2003 Christmas Letter

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++Every year I write a Xmas letter that goes in the Xmas card. In DEC09 I found a bunch of the old letters and I thought I would post them here in this blog.++

I hope this find everyone well and looking forward to great xmas!

Another year is getting ready to be a memory. Time flies doesn’t it? The older I get the faster it seems to go. As I write this I am once again working in FL. The office refers to them as my ‘vacations’. Which is more correct then I would admit to them. J I really like working on the road instead of in the office. These trips let me travel (vacation) without the expense of transportation, hotels and food. I work hard during the week, but I play hard on the weekend too. Pivot is lenient with me, as set my own hours when I am in KC, but I do love the travel. I really appreciate Pivot and look forward to working everyday, whether I am in the office or on the road. In November I completed my 20th year with the company and I hope it works out for many more. If it doesn’t I will have no hard feelings, they have been really great for me and given me many opportunities that I would not have gotten with a normal electronics job.

I am in FL now around Tampa, been here since the 1st part of November. I am going home for Christmas and New Years then back here for about 3 more weeks. This has been a really great trip, because I got to drive down here from KS. I love driving across country. When Feb comes though I will be ready to stay home for a little while. As usual I am in the middle of remodel project. My back bathroom is totally gutted, only the concrete floor and pipes remain. Inspired by the SCUBA diving I started doing last year, it will have a coral reef theme. After the bathroom, the back room is definitely ready to be done. I started it years ago, before Scout went in the Marines and it has been used as the worksite while doing the kitchen, front room and now the bathroom.

Scout is back from Iraq / Kuwait area. He flew back to the US on his birthday in Sept. He came home on leave for a couple weeks, then back to Camp Pendleton. With less than a yr to go he thought he would not have to go back overseas, but things change and he might still have to go back. This would be his 3rd trip over. In the last 2 years he has spent more time there then in the US. It is times like this that I am sooooo glad that I argued with him when he wanted to sign up as a ‘grunt’ or infantryman in the Marines. I insisted that he pick a trade that would do him some good when he got out. As we know nowhere is safe over there, but some areas are safer then others. I am comforted by thinking he will be in the safer areas. I am so proud of him. He recently got Corporal and as you might have noticed he humored me by sitting for pictures. The Christmas tree pictures were taken at Wal-Mart by a girl he went to high school with, we had a fun time kidding him throughout the sitting. He is so good natured and a pleasure to be around. I had a long list of items for him to help me with while he was home. He worked through the important ones and hit some of the lower priority ones. The list was still long when he left, but there will always be the next visit. Isn’t it a shame that once the kids get handy to have around they move out? We thought he would be able to come home this year for Xmas, but that did not work out. Please keep him and the other soldiers, sailors and Marines in your prayers.

When I found out I was coming back to FL I checked into diving opportunities in the area. The Gulf is a little cold to dive in this time of year, this led to fresh water diving. FL is full of caves and spring fed rivers that are really popular diving areas. During the winter when the Gulf is cold the Manatees migrate into these rivers because they maintain a constant 72 degree temp. The most awesome thing I have done this year is to swim with the wild Manatees at Crystal River, FL. (Thanks Pivot). It is the only place in FL where you can play with them and touch them without getting a $50,000 fine. It was just awesome. These animals seek out humans for a belly rub or a back scratch. They call them gentle giants and the name fits. I encourage you all to come here and do this. I can not think of another wild or domestic animal that will seek out human contact, without any hope of getting food. The next time you head for Disney World, take an extra day and drive over to Crystal River (2-3 hours away) for $60 you will have an amazing experience.

I could write about so many things, but I wanted to keep the letter to one page. I have shrunk the font size and expanded the margins to their limits, but the page still fills, so I guess it is time to wind this letter up. Please forgive the group letter as I never would have gotten individual letters written. I want to wish you all a merry Xmas and a great year to follow it.

Take care and God bless,

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