Xmas Letter 2007

Note from Wayne: Frank tells me that it's past time to write the annual Christmas Letter, but I tell him that in actual practice it's been an "Annual Feast of the Epiphany Letter," owing to the fact that it usually gets out about January 6th. (Thank heaven the Postal Service is shut down on January 1 or it might run the risk of being the "Annual Feast of the Circumcision Letter" and putting the words "feast" and "circumcision" together turns the stomach. So, now that you're feeling a little sick, read on for more stomach turning fun!) By the way, we know that you have many choices in reading Christmas letters, and we thank you for reading ours. To make it easier to skip the stuff you don't care about, please scan for topics printed in bold. Anyway, you probably know about most of this stuff, if you've kept in touch with us or read the police blotter in the local paper.

Gardening: We managed the impossible in late spring by installing an extensive drip-irrigation system throughout our backyard. It had Wayne crawling around under some mighty stickery bushes, but in the end it's saved Frank many hours a week hand watering. Also, the thick layer of mulch that we spread on everything (you're not surprised that we spread a thick layer of something smelly, are you?) kept the weeds down so low that we've been living the life of Riley the past several months.

Frank and the Rose Club: Last year, Frank created a design for Rose Haven, a public garden built by the Temecula Valley Rose Society took shape; his design helped them land a $75,000 grant from the Metropolitan Water District. This year, the garden really took shape. He's continues to be very active with the Temecula Valley Rose Society, and is now co-president for 2008. He's been giving all sorts of demonstrations and lectures at meetings of local clubs (pruning, arranging, etc.), his rose care column will be appearing each month in a local newspaper, and he is generally basking in the brilliant glare of the news cameras that follow him everywhere. (That last part is not true—about the news cameras.)

Cruise with the Oldsters: In April we both joined Wayne's extended family for a three-day cruise from LA to Ensenada, Mexico, to celebrate his parents' 60th wedding anniversary. It was great being together and just long enough. Seemed longer. In a good way. (Mostly.) Wayne's sister did yeoman's duty organizing the whole thing (not rowing the ship) and did a very good job.

Visit with Frank's Sisters: Also in April, Frank and his sister Billie went to Rockport, Texas (outside of Dallas) to visit their sister Elsie. They rendezvoused at the Denver airport, then bro-in-law Bob flew off to New Mexico to visit his son, and the two sibs went on to Dallas. They found their 85-year-old sister's living situation somewhat disheartening: She is now diabetic and legally blind. However, her mental faculties are surprisingly intact. On a drive of more than 60 miles to the cemetery, she was able to tell them every turn and landmark to reach their destination! (She performs similarly well in the supermarket!) She is under the 'care' of her extended family, not an entirely hopeful situation. But all in all, the sibs were glad they got together. Escaping Texas (which is what any sane person would want to do after five days) was not so easy. A hurricane sent all flight schedules into the dumper and caused hours of delay at all points. They did, finally, make it back to their respective homes, happy to have had the visit.

Road trip with Italians: We hosted some friends from Italy in June/July. They are a young husband, wife, and 2 year old son. (The boy was delightful. Hearing him speak Italian in his sing-song was adorable, and he quickly picked up some English and fearlessly used it. If only we could learn that fast!) The visit included a road trip up the coast to San Francisco where we spent a couple of days, four days at Wayne's family's mountain place (slightly primitive), and a couple days camping and hiking around in Yosemite—where, just after crawling into bed on the first night, a bear invaded the neighboring campsite and snatched a load of bread off the table because those idiots didn't follow the ranger's instructions—then back to the Temecula Valley and San Diego County. All were pooped. Wayne later rated each day of the trip on a 1-to-10 scale and, despite a couple of days ranking at "2," the overall the trip rated at 7.2 which isn't too bad. (We haven't heard from them since! Maybe their rating was lower!)

Wayne's Daughter: For the past six months or so, Katie has been living in Buenos Aires (that's in Argentina last time we checked). She's been teaching English and learning their rather distinctive form of Spanish. Wayne spent Thanksgiving with her (and both their birthdays) and had a fantastic time. Frank stayed home but isn't reporting what he did. It is hoped that his time was also fantastic.

Holidays: We're hosting assorted folks over the holidays and plan to eat too much and regret it later.

Aunt Julia's Passing: On a serious note, Frank's aunt Julia passed away this year at the age of 101, just before Valentine's Day. She was a tough old lady who always stood up for herself. Since fracturing her hip several months before, she'd been drifting down that long river and, finally, her little boat went out of sight. We'd been wondering when she'd finally reach that shore -- seems like she paddled against the current for a long time. Her ever-decreasing awareness (due to the advance of Alzheimer's) was in many ways a blessing, as it eventually allowed her to forget the many hurts and regrets that had plagued her over years. We were a little sad, a little relieved, a little apprehensive, but more than anything, we were grateful that this remarkable lady came into our lives and changed us.

In Closing: We are grateful for your friendship and we hope that you have a splendid whatever-you-celebrate and a wonderful new year. We will be working on doing the same.