally retiring in June 2005. On December 18^th, we host an Open House for Frances’ 65th birthday, all are welcome. We will celebrate again in a warmer climate in January. Travels this year include time with Lucy and family in Florida in late winter; with Paul in Washington in the spring; two weeks in Nova Scotia in early summer and, in the Fall, a trip to England to celebrate Catherine Tunney’s wedding in Stafford; at St. Austin’s, the church Frances and her siblings attended as children. It was a very happy occasion and a chance to get caught up with the family news. John also spent parts of five weeks in New York City on business and Frances joined him to explore the city for one week in summer.

Best Wishes for Christmas and the New Year!