The Hardy Family's
BEST OF 2006
(from the people who brought you the Hardy Family's Best of 2005)

Family Highlights. The beginning of our sabbatical year in Kenilworth, Warwickshire, England; our half-term trip to Salzburg, Austria; taking the cable car to the top of the Untersberg, near Salzburg; hiking to the top of Mam Tor in the fog; watching the new Jane Eyre and Robin Hood on the BBC; living in Kenilworth with the Houlgates

Memorable Meals. Dinner at the Harborview Café after Clara bicycled sixty miles from Northfield with Rebecca; Dinner at the Stiftskeller St. Peter in Salzburg, the oldest restaurant in Europe (opened in 803), with Salzburger Nockerl for dessert; fettucini with roasted red pepper cream sauce and fresh Scottish scallops (cooked by Rob); Welsh mussels in coconut milk (cooked by Rob; note: Will discovered that he’s allergic to mussels)

Favorite Local Pubs. The Virgins and Castle (Kenilworth) for historic ambience; The Saxon Mill (Guy’s Cliff/Warwick) for good food and ambience and a good walk; The Tipperary Inn (Meer End) for a good walk, sunny beer garden, and attractive barmaids; The Waterman (Hatton) for a good walk, good food, a view of the Grand Union Canal, and Arkwright’s Special Bitter; The Green Man (Kenilworth) for a large non-smoking area and friendly bar staff

Memorable Cultural Experiences. Much Ado About Nothing (Royal Shakespeare Company); The History Boys (National Theatre/Warwick Arts Centre); “Best of Mozart” concert at the Mozarteum in Salzburg; sacred music by Michael Haydn at the church of St. Peter in Salzburg; Mendelssohn’s Elijah at Coventry Cathedral; antiquities at the British Museum; “Holbein in England” at the Tate Britain; Clara Louise’s senior violin recital

Clara
Book: Nicole Krauss, The History of Love
Non-Classical Music: Bjork, “It’s Oh So Quiet”
Accomplishments: serving a term as an Associate Dean; bicycling sixty miles, from Northfield, Minnesota, to Pepin, Wisconsin; singing Mendelssohn’s Elijah with the St. Michael’s Singers at Coventry Cathedral and Westminster Cathedral; driving a car in England
What I Miss Most About Home: the people
What I Like Best About England: being with my sister Mary; singing with the St. Michael’s Singers; BBC Radio 4

Rob
Books: Doris Kearns Godwin, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln; Rose Macaulay, The World My Wilderness; Geraldine Brooks, March
CDs: The Decemberists, The Crane Wife; Jolie Holland, Springtime Can Kill You; Calexico, Feast of Wire
Experiences: Salzburg, London, and the Peak District; teaching Latin 101 at Carleton
Accomplishment: blogging
What I Miss Most About Home: home, friends, half pint cartons of half-and-half for coffee, and reading Latin with Peytie
What I Like Best About England: rural footpaths and Ordnance Survey Maps, the history, and pints of real ale

Will
CDs: Bright Eyes, I’m Wide Awake, It’s Morning; Nada Surf, Let’s Go; Death Cab for Cutie, Plans
Movies: Mission Impossible 3; Fight Club
Experience: the trip to Salzburg
Accomplishment: recording two CDs of original songs
What I Miss Most About Home: the people
What I Like Best About England: the people

Peter
CD: The Decemberists, The Crane Wife
Book: Anne Ursu, The Shadow Thieves
Experience: Bible camp
What I Miss Most About Home: friends and Pippi
What I Like Best About England: the people