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| December 2012 Seasons greetings to everyone! We hope that this December finds you well and happy, and spending lots of time with people you love. It’s time to take keyboard in hand yet again and remember the events of our last year, telling you things you don’t want to know about kids you’ve never met and sounding pompous as I recount our travel adventures of this year. As someone wrote to me recently, I do read the "dreaded" letters, but I lose track of what kid, who I barely knew, married who. I care about the parents who were my friends and now all they can say about their advancing age and changing life styles is that there's a new grandchild. And that various members of their family are in various cities. But I mush onward in spite of complaints! I'm not sure what you write about if not your children, your advancing age and grandchildren. Other than having to bury some 12 of our friends over the course of the year, the year has been calm and peaceful for our immediate family. Walt and I are in good health, all of our kids are in a good place, and the grandchildren are growing up healthy. What more can we ask? Walt had some frequent flyer miles and was itching to get back to England, so he went to London for a week -- and made his stage debut there. He attended a performance of One Man, Two Guv'nors and in the show they pulled "volunteers" from the audience up on stage to help move a trunk (and to be made fun of). Walt was one of the "volunteers." I was unhappy I wasn’t there to take a picture!
Brianna turned 4 in April and Lacie had her big 1 year old birthday party in October. Both girls are such a joy, and Brianna is turning into quite the 49er fan. Lacie's too young to appreciate football yet, but her mother says she is "full of mischief and loves the cheering."
I am still a theater critic. Walt and I see about 50-60 stage shows a year. As I say to everyone, the nice thing about the job is I get to see everything. The bad thing about the job is I have to see everything! My co-author Alison Lewis and I had to drop out of the Lamplighters history project when "life" put up too many roadblocks, but I started a volunteer job this year, working at a used book store one day a week. I just love it and try to read one (short) book from the store every week. I also joined a book club, after wanting to find something like that most of my life. I am enjoying it, though have read some weird things! Walt continues on the Board of Directors for Citizens Who Care, a local organization which advocates for the frail elderly and their caregivers, and he continues to volunteer at his old job 1-2 days a week. My 93 year old mother is still going strong, still living independently. Her memory is not all that great, but the demands on her are not great either and she’s happy where she is. She lives only 80 miles away, so I am able to see her often, which is nice. I realize how very fortunate I am to still have her in my life.
As you approach the December holiday, whichever holiday you celebrate, may you have a celebration filled with love and may your 2013 be better than 2012. Looking on the bright side, there should be no campaigning to endure for awhile, at least! ~
The Sykes Family ~ Bev's daily journal: Funny the World |
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Our Compassion International Family
Top row: Anjali (India), Fred (Philippines), Shallon (Uganda), Briana (Haiti) |
