What's the Latest and Greatest?

We are progressing at getting our new house furnished and finishing our moving. We make a trip back to the Lake Texoma home every 2 or 3 weeks to pick up odds and ends that were left during the big move. On our last trip, one of the things we picked up was the food dehydrator. Anna had us stopping before we even got it home so that she could pick up a roast for us to make our beef jerky (the batch was in the dehydrator the next morning).

Despite the plan to sell the lake house in the next year or two we are slowly refurnishing it too, as it was nearly emptied during the move. As long as we have it, everyone is always welcome to use the lake house anytime they wish. The old rules still apply (let us know when you're planning to use the house just in case you set off the alarm system, and we get a call).

We haven't done much to the outside of the new house or yard yet. But we have a lot of plans. Including a large patio and a garden by early next spring. We also want to remove several large plants from the backyard and move some others around, before we start putting the shrubs and trees that we want.

I am still working in Carrollton, but now working from home 1 or 2 days a week. Anna is still working in the hospital in Denton, but is looking for a new position there or a new job entirely.

We didn't get to go anywhere for Thanksgiving, since Anna had to work the day after. But we did cook up a complete traditional Thanksgiving meal in our new home. And by "we", I mean Anna. I didn't know she was planning to cook a turkey and everything. She got up early, and was a whirlwind in the kitchen all morning. Everything was wonderful!

We did get to spend Christmas in Oklahoma, with Anna's family. We took the whole week of Christmas off. It was great to get to see everyone again, and to spend a whole week just relaxing and unwinding from work. Santa Claus was very nice to everyone, even though I know that not everyone was should have been on the nice list this year .

What's Next For Us?

We are still hoping to try and get in a few short trips for fun, and to visit family. We plan to go visit some of our favorite places and restaurants in San Antonio and Hill Country. And if we have time we would like to return to South Texas to go off-shore fishing with some friend down there.

We'll be making a trip back west to meet some of our friends from Tucson in late April. Meeting them half way, in New Mexico. We're going to meet at Carlsbad to tour the caverns there. Hopefully we'll have time to go see White Sands too, and maybe a stop by Roswell on the way back to see the aliens.

We are planning a get-together for the Hamilton side of the family over the 4th of July this summer, in Arkansas. I'm not sure yet whether it will just be a family affair. Or we will throw some kind a huge bash the way we used to. Putting a whole hog on the BBQ spit, stocking a large wet-bar, invite a bunch of friends and let the party commence. I'll update this web site, and maybe even make a page for the gathering, as plans come together.

But we will have no more family weeks and week-ends at Crystal Beach, on Bolivar Peninsula. Hurricane Ike completely destroyed every beach house that we ever rented for our get-togethers. Every one is gone! Not even the one hotel for our short trips is there anymore.

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