Sunday, December 05, 2010

 
MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

FAMILY, FRIENDS AND CRONIES ALL: December 2010

Once again it is that time of year when we pause to remember those we hold dear, our family and friends. As we celebrate the joy of giving, and remember the gift that we celebrate, we look forward to receiving the cards/letters or e mails that remind us of the gifts of friendship that we treasure most.

We are blessed with and enjoy good health, cranky old age and occasionally practice the “forgetin' disease”. Daughter Terri, son Gary and daughter-in-law Marci are all busy with their respective endeavors and are well. Granddaughter, Lauren, is living and working in Dallas, Texas and Grandson, Sean, is attending college in San Diego.

Our friends Kitty Van Horn and friend along with Marvis and Bob Gersten joined us in Key West for a week in the Conch Republic and a visit to Sarasota completed a Florida visit. Our summer included a cross country trip of 25 States, five Canadian Provinces and a visit to all five Great Lakes. Pat attended her 60th High School reunion and Ken’s sister, brother, sister-in-law, nephew and family joined us for an Indiana 4th of July celebration.

A visit to Buffalo, NY with Ken's sister, brother and two cousins and a shared trip to Warsaw and a visited to the house where their fathers were born was shared by the Cousins. “Icing on the cake” was meeting a cousin that they didn't know they had. A visit to Niagara Falls and a performance by the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra with Cousin Bill chairing the Bass Section completed our Buffalo visit.

Our travels took us to the beautiful East Coast, Canada, upper Michigan, Minnesota, the Black Hills of South Dakota, Colorado, Nevada and home. It was a wonderful trip, made special by our intermittent travel companions, Ken's sister, Barbara; brother, Don, sister-in-law, Linda and friends, Bob and Marvis Gersten. In October, we joined our friends, the Haselmans, for a two week visit on Kauai. Life is good.

May the joy of the holiday season, bless you throughout the New Year.