Holiday Letter – 1986

In 1980s by Steve Sliwa

December 1986

Dear Friends:

This past year was the first for our new family. We moved into our new house and have been trying to merge the two households. SEI, Steve’s software company, maintains its office in the garage and room over the garage. It works out nicely having someone in the home at all times for when Tabitha comes home and to have someone to let in the various repairmen and workers that are associated with home-ownership.

Tabitha and Nancy traveled to Great Britain for two weeks last April. Nancy gave a paper on artificial intelligence strategies at a technical conference and then the two toured England and Scotland. In May, we all spent a little over a week in California visiting Disneyland, the Spruce Goose, San Diego Zoo, Stanford University and San Francisco.

Tabitha graduated from elementary school in June. She started Junior High at Tabb Intermediate, our local public school. The adjustment from private to public school seems to have been successful. She attends the Extend Program for gifted children once every other week and has been studying current events and issues. She has been active in her outside interests as well. She has been taking art lessons (drawing and painting) continuously, she graduated with highest honors from her modeling class and went to sailing camp this past summer where she soloed in a Sunfish. She is taking Pre-Algebra, American Civics, .life Science, English and Shop. She is the only girl in her shop class and seems to enjoy the opportunities that it gives her. On the social side, she looks forward to’ monthly school dances and she frequently talks to ‘friends on the phone. (The teenage years are coming!)

Nancy finished her Master’s degree this month from the University of Pennsylvania. Her thesis was on new architectures for robotic systems which make them easier to design and modify. It seems that she is starting to get wider recognition for her research ideas as a computer scientist. NASA rewarded her this past year by naming her to its Systems Autonomy Working Group and giving her a promotion. Recently she has been named to the AIAA’s (national professional organization for aerospace engineers) Computer Systems Technical Committee. These groups have had her traveling to San Francisco, Florida and now coming up Texas and Monterey. Nancy was born in Monterey but has not visited since 3he was an infant.

Steve has had most change this past year with his new Deputy Division Chief job, new marriage, and step-daughter to mix together all at once. Except for the 15 pounds he’s picked up, he seems to have taken everything in stride and probably smiles a little more often.

Please take note of our new address and here’s hoping the holidays are merry for you and help to start your new year off in a healthy and prosperous way.

Love,

Tabitha, Nancy, & Steve

111 Fielding Lewis Drive
Yorktown, VA  23692

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