I did not mail Christmas cards this year. It’s not like the holiday snuck up on me. There is no good excuse because I love cards and enjoy the ones I receive from those of you that keep me on your card list each year. I especially love the cards that are accompanied by the “Here’s what our year was like” family letter. So . . . instead of mailing cards and letters, I will regale or bore you with my family letter added to my blog this year. Most of my friends are on Facebook and have already been bored by all of this throughout the year 🙂
January started with a very special visit from a young friend in the Navy that we have known since he was a toddler. We enjoy visits from Seth and the energy he spreads when he is here.
Mid-January brought Chuck by for a visit. Chuck and Jim have been friends since they were both in the Navy years ago. I like to hear the two of them playing guitar together.
Before the month was out, Seth was back for another visit. He and Jim tried to go duck hunting from our boat, but had no luck.
As January moved on into February, Jim and I volunteered at an event at the Tryon Palace in New Bern, and then at the Chocolate Festival in Morehead City.
Elizabeth traveled all the way from Las Vegas for a visit in February. Along with Kim and Nancy we visited a moonshine distillery, and had fun checking out some local things and enjoying each other’s company with friends.
March came along and Jim and I took a trip to Europe for about 12 days. We flew direct from Raleigh to Paris. Even though my phone was pick-pocketed the first day of our vacation (Metro station at the Louvre), we still had a great time. Some things had changed a bit since we were last in Paris, but it is a wonderful city that I wish everyone could visit at least once in their lifetime.
We took a high-speed train to London via the Chunnel. London was fabulous and we will definitely go back there some day.
We then flew to Amsterdam. I had always wanted to see the canals, houseboats, bikes, and museums.
We also went to the Keukenhof Gardens just outside of Amsterdam. It’s the largest flowering bulb park in the world and is only open for a few weeks each year. Even though Jim was skeptical, he enjoyed it. We took another high-speed train back to Paris before returning to the States. Two of the highlights of our trip were seeing Kim and Scott in Paris for dinner one night, and running into an Indian family twice – once in Paris and then by chance again at Keukenhof!
In April we flew to St. Louis to visit relatives. This was a long overdue trip and we had so much fun. We stayed with Jim’s sister, Jane, and got to spend time with her, and her daughter’s family – Ashley, Jesse, Elliot, and Lena. What a delight it was spending time with the kids. Elliot was so involved and present in everything we did. Lena was adorable and just about ready to start walking. We got to visit pawnshops and thrift stores – Yes, Jane loves them too – it runs in the family. We all went to the Museum of Transportation together and it was a wonderful outing for all ages. Jim, Jane and I also went to IKEA more than once, and visited the National Blues Museum together.
The end of April brought about a mini-cousin reunion in Florida. We went to Amelia Island and spent a few days at Jack and Virginia’s condo along with Charles and Joanie. While we were there we got to spend time with Todd, and have lunch with Hobie and Georganna and Hobie’s mom, Patty that we had not seen in decades! We also got to meet Karen, a MD transplant that lives in FL and is related to Joanie.
As we rolled into May, Jim and I continued a little further south into FL and visited with friends (and my old boss), Dave and Theresa. It was lovely seeing them, as it had been several years since we saw them in Las Vegas. They also live on a river like we do!
We then ventured on to Ocala and spent two days with our old Tampa neighbors, Kent and Susan. I had not seen them since 1990 and we picked right up where we left off – so many laughs. They took time off from work and we visited every pawnshop in the area and loaded up their car so much that the guys had to put the pizza on top of the stack of guitars across their laps in the back seat!
On the way back to NC, Jim and I stopped in Savannah, GA. It was so nice spending some time there since it was on my bucket list. Mitzi got to enjoy the entire FL trip with us and really is a good little traveler.
We had a fun fire pit night with friends and neighbors in the middle of the month, and then threw a Memorial Day picnic – but it was SO hot!
In June we made a trip to WV to attend the service and funeral for Jim’s Uncle Russ. He was always special to us and had been the patriarch of the family. He passed away a month shy of his 91st birthday. We got to see Sammy, Carolyn, and Chris. We stayed with Jack and Virginia too – I had not been to their home in years! The boys even tried their hand at finding treasures in the yard with Jim’s metal detector – all they found on the Civil War era river property were a few rusty nails!
Barb and Allen rented a beach home not far from us in June. I got to spend some time with them as we took one day and went to the Duplin Winery. We also had Greek food together one evening in Swansboro.
My birthday present in July was trading in my SUV for a new one, and having Suzanne visit from TX. While the river was too shallow to get our boat out while she was here, Kim and Scott came to the rescue and we enjoyed a boat ride and dinner with them.
Ken and Rosanna, newlyweds from Las Vegas, were our next visitors. We had fun watching Ken on a jet ski for the first time and enjoying time together on the dock.
In August we drove to Manteo in the Outer Banks and bought L’il Sparky. Stan, our neighbor and friend, was a trooper as we needed his truck and trailer to get this little GEM (Global Electric Motorcar). It was an all-day trip up and back and Jim couldn’t be happier with the deal he got on this fun vehicle that we just drive around the neighborhood.
Later that month we had a small get together on our dock to watch the eclipse! Our next August trip was to Virginia. Maria, one of our dear friends recently moved to VA, not far from Barb and Allen. We ALL met for dinner in Petersburg, and then spent the next two days on Barb and Allen’s boat (Le Rouge Bateau) on Lake Chesdin complete with the doggies!
Since Jim loves a sale, we drove to a “yard sale” at Screen Gems studios in September. Screen Gems is a division of Sony Pictures and is located in Wilmington, NC. They make TV shows and movies there so we weren’t sure what to expect. We got to look through TV show props, LOTS of Christmas decorations, and set furniture. Among other things, we bought a beautiful sideboard for our dining area that was used on the set of the TNT show “Good Behavior”. We checked out the Wilmington waterfront while we were there.
In October, we lit paper lanterns at a beach house nearby and got to meet new friends, Dawn and Joe from MD. This was all possible because of Mark and Lynn, and was one of the many get togethers we have with Kim, Scott, Mike, and Nancy.
Chuck came back for another visit and this time he drove his beautiful new Honda.
Once November came around, we flew to Austin to visit Suzanne. We got to see her folks and meet Jerry. We had fun going once again to pawn shops, which by now I am guessing you know is something Jim really likes to do. We ate at great restaurants, listened to live music, went shopping, and had fun celebrating birthdays and anniversaries together.
When we got back home, Joanie and Charles came to visit. Charles drove his new Prius hybrid and bragged about the great gas mileage he gets – over 55 mpg! We always have fun when they visit from MD.
“Friendsgiving” was held at Mike and Nancy’s – what a great time had by all – good food and great friends.
December started off with the milestone birthday celebration for Jim. The surprise party at Kim and Scott’s was lots of fun. The Facebook birthday page was a hit too – it was a great way for everyone to provide a birthday sentiment for Jim.
I posted lots of pictures, and the favorite was one of Jim and Charles taken years ago after a run – that was back when shorts were made of nylon and REALLY short!
Our next December adventure was a trip to Baltimore to attend Bobby and Tanya’s epic Christmas party. We were going to MD, via Virginia, and I landed in the hospital. We stayed at Barb and Allen’s in VA on the way to Baltimore and we never made it to the party. I was feeling some discomfort, so I went to a Quick Care/freestanding ER place and they had me admitted to Chippenham Hospital for a bad case of diverticulitis – my first bout ever with this colon problem. The best part was getting to watch the Steelers/Ravens game in VA the night after I was discharged!
We got recertified for SCUBA a few days ago and realize how much this is a younger persons sport – carrying all that gear is tiring! We also visited the local nursing home for their Christmas party this week. We are having a small dinner with friends at our house on Christmas Eve. Jim will serve the troops on base on Christmas Day, and we’ll celebrate the New Year once again with the folks here that have become like family to us.
My jet ski got fixed this year and flies through the water – I am not comfortable when it nears 40 mph! Jim got to experience more about boats and boat repairs as we enjoyed our 24’ Cobia on those days when the water was deep enough to get it off the lift!
We celebrated birthdays and anniversaries; went to concerts, festivals and brewery grand openings; worked on projects at home; participated in several different art projects; tried new restaurants, and were delighted we had no hurricanes affect us this year. I am still working when McCormick throws a project my way.
Jim and I are truly thankful and blessed for this life we live. We hope next year will once again be full of visitors, travel, laughter, friends, and family. We wish the very same to each of you.
MERRY CHRISTMAS – HAPPY NEW YEAR – GOD BLESS YOU
Enjoy another sunset from our little piece of the world 🙂
Sunsets On The River 