Holiday Greetings 2007

This would appear to be the 5th Christmas newsletter I have composed using the technology of the day, including links.  Strictly speaking, once again, this is not a Christmas letter.  Those are missives in a pleasant type face, on fancy holiday "paper", carefully folded and sent through snail-mail with something attached called a "postage stamp!"

This was a great year for us. We didn't do anything spectacular, but nothing disastrous happened either. In January, Kate and Sal acquired a 100-year old Steinway for their library. Lyd and I returned to Disney World for the Martin Luther King Weekend.

In March, I participated on a SACS CASI Quality Assurance Review team to Talladega County, Alabama. Lyd spent Spring Break in Maryland with her mom. Ath the end of March, Kate and Sal came for a visit.

April took us back to the Commissioner's Academic Challenge CAC at Disney World. Kate came at the end of the month for a conference for continuing certification as a Physician's Assistant. April showers brought a new meaning as our master bath shower had to be replaced due to termite damage.

With the school year over, Lyd spent the first few week of summer in Salisbury. While she was gone, a became certified with SACS CASI to serve as a school-based accreditation team chair. After Lyd returned from Salisbuty, Kate and Sal joined us back at Disney World for the Panasonic Academic Challenge (PAC). We had a wonderful time.

I actually decided to take a week off in early July and we had a summer vacation. We didn't go anywhere, but it was fun. It's hard to believe Kate has been out of high school for 10 years, but it must be true as she and Sal came for Stanton's 10-year-reunion.

In August, Lyd's annual mammogram suggested she have a lumpectomy. That was finished by the end of the month with removal of benign tissue. It was an emotional month, but worth it to get rid of the lump and the uncertainty that went with it.

The hardest part of the year was for Audrey, Tom's Mother. At 84 years of age, she has been losing the effective use of her arms and is increasingly unstable on her feet. Beginning in early July, after several falls and several medical tests, it became apparent that she could no longer live alone at home. She spent a few weeks in a rehab facility before have spinal surgery to relieve spinal pain. Though the surgery was successful and removed a lot of the pain, she has regained very little strength in her legs.  Mother now resides at the Atrium, an independent living facility, and hates it. She is very depressed, and all of our efforts to change her life style have been fruitless.

December brings the holiday season, along with decorations and our last annual trip to Maryland. It also brings a little elfin magic.

2008 will bring our retirement from education and the relocation of the two of us, and Mother, to Maryland. Stay tuned.

Well, that is 2007, on Christmas Day.  Merry Christmas to all and may 2008 bring you happiness.

Tom and Lydia