Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all our family,
friends, loved ones, acquaintances, and those people who just seem to creep
back into our address book year after year that we still don’t know who they
are (I thought that was your cousin
twice removed on your mother’s side?);
Thanksgiving sure seemed to come early this year, and with
it the Christmas rush. Diane asked me if
I had the letter done already – but I still have three weeks before
Christmas? Three weeks – I had better
hurry! The branch of the Ohio Carter
clan is still doing well out here in the wilds – though it didn’t feel so out
of the way with all the politicians (from the Latin poli : many and tics :
blood sucking insects) that swarmed the
state just a month ago. But enough of those
depressing thoughts, time to talk about something (anything!) else.
2012 was a busy year.
Probably the biggest highlights had to do with my parents and the
kids. The whole clan gathered in
Philadelphia in July for Dad’s 80th birthday, and a good time was had
by all (that’s my story, and I’m sticking to it!) At least none of my kids caused any drama,
which was amazing in and of itself. And
then the most amazing part, in September Diane and I officially became “Empty
Nesters” as the last of the kids moved out.
For me, not much has changed this past year. Same great job (The Design Knowledge
Company), which continues to grow and expand (I did get a private office (with
a window no less!)), and the growth does not look like it will let up. I continue to brew beer, once again bringing
three kegs to the Christmas party this coming week. I still play with toy soldiers as well,
winning a team tournament in June. What
I am not doing any longer is being the treasurer for the band boosters – I
handed this over at the end of my term in May and have not looked back. So still being the uber geek as much as ever.
Diane has been very busy with the real estate business
starting (knock on wood) to pick up a bit – she actually sold some ‘real’
houses this year. She is still heavily
involved with the Women’s Council of Realtors as the Vice-President of
Membership again this year, becoming the president elect for 2013 (so she will
be president in 2014), attending many meetings and conventions. At least that is what she said the trip to
Florida in November was for – however seeing the pictures of margaritas and the
beach make me wonder how much work actually went on. She also became a consultant for Tastefully
Simple this year – because I can always support her by eating!
Becky still lives on Minnesota, and loves Interpreting for
the Deaf – even the overnight sessions on video-relay. While she and Burr-d have parted ways (along
with her owner Lou), she seems to have successfully navigated the storms and
swirls of the dating pool and has a new Beau, Eric. (Yeah, that doesn’t cause any confusion in
conversations between Diane and me). She
also adopted a rescue boxer named Harlow (who is sweet, even if she is a bully
to Scout).
Jon moved back down here this past summer, and found a house
to rent with three of his friends from high school (and college as well). He struggled for a time finding a job, and is
currently selling Kirby Vacuums door-to-door.
It is very hard work, and long hours.
He isn’t sure he wants to do this long term, but for now it is a job.
Katlyn met a nice young man on the internet who draws a web
comic when not working at his day job, and he invited her to come up and attend
Emerald City ComicCon with him back in March.
She had such a great time in Seattle with Sam Boyd that she never went
back to Albuquerque, moving in with him in the small town of Lebanon,
Oregon. She brought Sam with her to
Grandpa Carter’s 80th birthday to meet the entire family, and he
somehow managed to survive that with his sanity intact. She has a part time job as a file clerk
currently.
Erik started off the year as an Intern at Regal Beloit in
Tipp City, and really enjoyed working for a living (for a few months at least),
even if it meant moving back home for a few months to save money. Then in the summer it was back to school to
make up for the time as an intern. He is
still studying Computer Engineering at UD, and is also heavily involved in several
groups on campus (including FASFAC and the Freethinkers). He is getting ready for his second round of
intern life come January.
Matthew had his big event in May as he graduated from West
Carrollton High School, and then started all over again as a freshman at Miami
University of Ohio. He has switched to a
mechanical engineering major as it looked like architecture was much more fine
art than he expected. School is going
well for him, and he has a campus job to keep him from having too much free
time at school.
Scout is the only one
of us actually starting to show his age (ahem).
While he is still on track to sleep his life away, he has started to
slow down a bit, and is occasionally missing when he tries to jump up onto the
couch or bed. However if any varmit
dares to step foot on his porch (when he actually has his eyes open) then we
will definitely hear about it.
2012 was a good year,
and with any luck this will reach all our friends before the Mayans end the
world in eight days. Assuming that the
world does not end, we wish for all of you a safe, happy and wonderful holiday
season and new year.
 |
May
the blessing of the rain be on you—
the
soft sweet rain.
May it fall upon your spirit so that all the little flowers may spring up, and shed their sweetness on the air. May the blessing of the great rains be on you, may they beat upon your spirit and wash it fair and clean, and leave there many a shining pool where the blue of heaven shines, and sometimes a star. |
