Wednesday, December 17, 2025

The Harrell/Drew & Rodriguez 2025 Annual Family Newsletter

 

Politically it has been pretty much an interesting year overall, Trump has managed to upset several countries around the world with his global Tariff War, the US Navy blasting & killing the crews of random boats off the Venezuelan coast, deporting illegal immigrants, including the odd innocent bystander, and pardoning a host of culpable criminals. It should come as no surprise that President Trump has close ties to the pedophile & sex-trafficker Jeffrey Epstein - we wait for all the gory details to be revealed in 2026. Andrew Windsor’s reputation has already been destroyed by the scandal. We remember those stars we lost this year including Robert Redford, Diane Keaton, Val Kilmer, Jane Goodall, and Ozzy Osbourne to name but a few.

There have been lots of dramatic changes in the family dynamics this year; David & Kim spent a wonderful 10 days in Mexico City in May, learning Spanish, good - apart from Kim spraining her ankle on a precarious Mexican paving stone. She also managed to break her ankle not much longer after we returned to the States on a pothole in the front garden (left by Aurora Water) whilst chasing an elusive species of bird. Kim marked her 60th birthday this year and we celebrated with a night of tenpin bowling and afterwards dining at a trendy local Mexican restaurant. David enters his third year of work at the Denver Art Museum and thoroughly enjoys being around much culture. Whilst Kim’s jewelry business has been slow but steady, the price of gold and silver sky-rocketed - reaching $4,379 per troy ounce in mid-October 2025. She continues to teach jewelry at Metropolitan State University & at the Denver Art-Students League.

In August, Bea had a near death experience when she was the victim of a hit and run - her car was flipped over yet amazingly she survived without as much as a scratch. The car was an absolute write-off but fortunately the insurance helped buy a new vehicle, a Hyundai Kona in bright green. After years of governmental assessments, Mario finally got his Permanent Residence status (Green Card). Mario & Bea celebrated their first full year in their new home. Bea is into her 4th year of teaching art & design at Aurora Hills Middle School. Mario continues to perform custodian services for Aurora Public Schools and has aimed his sights on a managerial position in the coming year.

Isabella studied for most of the year at Colorado School of Healing Arts and graduated with a certificate in Massage Therapy in September. She started her first ‘LMT’ (Licensed Massage Therapist) job at Somnium Therapeutics. Bella specializes in Swedish, prenatal, and neuromuscular massage, but is expanding her skill set with an externship in ‘Trauma Touch.’ Bella visited Michigan for the first time with her friend Chase from Durango. She also completed her own craft project, a silver & lapis lazuli necklace with matching earrings with her mother.


Hannah started work early in 2025 at ‘Kizik’ in Cherry Creek Mall, a hands-free step in shoe-store. She made excellent progress there and has become their lead salesperson. Hannah looks forward to being promoted to assistant manager in the coming year. As well as the two cats Hannah & Noah welcomed Clyde the goldfish into their lives and the fish thrives in a spacious aquarium. Noah & Hannah visited Wisconsin in the summer - and Noah’s sister, Lilly is getting married in July 2026.


Merry Christmas, & Happy New Year from all of us in Aurora,

Love, Peace & Joy

David & Kim, Bea & Mario, Bella, Hannah & Noah

Friday, May 30, 2025

Mexico City, May 2025


The walk from the Bosque de Chapultepec to the Museo Nacional de Antropologia

 

In the Bosque de Chapultepec

From the Avenida Constituentes

Pausing at the entry gate, then

Walking a snake’s winding path, through

Foliage of acacia, pine, holm oak, cypress

Dense, fragrant, sweetness, lungs of the city

A light breeze cools the aromatic air

A Howler monkey heard in the distance

Whispers of Nahuatl amongst the trees

The castle on Grasshopper Hill

Haunt of many leaders; the Aztec aristocracy,

Lazaro Cardenas, Emperor Maximilian,

The elite, risen in glory, fallen into dust

Yet the forest lives on in a mighty breath

Light and shade envelopes us all,

 

Finally, the pace changes at the Museum

Treasures locked behind plate glass

Monumental ages seen in minutes

History is caught, dried, and preserved

The jigsaw fragments of the past

Coalesce into the jade mask of Pakal

K’inich Janaab Pakal, Ajaw of Palenque

Mayan Corn-Flower, shield, astronaut!

Continued living as a deified god

Yet the carefully constructed mask

Hides death entombed in a sarcophagus,

A rock slab engraved for all time

From his body a tree, double headed serpent

Along the white path of death

A map of the entire cosmos with

Ancestors reborn as trees

Hidden in the Temple of Inscriptions.

 

A single solitary butterfly in the courtyard

The soul of a loved-one

Pausing for a breath in the humid heat

A visitor from Heaven, for a moment.

 

All Rights Reserved / Copyright David John Drew, May 2025


Photo: National Museum of Anthropology in Mexico City. Funerary mask of king Pakal of Palenque, by Wolfgang Sauber