I successfully survived a second surgery on my femur (they call it a "re-nailing") 6 days before last Christmas, which also got me out of most preparations for Christmas dinner. I enjoyed shopping from catalogues and on-line for Christmas presents.
Katrina and Tyler were home for Christmas, at Easter, for Katrina's birthday in May, for Tyler's birthday in August, and at Thanksgiving. They are both busy with school (K-SFU, T-PLBC) and working part-time (K-tutoring and T at Virgin Mobile). We wish we could see more of them, but it is good to connect on Facebook and Skype from time to time. We will be going to the coast to spend Christmas with them this year, as Tyler can only count on having Christmas Day off from work.
Anthony has been all over BC ... he completed most of his Aircraft Mechanic Engineer course in Vernon, then went to Dawson Creek for the final 3 months of the program at Northern Lights College. He touched down in Vernon for a weekend then was off to Oliver for 3 weeks in July, working for TransWest helicopters on a short term contract. He was home for the rest of the summer, and in September, he got another contract with Hawk Air in Terrace, doing maintenance on airplanes. While he was there, he lined up another job, and is now working for Lakelse Air, working on helicopters. He boarded with a retired couple for the first month's contract and is now renting a half-duplex. He had another quick touch-down in Vernon in mid October, when he finished the first contract and came back for his car and other possessions with long-term in mind. It has been really exciting for me, as well as my mom, since we spent a decade in Terrace and now Anthony is meeting our friends and going to places where we know.
Bronson is continuing his education at UBC Okanagan in Kelowna, studying computer science. He did very well in first year and was in the top 5% of the students in his science classes. He continues to work on weekends at Tolko, usually Saturdays. He also filled in for our church custodian on his summer holidays. Bronson keeps us from feeling completely alone, filling our "nest" with himself and a new cat, Snowball. After Muffin disappeared last year, Marcel swore there would be no more cats ... but someone gave Bronson this cute little white male cat, and he seems to have squirmed into all of our hearts and laps.
Marcel continues his weekend shift at Tolko as a millwright. He enjoyed a couple of fishing/camping trips this summer. He is now starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel, with retirement years approaching, but is still comfortable with the job for the time being.
I finished up my recovery and physiotherapy just around the same time that I started back to work in May at O'Keefe Ranch. I was still using a cane a bit in the first month, but was soon able to get around without it. Since I was working at the ranch, I missed out on all the drama of the BC teachers' strike/lockout. The ranch missed the income of 6 weeks worth of student visits, however. It was good to be back giving tours, helping out with the general store and the gala fundraiser, and even cleaning bathrooms and incessantly dusting furniture. I did use my home time well, resuming knitting and crocheting, and eventually getting back to quilting. I even sold a couple of items in the ranch gift shop. In recent days (late November) the phone began to ring for substitute teaching, so I have been busy in the schools.
Which brings us to December and the usual mayhem of shopping, wrapping, and going to events. I'll be involved in our church's Bethlehem Star event, bringing the first Christmas to life for our community. Then we have a potluck dinner at New Hope the following week and O'Keefe Ranch has a Victorian Christmas the next weekend. I am looking forward to visiting with Katrina and Tyler and spending time with Anthony as he is coming down from Terrace for a few days.
Have a warm, safe, and happy Christmas season.
Love Karen, Marcel, and Bronson (with a purr from Snowball the cat)
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