Christmas 2016
REMINDER:
You can click on any SMALL picture to enlarge it for better
viewing.
The Boys
Tripp
Tucker
Snickers

Welcome to my Seventh Annual On-Line Christmas Newsletter. You
will find several more photographs, etc. than found in my traditional
printed and mailed version. if you are reading this, know that I put
many many many more hours working at the computer to bring this to
you!
Let me know you were here and what you think!
December 19, 2016
WOW – can it really be only a week until Christmas? I normally blame Carol for the Christmas letter being late
– but this year I accept at least partial responsibility – not all of course – she could have nagged a little to speed
the process up.
What an eventful year for us. I started the year with a hip replacement as I continue my quest to be the next
Steve Austin (look it up youngsters). Surgery was smooth, recovery smoother. I was back on the golf course
eighteen days after the surgery.   
An early spring was followed by two graduations.
Our grandson Aaron graduated in the first part of May. He made the decision to follow in his grandfather’s
footsteps and entered the Air Force almost fifty years to the day after I had entered. I am proud of him, his
decision and wish him all the success in the world.  

My World of Art , in some ways, has been a little
slow this year. Several things did not go the way I
expected, (but then really, what does), and
nationally there were some big disappointments. I
won some Big Awards locally (for which I am truly
grateful), I taught a couple workshops, and of
course my weekly classes. I have not painted
much. I miss it. I have been creating (from
scratch) journals and actually writing in them. I
am currently involved with a creative art
Journaling group on-line. So the creative juices are
not exactly stagnating, but I am really hoping to
get back to having paint under my fingernails all
the time...soon.

Warren Just sent me his part of this letter. He did
such a great job writing most of this letter that I
will step back and let his words shine. I have
several days’ work to do gathering and preparing
photographs for the web version of this letter,
creating the webpages, selecting a digital
Christmas card, not to mention much of my
shopping and decorating, and of course gifts to
wrap. What a busy time of year!

One of the highlights of our trip to Kansas for our grandson’s graduation was
an opportunity to meet up with some friends we have known for at least a
dozen years – but had never met. We have dinner with our “gamer friends”
Beth and Doug every time we get out that way. They are two members of a
gaming group we have interacted with for over a dozen years. This year when
we joined them, we were surprised to find two “strangers” sitting there with
them. It turns out that these were two other individuals of the group we have
enjoyed gaming with on line with for many years but had never met. They had
driven up from Dallas for the weekend to meet up with our other friends and
meet us in person. What a great evening and dinner we had.
REMINDER:
Only  SMALL picture can be enlarged

The end of May we traveled to Kansas to watch our grandson
Josh graduate.  A fantastic trip with an opportunity to visit with
family we see all to seldom. Josh isn’t sure yet where his life
path will take him.  I am proud of him as well and have all the
confidence in the world that he will be successful in whatever
path he may choose. He is somewhat like his father, took a
while to sort things out and then became very successful in his
chosen career path.
December 15-20. 2016 (Carol)
The sun is shining, bees are buzzing, birds are singing......but  tree is not
decorated, the shopping barely begun, thanksgiving decorations are
everywhere, and I think the house still smells of turkey. It really cannot
be this close to Christmas! The outdoor lights went up yesterday, the
tree will get decorated today…I promise, and I will at least start this
letter. So many of you come to mind this time of year, you would be
surprised. All the holiday hustle and bustle is worth it I am sure, right?
People read this letter? Right? I miss you…wanna come help?