We had an amazing time in Israel in November of 2010. First, we spent 5 days in Amsterdam. Brian, Dionne, Rock and I, and of course, our beautiful Amya.
I will try to hit the high spots as two plus years is hard to catch up with.
2011 was spent the usual way, trips to Seattle to see the kids, company here to visit, and working, working around here. We also visited Danielle in Arizona in the middle of July (never again), too hot, but I had to have a female procedure in May, and then needed recovery time. At the end of 2011, I had two hip replacement surgeries, back to back with only four months apart. We spent my recovery time at the Hyatt House, in Bellevue. I had a nurse come several times a week to monitor my Cumudin and also a Physical Therapist, Agnes, whom I loved. During the recovery of my first one (late August), we received the wonderful news that Dionne was pregnant with her second baby. During the recovery of my second surgery (December 28), the kids came in to my hospital room, as well as Amya and Sue and Cliff. We all had to eat a cupcake and whatever color frosting came out (pink or blue of course) was "the kids' way of telling us what gender was expected! How cure are they? With Amya, we all had to meet at their first house and wait a block away while they decorated everything PINK!! This time, with the first bite, out oozed BLUE FROSTING!!! You can only imagine our excitement.
2012 was spent recovering and getting on my feet once again. I was hiking by May. I also had a great visit early June from my dear friend Lori Druss and Diane, from Tacoma. We had so much fun and Diane worked in my yard and gave me so many great ideas to make it easier on me. Mid June, we spent our "First Annual Father's Day Bash" here with all the Irvins. In August, we had a big camping party as Rock turned 70. This was so wonderful. Susan and Larry came over early, and Larry, put in a brick patio for us. Finally. So wonderful. Great and successful camping party and we are enjoying our new patio. We tried to stay home a lot this year so we could recover from all the medical bills I had incurred in 2011! We did pretty good.
At the end of August, we all, Irvins, Sue and Cliff and Brayden, went to Puerta Plata, in the Dominican Republic. This trip was planned with Dionne during my surgery recovery.
In September, a wonderful visit from Lorrie Lewis, our friend from Back East, happened as well. She was here for three days and made a special drive from Seattle to see us, after which she had business to attend to in Seattle. She still works for Boeing.
Brayden went on his first trip out of the country and we all smiled with him and his first passport. We stayed at an All Inclusive Resort and just had the best time. We had a private tour driver, who also took us in to the town so we could all buy some jewelry and see the places outside of the resort.
Thanksgiving passed and then it was Christmas, with the kids visiting us a couple of days after Christmas. A wonderful time was had by all as usual. Brayden was put in the snow, just as was Amya at that age. Sledding, hot chocolate, fires and on New Year's Eve, an amazing fireworks show, put on by Brian.
In January we left for Arizona. We had a wonderful visit with Danielle and got to celebrate my 65th birthday with her. We look at many real estate properties, just in case we decide to be full fledged snowbirds. We didn't rush in to anything, but found a great realtor, Brett Barry, who came recommended to us by Albie, Dionne's ex boss. I actually ran into him on the plane to Arizona. We came home and tried to stay home as I was leaving on my big trip to Portugal and France.
I am back now, after having had the most amazing time in Portugal. Four of us went, Dawn, Andrea, Susan and I. "Os Quatro Fantastico Portu-gals!" as we named ourselves. We stayed in a house of a co-worker of Larry's in Northern Portugal, Casal Da Ahenza. Beautiful. We each had our own room and did day trips from the house all over the country. My favorite part of this trip, was just being at the house, drinking wine, eating and painting. Dawn gave us lessons and I really surprised myself at what I could do. The house is on a vineyard. We took lots of walks and tons of pictures. We spent one night away in this amazing town called Porto, in a beautiful converted castle. We got to visit the "Caves" trying many Ports. Of course I did a ton of shopping, and mailed home two boxes, which cost me more than the contents, but, oh well, what is travelling without shopping, right? We spent the last four days in Lisbon, dropping off the car at the airport on our way in. In Lisbon Dawn had rented a place for us in the Alfama district, a really old part of the City. It was great. All to ourselves. No traffic street, just cobble stones and steps.
We took the Metro and train to Sintra, and visited a beautiful Palace enjoying a great meal.
The whole trip was just amazing.
Susan flew on to meet Larry in Florence and Dawn and Andrea returned home, one to Colorado and one to Washington. I stopped in Paris and met Naomi at our hotel, close to the airport. This was so exciting to see her and have her show me around Paris. Each day we would take the shuttle bus to the airport and then the Metro and a train in to the City. We saw just about everything that is recommended you see in three days, including many hours in the Marais District, which I loved. It is the "Israel" of Paris. We met a great couple on a corner, while there, Ellen and her husband. She is now my friend on Facebook and we seem to have a lot in common. We ate all the things you are supposed to eat in Paris and did all the shopping. We were at the Galleries Lafayette, which was just amazing. I bought a whacky pair of sandals, which will be great for our trip to SA at the end of this year. My flight home was eventful, with an engine going out, and landing in Edmonton (and an ambulance to check me out as I had a massive panic attack). I got home safely, with Rock and Amya waiting for me. We spent a few days with the kids and got home on the 22nd of May.
I am now trying to catch up with all the stuff I need to do!!!! Excited to work with all the pictures I took, of course. Next week we visit Mr. Bill at his beautiful house in Sandpoint, Idaho. We will stop at a couple of doctors on our way, as I need to see a Podiatrist now and my usual check up with the skin doctor. I hurt my foot last week and ended up at the Coulee Dam hospital, having an x-ray. Turns out, it was an arthritis flare up!! Oh well. I know I now have it in my hands, and now my foot, apparently!!! We then come home, clean like crazy as the kids arrive on Thursday June 13, and Cliff and Sue later that day. This will be our "Second Annual Father's Day" celebration. Missy and Tony will also be stopping by for a beer, on their way to Twin Lakes. They have never been here so we are excited to see them.
That is all the plans so far. Will make a trip at the end of June to Seattle as Susan will be there, and I need to meet Hannah, as Katie is coming. Not sure if we are going to the cabin for the 4th of July, we will see what happens. Hope to visit Mr. Bill, again in August, with all the Irvins. Not too sure yet about this.
This year, we are trying to stay home as well, as we have our tickets to leave for Cape Town on November 2. We will be staying with my cousin Greg and Susan in their guest cottage overlooking the Indian Ocean and Table Mountain. We are both very excited.
Putting all this down, just in case I don't get back for a while, but this pretty sums up the last few years and the current year.
