dad, after a
mysterious, nearly year-long illness. Donna’s 2001 began with a pink slip from AOL. G & D used some of the settlement money to buy art in New York City. We s
tayed at the World Trade Center Marriott
and took pictures of the New York City skyline from Ellis Island. In April, after several months in bed, Keith entered the hospital with endocarditis – an infection of the heart valve. We feared we would lose him, but after several weeks he was well enough to go home.
The whole family flew out to Victoria in June. We had a wonderful day with Keith inspecting tomato plants and collecting fresh eggs at Uncle Alan’s farm in Sooke. We picnicked on the beach at East Sooke Park. A trip to Tofino rounded off a great week with family and friends.
In July, Donna began a new job on the DC government website. In August, we sojourned at Ocracoke in North Carolina.
On September 11, Graeme and Donna were at work exchanging instant messages about the two planes flying into the World Trade Towers when the Pentagon was hit by a hijacked plane. (Two friends saw the actual impact; several neighbors heard it.) We were evacuated from our buildings in downtown Washington, DC and got home via Metro. We heard sirens and helicopters the rest of that day and night. The first person to call us on September 11 was Keith.
Returning to work several days later was a surreal experience: the city was in a state of emergency, roadblocks were everywhere, and heavily armed soldiers stood by
Humvees on street corners. Graeme visited New York’s Ground Zero the
following week and Donna in October. 
Now in December, life is beginning to return to normal. Still, we’re constantly monitoring news and keeping an eye out for trouble. Our lives are disrupted: Donna drives to work now; we have cell phones that a llow for Internet-based messaging; we hear F-16 fighter jets overhead all night long. Guess that’s the price we pay for living a mile from the Pentagon and three miles from the White House!
We’ll miss Keith dearly this Christmas – his energy and wit, his know-how, and most of all, his love. We hope all our friends have a wonderful holiday and join us in celebrating the end of 2001.
Littler Family Updates
Graeme: Loves his job running the Rapid Response website (http://rru.worldbank.org) at the World Bank. While his professional interests have changed (computers, not economics), he continues to listen to exactly the same music he did
when he was
18! Graeme had a hard time turning 40 in September, and acknowledging that he
has never bought his wife of 18 years a diamond or gem of any kind. There’s
still time to correct past wrongs!Donna: Works in the Office of the Chief Technology Officer at http:/www.dc.gov. Like her husband, she turned 40 this year. After celebrating at an Iggy Pop concert, it took more than a day for her hearing to return to normal! Donna continues to cook up the most amazing meals for her family and the many guests that drop by our house.
Elise: This 10-year-old Tae Kwon Do Black Belt is acing school, reciting poetry, reading at every possible opportunity and
throwing back handsprings and kips as
a member of the Arlington Aerials gymnastics team. Big changes this year include
reading the Washington Post daily and mustering the courage to catch a taxi to
gymnastics. Garret: Better watch out! This kid got his Black Belt at age 7 (he’s now 8). He plays a mean game of soccer and you probably wouldn’t beat him at Mario Kart racing. He’s also got a future as a hockey statistician. Garret spent two months working as an “extra” in the Kennedy Center opera Madam Butterfly.
Donovan (Donny): Is quite accomplished at writing his name. This 4-year-old loves Power Ranger meatballs and spaghetti (not much
else!), cars, hockey, and the color red. His favorite games are currently
“Candyland” and “Get Bin Laden.”Daisy & Snookie: Are cats. They like tuna
leftover salmon, and sleeping, not necessarily, Littler Family on the Web: Don’t forget to drop by our
in that order. They housesit every Xmas. photo album at http://www.litter.net/photos/victoria.htm!