Dear Family and Friends

We had an early Christmas present this year:  Pax Sylvester Draugelis.  The little guy arrived on November 18 after a relatively “normal” c-section; everything went well.  She was released from the hospital two days later and was home to enjoy some much-needed time with Raines.  I’ll be flying out on December 12 to help with the two little ones, and Bill and Scotti will join us on Dec. 23.  Christmas with an almost 3-year old and a 37-day old baby should be lots of fun.

So let me start with Adam because we flew to Calgary in May for Adam’s surprise 40th birthday celebration; a huge success thanks to the organizational skills of Krysta.   The big birthday bash included relatives, friends, and coworkers dressed in 70s garb (the men who sported afros were a big hit).  We made one other trip to Calgary in October.   We saw Cirque du Soleil Kooza and spent time at Adam’s new condo, which is located in downtown Canmore.  Our first morning in Canmore, I went for a run by myself and at the end of my run, I realized I didn’t know Adam’s address.  Just as I was thinking, “Oh oh,” I heard Jakob (11) and Zach (8) calling my name.  Grandchildren to my rescue!  Whew!

Shana made a trip home for a week in June and then again in July for three weeks.  We had one of those famously warm summers, and she and Raines splashed in the lake whenever they could.  For three weekends in a row, Shana had her friends Sarah and Heather out to camp with four little ones and two babies.  The afternoons were filled with giggles and squeals of excitement as they played in the water and sprayed each other with hoses.  I think the dads had just as much fun as the kids, and that’s what camp is all about.

Scotti moved to a new apartment on Dec. 30 of last year.  I remember the move well because Shana and Mike arrived on the same day.  With lots of big guys to help, the move went smoothly and quickly.  She now lives three blocks from us, which makes it easy to help with Leo. Scotti was bar manager at Upfront before accepting a teaching position at Westwood High School this fall.  The Westwood principal called me because he didn’t have her cell number and was wondering aloud to me why she had not applied for the job.  To make this really short, she was given an interview the next day and was hired.  When she called me after the interview, she pretended not to know whether she got the job.  Since Shana and Mike were still with us at camp, she wanted to surprise us with a bottle of champagne as she delivered the good news.

my mom turned 95 this year, and she couldn’t be having a better year.  Mom is reading again after having cataract surgery in September.  One of the nurses told me that my mother had spent one whole day reading a novel.  Although her short-term memory is bad, she does remember from time to time to ask me for things she has been thinking about.  She calls her sister and remembers to ask her how her leg is doing and that kind of thing.  As she tells me, she has her good days and her bad days, and she seems to know which kind she is having.  I tell her that I am blessed to be able to have tea with her twice a week, and I am truly lucky that she is surrounded by angels at Pinecrest Medical Care Facility.

Bill exercises faithfully, eats well, and enjoys all the comings and goings of our family and friends.  After our Denver trip for Christmas, we’ll head out once more to Gulf Shores, Alabama, for six weeks starting February 1.

We had high hopes as we made our first trip to Gulf Shores last February, hoping for warm weather.  If you will remember, our winter getaway to Victoria, BC, in 2009 turned out to be one of Victoria’s coldest on record.  Well, as luck would have it, Gulf Shores and the Deep South had one of their coldest winters this past year.  It snowed—the first time in 14 years—and we were there to witness it. Gulf Shore schools were closed.  (It was pathetic how little snow they really had; people were actually driving to where the snow was so they could see it.)  We thought we would give Gulf Shores another chance.  If it’s cold again this coming February/March, we will be moving on.  Too bad really because the area is so beautiful.   Our balcony, which overlooked the ocean, was generally warm, and I could read or watch for dolphins.  We took golf lessons and spent many an afternoon hitting a bucket or two.  We were introduced to mardi gras parades, which every city and town in the South has.   Mardi gras is a big deal with parades, balls, and pageantry not to mention king cakes, moon pies, and beads.  I now know where the best king cakes are baked.

The New Orleans Saints Super Bowl win was such a huge event in the area.  The Who Dat Nation was always in the headlines.  So we were caught up in all the hoopla over the game along with our friends, Arlene and Al Schick, who stayed just down the road from us.  After that we were all glued to our sets to watch the Olympic games in Vancouver.  So the cooler weather wasn’t necessarily a problem until Shana, Raines and Scotti joined us for a week.  The first day we went to the zoo was so cold we asked for a raincheck for later in the week.  It did warm up, and we spent time in the pool, which Raines loved, and we walked the beach looking for shells and fish, something Raines did for hours.

Our drive home from Gulf Shores was much more relaxing than the drive out.  It really made us appreciate the beauty of our United States.  Back home, we made a few more trips to Winnipeg before the heat of the summer arrived.  And what a wonderful summer we had!  We had record temps of high 80s and 90s, which I so enjoy.  I remember posting on Facebook that we hit the water three days in a row.  Coffee on the dock starts our day, and many a night was spent on the dock after dinner listening to the loons.  In June our screened in porch was turned into a sunroom, which has extended the time that we can enjoy being on the porch, especially  towards the end of the season.

This picture shows Bill in a parade celebrating hockey in Marquette.  As you can probably guess, he was riding in the old Iron Rangers car.

Bill’s brother Robb, Anne and Oliver came for visit in late July.  With the help of our friends, we all went four-wheeling, jet skiing, and kayaking.  My own brothers Tim and Susan and Dennis and Carol made separate trips out to camp as well.  In August, we took Dennis & Carol to the Harbor Haus in Copper Harbor, one of our favorite spots, with a stop at the Jam Pot, where I always buy more cookies than I need.

I’ve kept busy this year with my twice-weekly trips to see Mom.  This is my first year as treasurer for Marquette’s beautification committee, and I find that I enjoy handling all of the finances.  My P.E.O. group continues to bring me a great deal of enjoyment, and I’ve been handling our nut fundraiser for more than ten years now.  I am officially known as the “Nut” lady.  Is that bad?  I am also involved with EDIN (Education in Nepal).  We help to raise funds to support education in Nepal.  My very favorite past time is simply spending time with family and friends, especially at camp.  Incidentally, the chocolate toast that I enjoy every morning tastes the best at camp.  I’m just saying.

Bill and I both read a great deal, and we’ll generally pass along a good book to each other.  We’ve both read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and have the next two in the series.   If you have not yet read Infidel, I would highly recommend it along with The Sparrow.  I attended presentations given by these authors at NMU this year.  Currently, I am reading Children of God, which is the follow-up to The Sparrow.   I look forward so much to reading before I fall asleep.

Finally, come January I will be 15 years out.  I am so thankful and lucky to be a survivor.  We are truly blessed.  May you have a joyful Christmas and may you give and receive the gift of time with your family.

Love, Tina & Bill