THE END WAS HERE!

The end of the year came and went, as well as Christmas.  It was a quiet Christmas this year, with Sam and her boyfriend Mike, Mike’s sister Bobbie and her son Caiden here.  We had a nice time and really enjoyed the company.  Christmas day was strange, not having Sam at home or Grandpa, but change is inevitable and it is upon us here at the Sanctuary.  We had a few gifts to open; some slippers, a shirt, nothing big. And that’s a good thing. I miss how it used to be, but think less is more now too.  We used to have such fun, opening presents galore!  When I was single with just the girls, I never had money to buy them much, and no one ever took them out to get gifts for me (no grandparents available) so when I finally got money, I went a little overboard! My heart is always in the right place.  Now, its all about being here, family and friends.  

Sam, Mike, Bobbie and Caiden

Maddie showing off some of her stocking gifts; a poncho, some udder cream...ya know - all the things a 16 year old dreams of getting.

Edy enjoyed her first Christmas and first present!

Louie is a little more subtle with her attack.

Percy even more so.

Maddie got a This Is Spinal Tap t-shirt for Christmas

The day after Christmas we went to visit Bob’s family from Indiana. We hadn’t seen them in about 9 years we estimated.  It was a nice reunion and we got to see Riley Ann, our granddaughter.  I also figured out why Bob watches sports: it’s in his blood.  I never expected when I met this man that he was a sports-type of guy so I never really figured out why he watches sports until now.  His family’s entire world revolves around sports, they even where clothes with sports logos on them!  This is fascinating for me, as I have recoiled from sports over the years as my values have evolved.  It saddens me to know that there are starving children, tortured children and animals, and abuse in this world and we don’t spend as much money to solve these pertinent issues as we do on sports teams, paraphernalia, sports figures salaries or stadiums.  Just saying…..

Riley opening her present

Everyone showing her how to react to it!

Creative forces at work.

I don't why - perhaps alcohol can explain?

We visited the Children’s Museum in Indianapolis as our last day with Riley, Kristi and Wes.  It was a fun place and we got to watch Riley have a grand time in the young children’s play area.

Saaaaannnnnd!

Bob and his crocodile

Crocodile Ma-ddie! (get it? like Dundee! haha!)

five of my favorite people

 On our way back to the great white north we stopped in Illinois to visit some old friends and break up the 8 1/2 our drive. We had a great time stopping by and seeing our good friend’s new baby, Andelyn.  She is adorable, and we have been labeled as Grampy and Grammie!  I was quite humbled, and proud that we would be thought of as that for her!

Andie!

This is why i stand behind the lens.

We got home to find all was well  - and our entire shoe collection piled in a heap.  I didn’t ask our friend who took care of the place why they were all in a pile, but we assumed Edy had something to do with it.  She must have taken our shoes and placed them in places around the house and our friend was kind enough to have picked them up and stacked them in a pile for us.

We also came to find that Percy finally figured out that she could walk on snow and could get over the fence.  So Bob made his way along the fence line and shoveled it all out.

That's a 3 foot tall fence under all that snow - that makes it 3 foot of snow!  Yes, i can do math.

  The next day my best-est friend from Illinois; Nancy Merkling arrived with her new beau Rick.  We had a wonderful time, chatting about photography like we always do, making good food and sharing wisdom.  If it wasn’t for Nancy helping me through the hard times in my life, I wouldn’t have made it.  I remember writing a paper about her for speech class once and the ending line read, “When I grow up I want to be just like her.”  Who knew that so much of that would turn true?  I miss having her around all the time, but its always like old times when we get together.  She is the most amazing photographer and so I let her do the images of the weekend.  (You can see some of her incredible work at www.nancymerkling.com)  We planned a day of shooting together but unluckily it turned out to be bitter cold and windy; not ideal conditions for shooting for me, I don’t care how bundled up one gets, 30 below wind chills suck! So next time she promises to come out when it’s warm.

By: Nancy Merkling

By: Nancy Merkling

We have been having these New Year’s get together since we got here 7 years ago.  We used to have a party and all our Illinois buds would come out and stay here.  But with them having babies and other life changes, most haven’t come by on New Year's for awhile.  The last couple of years either Bob or I had an operation of some sort and we weren’t very fun anyway.  But here are some pics from 2004. This was way back when we had our parties in the loft.

The midnight kiss.

I will be working on the New Year’s letter this week.  Last year (and I stole this idea) we decided that instead of a Christmas letter in early December, because I never have time to sit down and write one then, we would do a New Year’s letter. It works out quite well because everything settles down in January and I have the time to sit, think and reflect on the past year. 

Happy New Year!  It officially begins tomorrow for me.