1997
Christmas Letter 1997
Phoenix, AZ
1997 – looks like an old date. I’m ready to move on to 1998 and its promise. Goodbye 1997!!!
Julie spent a lot of the year traveling – loving every minute of her time abroad. She wants to spend her life moving from place to place and seeing the entire world. I’m reminded she is not genetically very far removed from her Grandfather DeKraker. He immigrated to America; I wonder what his granddaughter will do to satisfy her desires. On Hugh’s side, Julie has a Great Aunt Isabelle. Auntsabelle, as she is known to my family, traveled far and wide – going abroad at least once a year. I figure the traveling bug is in the genes.
To answer everyone’s most frequently asked question. We don’t know where she is going to college or if she is planning to go next year. Travel brochures hold more of a lure than college catalogs and applications.
Tim’s in eighth grade. He dresses all in black and listens to music that makes cat fighting sound like Bach. Late this summer, he was run over by a truck on his way home from school. Thankfully, there wasn’t much damage. His left wrist was broken and he had a severe crush injury to his left thigh. The leg is still troublesome. It’s a miracle that he wasn’t more seriously hurt. Sometime I think Tim’s mission in life is to give me gray hair. He is succeeding.
I decided to work out of my home which is more enjoyable that traveling to an office everyday. I got a lot of things started this year – hopefully, some will be completed in the next two years.
I’m spending my free time hiking. Julie and I hiked the Grand Canyon in November. I try to hike 2 to 3 times a week. I stick to the trails near my home. On Thanksgiving, I hiked Squaw Peak. On Christmas Day – I want to try to get to the top twice before breakfast.
Hugh still works for CIGNA. We realized this year we are only 4 years from Hugh’s being able to retire. So at this point, any change of jobs would delay his retirement. We are busy discussing what next. Emotionally we alternate between being excited that Hugh can retire before he is 55 and depressed that we’re old enough to discuss retiring.
This year our holidays will be quiet – only the four of us. Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!