Seasons Greetings – 2008

As we come into the holiday season, it is difficult to know exactly where to start in regard to our year in review. Luckily, Pat got a first draft down and then it snowed so Deb go in the mood to help. The kids put up the tree last night and even let us play Christmas Carols while they did.

First, there was an addition to the family just before Christmas last year. Mick and Keelan went to the local SPCA and picked out a small black and white kitten (old enough to have been litter box trained, but young enough to be a feline terrorist). The boys named him Sparrow (as in Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean) and this little thing showed almost no fear. He divided his attentions between the boys and kept the dog on his toes. He could often be found on the roof of the house – watching over his domain. He was know to “stalk” full size deer and chase away Great Danes. Sparrow was insatiably curious and went in any open door or cupboard. On more than one occasion he was found, after being missing for hours, asleep in the cereal cupboard, spare room closet or even in the cold air duct work. He had no fear and in trying to train him he would run toward you if you made a loud bang and would kick the water if you tried to spray him. Unfortunately, this courageous outlook, probably got the better of him – as he went missing in the latter part of October – and is very missed by all of us, even Daman.

Deb got a GPS for last Christmas initially to assist in the navigation while out kayaking with the girls. However, the addition of this new tool – soon had the whole family becoming involved in geocaching. (Geocaching is an outdoor “treasure” hunting game in which people use GPS receivers to find hidden containers called geocaches). A typical cache is a small waterproof container containing a logbook and trade trinkets – everything from travel “bugs” that you record and move to another cache to kids toys and even Yuk Yuk tickets. There are over a half million geocaches throughout the world. To date, we have “found” over 120 geocaches in 4 provinces and 16 states. We use geocaching as breaks when we go to Keelan’s soccer trips, on vacation, on weekends or in the evening when dad is away on a business trip. On occasion we get skunked – not being able to find the cache but have been on some beautiful hikes in the process. Keelan is great at finding the well hidden caches and Mick is our surprising mountain goat – in the lead going up and down hills.

This year also marked the loss of something that played a big role in our lives – our 1976 motor home. With the boys getting older, gas prices and there being less opportunity to pull the boys from school, we decided that the old rig was not going to get much use. To have it just sit for a couple of years until we could get more use out of it did not make sense. So dad traded the motor home in on a Pajero – an older, Japanese built, right had drive, 4×4 (much like a land cruiser). When the day came to do the actual trade – and we had to clear out the motor home – we all, especially dad and Mickey, found it a little emotional. There are so many good memories associate with the old rig. Keelan however, quickly got into pretending the drive the Pajero – sitting in the left hand seat complete with a “steering wheel cover” that he pretends to drive with and then waves at the other vehicles on the road.

Just before school ended for the summer – Mickey decided that he wanted to cut off his hair for cancer research. Dad stated that if he was able to raise $500 then he would his head as well. Well it did not take long for Mickey to tap into Pat’s work and family members and well over the $500 was quickly raised – and Mickey and Dad both had their hair “shaved”. Mick is a handsome young man under all that hair, dad – well … looks more like a loan collector for the mafia.

This summer, Mickey and Dad went on a “little” road trip together. On the long weekend in August on US Highway 127 there is a yard sale that extends from Defiance, Ohio to Gadsden, Alabama (1015 km). So in order to get there, take in the hundreds of yard sales and fill out the experience with some extras (Lunch at Porkers in Chattanooga; purchasing Soya Tabasco Sauce at Avery Island; travelling down the Natchez Trace) Mickey and Dad travelled over 10, 500 kilometres in 14 days. They used mom’s Jetta (cheap on gas), and camped, slept in the car or got the occasional motel room. They picked up some interesting treasures (a Virtual Boy game system from Nintendo, Jack Daniels NASCAR ‘pit pass’ and a hippie liquor bottle) along the road – and came hme really enjoying their time together and wanting to keep travelling. They have, however, discovered the lure of the bayous in Louisiana are not nearly as wonderful at 98 degrees with 100% humidity.

Keelan travelled with dad and Mickey as far as Regina. There he got to have the coveted big cousin role with Pat’s cousin’s son Sammy. Keelan spent a week with Sammy enjoying Regina Beach and made the trip into Regina to enjoy the Exhibition. He had a great time but now understands the work that his older cousin went through when he was young!

We celebrated Deb’s mom’s 80th birthday this summer with a weekend family reunion up at St. Walberg. We got to visit with relatives we usually don’t see, learned how to play Revenge Croquet, shared great meals and had some laughs. Unfortunately, in late August, Grandma Reed was found to have a large tumour and diagnosed with colon cancer. They removed as much of the tumour as the could along with her colon. She has had a tough go healing from all the surgery and complications but by mid-November was back to being her old feisty self. The cancer is terminal but she’s going to live during the time she has left and is even looking at doing a trip come spring if she feels well.

Once again, Keelan had the opportunity to play soccer – this year on a ‘rep’ team. He was an alternate which meant he hot to learn from a great coach, develop his skills and have a lot of fun but we did not have to give up all or our weekends to go to tournaments unless another player was unable to go. We went to Creston and Sandpoint and his team had the distinction of having never lost a game! This fall it was inter school Volleyball where they only lost tow games and after Christmas he hopes to try out for basketball.

Mick got three of his buddies interest in attending Tyrell Science camp in Drumheller this summer. When we phone to register there was only room for two, but they generously agreed to take all four – I’m not sure they’ll do that again! They are good kids but talk a mile a minute and none of them listen. Then there is the energy and the teenage boy smell – it make me shudder and I only had to drive them home!

This was also the year of Pat’s 50th birthday, and Deb threw him a surprise birthday party out at the cabin in mid-September. Pat almost spoiled the party by being stubborn and not wanting to cooperate with the surprise – headed off into town by himself and hit a couple of garage sales (however he did end up purchasing a kayak for himself). When he came back to the cabin, Deb’s sisters and spouses took Pat back to town to bottle wine – while the party was set up and guests arrived. The party was a complete surprise and we had many friend of our from over the years show up – some of which we had not seen in quite some time. The party was complete with a musician friend playing all afternoon and into the evening – and despite the drizzling weather – everyone had a good time. Completing the festivities was a feed of crawfish and key lime pie. It was great to see and catch up with so many friends. It was so great a time that the following morning was the first time in a long time when Pat really felt “older”.

We hope that you are well and enjoying your families and friends during the holiday season.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Love Pat, Deb, Mick and Keelan