Unexpected Pleasures

Yesterday turned into an amazing experience for John and me. While working at the Pond House, we were suddenly in the mist of a close encounter with several large birds.

Much to our delight, a Bald Eagle appeared. Us gawking on the deck did not seem to phase him at all. He flew low to the pond's surface, perched himself in a tree across the pond, and then fished in front of us.  Our resident Kingfisher loudly protested, while diving for his own dinner.

The Green Heron quietly fished from his broken cedar tree, not far from the eagle's perch.

 Finally, the eagle left us and the pond. Shortly after his departure, another local resident appeared across from the house.

Days like this make the massive commitment of energy and resources needed to keep the Pond House worth doing.

Ginger Dog Hoffmann

Ginger

(1996 - 2011)

Baby Ginger

Most labs do not live to be 15 years old. Ginger was special. She knew it. We knew it. We always attributed her royal attitude to her father, who was English.  She ruled the house - both of them. 

Nothing pleased Ginger more than time at the Pond House. She loved to swim and fetch toys from the pond. Exploring the trail near the stream made her feel like a real dog. 

After a good meal and interacting with her pack, nothing was better than a little rest in the sunshine on something soft.  

Every queen needs a throne and Ginger had hers. She often held court in the living room while visitors mingled with the rest of the pack. She loved everyone but favored those with treats. We will miss your smiling eyes and wagging tail. Best Hoffmann Family Dog Ever!

Fishing in Southeastern Alaska

Gustavus is a small place (by any standards) and served as our home base.  It is a short flight from Juneau and only accessible via water or air transportation. No banks, no shopping. No need for a rental car, just hip boots, deck boots, fishing rods, and rain gear.

 The Annie May Lodge was fun - great food, wonderful people, beautiful scenery along a tidal river. No phones, no TV, and spotty satellite Internet access. The staff and other guests helped us celebrate Eric's birthday at dinner one night! We really enjoyed it.

Everyday we got up early, ate a hardy breakfast, were delivered to the dock (with lunch for a small army) and spent about 10 hours on the boat. Back to a dry room, hot shower, and gourmet dinner. Conversations about the day's events with other guests were always interesting.

Most people choose to see coastal Alaska from large cruise ships which make it easy to combine sight seeing, luxury accommodations, good food, and socialization all in one easy package. We chose to seriously fish and only sight see from the deck of a smaller vessel. It was really special to have the boat all to ourselves. Captain "Bud" Rosenbruch really was "our new best friend" (thank you Stan for the recommendation!). It rained everyday - cloudy and cold - often foggy. So glad I packed my long underwear - wore it all week.

 None of us will ever forget fishing in the fog while listening to Humpback whales talk to each other and loudly blow jets of water like geysers, as we hauled in halibut and salmon. We caught so many fish that we were exhausted by the end of day.

Sleeping on board the AK Hunter next to a glacier, listening to ice falling all night, was really unique. The boys slept on deck in sleeping bags, waking to find us floating in a field of ice with eagles and other birds sitting on the larger pieces riding them in and out the fog.

Fishing Slide Show
Fishing for us will never be the same. Future trips will be compared to this experience. We all caught amazing fish, in the most beautiful pristine wilderness areas, and spent wonderful time together as a family. As a bonus, Captain Bud's young sons joined us for two days. Thanks for sharing - fishing is so much more fun with children! For our fishing videos, go to channel shoffmann54 at youtube.com.

 This was Dad's trip. He helped me plan it. He wanted us to experience the fishing and scenic beauty of his early life. We are forever blessed! Thanks, Dad.

Leaving Sanford

I never meant to stay 15 years. It just happened. When I started there were 15 computers and 15 users on campus. As I leave, there are almost 400 workstations for faculty, staff, and student users. There were 2 machines with dial-up Internet access in 1995. Today most user services are in the Cloud or out hosted, fiber connects all twelve buildings, and thirteen servers are maintained on-site. 2010-2011 marks the first full year of using an online student information system in all three divisions to handle records, allow parents to make real time changes, and allow teachers to maintain their grade books from anywhere. Professional development training classes, along with custom instructional videos are available for faculty and parents. A daily Helpdesk phone service allows for personal interaction for those who need it. Despite watching my budget cut over the last five years, the IT department was always able to provide more services for users, year after year. Leaving it a better place than I found it is a good feeling.

All this does not happen without a great staff and over the years, I have been blessed with the best. I can truly say those who work for me are fine people and wonderful employees. They are team players, compassionate towards their co-workers, take pride in their work and have integrity. All are willing to learn new things, cope with change, and understand the sacrifices needed to provide great customer service. No one at Sanford does it better.

 Dave May, network admin supreme, RenWeb sys admin, and one of the finest people I know. Dave is the guy you want near you in an emergency. He is calm, competent, and caring (and he loves walkie-talkies). FISH FEAR HIM!

John Foltz kept us in line, took delight in tracking details, and entered endless amounts of data to keep things current. There would be no K-2 lunch program or last year's summer emailing without him. John never hesitated to help or do any job presented to him. A fantastic professional photographer, wine connoisseur, and friend.

Amanda Heberton remains with Dave to keep things running. Amanda is all business, runs the Helpdesk, manages purchasing, and helps with professional development. She is a Cookie Diva and rumors are circulating that she will be leaving Sanford IT soon for a career in flat track roller derby! Here she poses with Crowella De Vil of the Charm City Roller Girls. She plans to join just as soon as she learns to skate...


To my very first assistant, Jen Nightengale, thank you for all your hard work, wonderful attitude, willingness to try anything, and above all, your friendship. It was my privilege to work with many fine techies over years, including Kathy Daum, Nate Knisley, Tristan Hoffmann, and Fran Petersen. There was no shortage of students who made a mark on my life either such as Keegan, Ricky, Dan, Win, Alvaro, Nolan, and Obie. Thank you all for enriching my life.

Carpe Diem or Florence Sees San Francisco

Life sometimes presents you with opportunities to do special things for others. Seizing the moment can be a life changing experience for both parties. The tricky part is knowing to embrace the opportunity and being flexible enough to overcome any obstacles that appear along the way.

One night in casual conversation, Florence told me she regretted never getting to California to see the Golden Gate Bridge. She had never spoken of regrets before to me.

John and I had walked the Bridge on a past trip when it was foggy and scary. I knew we could do this with her, with a little help from our friends. Besides, we always look for a reason to visit Eric.
Thankfully, Karen had never been to SF either and was willing to travel with Florence. This made it easy for John and I to leave from PHL and meet them at SFO.

First, the Bridge Walk with Eric. Florence made it under her own power with flying colors. It was cloudy, windy, and cool but a wonderful time nonetheless. Next stop Stinson Beach. Florence put her hands and feet in the Pacific Ocean. Monday, we ate lunch in the sunshine and tasted wine in Sonoma.


The very best part of our weekend was the side trip to Muir Woods. This was Florence and Karen's first time in a redwood forest. I suspect they will never be the same again.

As we left Muir Woods, John turned to me and said, "Watching Florence walk through the redwoods ...PRICELESS!"

For Eric and Tristan

Dad and I lost out on knowing all of our grandparents. Some died when we were very young. 

Dad and I feel blessed that you both got to know all your grandparents. This was by design, not happenstance.  We know they made a difference in your lives, as well as ours. They enjoyed spending time with you and watching you grow up. You never disappointed them. They loved you for making time for them as they got older. Take great comfort in knowing this.

Growing up and being connected is a gift not everyone experiences. Life is tough. Stay connected to each other and thanks for staying connected to us. ROH would insist you come from a long line of good people (and only a few pirates).

In the greater scheme of things, how much money you accumulate, how many degrees you earn, or how many continents you travel, matter very little. Never pass up an opportunity to tell or show someone you love them. Be caregivers when you can. You'll learn valuable life lessons about yourself and others not taught in any school. Be willing to put others before yourself. Stand up for your beliefs and yourself. Strive to be a good person.

Know that I will always love you unconditionally.

MOM