B

Year like a white water raft trip, but we popped out of the whirlpool

Dear Friends and Family,

With the frenzy of Christmas morning now behind us, and the music of the late pop superstar George Michael streaming around us, Dee and I wanted to take a few minutes to reflect on our year and wish each and every one of you the merriest times of all.

First, I wanted to let you know that the androgynous wig-head that my sister-in-law Candace and I have exchanged for several years now found its way under the tree, wrapped up nicely as a special gift to me and fitted with a pair of sunglasses, a Santa hat and a flowing white-ribbon beard. I retaliated later in the day by swapping the star on top of the tree with said wig.

We had another special gift from Candee too. She made Dee and I open several small packages in sequence, starting with the cheapest dollar-store ponchos you've ever seen, followed by those goofy blow-up water wings that help toddlers stay afloat in pools then pink plastic sunglasses. We had to pose for photos by each before we could move on. But at the bottom of the stack was a gift certificate for a white-water river-rafting trip, which we shall enjoy on some wet day this spring.

This year was a little like going on a white water rafting trip for us, with many thrills, spills, joys and struggles. But, as George Michael sang, Ya Gotta Have Faith, and that's what keeps us going right?

Faith is knowing that things will have a way of working out, with some belief in the notion that a great divine spirit is guiding us through it whether we appreciate it or not. (Cubs fans are famous for having such faith).  To this end, Dee and I continue our involvement in church, where we have developed many friendships with an extraordinary group of fellow Christians. It is through Marine View Presbyterian that I again led a team to Guatemala in late May this year, where we installed a record 125 wood stoves in the homes and churches of a remote Mayan village. This was my fourth time. I felt very blessed that my brother Tom and nephew Andy, 15, could join us and that both had a life-changing experience on this humanitarian mission. I also continue my work on the board of Hands for Peacemaking Foundation that sends our team and others to Guatemala. This year I co-chaired their big auction in Everett and in December was named board president, so lots more volunteer work ahead in 2017.

In mid-March, we made our annual trek to McCall, Idaho, experiencing some of the finest ski conditions on Brundage Mountain that we've had in years, that is when we weren't stopped by a couple of scary lightning storms, one which struck a chair lift.

Dee's big trip this year was a three-week safari in Africa with her sister Candace and nephew Tyler in October. They had a wonderful time on this life's dream adventure as they explored the vast savannas of Kenya and Tanzania.  They saw lions eating zebras right before them, along with every other kind of animal one would expect to see on such trips (wildebeests, hyenas, giraffes, elephants, cheetahs, leopards, extra-large alligators, hippos, rhinos both black and white, etc.).

They stayed in luxury tents, floated over the Serengeti in a hot air balloon, were protected overnight by the colorful warriors of the Masai, and fended off a cheetah that jumped on the roof of their Land Cruiser by the sun roof as a perch for scouting pray. She leaped off, but not before first marking her territory. During a side trip to Rwanda, Dee suddenly found herself huddling next to a large mountain gorilla while avoiding eye contact so he wouldn't attack her.

They finished their trip with a few days in the sunny island nation of the Seychelles, where they did some deep-sea fishing, sailing, swimming and happy beach fun. Unfortunately, on their next-to-last day Dee went over an embankment on a bicycle, suffering some serious cuts, bumps and bruises and a dislocated shoulder that made the long trip back less than fun but the overall expedition even more memorable. It took her a few weeks to recover from that and she's still seeing a physical therapist to get her damaged shoulder back in shape.

In family news, we were very proud of son Kyle who graduated from Western Washington University in June with a highly respectable GPA and double majors in mathematics and economics. We rewarded him with a big pig roast at our family place on Camano Island. Kyle landed a cool internship at the state Department of Revenue in Olympia this summer that was extended through

October. He's now filling his time with short-term employment gigs while looking for a permanent place to land. He continues to see special friend Kylie, whom he met a few years ago, while working at Wild Waves in Federal Way and who is finishing up at Western herself this year. Kyle and I became reacquainted with backpacking in mid-August, taking a very scenic 33-mile hike in the Glacier Peak

Wilderness Area that turned out to be quite a bit more strenuous than either of us had thought, especially on the first afternoon when gaining several thousand feet of elevation in 90-degree heat. 

Daughter Hillary, 26, is as busy as ever, working full-time at Costco corporate in Issaquah while raising her own daughter Laela, 16 months now, and co-raising her boyfriend Rick's two girls, Pandora, 9, and Keira, 5, whom we also call our grandkids now too. They live in Auburn. Rick's a hard-working guy, but was unable to work for a few weeks late in the year due to a persistent health issue. I called Hillary late one night and she gave me her usual "What's up, dad?" and it sounded like she was in a car.

So I asked her what was up, and her surprising answer was that she had just become a part-time Uber driver! It's a lot of fun being grandparents and Dee and I try to see them whenever we can, which of course isn't often enough.

Thomas, 25, is still working all kinds of hours at the Factoria Target in their online distribution department and living just down the road in Renton. Without going into details, I would like to say how proud we are of him for overcoming his own set of health challenges this year. He is now healthy, well and full of new promise and ambition. If you know his circumstances, please continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers as they are much appreciated. Thomas and I enjoyed a few fishing outings this year, including a stormy morning out on Lake Washington in my small vinyl boat chasing Coho. He got a little bow-splashed from the big waves but we had fun anyway.

There were a few other boating adventures too. Dee and I took another couple on a day-long boat ride/whale watch trip around the San Juans, only didn't see any whales. I made two other salmon fishing trips to the San Juans with brothers and friends,

navigating many miles through thick fog from Camano Island to the fishing grounds. On one, after the fog lifted, we did see a pod of Orcas out in the middle of the Strait. My twin Greg and I had a fun birthday celebration with family members on an electric boat on Lake Union. 

I did a fair amount of cycling this year - not as much as I was a few years back but it was fun hitting the road again. Being 60 pounds lighter helps on that score a lot! Now if only I can keep the weight off - the holidays were killer for me in that regard. Also managed to continue my disassociation with beer, wine and other spirits through the year. I've been 15 months now without an alcoholic beverage and feel better for it but admit the transition to dryness hasn't always been easy.

Dee and I spent a fair amount of time at our family place on Camano and at her sister's place on Henderson Inlet near Olympia, where we also enjoyed some South Sound boating and general fun. One of the highlights was a big Dirks Family gathering in July on Camano, which drew relatives from five states,

and an 80th birthday celebration for Dee's step-mother Joyce in Olympia attended by relatives from far and wide too.

We've been dealing with a big flood on our Camano property these past few weeks due to a broken outfall pipe from a community ditch that spans our property. The water flowing down from above simply has no place to go so we've had to bring in pumps to keep the levels down and protect area homes.

The long-term fix is complicated but we hope to have it resolved soon. Thankfully my dad, the engineer, has been able to lend his expertise to the issue. Our thanks to Kyle for being on 

site for a few weeks to keep the diesel and gas pumps fueled. We just installed a large electric pump in the ditch

and an ad-hoc piping system to jet water over our bulkhead, but it's only a temporary fix.

Our parents are now of an age where daily self-sufficiency is becoming more and more of a challenge, so we try to help them as much as we are able given the constraints of time, work and distance. Our siblings and their families are doing the same. 

As far as our work lives, Dee is nearing a decade at World Vision and I'll be concluding my 11.5-year stint with the lieutenant governor's office in January. We're both anticipating new opportunities and growth this year, God willing!

Well, it's actually the Wednesday after Christmas now as I finish up this post as a few things have been in the way of completion, like last night's disappointing Holiday Bowl match between Washington State Cougars and the Minnesota Golden Gophers. Maybe the Huskies will fare better against Alabama in the Peach Bowl on Saturday. The first of four times two teams faced each other - in the 1926 Rose Bowl - my Grandpa Clarence was on the team! (He went on to become the UW team captain in '28).

That's my grandpa, Clarence Dirks, in the very center on the 1926 University of Washington Rose Bowl team. The Huskies lost to Alabama by just a point.

Again, we wish you a hearty Happy Holidays and look forward to hopefully seeing you in the New Year. Go Cougs! Go Huskies! Go Hawks! Go Mariners! Go Sounders! 

With Love,

Brian and Dee 

         

  

From our Ho Ho Home to Yours!

(Note: Colored text links to more photos, videos or other info).

Dear Friends and Family,

First, let us congratulate those of you who took the time to scan the funky QR code imprinted on our card with your smart phones to reach this message. You have technical skills that surpass most, at least for now. If you happen to receive this via an electronic link, blame the U.S. Postal Service for the rising cost of stamps and the ease of Facebook postings and email. Regardless of how you got here, we wish you a very Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year to all!

Our house is gaily decorated, reminding us the spirit of this season but also prompting panic in the realization that there are precious few days left to shop (and we have barely started).

Now for the obligatory highlight of family news, health, passings and other joyful news bites.

Dee and Brian
Being in the half-century-plus age group isn't hitting us too hard, just yet anyway. Oh, the hair is getting thinner and slightly more gray, and the joints aren't moving nearly as well, but, you know, there are medical people who are paid to help correct these things. Plus we are still having fun!

The simple things are what bode us well. Dee single-handedly cut and installed new laminate hard-wood-like flooring throughout most of our upstairs (three out of four bedrooms and the hallway), while Brian goofed off with various outdoor pursuits. That's just the way it should be, right? (Hey, in Brian's defense he offered many times to help and did lug a lot of the laminate upstairs).

Dee re-discovered the thrill of catching a hard-fighting salmon, especially on light gear as we did for several sessions in late August off north Whidbey Island while vacationing at the folks' place on Camano Island. We landed 12 in all, thanks in no small measure to the counsel of our good neighbors, the Crowleys. Okay they were whimpy little humpies (the fish, not the Crowleys), but still put up a mighty battle.

A few weeks before Brian made his 13th annual, and probably last, trip to the North King Lodge on Caamano Sound in British Columbia. Surprisingly, this was his least productive of all trips to these hallowed northern waters, due in part to poor first-day weather, scarcity of fish and, most probably,  lackluster fishing skills (despite years of hanging his rod overboard). 

Brian would here like to publicly thank his dad, Marty, for sponsoring all those wonderful family trips to Canada and is most sorry he was not able to join us himself this year. We did have a bountiful post-fishing party though for North King fishers past and present at the home of our Camano Island neighbors, the Mouracades (Mike joined us as well on the trip this year as he has for the past three).

In June the rich waters out of Neah Bay with friend Glenn Osterhout were much more fruitful and Brian brought plenty of salmon home from that trip, only to lose those and at least a two year supply from from previous Canada and Neah Bay sessions in a subsequent freezer thaw accident.

Tony and Brian relaxing at Boston Harbor after a breakdown

Moving on from fish tales, Brian logged a lot of hours (and miles) on his trusty road bike this year. He linked up with a fellow from church, the great Tony Chursky, to organize a church-based cycling group and did many rides with those folks as well as many more distance rides with one or two others and on his own. Much of this riding was with either with Tony and/or Marine View Pastor Jon Schmick, who doubles as a hard-core cyclist when not at the pulpit.  Brian's rides included the fabulous Seattle to Portland Classic in July and many other century or near-century rides on pavement in King and Pierce counties. On one ride from Federal Way to Camano Island, Brian stopped along the way to watch nephew Ben skydive at Harvey Field in Snohomish. Brian also hit the dirt with longtime friend Dan Youmans and others many times on area mountain biking trails.

Jon Schmick

Finishing the STP with friends Dan, son Nathan, Aaron
and son Chris

(Dan was one of his co-riders on the STP, along with Dan's son Nathan, friend Aaron Weholt and Aaron's son Christopher. We also had a stellar support crew, namely our spouses and Dee's sister Candace who supplied overnight lodging at her beach house in Olympia).

Our intreprid STP support team

In his never-ending zeal to fend-off age and battle adult obesity, Brian also trained for a ran two half-marathons this year, the Mercer Island in March (1:35 something) and the Seattle in November (1:43:54).

Brian and Dee also walked the Jingle Bell Run/Walk in December with lights blazing and bells a-jingling!

We did not travel much in 2011, other than to Dee's sister's lovely place on Henderson Inlet in Olympia many times and a few pleasant excursions to our family beach place at Camano Island, where we like to harvest crab, shrimp, fish and make occasional boating excursions to the San Juans. Oh, Dee did travel internationally with her two sisters, Candace and Val, to Victoria B.C. as a surprise to Val on her 50th birthday. They did lots of fun things, but really it was all about the Zip Line. Wheeeeee!

Capturing the wily shrimp

Dee goes whee through the trees on the zip line near Victoria.

Dee with our grandniece Zuri, at Henderson Inlet near Olympia

Dee continues to enjoy - and work very hard - at her job with the World Vision Christian relief organization (just up the street from us) and Brian his position as communications director in Olympia for Lt. Governor Brad Owen (please be sure to vote for Brad in 2012 - Brian's future employment depends on his re-election!). Now for a quick run-down on our raislings.

Hillary
Hillary, 21 now, continues to shine, amaze and surprise. She finished up her bachelor's degree in Health Sciences at Quinnipiac University in August - just over a year early - and last week finished her first semester in the MBA program at Quinnipiac in the school's highly-rated health care administration program. This sudden change was a bit of a surprise to us as she previously had been intent on moving on to a PhD-equivalent degree in physical therapy. She started taking business classes last year, decided she wanted to be in charge, and is now looking at a career as a hospital administrator, clinical management, or the like. Meantime, while home she received the coveted Employee of the Month award at Costco in Federal Way, then transferred to the food service counter at the Costco in Waterbury, Connecticut,where she has been working these past several months in between her studies. We are very sad that she decided not to come home for the holidays, despite several urgings. (Dad, I'm 21 and can handle being by myself!). We understand, sort of, but will miss her very much.

Thomas

Thomas is also very independent, and, at 20, is kind of marching to the beat of his own drum while plotting his life strategy. We are very proud of him as well. He forgot about the little occasional oil check/change requirement on his '97 Sable, which caused it to die,  but then he was able to replace it with an older but reliable Toyota Camry. He continues to live at Dee's mom's house in Newport Hills area of Bellevue (where he has been for nearly three years now), works full-time at Target at Factoria with increasing responsibilities, is caring for a dog and, we recently learned, has a new girlfriend! He also had an operation a couple of weeks ago to repair a year-and-a-half old baseball injury to his ankle but is now back to work. He's a great young man and we stand by to help him as much as he asks. Our hope and prayer is that he will lock into what he wants to do and find guidance and strength to pursue his goals, whatever they may be, as he makes the transition into full adulthood.

Kyle
Kyle, 18, is deep into his senior year of high school now. He's also deep into a relationship with a special young lady, Morgan, to the point where he excuses himself quickly from dinner so he can head out to see her! She is, naturally, a cheerleader (and fellow honor student) so Kyle has been attending all of the Thomas Jefferson High School football and basketball games, something he never did during his sophomore or junior years. He also ran another season of track in the spring as he plans to do this spring too. Kyle has continued with his rigorous course work in the International Baccalaureate program at TJ and is now applying to a number of schools, both public and private. He seems most interested in WSU (accepted) or Western (accepted) but could end up at Willamette, Central (accepted), U of Idaho (accepted), or any of a number of other fine institutions. 

Kyle and Morgan before Homecoming dance

Unlike his sister, he has no interest in wandering far away. He worked as a ride operator over the summer at the Wild Waves amusement park near us. Besides Morgan, his pride and joy is his bright shiny red F-150 pickup, acquired from his grandfather over the summer in a Kyle-favored exchange deal for his Ford Ranger. We are looking forward to seeing him graduate in June.

Health Issues
Other than Brian's incurable addiction to Words with Friends, we are all doing well. Most of our health concerns this year, beyond Thomas's operation, have been with our mothers, Ann and Anne. Brian's mother, Ann, had another major back surgery in March and had a really tough time in her recovery. By early summer she was just starting to walk steady again, at distances of up to 1,400 feet, when she developed severe tremors in her hands, fell a few times and didn't really get back up again with any regularity. In mid-November they determined she'd had a stroke and she spent about a month in rehab at Swedish/Cherry Hill. Remarkably, she was released last week after posting some longish walks around the halls there and seems to be on the mend at home. We really want to thank all of our friends and extended family who took the time to visit and pray for her recovery, we think that's what did it!  Brian's dad, Marty, gets special kudos for being her full-time caregiver these past many months (despite knee issues) so we are praying for his continued strength (and patience) as well.

Dee's mom, Anne, continues to struggle with a variety of health challenges so we ask for your prayers and good thoughts for her too. She remains at home and sticks to a fairly routine schedule most days, including general oversight of her two live-in grand kids, her great-daughter, her granddaughter's boyfriend and several resident dogs and cats. Joyce, Dee's step-mom, is her usual high-spirited self but suffers quietly from a number of ailments too, or, as she likes to say: "Getting old isn't for sissies!" Brian's dad, Marty, and Dee's dad, Gregg, are doing okay for now, or at least aren't complaining too much, and we pray that continues. As an aside, Gregg took Brian up in his prized '46 Luscombe taildragger this year for the first time (We think weight restrictions had held back an earlier invitation) and they had a delightful flight from Olympia to Hoquiam for breakfast and back.

Ann arrives home from hospital

Gregg and his '46 Luscombe in Hoquiam

Passings
In this space we would like to mention the passing of those near and dear to us. There were so many this year .. I guess it's true, the longer you live the more funerals/memorial services you attend.

Memorial ride for Gary

Brian's maternal great-uncle, Phil Campbell, the youngest of his grandmother's two siblings, died Jan 29 at age 96, the last of his generation. I had not seen too much of him in recent years, but have many great memories over time and miss his kindness, dry wit and spirit. Gary Strauss, a Seattle attorney but known more for his leadership in the greater Puget Sound cycling community and a good cycling friend of Brian's in recent years, died from cancer in July. Gary's service included a memorial bike ride around Mercer Island with more than 100 participating! We were shocked and saddened by the passing of Dee's longtime friend and co-worker, Gigi Shannon, in October at the tender age of 52,  from advanced liver disease. And, just last week, the passing of Jeff, the husband of Dee's dear friend Pat Landauer in San Francisco, from a no-warning heart attack. Dee and Brian both lost numerous friends and acquaintances from work and extended family circles. Ark Chin, my dad's longtime friend, mentor and business partner/associate was among these. He was like a great-uncle to Brian and two of his brothers as well who spent a lot of time around their dad's workplace in their youth. Marty was one of the main speakers at Ark's service in November.  On the subject of passings, it was fun to see Marty's dad, Clarence Dirks, featured in Spokesman Review in October, more than 26 years after his death in 1985, even though the article wasn't entirely complimentary. Had never thought of Grandpa Dirks as being the original Facebooker before!

Other mentionables
On a more positive note, we have continued to stay reasonably active in our church, Marine View Presbyterian, enjoying all of the new friends and acquaintances we have made there. We find special fellowship with our friends from our small group, the 4G Network. We are taking a Bible study class every Wednesday night and attend the early service on Sunday whenever we can, which seems to be most Sundays throughout the fall, winter and spring (we think about church on summer weekends but are often away). Beyond the fellowship, we are finding ourselves even more deeply embedded in our faith. Especially this holiday season, we urge everyone in our circles of family and friends to ask what it is about the holiday season that is truly most important to you.

Wishing you and yours peace, joy and good health this Christmas season and through 2012.

In God's grace,

Brian and Dee