A letter to our friends

Just in case you didn’t see it, here’s the text of a letter we just sent out updating our info for friends of the family.

Hello, friends!

Exactly one year – to the day – after Jane, Sarah and Madeline met the big moving truck hauling our Tennessee lives across the country to our temporary Comfort house, a much smaller truck picked up the last of the things we couldn’t move ourselves and carried them the 20 miles to our new, permanent home.

As of June 6th, the new info for Jeffrey, Jane Sarah and Madeline Brown is:

Address: 285 Katie Court, Boerne, TX, 78006.
Home Phone: 830-755-2361
E-Mail address: SansomBrown@GVTC.com.

All of us will maintain our individual e-mails, as well, but the cell phone numbers will be changing soon so that our local friends no longer have to dial long distance to reach us. I’ll update those when our contract changes in September.

The home in Boerne (pronounced “Bernie” – it’s taken from one of the families of German settlers who homsteaded the Hill Country in the 1850’s) is large and comfortable, and we’re working diligently to get everything out of boxes, many of which haven’t been opened since we left Chattanooga. As you can see in the attached picture, we live in a planned subdivision which is called Boerne Heights. It’s quiet, and the Home Owners Association is fairly unobtrusive. There are no homes over our back fence, so our view is better than most.

Sarah and Madeline did a great job of adapting to their new schools. Sarah made a bit of a name for herself on the track team, turning in the fastest time in the 200 meter dash among all of her teammates. She also plays flute in the band and has become quite a reader, though she’s been identified with a slight writing problem known as dysgraphia. So far it hasn’t slowed her down too much. Maddee will be on the cheerleading squad next year (heaven help us), and is spending this week in Chattanooga attending a sleep-over camp with a dear friend. She has really settled in well in school, and is being tested for ‘gifted and talented’ placement. Because Jane will continue to teach in the Comfort Schools, the girls have the option to stay there rather than transfer again to Boerne schools – and both have selected that route.

Jane got a teaching job two days before school started last August, which was a blessing for all of us. She spent the year in a 6th grade language arts classroom, and really grew to love it – especially the chance to leave school at 4:00 in the afternoon like regular folks. She has really enjoyed being near her mom, and back in her home town – many of her high-school friends still live and work here.

I haven’t found gainful employment yet – though I did spend a couple of months as a substitute biology teacher at Comfort High School. I’m working (rather half-heartedly, actually) on getting work as a non-profit management consultant, and I’ve taken up piano tuning for fun and profit. We’re keeping chickens on the farm, and I recently picked up a beautiful vintage record player – a Sears Silvertone manufactured circa 1920 – that I’m restoring (though it was in great condition to begin with – one owner!) I’m also appearing in the role of Edward Rutledge in a production of 1776 at Playhouse 2000 in Kerrville, which has been a good diversion. I’ve kept a blog – off and on – of my experiences this year which you can catch up on at www.jbctc.wordpress.com if you’re interested.

The Texas Hill Country is facing some challenges these days. We are entering our 23rd month of “significant” drought, with rainfall levels at less than half of normal averages for that entire period. The streams, creeks, and even the rivers are running at extremely low levels, and every area of life is now being affected – especially agriculture, but also lots of other things. Water usage is restricted all across the region, and it’s a new experience to have to think about water conservation every day. Otherwise, the unique beauty of the hills is on view every day as we travel the traditionally Texas-sized distances between all of the places we need to be, and we are all getting used to this new place.

If you’re getting this e-mail, it means that you have been a large enough part of our lives that we thought you might like an update on our progress. I hope I haven’t included anyone erroneously – but if so, just delete this note and no harm done. If you know someone who’d like to read along, feel free to forward – and you may want to let us know so that we can add them to our list.

Thanks, everyone for all of your love and support. We’ll try to keep in touch.

Jeffrey