My Christmas Letter

Dear Friends, I figured since I have had family send Christmas cards and letters I would do the same here.

Like most people life has had its good points and bad or sad points as well. I find it amazing how fast 2018 has gone by and we are heading into 2019. You think about it another decade will be coming to end and we will start another one.

My mother will be one hundred years old in September 2020. We hope she will be able to stay healthy like she is for us to celebrate her one hundred birthday. Mom has her issues health-wise like anyone would her age but in general, doing well. In August I took her to emergency after urgent care because she sounded confused and a bit dizzy. She spent the weekend in the hospital because of affection and being dehydrated.  In October she fell early one morning and had to go to emergency once again. She spent only a couple hours that time. She had another affection. She is doing better now and uses her walker fulltime.

Last January my brother Jack visited from Virginia for a few days. His plan is to do the same again this coming January. His family is doing well though some personal issues with one of his children; nothing to do with health just personal.

My sister Barb visited twice this year. The first time was in March and then again in June. She is going to retire at the end of the year after working for about 30 years at a law firm. The last 25 years as a paralegal. Mom and I will probably see her in March or April since we are planning to have a family reunion with some cousins on my dad’s side of the family.

Barb’s son Ken came for a visit in April. He has had quite the year when it comes to travel. He hadn’t done much of it over the years but decided to do so this time.  He took a trip to Paris in early 2018 then in June or July he and his brother Connor went to Berlin, Germany. Ken had been there the year before so wanted to have Connor go along with him. Ken still had some vacation time to use for the end of the year so a couple weeks ago he spent a week in London.

Far as travel goes my mother and I spent five days visiting my cousins Rob, Susan, and Christy in British Columbia. Rob came over for a few days to Christy’s place to help celebrate my birthday which was really nice. Mom spent the nights all at Christy’s while I spent a couple at Susan’s. She and her husband David own and run a large ranch. I got to go around the ranch with David and I rode a horse for the first time since I was a young boy. I found it to be an exciting adventure. The weather was hotter than usual for May hitting into the 90s. The travel was a bit hard on Mom so said she really didn’t want to travel anymore.

Other than the visits from my brother and sister along with a reunion have no other plans yet set up for 2019. With mother getting older it is hard to know how her health will be in the coming year.

So I want to wish you all a Merry Christmas, a good holiday season and a happy New Year. Sincerely Herb Nightingale