To all those we know, don’t know, don’t care and can’t seem
to purge from a mailing list that just seems to continually grow like a
fungus. Here in the wilderness of Ohio
the Carters are flourishing as we embrace all the new technological marvels
like wi-fi, blu-tooth and even electricity.
It has been a year of highs and lows, so time to get into it.
Overall for the clan things have been relatively stable. No
family trips this year, as these are getting much more difficult to do with the
kids all spreading out and living their own lives. Mike and Diane flew out to
see his parents and sister in Colorado before Thanksgiving and we did enjoy
that.
Mike continues to attempt to tell these computer thingies
what to do – and enjoys it because at least computers do what you tell them,
unlike children. Nothing always does what you want it do, but you take what you
can get. He is still dabbling a little in home brewing, though he found it sad
that his Kegerator was actually empty for most of the year. He continues to
play with toy soldiers, organizing events both locally and a little further
out, such as the national championships in Chicago and a big tournament in
Nashville.
Diane had a bit more excitement this year, going under the
knife for a gastric sleeve procedure, and so far has managed to lose over 40
lbs. Her sewing and quilting have continued to invade more of the house,
recently taking over another room as she acquired a huge quilting frame with
long-arm machine. I’m not quite sure what that means, but it was ten feet wide
and required an entire rainy afternoon to bring it up from Cincinnati. She has
also become very involved in some local dog rescue operations, doing many dog
transports to help them get to their furever homes.
Becky has gone back to being a freelance sign language
interpreter full time (because who needs a stable, steady job anyway? FREEDOM!!!)
She has been doing a lot of work in Rochester with the Mayo clinic (and
her step-father keeps wondering why they need a clinic for mayonnaise?) and she
and Eric are looking at moving out of the cities so that they will be closer.
She continues to play volleyball, and has even started coaching her old team.
Jon continues to work at the call center, and finally
managed to get a new apartment with his brother Erik and another roommate. And
though he doesn’t remember, it is actually in the same complex that he lived in
about 25 years ago, just around the corner from their former apartment in
Centerville.
Katie is still
enjoying the great northwest in Oregon. She and Sam have postponed their
wedding plans (though they are still on). She continues to sell her dragon
sculptures, and has even started working with a shop that wants to carry them.
Her health has improved, and things continue to look up.
Erik graduated as everyone
expected, and then went and got a job, a fancy job, smacking at a keyboard at
the same company as his father (who was told that Erik interviewed better than
he did!). He and Isolde (Z) broke off their relationship a few months after
graduation, and so he is now figuring out
how to deal with
life after college with a good job and even a little money in his pocket after
student loan payments.
Matt continues to matriculate (in public even) at Miami of
Ohio, getting into a program this upcoming spring to do an internship down in Cincinnati.
He changed his major and is doing much better now that he moved out of the
engineering program. He also managed to find a sweet geek girl to hook up with,
and so far Megan has managed to even meet his brothers and parents without
running away screaming in fear.
One of the sad lows of the year was when we had to help
Scout cross the Rainbow Bridge back in June.
He was diagnosed with cancer earlier in the year as well as heart
issues, and the consensus was that he would not have been able to survive the
surgery to attempt to remove the tumor. So we just kept him comfortable and happy.
Once he started to suffer we let him go.
Fate of course always surprises you, and only two weeks
after Scout passed Diane gets a call from one of the rescue organizations she
works with. A stray puppy was found collapsed in the heat, and when they took
him to the vet he tested positive for Parvovirus, so he could not be around any
other dogs. They knew that we did not have a dog in our home at the time, so
asked if we could foster him. When we picked him up he was so sick he couldn’t
even move, eat or drink. We did notice in the car that he had a very long, thin
tail, and Mike said that it looked like when he grew up and was happy that tail
was going to whip around – at which Diane and he instantly knew his name should
be Devo. Suffice to say we failed as a foster family, as we could not give him
up. Nursed back from the brink, his is a
very happy and healthy addition to our family.
We did discuss the idea of getting a second dog to play with
and be a little more sociable than Scout was. Again Fate intervened – we took
Devo to the dog park for the first time once he hit six months old, and there
was no one else there. We then looked back at the car – and there was another
dog up on the car looking in the window. He had obviously been well taken care
of before – was clean and not even hungry. He, however, was not chipped or
fixed and no one claimed him, so Tip also joined our home. He unfortunately
turned out to have heartworms, so he is undergoing treatment for that. However we have decided that two is
definitely enough.
So 2015 had its highs and lows and ups and downs. But it isn’t the ‘normal’ days that make the
memories, it is the best and the worst, and what does not kill us makes us
stronger.
May love and laughter light your days,
And warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
Wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
With joy that long endures
May all life’s passing seasons
Bring the best to you and yours!
