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Christmas letter from Pat

Hi there you two.   This is my xmas letter that I usually send out with
>cards to Canada and the u.s., however, it I tried to send it now to Mexico
>you might get it in time for the 4th of July, so am asking you to share
>this with the gang.  thank you.  love pat.
>
>Hello and Merry Christmas!
>
>      Well, it has been quite a year for the McCullough, Mikos, Jones
>family here in Vancouver, WA., I can tell you!  Both houses (mine and the
>girls) sold quickly and without a hitch last spring and our lst offer on
>our joint venture was quickly accepted thereby allowing for weeks, no
>months, of rapid change for all 3 of us.  We have bought and sold all sorts
>of household items.  Large furniture pieces and appliance and the tiniest
>Xmas tree ornaments.  Talk about one-stop shopping - ours has been NON-STOP
>shopping.  Every time I say "I was thinking", Stephanie rolls her eyes
>because it usually means a trip to the mall.  I hope the eye-rolling will
>strengthen her eye muscles as there must be some good come from all this
>shopping!
>      She is a good sport.  I mean that literally as well as figuratively
>and because of that I am again attending sporting events (i.e., hockey
>games and horse racing) and watching football and basketball on T.V. - and
>watching my family on their dirt bikes!  Have also been skating and made it
>to the ski hill once so far.  Might even get in shape if this keeps up.
>      Leslie looks wonderful.  She has lost weight this year due to her own
>effort and is determined to keep it off even though it means being cold all
>the time.  She says she was never col when she was heavier, but now is
>appreciating the fashion trend of "layering" as never before.
>      Kylee (5) seems to be quite taken with the figure skaters since we
>attended Disney on Ice and watches them as they practice while she is
>learning to skate herself.  We go t Mountain View Ice Arnea on Wednesday
>mornings and whiile she is still quite cautious (a good thing on ice) she
>has done very well the two times we've been so far.  I expect she will
>learn very quickly at the rate she is currently going.  And I am
>relearning.  Things go well as long as I am heading in one direction and
>don't have to stop in a hurry..  I like the notion of 'gliding gracefully'
>to a stop.  Maybe some day soon I will actually do that.
>      Kayden is learning to skate as well - we go on Monday mornings.  His
>current goal seems to be to sit in the penalty box or make his way across
>the rink to the player's box.  In any case, motivation is all tied to
>playing hockey and going fast.  He has been on the ice for two days at this
>writing  and the improvement in balance for the first to the second days is
>amazing!  He is also very fond of snacks at the snack bar.  He tells me
>that little boys who are three years old and named Kayden do not eat salad!
>  Only candy.  I did not know that!!!  However, they may eat salad when
>they turn 4.  We shall see in May.
>      Jeremy is now finished with his post surgery (shoulder) and is back
>at work with a healthy respect for the stay-at-home parent!  Not that he
>doesn't like his kids - he's a great dad, but children's conversation gets
>old after awhile and makes this new job of learning the construction trade
>look pretty darn good.  On the other hand, Michelle's job went away a few
>months ago and she is not going to look too hard for a new one until the
>new year.  She has worked since she was 16 so it seems to be that she
>deserves a break and this is a good time to do it.  I just hope she spends
>some of her time baking a few xmas cookies for the rest of us - she is a
>good cook!
>      My son, David and his wife Merry are moving to Chehalis in January. 
>David has accepted a position with a law firm there and is looking forward
>to a new line (for him) law and the challenges that go with that.  Merry
>will keep her job in Olympia (at least for the time being) and her
>challenge will be the daily commute.
>      As for me, I have never been busier  Of course there was the move. 
>Add in a trip to Kamloops, B.C. with Beda to visit Dennis, Jackie and Mona;
>a trip to Eastern Canada again with Beda and Maureen; a quick trip to
>Spokane and Colville for Margaret's 60th b-day and visits with Sara,
>Sherrie, Cathy and an added bonus of meeting Ann Nelson in the airport! 
>Can you imagine?  Then the daily, weekly routines of Spanish classes,
>shopping, skating, famous family outings, birthday celebrations and hiking
>with the Forever Young Hiking Group.  Bonus conversations with Tommy an old
>friend from away back when.  And, I just learned that my medical coverage
>with Kaiser comes with a membership to the Lakeshore Athletic Cluv which
>means I can swim, take tai chi and practice my golf swing at my leisure
>(followed by a nice relaxing sauna) when I get back from Mexico next
>spring.  That is assuming I have any leisure.
>      I guess you can tell things are going well.  Losing Max and having
>Jessie (my dogfriend of 13 years) die were sad events, but in the end my
>life is good.  I hope things are going as well for you and yours too. 
>There's a lot of new stuff going on in my life, but I like the thoughts I
>have of you as well.  And I do have those thoughts often.  It seems our
>lives evolve around and on the foundation of the friendships we make in our
>lives and I like to count you all among them.  Knowing you has helped to
>shape who I am and for that I thank you.
>      Have a great and wonderful holiday season and hold the happiness of
>this time of year in your hearts for the whole of next year as well.
>
>      Love Pat