Merry Christmas, 2023

 Merry Christmas, 2023,

January ~ Brother Bill & I took a quick trip to Arizona to visit family and friends in his motorhome.  A few highlights of the trip were the Organ Stop Pizza, Dwarf Car Museum, Mini Time Machine (which had a wonderful exhibition commemorating the victims of COVID-19).  We enjoyed shopping at the Golden Goose Thrift Store and the Wholesale Open Box Store.  We went to the Santa Cruz Chili & Spice Museum where Bill & niece Kelly were eating grasshoppers (I chose not to partake in that fun), and the Tumacacori National Historic Park where Kelly and I crossed the small river barefoot.

February ~ Kept busy with Friendly Neighbors Senior Center (I continue to be the Vice President and Tony continues to support all that I do for the organization).  Many evenings were spent watching grandson Cody's basketball games.

March ~ Tony turned 82 in January and I hit the big 80th birthday in March.  Tony surprised me with a party at a local hotel that specializes in parties.  About 25 friends and relatives came to the dinner party.      

    Granddaughter Cally chose this month to move to Alki Beach and several of us went over to help her on a Friday night.  On Saturday, we had fun in Seattle at Pike's Place Market (I have included a short video of the fish throwing because that is always fun), Emerald City Guitars, where you have to make an appointment to get in, and a ride by the Fremont Troll.  I believe I remember seeing 8 miles on my cell phone after we got back to the apartment on Saturday night.

    Grandson Casey & I took his two kids (Landon, and Kobe, my great grandkids) to the Palouse Discover Science Center.

April ~ Much to Tony's dismay, we hired a contractor to put up a wooden fence to replace our old one.  At the same time we were dealing with yet another flood, so we hired a company to put a drain and three sump pumps that are guaranteed to keep our basement from flooding.  Time will tell.  Of course, we had to replace all the basement carpet after this last flood.  

May ~ our 6-pack friends all went to Seattle area for a Kentucky Derby party hosted by our friend's daughter.  We also got to see what is left of Robert Louis Stevenson's Equator schooner and a trip to the Boeing Future of Flight museum (we all had fun practicing with a drone).  Another activity was visiting the Moscow Axe Throwing just to watch, not partake.

June ~ Several of us who used to meet in Arizona got together in Pullman for a long week-end, camping in our motorhomes in the wheat fields of the Palouse.

    Sister-in-law Janet (70) and I (80) took our small motorhome for a birthday visit to sister-in-law Colleen (60) in Boise area.  We do this every decade.  I hope I can tell you about the 70-80-90 visit in ten years.

July ~ a first for me ~ watching son, Dennis, be in the sole survivor golf playoff and he came in second.  I went for just a couple of hours when he assured me he would be done by then, but ended up on the golf course for 4-1/2 hours until it was finished.  Tony had to go ahead to our friend's house for the fourth of July party.  For the first time, Tony and I attended the Ice Cream Social offered at the McConnell Mansion in Moscow.

August ~ A trip with five other women to California, for fun in the sun, at the wine (Portalupi) and champagne tasting places, a pool at the condo, and a lot of card playing.  

    Tony & I started a motorhome trip by going to Ocean Shores, Washington to visit friends who had paid us a visit this summer, and then on to join brother, Bill and Janet, for our yearly trip to visit relatives and friends in Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Colorado.  First for us was burying animals in the Black Hills that had been kept in a freezer by our cousin and next, cattle prodding to help another cousin with the cattle vaccinations in Nebraska.

September ~ Continuing our trip included a lunch in our hometown with classmates of mine from 1961, a visit to the Knight Museum and Sallows Military Museum (here we saw uniforms from two uncles {World War II} and a cousin {Vietnam War}.  

    We learned a lot about the VCC (Veterans Conservation Corps) on this trip.  Just happened to visit three different places that were the result of the VCC and CCC:  1935 ~ City of Alliance fountain; 1937 ~ Lake Minatare lighthouse; and built by the CCC (Civilian Conservation Core) in 1941 was the Red Rocks Amphitheatre, near Denver, a geological phenomenon.  Also, after leaving Colorado, we made a detour to see Chugwater, Wyoming ~ everyone has to have an ice cream cone there at some time in their life.  A few days later we took a detour to see the Natural Bridge and the Oregon Trail.

October ~ I finally made it to a tailgate party for the University of Idaho.  Crazy fans begin partying in the parking lot at 2 pm for a 7 pm game.  I can thank my son and grandkids for this adventure.  Janet and I again took a motorhome road trip to Seattle to see friends and relatives.  I was proud to say that I drove the motorhome all over the Seattle area without a problem (pretty good for an 80 year old).  Another first ~ we stopped at an Amazon Fresh, in Bellevue.  What an eye opener ~ amazing how many cameras were in the ceiling of the store.

November ~ Brought many challenges.  Tony had two seizures within a month (one was a ride to the Emergency Room), and the second we just stayed home and waited it out.  Doctor visits for eyes, ears, blood tests, and general health, seem to take up a lot of our time.  Tony does not drive anymore because of the seizures (luckily we have a friend that would take him Christmas shopping, so I can be assured of having a few gifts under the tree).  We continue to entertain ourselves with evenings with friends, jigsaw puzzles, TV, and occasionally, Tony  goes in his workshop.

    A gas line break caused us, and nine other towns around us, to be without heat and hot water for four days....this was the same time that we had scheduled to replace our 30 year old refrigerator, stove, and dishwasher.  Because of Tony's inability to get down on his knees to do any plumbing, I am now a certified You Tube plumber.  The dishwasher works with no leaks!!

    We had Thanksgiving and will have Christmas at Dennis' home, although I continue to do most of the food preparation.  Tony and I hosted an open house for all the Friendly Neighbors again this year which seemed to be very successful.  Grandson's basketball games provide a great source of entertainment ~ the most recent game went into double overtime with the Moscow team winning in the end.

December ~ preparations for Christmas (gifts, candy, cookies, and popcorn balls) consumed my time so this letter is just barely going to make it before Christmas.  I think Tony and I both agree that we are slowing down.  Thanks to all of you who have sent cards and good wishes....we enjoy getting them.

Our families ~ Tony continues to Skype with his brother every month; his sons still remain in London and Spain.  I lurk on Facebook to keep up with Tony's extended family and my own family.  Nothing dramatic with my family this year...we get visits several times a year from the Seattle bunch, including son Kenny.  All are doing fine.  Kierra and Caily turned 21 this year, and I'm looking forward to our planned Karoke Bar outing soon.  Met Phillip's girlfriend recently, and heard from Abby that she may move from Manila to the states in the next year.

We hope all our friends and relatives are geared up for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. 

~~Sharon and Tony