Dear Family and Friends

We have a white Christmas that came early in November this year bringing with it frigid temps. A repeat of last year was on everyone’s lips. But our temps for December have been in the 20s and 30s, and we weren’t buried under 7 feet of snow. Yikes, Buffalo! So I hope our annual letter finds you all healthy, enjoying the peace and joy that the Christmas season brings.

On July 21, our family was blessed with the arrival of Greenlea (pronounce Green Lee) at 7 pounds .8 ounces

and 18 ½ inches long. But let me back up. I couldn’t write that Scotti was having a baby in last year’s letter because she was only six weeks pregnant. When she and Zack started telling family and friends, they did so in a most unusual way: While friends posed for a picture with Scotti, Zack with the camera would announce “we’re pregnant!” The look on everyone’s face was absolutely priceless, and instead of taking a picture, Zack was taking a video, which were then all posted on Facebook. Ah technology! Scotti and Zack hosted a “gender reveal” party that culminated with mother-in-law Theresa and me opening a box together that held either a blue or pink balloon.

I think Scotti had one of those storybook pregnancies where everything was wonderful until it wasn’t. She had a kidney stone, a pilonidal cyst and labor. Which is worst?   “Pffff,” she says, “the kidney stone comes in a distant third.” Greenlea arrived by C-section two weeks before the due date on July 21, the day after Scotti was a bridesmaid in her friend Ashley’s wedding. Close call? You bet! Scotti called us at camp to say that she might be in labor and we might want to drive in. Well, we did, and she was and we were all there to offer encouraging and sometimes not so encouraging words, “Whoa! That ones off the chart.” We have one picture with Scotti where she is actually smiling because the epidural they gave her kicked in for all of 15 minutes and then nothing. The Dr. said that sometimes the epidurals don’t work.   Zack went into the operating room alone with Scotti, but we were able to get some of the most precious photos of Greenlea in the first few minutes of her life as Zack held her.

Zack and Scotti are so enjoying their new roles as parents. Greenlea, who will be 5 months old this Christmas has captured our hearts. She’s a little ray of sunshine, smiling at everyone, and having her here in Marquette makes us miss our grandsons even more.

Shana, Mike and the boys, who will arrive in Marquette on the 23^rd, have had a great year. Although Shana is not 100 percent back to “normal” physically from her chemo treatments last year, she is doing so much better and is also doing good, as in helping to raise money for the Noreen Frazer Foundation through her blog and getting her readers to #fightlikeagirl and get their checkups. An article titled, “My Year of Breast Cancer” that Shana posted on her blog on her “cancerversary” is a must-read for anyone diagnosed with breast cancer or for anyone who knows someone with breast cancer. Her words and pictures are as honest, brave, moving, and eloquent as I have seen.

Shana and the boys joined us in Gulf Shores (Mike arrived for the weekend), and we were able to get some great photos of the boys:

Big news for Mike. He left Lockheed Martin and is now working as the Chief Data Scientist for Penn Medicine. Instead of working on missiles, he is now working on saving lives (his words).  Shana threw Mike a surprise 40^th birthday party in June in Grand Haven. We drove down for the weekend festivities and had a ball visiting with them and Mike’s family.

For the second year in a row, Shana rented a home in Marquette for her summer visit, and for a month, we were able to see them on a daily basis. So blessed to see the boys that often as they grow up so fast!

Raines, who turns 7 in January, is in first grade and so totally into WWII that Shana and Mike took him to the WWII Weekend, which is billed as the largest WWII gathering in the world, in Reading, Penn. Pax, ever the super hero, loved the Super Megaforce Red Ranger costume we gave him for his 4^th birthday in November.  We cannot wait to see them.

It’s hard to believe that we didn’t get to see Adam and Krysta again in 2014. How does that happen? We had planned a visit and even had plane tickets, but sometimes it’s hard for Bill. Thank goodness for FaceTime, where Jakob and Zachary will pop in for a quick hello while we are chatting. Tall, handsome, athletic—yeah, all of that. So miss seeing them. Watching Jakob play baseball and Zack play soccer is at the top on our bucket list.Adam promises a visit to Big Bay in 2015. Cannot wait!

Adam and Krysta celebrated 20 years of marriage this year just before leaving on what appeared to be the best summer trip ever. They spent a week in London and then traveled to Turkey, enjoying Istanbul in particular, and to Croatia where they sailed from one “amazingly quaint, breathtakingly beautiful seaside town” to another. So excited for them.

 

We have decided not to return to Gulf Shores for our upcoming winter getaway (Arizona here we come). Our six weeks in Gulf Shores during February and March were so cold. I know that most of the country was in a wintry grip last winter, but when the temp in Gulf Shore was 18 and it was 19 in Marquette, my whining about the weather reached a new level. We arrived at our condo just in time to get groceries before the snow/ice storm hit. No one moved for three days due to icy streets. Oh don’t get me wrong, we still so enjoyed the ocean, our dinners with the Schicks and the Schnneiders and

our walks on the beach, but we were often in sweaters and windbreakers.  We loved having Shana and the boys visit. We had plenty of room and hitting the beach to dig for shells by 9 a.m. certainly got the blood moving. It always amazed me how Pax could run in the water despite the chillier temps.

Bill’s 70^th birthday was in a word, amazing. Shana arrived to surprise him with a weekend visit, and I think the 70+ cards and the really great stories you sent blew him away—I know they did me. We were so touched.

He continues to “hang in there”, still walking everyday, enjoying dinners out and attending the occasional high school or Northern game, concert, or play. We made a quick trip to the Mayo Clinic in November for a thyroid problem that turned out to be benign. That’s what we like to hear! Camp is always a relaxing getaway for him, especially when our good friends (thank you especially, Jim Golden) help him with the yard work and upkeep. Zack had taken over putting in and taking out the dock for which we are so grateful.

Bill’s sister Janice and Patrick were able to visit at the beginning of their three-month trip (before Greenlea was born) from the West Coast to the East Coast and on their way back (to see the baby, of course). During their first stop, we celebrated Canada Day with a gathering, and Patrick led us all in the singing of “O Canada.”

On their return trip, Scotti treated Jan and me to a “how to” makeup session. When you add a glass of wine, it makes for a “girls night out!”

So as you can sense, we count our blessings and appreciate what it is we still have as opposed to what we have lost.   I also notice that it’s sometimes more difficult for me to do all the things I would like to do. My term as president of P.E.O. ended in March (a really wonderful experience), and I recently stepped down as treasurer of Marquette’s Beautification Committee, but I do enjoy attending those meetings. I need that gift of time now to better take care of my husband, to enjoy my precious time with Greenlea, and to take better care of myself, which is probably the most difficult of those three.   I run into friends who tell me they are thinking of us and keeping us in their prayers, for which we are so thankful.   So once again, we wish you what I believe is the most precious gift: the gift of time with your loved ones.

Dear Family and Friends

It’s December and bitter cold this year.  The schools had their first snow day because of rain over snow-covered roads.   Unlike the poor deer, we are keeping warm and looking forward to Christmas.  As always, we are enjoying the cards and letters we receive from you.  I spoke with Shana on the phone a few moments ago, and I told her that I was going to send a short newsletter this year.

 Silence.

 And then we both laughed and laughed.

 Shana, Mike and the boys will be here from December 23 to Jan. 3—our first time together that her cancer won’t have us all its scary grip.  First diagnosed with breast cancer in May, she was looking at months of treatment, which ended in November. Her Marquette visit this summer was cut short to get home to the University of Penn Hospital for a double mastectomy on July 10.  We flew out on July 9 to help.  Actually, our flight was canceled due to fog; we arrived on July 10 to relieve the sitter…I think Shana was already out of surgery.  We had the boys for four days by ourselves.  Yeah.  We can chuckle now, but oh boy.  We couldn’t drive anywhere nor walk anywhere in 90 degree plus heat; however, some of my most treasured moments with the boys came from this trip:  two-year-old Pax wearing only Batman or Superman shirts and capes, eating chocolate toast every morning, giving sponge baths, reading books and Lego Ninjago, watching YouTube videos of battleships blowing up and of Mickey Mouse, running through the sprinkler, doing art projects, wrestling with Grandpa (“Bapa”) and enjoying Mike’s yummy vegetable soup.

I attended their neighborhood-block party and met really nice supportive people—the food was amazing, too.  Shana, looking fabulous, came out for twenty minutes, got in one or two photos, and was back inside.  She had a really tough go of it, and I’m just so thankful that we could be with her to help.

She has written quite eloquently about this latest chapter on her Ain’t No Mom Jeans blog that you will find especially insightful.  If you would like to read what she has written, there are two articles in particular, “I don’t know how to talk about this” and “This wild and precious life” that are especially inspirational.

I flew out again for her first chemo treatment in early September, and then Bill and I flew out in November for her last one.  The chemo itself was tough, but the crazy side effects of other meds made it even tougher.  Mike’s mom, Susan, helped with the second chemo treatment, and two of her good friends flew out from Denver for the third treatment.  Shana had amazing support from family and friends and from so many readers of her blog in the form of prayers, cards, food, and flowers.   Hopefully, we can now put this chapter in the books.

The boys were being good sports for Nana.

Just before we flew home.

We spent eight weeks in Gulf Shores—two weeks too long; I missed being home.  Our trip down was fraught with ice storms and a crazy backup on the freeway.  We were stuck on a quarter-mile stretch in Arkansas for 5 hours.  Cars were being towed across an icy bridge in front of us, and the bridge was actually closed for three of those hours.  Thank goodness for Scotti and our iPhones; she identified the only exit on this stretch, and when we finally reached it around 8:30 p.m., she directed us to the closest hotel, where we stayed for two nights.  The manager became the chef as everything was closed down.  Can hardly wait to see what our upcoming trip will bring.

Some photos from our stay in Gulf Shores:

We celebrated our 40th wedding anniversary in a very unique way.  We planned a  dinner with Scotti and Zach at the Vierling.

The kids surprised us with a photo board of our favorite “couple” pictures and balloons  and had a bottle of champagne waiting at our table.   The next morning (our anniversary) Adam, Shana and Scotti had forty roses delivered to us in sets of ten, 1½ hours apart.  

A memory from a family member or a friend was typed on a piece of paper attached by a thin ribbon to each of the roses. You cannot imagine the fun of reading these messages (some from you), and now these messages live on forever in a photo book that Scotti gave us.  Such a great idea.

We didn’t get to Calgary this year to see Adam and Krysta, but Adam did fly out to visit with Shana just before her last chemo treatment.  So our visit to Philly overlapped, and we were able to spend some time with Adam there.  We had hoped to visit Adam and to see his new home in Calgary, but 2013 was a bit crazy; for sure in 2014. Our grandsons Jake (14) and Zachary (11) are busy with school and their sports.

Jake plays baseball and Zachary plays soccer, and they both ski.  Love that Adam sends us pictures from their Lake Louise skiing adventures.  So lucky.

Scotti and Zack are becoming very handy around their new home.  A favorite spot in the summer is their deck off the back of the house.  Scotti is in her fourth year teaching world history and English at Westwood High School.  Scotti’s school did a breast cancer fund-raiser at a girl’s volleyball game in October, and the girls honored Shana at that game. Zack’s nephew Ethan and his hockey teammates did a similar breast cancer tribute to Shana (‘#Take that breast cancer’ photo).

Zack is a dry waller and Mr. Fixit for things at camp, for which I am so grateful.  They went to Riviera Maya on the Yucatan Peninsula for a belated honeymoon in June (we cat sat for Leo. Yay!) and had an amazing time.  They said it was everything they had hoped it would be.

A wedding of good friends took them to Las Vegas on their one-year anniversary.  How lucky to be celebrating in Vegas.

They have graciously hosted Thanksgiving for both sets of parents this year, a rummage sale, and surprise birthday parties (right, Zack?).

Scotti’s birthday celebration.

Christmas will once again be at their home.  Such a blessing to have them here. There were two separate weeks when I was in Philly with Shana that Scotti took care of her dad making sure that he ate dinner with them and helping with meds.

When asked how Bill is doing, I always say ok, because he is.  We continue to learn more and more about Lewy Body Dementia as we talk to his doctors.  It was encouraging to learn that some LBD patients can have remarkably little change from year to year.  He has a problem with short-term memory; so thankful we are all in his long-term memory.

We continue to work out in the morning, go to the occasional movie, play or concert.   I do a 60-minute BodyPump class twice a week with Scotti, which I really enjoy.  I’m kept very busy as president of my P.E.O. group and as the treasurer of Marquette’s beautification committee.  Summers will find us enjoying happy hour with our good friends, puttering around camp, and walking everyday.

A short, but fun-filled visit to camp

The Goldens and Oslunds continue to help us at camp, anticipating what needs to be done before we even think to ask, which is so incredibly helpful…even when it sometimes backfires.

In early September, I was in Philly when Jim Golden decided to take the docks in for the winter.  So…Sam and Jim pulled their docks out of the water…and then took ours out, too.  Uh-oh!  I like to keep our dock in until October.  I love sitting on our dock (with a glass of wine, naturally), even if I need to wear a jacket and a scarf.  Additionally, Al and Arlene Schick were coming from Winnipeg in late September to enjoy the lake.  Arlene is like me, wanting to hang out on the dock.  You can imagine my shock when I returned home and found my beloved dock sitting on the retaining wall.  My conversation later with Jim started like this:  “You know I love you and so appreciate your help . . . ”   To make a long story short, Jim and Sam, despite my protestations, put the dock back in (our neighbor Tim stood with a cup of coffee watching them, “didn’t you just take this out?”) and fun on the dock was had for another few weeks.  Gay and Sam took it out again in October, in much icier water.  It’s so hard to reward that kind of friendship.  We are blessed.

A favorite photo that gets me through these cold days. Summer is coming.

A camp sunrise

We lost a dear, dear friend this year, Mike Meldrum, at the age of 64.  This will be Linda’s first Christmas without him.  We keep him in our prayers, and he will forever remain in our hearts.  He is so terribly missed.

I enjoy this walk down memory lane, and it’s why I do this newsletter every year.  While I hope that you, too, enjoy reading it, we most hope that you and your family are well and enjoying this special time.  Our lives seem to get busier, but as we were reminded in the last sermon we heard, it’s important to sit and listen.  I’m working on that.  May you, too, enjoy the gift of time with your loved ones.

Love, Tina and Bill

Post Newsletter Note: Right after mailing out our Christmas card and newsletter, the unimaginable tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown, Connecticut, took place. Words cannot express the sorrow that we as a nation are feeling. Our hearts go out to the families whose lives will forever be changed by this horrific shooting, and we will continue to pray for them.

Another tragedy that occurred this past September was the death of Shawn Dollar, one of Scotti and Zack’s best friends and a groomsmen in their wedding. We have kept him, his mom, Jackie, and his family in our thoughts, hearts, and prayers. Shawn, you are missed terribly by so many.

These heartbreaking situations only drive home the importance of counting our daily blessings, of which we have so many.

Dear Family and Friends
The cards are ordered, and I am writing our newsletter. Bill always wonders why it takes me so long to write this. I spend so much time reviewing past letters (yours and mine), pictures from the year and Facebook postings. It’s literally a walk down memory lane and one I enjoy immensely.

Our big news is, of course, Scotti and Zack’s wedding in August.

We think Scotti had the perfect wedding she was hoping for, and all the activities leading up to it were just so much fun. We are so blessed that all of our family were able to attend the wedding.

Shana was maid of honor and Zack’s four sisters plus five more of Scotti’s friends were the bridesmaids.

The wedding ceremony was performed by Zack’s dad and after the ceremony was blessed, the entire wedding party—all 22 of them—danced down the isles to “Forever.” I have to admit that I was a little nervous about the dancing. Is it ok to dance in church? The minister reassured me and it was absolutely joyous.

The reception, what we call Canadian style, was emceed by Krysta and Adam, who did such a fantastic job. They kept the after-dinner program moving along and were funny, really funny,

The dance floor was still full of people at midnight when the dancing ended. Truly a day to remember filled with love, laughter and joy.

Bill is doing well. We made our first trip to the Mayo Clinic in January. It was quite the experience. The beautiful buildings that make up the Mayo Clinic complex are as amazing as the physicians and staff, who offered us nothing but encouragement and support. Bill underwent numerous tests during the four days of appointments. He has been diagnosed with Lewy Bodies Dementia, a progressive neuro-degenerative disease, and like PD, the symptoms may be treated. Among the varied symptoms of this disease, I think our biggest challenge has been his unstable blood pressure, which is so low at times to cause him to become very light headed. Our fear is that he will fall and our physician urges him to use salt liberally—can you imagine? His abilities fluctuate on a daily and even hourly basis—just part of the overall illness. We try to spend time each day appreciating the little joys of life. We know that everyone has “something,” and so we continue to pray for everyone else’s “something,” and, of course, for us.

After our Mayo Clinic visit, we headed south to Gulf Shores for February. On the way down, we stopped at Graceland in Memphis. We toured the mansion and grounds, Elvis’ automobiles, and his custom planes. I thoroughly enjoyed being on Elvis Presley Boulevard and eating one of his famous deep fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches, my first and last one.

Our Gulf Shores stay was exactly what we needed: Good weather, many barefoot strolls on the beach, a little golf, and several really good dinners out with Winnipeg friends.

Shana and the boys visited us in Gulf Shores for two weeks, and Scotti was able to fly down for a extended weekend.

Raines and Pax loved the beach and the water. We dug holes in the sand everyday and marveled for hours each time we’d find a dead fish or other interesting item on the shore.

No matter the weather, the sand beckoned all of us, even as nighttime descended, or perhaps especially. On saying goodnight to me one night and while wearing his sunglasses, Raines said to me, “Nana, I will meet you tomorrow at the beach!” Yes, you will, honey.

We returned home to just a bit of snow in March. Our spring was actually quite warm, and I think the warm weather confused our blueberries, which started growing only to be frozen by a blast of chillier weather. We opened camp in March with a list of projects that needed completing before the “day after the wedding gathering.” My friends, Gay, Ann, Marchelle, and Mary went into shower planning mode in April and threw one of the best wedding showers for Scotti in May.

Shana and the boys were able to fly in for about a week for the shower, which made this all so extra special. Scotti and I spent hours planning the wedding details, like her candy table, arranging the fabric, searching online (Pinterest) for candy suggestions (we bought locally, yay!). We sampled meals for the wedding dinner, ate way too many samples of cake, and made three trips to Milwaukee for dress fittings. The dress she chose was so “Scotti” and was the first one she tried on (I knew it was a keeper when she started to cry).

Shana, Raines, and Pax arrived in Marquette on July 14 for four weeks and rented a house just four blocks from Lake Superior. What a find that house was. Shana and the boys walked to the beach and downtown for lunch. We went to Shana’s for dinners, she and the boys helped to weed my garden plot, and we all ate kettle corn at Art on the Rocks.

We had a beautiful, hot summer and spent most days at camp, probably a record number for us. The two weeks leading up to the wedding and the camp gathering were the busiest. We cleaned the outhouse for the guys to use and cleaned and touched up so many things inside and outside camp. One week before the wedding, my friend Gay and I replaced the lattice work under the porch ourselves as a surprise for Bill.

We measured, sawed and hammered, and we did it when all the guys were gone for the day. It looked great! Two days later while Bill and I were in town for the rehearsal dinner, the Goldens and Oslunds were putting an extension on our dock complete with outdoor carpeting as another surprise. It proved to be an MVP the day of the gathering. And what a gathering it was. We owe the Oslunds and the Goldens big time for all that they did. Gay and Sam made and served amazing food, and Jim and Ann were in charge of beverages, setup, and photos. Words cannot express our gratitude for such loving friends.

We have so many wonderful pictures from the wedding and our camp gathering—most of which are posted on Facebook and many are here:

And speaking of websites, if you have not yet checked out Shana’s two websites, you must give them a try: http://www.aintnomomjeans.com is her fashion blog and http://www.mikeandshanadraugelis.com is her personal blog, where you will find her very funny post: “The One Where I Get a Smack-down…On an Airplane.” If you need a good laugh, this post will do it!

In September we were in Calgary and Canmore with Adam. After spending one night in Calgary we drove to Canmore, which is always so enjoyable, especially our daily walks around the “Fully Circle.”

Krysta had a meeting in Calgary, so Adam, Willie and I spent Friday night together and Adam shared a treat with us—the No. 1 rated beer in the world, Westvleteren 12, made in Belgium. I mention this only because it was so amazingly tasty.

Their condo in Canmore is only 15 miles from Banff (how lucky are they?) so Adam and Krysta drove us to Banff for an afternoon of sightseeing, always a treat.

Back in Calgary, Adam is at a meeting, and Krysta is getting dinner ready; she and I need to pick out a bottle of wine from Adam’s collection. Four rows! Is the top shelf the most expensive or the bottom row? I quickly say, let’s choose something from the least expensive. Krysta can’t remember which is which; we text Adam. No response. We choose one and start sipping. Oh this is not bad for an inexpensive wine. Adam’s face when he came home was priceless. We chose from the wrong shelf? Ah, no wonder it was so good. He was such a good sport.

Jakob is a tall, handsome teenager now and will play us a tune on his guitar. Zachary, 9, is a great soccer player and has taken up the trombone. Having them all come to camp is still the biggest treat.

We flew back to Winnipeg and had our yearly visit with the Schicks and our annual night at the Downs to watch the horses run and to enjoy the Clubhouse buffet with a group of Bill’s high school pals and their spouses.

We arrived home in time to help Scotti get her apartment cleaned up for their moving out. The newlyweds bought a home and then worked like crazy to paint the interior walls to move in by the end of October. And just in the nick of time as Scotti and Zack hosted their very first Thanksgiving, with four generations attending. And talk about a win-win. My storage areas are now cleared of Scotti’s things. Ah, life is good.

As Hurricane Sandy came ashore in New Jersey, American Airlines canceled our scheduled flight to Philadelphia for our first Halloween visit with Raines and Pax. So we rescheduled our flight for Pax’s 2nd birthday on November 18.

A great time with the kids and the big ones too. Shana and Mike took us into Philadelphia for our first view of the city and the Liberty Bell.

Shana and I drove into Philly for a bit of shopping and saw the amazing Christmas Light Show at Macy’s Department Store. Big cities do Christmas really well, although Marquette’s Christmas tree has it’s own charm—just not 45,000 lights. Shana and Mike are arriving on the 23rd and will be here until just after the New Year. We will all be at Scotti and Zack’s for Christmas day; with a 5 and 2 year old, how can that be anything but spectacular. But as that wise 5-year-old Raines said recently, ”I hope Santa doesn’t bring any more instruments … but you get what you get from him I guess.”

Bill and I work out almost everyday (weights, walking, a bit of running) and enjoy the little things that life has to offer. We stay connected with our family by text, Facebook, and FaceTime. So nice to see the boys antics over the cell. I am still the treasurer for Marquette’s beautification committee and was elected President of my P.E.O. group this year; lots of work, but a labor of love. I use this quote in my email messages: “So here’s the plan: we go forward with joy, hope, gratitude, courage and humor, we boost each other up with love and encouragement, and we don’t take things too seriously . . . ”
We look forward to hearing from you and wish you all the joys of Christmas.
With love, Tina and Bill

Scotti and Zach Oja are engaged!  Happened about a month ago, and we are now in the “strategic planning phase” for her wedding next August.  “Hire vendors about 12 to 18 months in advance,” we read.  Oops!  We’re behind before we even get started?  We’ve been texting back and forth trying to get everything scheduled.  Scotti knows exactly what she wants.  Thanks to her Uncle Dennis  she has been planning her wedding ever since he gave her a Bride Magazine at the age of three.  We are thrilled and very happy for the two of them.

♪It’s the most wonderful time of the year♪ Can you hear that song?  Except for the warmth of summer, Christmas is truly my favorite time because I spend time looking back on all that happened this year and looking forward to hearing from you.

My yearly review begins in Feb/Mar with our six-week stay in Gulf Shores.  We were greeted with a huge thunderstorm (personal favorite) and a tornado watch our first night, and I can stop complaining about the cold—we had really warm weather.  We watched the Super Bowl with delight as the Packers beat the Steelers to reclaim the Vince Lombardi Trophy (those of us of a certain age will remember that Lombardi won the first two Super Bowls).  We spent time every day walking the beach; I especially liked the setting sun walking west and the view of the moon when we turned around.

We took golf lessons again, and I was content to hit buckets.  To actually play a game intimidated me:  which club should I use? what if I hit someone with my ball? would people watch me swing?  All this even though our golf pro was very encouraging as to my ability.  Bill insisted that I walk the course without the stress of playing.  Our foursome for our first game included good friends Al and Arlene (from Winnipeg) who taught us the etiquette of the game.  I mean who knew where your bag should be placed?  Nine holes later, not keeping score (but I do remember having the best ball on one hole) and losing a few balls, we could actually say it was fun.   Having the Schicks in Gulf Shores was such a treat—Al and Arlene also went with us on an excursion to New Orleans, such a fascinating city where we ate beignets at Café Du Monde in the French Quarter and listened to a jazz group as we walked Bourbon Street.

Shana flew in to Gulf Shores for a ten-day stay with Raines, 3-month-old Pax, 2 car seats, a double stroller, a pack and play, a popup beach tent and assorted toys.  I call that amazing!  Shana would often go for a run on the beach in the morning, and one morning 3-yr old Raines ran with her for her entire run.  [Raines is pretending to play hockey with a broom and a ball.  He keeps putting himself in time-out. Shana asked him why he’s there:  “for fighting all the hockey players.”]  We enjoyed a Dolphin Cruise, hot tubbing at the end of the day, walking the beach with Raines and his bear stick, and more beignets at a local café.   We missed Scotti this year, but Mike flew in for a long weekend and was able to experience a Mardi Gras parade and fish tacos and the live band at Lulu’s before heading home with Shana.   We left on March 15, and I made it as far as  Green Bay wearing capris and sandals.

Did you hear that President Obama visited Marquette in February?  We missed it, of course, but enjoyed seeing the video.  I did attend the Royal Wedding on April 29 at 4 a.m. courtesy of NBC as I am sure many of you did.  In early May we had our grandkitten Leo for a short stay at camp (you will remember he is felis non grata at Tourville) while Scotti was in DC for a school competition.

We celebrated my mom’s 96^th birthday on May 22 at Pinecrest.  Mom said it was the best birthday she had ever had (my brothers Tony and Dennis & Carol plus Scotti  and I were there).  “I’m so glad you’re here, sweetheart,” Mom said to Scotti.  Two days later she suffered a stroke.  We were at her side for most of the following twelve days. During this time Mom was able to squeeze our hand as she tried to say a few words. On Thursday, June 2, Shana, Scotti & Joshua saw their Grammabear for the last time.  (It was on this day that I took this tender picture of my mom touching Pax’s foot.  I was alone with her and I was holding Pax while everyone was out in the hall.  I snapped it with my iPhone because I knew she knew what she was doing.)  Shana and her boys flew home on Friday morning; when I saw Mom on Friday after seeing Shana off at the airport, she was no longer responding. I thank God that I was cheek to cheek with her when she passed the next day.  I could not have asked for a more peaceful ending. Shana could not return for the funeral, but a beautiful piece that she wrote was read by Scotti.  I think Mom would have been pleased with her “celebration.”  Bing Crosby played as we visited with cousins, high school friends and very close friends. Mother would never want us to “fuss,” so I think it was just the right amount of fussing.  I miss her terribly.

Our warm summer was spent at camp.  I swam in Lake Independence for twelve days in a row – now that’s a first!  Lots of time was spent with the Goldens and the Oslunds riding around in Sam and Gay’s pontoon boat.

Shana was here for five weeks in late July and August; we had so much fun with Raines and Pax.

Shana, Scotti, Bill and I attended the dedication of the Kaufman Fountain at the Graveraet School on a really hot day in July.  This picture shows the engraved stone I had purchased in honor of Bill’s years as principal at Graveraet.

Adam, along with 12-year old Jakob and 8-year old Zachary, joined all of us for a week at camp in early August as well.  When Zach threatened to splash water on Nana, Raines warned him, “don’t splash my Nana.”  Whew!  It worked!  Jakob and Zach (Adam, too) water skied, tubed and jetskied (compliments of Jim and Ann), and kayaked.  Jet skiing was “awesome,” they said.  They played football on the lawn, and everyone participated in a rousing game of tag as the evening grew dark. The “children” had a big water fight.  Jakob, Zachary and Shana had water pistols and jugs of lake water, but Mike wielded the garden hose soaking all comers.  Jakob and Shana were both brave as they tried to douse Mike, but they were no match.  The rest of us were giggling from the comfort of our porch.  We did miss Krysta, however; we are sure she would have joined the fray, but she was back in Calgary working hard at her new law firm (I must tell you that seeing “Ostwald” among the names on her firm’s door was really neat).  This year’s Christmas picture would have been perfect if Krysta had been here.

We spent Sept. 4 at the Highland Games in Canmore with Adam and Krysta, an event that Bill and Adam had talked about his dad attending for years.  So enjoyed the piping and drumming competition, Caber tossers (big men in skirts were throwing telephone poles like matchsticks), sheep dog demonstrations, Celtic wares and traditional food and an Evening Ceilidh (party pronounced calee).  My personal highlight was dancing with my 12-year old grandson Jakob at the Ceilidh – so stinking special!  We all danced to the Mudmen until the very end of the evening.  Great time!  We stayed at Adam and Krysta’s condo in Canmore for the week while they returned to Calgary for work and school.  What a great getaway!   They took us to Johnston’s Creek, an amazing walk/hike to the lower falls–iron bridges are attached to the canyon walls allowing one to walk over the creek.  Jakob, Zach and I walked to the Upper Falls as well.  Beautiful!

So many restaurants in Canmore from which to choose, and the weather was so warm (80).   Krysta left us her car so we drove into Banff for “world” famous Cows Ice Cream (funny name but fabulous ice cream).   Crazy Weed in Canmore was our favorite restaurant pick of the week until we went to Tapas with Adam and Krysta during our last weekend there—a leisurely dinner with lots of dishes and lively conversation.  We flew back to Winnipeg, and took in our yearly trip to The Downs race track with the Schicks.

Fall in Marquette was still beautifully warm, and the fall colors exceptional.  Unusual for me to be enjoying coffee on the dock in early Oct.  On October 12 I flew to Philadelphia to visit Shana and Mike, who had moved from Denver in May because of Mike’s new job with Lockheed Martin.  Mike was attending a “Data Without Borders” weekend conference in New York City, and she wanted a travel buddy.  What a great time we had.  We ate at Café Cluny Friday night and at the French restaurant, Tartine, on Saturday night.  We walked everywhere seeing as much of New York as we could.  Biggest surprise was Central Park, so incredibly big and beautiful.   Once back home in Ardmore, Shana showed me as much as she could of her new home and their surroundings.  We tackled her basement, trying to find a place for all of its contents.  Life with two young boys is a very busy one to say the least.    As I flew home, I was already missing them and thinking of how lucky are those with grandchildren nearby.

(Warning: bragging ahead)  In January Shana’s blog “Ain’t No Mom Jeans” was among the top five finalists in the 2011 Weblog Awards called the Bloggies.  But more recently, she was a double winner in the Parents Magazine Best Blog Awards.  She won the Editors’ Pick and the Readers’ Choice in the Best Fashion Blog category.   The magazine had this to say about her blog:  “. . . Two chic moms having fun with fashion show us how to dress for all stages of motherhood (and look darn good if we do say so ourselves). This blog offers practical advice, stylish outfits, and inspires us to look Hawt . . . Shana and (her friend) Molly share practical tips for translating the hottest trends into an outfit that any parent or kid can wear . . .”   Shana’s blog was the only double winner.   (I did warn you!)  If you haven’t yet checked it out, here is the address:  aintnomomjeans.com.

Scotti is in her second year of teaching at Westwood High School in Ishpeming and loves it.  Two Westwood students in a Mining Journal article talked about Scotti Ostwald being their favorite teacher and mentioned the following:   “A lot of teachers don’t let you put in your opinion.  People can look up to her (Westwood teacher Scotti Ostwald) because she’s younger.  She makes things fun.  She can relate to us.” Think that didn’t make her day and ours?  Often she joins us for Friday night dinners or we’ll get in a little shopping.  In this picture, Scotti, her dad and I attended her good friend Allison’s wedding in September.  I cherish most those times when Shana, Scotti and I get to have uninterrupted “chat” time; we do laugh!

Bill and I are working out everyday, reading as much as we can, going out with friends on Friday night, and enjoying life.  I am still enjoying my involvement as treasurer of Marquette’s Beautification Committee and as vice president for P.E.O.  We have the love and support of so many amazing friends.  That’s a wonderful thought on which to end my 2011 newsletter, don’t you think?

In a year marked by earthquakes, tsunamis, hurricanes and floods, we are truly counting our blessings and are so thankful for your well wishes and prayers.  As in so many years past, we wish you the gift of time with your family.

Merry Christmas with love.

Tina and Bill

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

Dear Family and Friends

Whew!  What a year 2009 has been:  bankruptcies of Chrysler and GM, stimulus package worth $700 billion, super crook Bernie Madoff, miracle landing on the Hudson River, double digit unemployment, H1N1, Tiger Woods’ woes, Michael Jackson’s untimely death and his concert/movie “This is It,” (personal favorite) and the movie “New Moon.   Join me as I look back on some of our family highlights for 2009.

We are into our 2^nd year in our apartment, and I think we’ve found a nice rhythm to our life.  On most days, we drive to NMU to work out; then we either drive to Pinecrest to see Mom or run errands, attend meetings, or meet friends for lunch.  On Friday nights we dine with friends and on Saturday we cook a special dinner and watch a movie.  Our traveling usually consists of seeing family and friends.  We’ve read some great books:  Blink and Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell and Pillars of the Earth and World Without End by Ken Follett.  The past year was marked by the rituals of watching Stanley Cup playoffs, Triple Crown races, Fourth of July parades and fireworks; attending NMU plays and football, girls’ volleyball, and hockey games; and checking Facebook and email.  In November we watched four days of the World Cup short track speedskating trials at NMU—the last one before the Olympics. Speedskating records have been set in many cities, including Beijing, Budapest, Vienna, and Marquette.  How cool is that!

We flew to Denver in January just after Raines turned one.  We walked in the park in our t-shirts and ate lunch at outside cafes—you have to love Denver for that kind of weather in January.   Mike is busy with his job and the classes he takes each semester.  Shana went back to work (four hours twice a week) and continues to lead her Urban Baby Denver group and write articles for her fashion blog and her personal blog.  Raines talks to Nana (that’s me) on his pretend phone.  I enjoy hearing his high-pitched voice saying my name.

We spent February and March in a condo in downtown Victoria.  Despite the unusually cold weather, flowers still bloomed.  We visited Janice and Patrick in Nanaimo and Donna in Vancouver and then hosted both of them in Victoria.   In fact, Donna watched part of a curling tournament with us.  Robb, Anne, and Oliver joined us on a number of occasions when they spent part of their spring break near Victoria.   Having our nephews Alexander and Robbie and his girlfriend Kelly join all of us for dinner and a hockey game was such a treat.  Another treat was having Adam visit us for a long weekend and several days later having Shana and Raines for a week.  The draw of Victoria is not hard to understand.  All of us enjoy the many museums, attractions, and restaurants.  We drove with Adam to the little chapel where he and Krysta were married, ate at favorite restaurants (including Pagliacci’s) and bought bagels from his favorite shop. With Shana and Raines, we walked along the ocean, ate at Pagliacci’s, bought treats from Roger’s Chocolates, and made our first visit to the Butchart Gardens, definitely not our last. We took in an opera, Handel’s Semelee; Bill says the worst two hours of his life, and he likes opera.  So sad.  Seeing the Royal Winnipeg Ballet perform made up for it—I hope.

My brothers Dennis (and Carol), Tony, and Tim joined us in celebrating my mother’s 94^th birthday in May at the Special Care Unit at Pinecrest.  Her grandson Josh and great granddaughter Hayden (2) were there as well.   It’s seldom we all get to see mom at the same time.  Her short-term memory is so bad at times, but she knows it and gets very frustrated.  Sometimes when I arrive, she asks me how I found her, and I tell her that I always know where she is and then we laugh.  We walk outside when we can.  Usually we sit and have coffee or tea and a piece of chocolate—our favorite treat.  She likes her new roommate, but she told me that sometimes her roommate doesn’t make any sense.  Sigh.  I am fortunate to have tea with my mom twice a week so I am not complaining.

We made our annual trip to Winnipeg in June.  Al and Arlene Schick went with us to visit Uncle Donald and Aunty Cay, and David happened to visit them while we were there.  We had a rather festive gathering with Uncle Donald displaying his dry wit.  And for Bill a trip to Wpg wouldn’t be complete without an evening at The Downs.  Lots of fun with Al and Arlene, who always so graciously provide us a home away from home.  Now for the best possible news ever:  Bill finally cleared up some confusion about his Canadian citizenship and applied for a Canadian passport during this trip.  He was one of the “Lost Canadians,” people who lost their citizenship because they took out citizenship in another country between 1947 and 1977.  On April 17, 2009, Bill C 37 restored Canadian citizenship to “Lost Canadians” all over the world. It was automatic and retroactive.  He was so happy to receive his passport in the mail!  No longer can Adam threaten to not sponsor him.

Shana and Raines spent five weeks with us this summer.  Mike joined us for the July 4 weekend and then again for their last week.  You can imagine the fun with an 18-month old.  Shana, Raines and I would head out every morning for a walk along the Lower Harbor to the beach.  We would end up at Babycakes for lunch.  The clerks were soon bringing little samples of soup for Raines to try.  He would nod his head when he found one he liked.  We spent lots of time in the water with him despite our cool summer, running along the shore of Lake Superior in Big Bay, throwing stones, picking up big sticks, and eating lunch at the beach.

Our summer was filled with pontoon boat rides with beautiful sunsets, farmers’ market, potlucking with friends, babysitting Scotti’s cat Leo at camp, making strawberry and raspberry jams, picking blueberries (late this year, but so abundant), and enjoying the simple pleasures of camp (replacing the point was not simple but it’s done).   My brother Tim and his wife Susan were able to join us at camp this summer.  I have a great picture of Raines playing a practice drum that my brother brought along with him.  Janice and Patrick made it out to camp at the end of August and brought their girls with them, Sophia and Xena, who were so good.  We paddled down the Iron River with them—always a highlight of the summer.

Things picked up as we moved into the fall.  The Schicks came for Labor Day, and we traveled with them to Copper Harbor.  We enjoyed a delicious dinner at the famous Harbor Haus restaurant, took them on the scenic tour of the Brockway Mountain Drive, and then introduced them to the Jam Pot.  We left the Jam Pot laden with cookies, breads, and jams.

We are working out every morning, and we continue to enjoy our living in Tourville.  Bill looks forward to the weekly chats with Adam and Shana, and welcomes Scotti joining our friends and us for our Friday night dinners.  As for me, I enjoy working with my P.E.O. group and Marquette’s Beautification Committee.

We flew to Calgary from Winnipeg in October and spent the Canadian Thanks-giving with Adam, Krysta, Jakob (10) and Zachary (7).  Adam made a roast leg of lamb for the dinner—so amazingly good.  They have a new home, which we loved, and recently purchased resort property in Canmore for their ski weekends.  Adam took us to the Farmers’ market, which is unlike any I’ve seen before, the boys took us to the military museum, and we all attended “Bugs Bunny on Broadway.”  (Imagine a huge screen on which cartoons are playing while the Calgary Philharmonic Symphony orchestra is playing the music in perfect synchronization.)  Fabulous!  And, yes, Adam did take us to Banff—my second favorite spot.

Scotti is doing a little substitute teaching but prefers her more permanent position as bartender at Upfront.  As much as she enjoys teaching, it’s bartending that pays the rent, and she does like it.  She is hoping, of course, that with retirements to come, a teaching position will open up as she likes living in Marquette. She and I will often shop, visit my mom, and do laundry together.  She persuaded us to get tickets for “Rent,” and we had a great night of theatre in Appleton.  We’ve gotten to know her boyfriend Zach and his parents a little better this year and look forward to welcoming him to his first Christmas celebration with us when Shana and Mike arrive on Dec. 30.  We also look forward to reading your cards and messages.  Although we won’t be with you this Christmas, know that we are thinking of you with love.

Tina and Bill xxoo