Wishing you the Merriest Christmas and a Happy 2019!

Merry Christmas!

While Dee is wrapping up the present wrapping and my Christmas clam chowder is simmering ambrosially in the crock pot, I thought I'd take a few minutes to dash off a few lines before we dash off like Dasher, Dancer, Prancer and Vixen to our first stop on Christmas Eve. That would be my brother Tom and sister-in-law Suzy's place in West Seattle, the site of our family holiday gatherings dating back to the 1940s when my grandparents bought the house.

All else in life can change, but the tradition of going to the same home for Christmas Eve throughout my a lifetime is one we hopefully can continue to cherish for many years (Dee and I spend every other Christmas Eve there as we also have the wonderful tradition of going to her dad and step-mom's place in north Olympia). We will find our way to Olympia at some point late tonight and be at her sister Candace's place just up the beach on Christmas Day.

Our year has been busy. Dee took a new contract job a few weeks ago with Aerospace Futures Alliance that should last through March, if not longer. The AFA is a small non-profit that advocates for Washington's aerospace industry. She enjoys her new post so far, although working full-time from home has her missing having colleagues around. I continue with communications work for a state agency in Olympia that provides technology services to other government organizations. I also remain pretty heavily involved with humanitarian work for Hands for Peacemaking Foundation board and Guatemala team leader/organizer for Marine View Presbyterian Church. Our team went to Guatemala for 10 days in April and plans to go in May of 2019. While both of these roles involve a significant amount of time for planning, meeting and fundraising, it is rewarding work that I enjoy.

Other travels this year took us to our family place on Camano Island and Dee's sister's place in Olympia. We also made our traditional weeklong ski trip to McCall, Idaho.

Dee makes a snow angel near McCall

One of my fun projects there was to set out a new buoy over Labor Day weekend.

Buoy project

A couple of gray whales took up residence in Utsalady Bay (off our Camano Island place) from July through early September so it was fun to watch them from afar.

We also went to Victoria for a few days in late October/early November to celebrate Dee's 60th birthday - a trip that included high tea at the Empress,

High Tea at the Empress

touring a large castle, shopping and eating. My personal quest was to locate a historic old tug, the Sea Lion, that I stayed on a few times on our Canadian fishing trips.

Took some investigation but finally found it, a little worse for the wear, moored at the Maple Bay Marina on Vancouver Island. I have collected quite a bit of information on this vessel and plan to write about it when time allows as it has both of personal interest to me and made its own mark on British Columbia history back in 1914 when involved in major international incident.

I did not do as much cycling this year as I have in the past, but did train for the Seattle to Portland ride and rode the first day of it (100 miles via the backroads to Olympia on a hot July day, where I was met by Dee and a refreshing swimming pool).  Son Kyle and I also joined the throngs on a hike up to the Mt. Pilchuck fire lookout,

Kyle and me at Pilchuck lookout

about the only real hike I did!

Also ventured to central Oregon to take part in the Pole, Pedal, Paddle event from the slopes of Mt. Bachelor to downtown Bend.

Pole, Pedal, Paddle team in Central Oregon

My friend Dan, who lives in Sunriver, organized it and friend Matt and I teamed up to do the kayaking leg. Lots of fun.

Our three adult children remain our pride and joy. Hillary is still at corporate Costo, and expecting her second child in January. Her first, Laela, is three now

Rick, Hillary, Laela and Kiera

and she is very active in co-raising boyfriend Ricks' daughters, Kiera, 7, who lives with them primarily and Pandora, 11, who lives primarily with her mother. We love them all!

Thomas received a nice promotion at Target/Factoria this year and is now managing their shipping department, working crazy hours as usual. He is still steady with Kelly, whom we adore.

Thomas and Kelly

Kyle remains happy with corporate T-Mobile, where this year he was invited to join the elite T-Mobile/Sprint merger planning team to do business analyst and retail forecasting work. He and Kylie (whom we also adore) managed two trips to Hawaii and one to Vegas this year. Kyle and cousin Ben made the 20 mile trek through the beautiful Enchantments in one day, and Kyle also rode the entire STP in one day. Oh to be 24 again!

On Dec. 15 my brothers Greg (trumpet) and John (baritone sax) along with Greg's son Matthew (piano) and me (on clarinet) teamed up to play a little Christmas concert at the Aegis in West Seatttle, where my mom now lives. She turned 80 this year and we had a wondeful celebration for her with lots of family and a

few friends attending. Dad, 84, is still home and visits her almost daily. Dee has been spending nearly every weekend in Olympia this year to help out with the needs of her dad, Gregg, and step-mom, Joyce, who are both still enjoying life at their bluff-side retirement home overlooking Henderson Inlet.

Well, since it's nearly time to pack up the clam chowder and Dee is finishing up with her wrapping I guess I'll sign off.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all! May God Bless you and your loved ones.

Brian and Dee