...older yes. Wiser, ???
It's been a great year for me, not so great for Steve. Will talk about him first. His big plan for this summer was a motorcycle trip out to Colorado on his ST. He left June 21. That afternoon, he had just crossed into Iowa when he suddenly lost power on the bike. He managed to get from the left lane all the way over to the other side. Hit the rumble strips wrong and down he went. Ended up with a concussion and an AC separation of his right shoulder. Eric and I made a trip out to Davenport to pick up him and the bike. He ended up having surgery on the shoulder about 10 days later. The surgery failed after 5 weeks when the tether holding his collarbone and shoulder together snapped. The surgery was redone on Nov. 11, less than two weeks ago. This time the surgery has seemingly gone much better. Pain much more manageable, it's tough for him to be unable to use the arm, even had to hide the car keys. Here's hoping for a better 2016 for him!
My big plan for the summer was a 6 day trip to Seattle for my 55th birthday, to attend the last geocaching block party. I stayed in a beautifully charming cottage less than a mile from Geocaching HQ, and had a perfectly wonderful time. I may backtrack and post about it soon. I also had a trip to Ohio again for the Midwest Geobash in July, and also a trip to Mackinac Island with the Boy Scouts in September. Steve and I also took a short trip down to Huntsville, Alabama in early September for the Wing Ding. Originally this was to be a bike trip, but Steve was still recovering so we went by car, with Max.
I've been trying hard to jump start getting my "stuff" sorted and organized this year. Trying to get rid of so much of the stuff that we just don't use. I have gone through about 75% of my clothes recently, everything now except for my outer wear (coats and such) and also my t-shirts. It's a slow process. I'd planned to pull everything out onto the bed at once (Kon-Mari style) while Steve was recovering in the recliner after surgery, but he only spent the first night there so that plan fizzled. Got through all my drawers except t-shirts this weekend (had done the clothes closet last weekend.) This is Thanksgiving week so I'll have some extra time to work. And Thanksgiving will be at Katrina's family's house this year so I won't have all that extra prep work for the first time in, well - forever!
Katrina is Eric's girlfriend of the last year and a half or so. Things look pretty serious between them, though they've not yet made a commitment to each other that we're aware of anyway. Trina just turned 22, is still finishing up her undergrad degree in pre-med, so they have time. My grandma clock is ticking away fast though :) Eric finished his BSN degree and is working as a psych nurse at Pine Rest Christian Mental Health Services, though he is looking for a new job as an ICU nurse.
Scott is stationed in Japan right now. He recently returned from a deployment in Jordan, and just left yesterday for a month's leave in Australia. After Australia he is coming HOME for CHRISTMAS. It will be the first Christmas for all four of us together in 8 YEARS. Not since 2007 has Scott been home at that time. We are considering going to Japan in the spring to visit him there, we'll talk more about it when he's home.
I'm going to try to start blogging more often again. Wish me luck in that!
