The lifting of most Covid restrictions and the background anxiety they helped create has allowed us to return to activities we once enjoyed. After several thwarted attempts to travel outside the country (admittedly, some related to my waning tech-savvy), I was able to travel this spring to Spain and Portugal, two more destinations on my bucket list. I’m also revisiting the joys of eating out and now once again have the bandwidth to do a lot of reading.

As we reach or approach our retirement years, it’s interesting to note how our priorities change. I welcome an easing of the pressure to earn and can now spend more time and energy on activities I enjoy doing. For me, that means more time outdoors and more time writing and promoting the work of my fellow authors. It also means I have time to write Class Notes and find out firsthand what my fellow ’80s, including those who seldom make it to reunions, are doing.

Edward Wrenn, M.D., now a family medicine and geriatric physician in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, has cofounded a chapter of Wild Ones Native Plants, Natural Landscapes. Its formation was inspired by Lorrie Otto, “The godmother of natural landscaping,” who began to advocate for the raising of eco-friendly native plants back in the 1950s. “Now more and more people understand these native plants are essential to our ecosystems with which they co-evolved and can vastly reduce pollution and climate change,” he writes. “Almost everyone can experience the beauty and fascination of not only the plants but also wide variety of insects and birds.”

According to Ed, Wild Ones (wildones.org) can help people learn more about them: how to find nurseries that will sell them or their seeds and people who will share them, design natural landscaping with or without professional help, find examples of various styles of natural plant gardens, impress neighbors rather than offend them, and get involved on the community.

A class of 1980 mini-reunion will be held in Park City, Utah, February 24-29, 2024, and the class will be staying at the Sheraton Park City in Pioneer Square. According to organizer Debo Hart Goth, “Possible activities include alpine and Nordic skiing, snowshoeing, dogsledding, and hanging out with friends. Don’t miss out on this fun activity with classmates.”

—Rob Dinsmoor, 14 Rust St., South Hamilton, MA 01982; (978) 269-4069; dinsmo@earthlink.net; Wade Herring, P.O. Box 9848, Savannah, GA 31412, (912) 944-1639; wherring@huntermaclean.com; Meg Coughlin LePage,8 Brookside Drive, Cumberland, ME 04021; (207) 791-1382; mlepage@pierceatwood.com