As I sit here and view the sunrise in Galveston, Texas I am thinking of my life in 2005. 2004
ended with a major snowfall in Salt Lake City and Park City, Utah. All of my living children and grandchildren had gathered for the traditional ski and snowboard Christmas. In total there were about 100 of us gathered there this year as my husband Richard's brother and his family also make their Christmas at Park City. This began in 1976 when Richard had the wonderful idea of a simple, close knit way to spend Christmas. It has been good and rich and we miss Richard and my son John as we open our presents and play our games and remember the past.
We are in to the grandchildren skiing now and soon it will be great-grandchildren with all these handsome grandsons and beautiful granddaughters soon to get married.
After processing loans in Sacramento for 7 months I came home in April to Lake Almanor and beautiful new wood floors in my home and Bandido waiting for me. Meagan, John's daughter, dressed here as a Thailand princess, had invited me to Hong Kong and Singapore and in May
it was a memorable trip. Unfortunately all my pictures are in another place but we have extensive beautiful pictures of Meagan and Matt and I seeing the sights and eating the marvelous foods. Meagan was a terrific host and guide and I will treasure that trip forever.
My daughter Linda came up and spent time alone with me in early June--not often a Mom and her daughter who has six children can do that. It was memorable as well. In July, Meagan came to visit for the 4th and then Meagan, Linda and her two children Tanner and Sarah, and Maria's son Mitch all went to my Dad's cabin in Silvergate, Montana, to Yellowstone, and to Jackson Hole, Wy. Unfortunately pictures of all these things are in another place but we had a wonderful time and I am so lucky my grandchildren will travel with me.
During the summer new carpet was laid in the bedrooms and significant leveling for a flagstone patio in front of the back deck and then Hurricane Katrina hit and I was off to Sacramento and then Houston and then Baton Rouge where we had an office across the street from Hurricane Katrina victims housed in a huge stadium--and we slept in a gym miles away and then off to ...
Port Arthur, Texas where we ran from Hurricane Rita and drove to Tyler in north Texas and then stayed in Fort Worth until we could come back to Houston and then off I went to Spurger, Texas where I braved the heat and humidity and cold and rain to take applications from the victims of Hurricane Rita.
On October 29th I was able to be in San Diego, Ca for the wedding of my granddaughter Kristi
Pulsipher and her fiance Mike Stewart. The reception in El Cajon was outstanding with lush settings, wonderful food, and fun dancing. Then it was on to Beaumont, Texas where we were
meeting with victims from both Hurricane Katrina and Rita. After being the only SBA rep in Spurger it was fun to have other SBA personnel to eat with, talk to, laundry and work with.
From there it was on to beautiful Galveston, Texas and a walk on the beach. The year will end with Christmas in Carlsbad with the Jimmy Hardy family and who knows where the New Year
will take me. I've already chosen a goal for the year. "Being an Up person in a Down World!" Can I do it?--not sure, will need lots of help. Onward and upwards as they say. 2004 with the death of my son John, and Hurricane Charley, Francis, Jeanne and Ivan was a very tough year and 2005 had its ups and downs so what now...