Wednesday, January 1, 2014

The Annual Letter


Dear Family and Friends,

Merry Christmas 2013. Happy New Year! Ruth keeps smiling her sweet smile at me and mouthing the words, “No pressure!” but I do think I need to finish this letter before becoming horizontal (again).

Now that the Blazers arena has become the Moda Center, I think it is time to sell the naming rights for various parts of the house. Elizabeth’s room could become Red Bull Arena. We think Red Robin or Disney could be a natural partner for Dan’s room. All my ideas for commercial partners for Ruth have just gotten me in trouble.

The big news for Elizabeth (age 20) has been her Labrador puppy, Finn. 12 pounds when he came home at the end of September, he is 45 pounds now. He’s a growing boy. When she took Finn the dog to meet Star the horse, the horses had to educate Finn that horses are not great big long nosed dogs. We always like it when she brings the grandpuppy home to visit. Ruth calls her for an emergency puppy visit whenever I start talking about getting my own dog. This requires a trip from Corvallis, where she is completing her junior year in Animal Science at Oregon State.  She may have spent the summer studying Physics, but at least she got to Disneyland in the spring.

Dan (age 19) came home from Wichita this summer after completing what would have been his senior year of high school, and says “I like home best.” He stays busy as his job coach, Brian, takes him to volunteer at Oregon Food Bank, Clay Street Table, and Potluck In The Park when he is not in school at the Community Transition Program. Dan and Brian go swimming and bowling each week as well. Whenever Dan displays the natural teenage boy talent for belching, we try to pass him off as a Tuvan throat singer. He misses all his friends at Heartspring whenever he thinks his parents are too strict.

Ruth is eager for me to get the annual letter out so that her fan base will know that after the 2013 Multnomah County Fair, she is once again the Sage Queen of Multnomah County. She also won the blue ribbon for brownies, and has warned that I may not disclose her secret family recipe during her lifetime. She continues to enjoy her Book Club, or is it a wine dinner club? She pursues her bucket list item of spending at least one night in every county in Oregon.

When I refer to myself as the economic engine of the household, Ruth suggests a tuneup, but I continue to work for Kaiser. Retirement eligibility looms, but seems a cruel tease.  We do buy lottery tickets as an investment vehicle. I continue to play bass for Jazz Sunday at church, and am now playing with the EVJQ. 2014 will start a new photo a day for a year project. I went to my first PAC-12 football game with Elizabeth and Uncle Walter.

Ruth is The Godmother, and I am The Guardian. Ruth enjoyed seeing her godchild walk the graduation stage at Stonehill College in May.  I am now Dan’s guardian, with all the privileges appertaining thereto.

We enjoyed visits and visiting. Family and friends came from New England and California for visits, and we enjoyed East Coast visits to our families.

We hope that the New Year finds you and yours happy and well, and brings you much joy. Y’all come see us now, y’hear?

Pat, Ruth, Elizabeth, Daniel, Star, and Finn


503-295-2665







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