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Christmas 2009

Warren:
RETIREMENT - another phase of our life has begun - although
somewhat reluctantly I must admit. Sales in the retail division
had been hit very hard this year and a number of our retail
locations had closed nationwide. The Florida division would
close forty percent of our stores throughout the year. In June
Verizon announced that they would be doing an additional
reduction in force across the entire management spectrum. A
package was offered and Carol and I are now officially retired.
Priorities being what they are, the first thing I did was buy a
summer membership at the local golf course. I then went to
New York to visit our son Brian and his family. Brian also
enjoys playing golf and , his wife Karen and son Josh are
learning the game. I enjoyed the drive up and down and
certainly the opportunity to visit with the entire family. The
summer slipped away with golf and a number of meetings with
financial planners to arrange the transfer of accounts into what
will be a consolidated retirement fund. October arrived along
with an invitation to attend my sister Ellen's annual fall bash in
Pennsylvania. My job, she informed me, was to cook the
hundred pound pig she had ordered. That turned out to be a
really simple operation - put pig on grill with appropriate
amount of charcoal under it, close lid for ten hours, drink beer,
open lid and serve pig. The pig turned out great and everyone
had a great time. Carol and I did go on two cruises this year as
well and have one planned for March of next year to Aruba.
But I will let her describe those as she is much better with that
type of thing than I. Merry Christmas to all and I wish you all a
happy and healthy new year.

Greetings Everyone!!!!!

October 12, 2009
I hope you all had a memorable Columbus Day; I know mine will
be,. How often do I start my letter this soon!?! I figured I do not
have much to say, and most of the news would be Warren’s.` So
if you do not remember what you were doing today, then you are
either doing it up right , or need to take steps and make better
plans for next year.

December 20, 2009
Well I was probably right about not having much to say, but I will
sit here musing and eat the tangerine I just picked off the tree we
planted last year (We bought it with about three blossoms and ate
its one fruit on Christmas day, last year. This year we have more
than three dozen ….yummy!) I will also try to put something
besides blank spaces and juice stains on this page.

Warren was partially right……..but what is this retired stuff? I am
busier than I have ever been with a very heavy schedule of
painting, an energetic number of shows, plus teaching classes
and workshops. It seems I took an unscheduled artist sabbatical
from September 2008 until August 2009 where I painted almost
nothing and entered only a small fraction of the number of
competitions I normally enter. I was motivated by a workshop I
took in March; that and some new products lead me to a brand
new style of abstract watercolors. One of these new paintings will
be published in the book “The Artists Touch IV” By Chris Unwin;
it is still in production, but should be available in the next couple
months. Let me know if you want to buy a copy, as I will receive
several copies at cost. The tax lady said if I keep making money
at this I am going to have to actually PAY taxes………hummm….
mixed blessings. For all the latest in my art news go visit my
website. www.carolfrye.com There are lots of new painting and a
generous number of awards. My newest watercolors can be
viewed on a special page, available from the website, then
Links/Pages/Critic’s Choic

senile, but I do not even remember where
we went on our cruise in the spring; I know
it did involve plenty of deck time, great
naps, oh, and yes, some rain forests,
howler monkeys and the Panama Cannel. (
The way the Steelers have been playing
this year, I am not sure that some
of those monkeys may have followed us
home!) Now I think I know why my mother
wrote journals describing all her major
trips. Because it was so recent, the cruise
we returned from a couple weeks ago went
to the eastern Caribbean. Grand Cayman,
Cozumel, and our first visit to Rotan, it
kept us really busy, and I missed way too
many naps. One thing about these island
trips, hurricanes keep places new.

In spite of the inevitable ravages of time ( gravity wins), and a few
aches and pains, we are both in good health, and my recent
checkup says I remain cancer free, and my AA meeting last night
helps me maintain 30 years of sobriety. I am still one jump ahead
of the men in the white coats, so ……………..Life is Good….and
so are we!

Happy Holidays to all, and to all a good night.

Love, Carol and Warren

If you have been here, please let me know. Contact me!!!