Well, since you are getting this letter, you know we made it through Hurricane Sandy where she couldn’t tell which way was right. Things have been crazy around here, but we are having loads of fun, and staying busy.
We had quite a few adventures this year, with some being away from home, and still more at home. Friends and memories have been made along the way. Here are some of the highlights:
We started this year off with a trip to GeoWoodstock in Kentucky where we meet up with about 4,000 of our friends that are crazy about geocaching. If you don’t know what geocaching is, it is a treasure hunt around the globe using those GPS satellites that help us with our errand list.
While we were in Kentucky, we found one of the oldest candy shops still in existence. They still make cinnamon red hot candies by hand, and if you are lucky enough to be there for a demonstration, they hand out fresh warm samples of the red-hots. The aromas are delightful!
Then, in October, we flew back to Minnesota to celebrate Jim and Carol’s 50th wedding anniversary with family and friends, from both near and far. We had a great time visiting with everyone, and glad we got to hang out with Pam’s cousin, Rick and his wife Debbie from the Lone Star state of Texas. They were a huge help with the pictures and video of the party, and we can’t wait to see the final compilation! All of the other adventures have been a few day trips to have some fun!
Well, as a homeowner, Hurricane Sandy came into town, and made some changes for us in the landscaping. Our pine tree in the front yard which usually serves as an outdoor Christmas tree couldn’t stand up to the soaking rain and the huge wind gusts that signified Sandy’s landfall on the East coast. Luckily when it fell, it just missed the house. The neighbors’ tree nearest our master bedroom decided to fall as well, but fell onto their property and took down a downspout. We were out of power for about 18 hours; however many folks had power out for 3-6 days. Our biggest concern was the sump pump failing and getting water in the basement, but the battery backup on the sump pump kept us dry.
In February, we started a money management class, called Financial Peace University, at a local church just down the road from our favorite vegetable stand. We met a great group of people and had a great time in the class, and even more fun in the months since then as we have been attending on a regular basis and having fun getting to know even more people. Best class we have found, just ask us about it.
On the job front, our employers are still happy that we show up on a regular basis and we are thankful they still like what we do for them. There might be some bumps ahead, but we are staying optimistic!