This was the year of ‘home maintenance’ for us! After spending so much time traveling, it was time to stay home and tackle some projects that we’ve been putting off. We finally selected a new front door and Les installed new windows on the front of half of the house. We also had the house painted and everything looks great.
I also broke down and had the sinus surgery to help cure that chronic infection that I had been fighting. I had a great Doctor, Jason Van Tassel, and he tried everything before we resorted to surgery. It's taken quite a while for me to feel like everything's normal again.
We still love our new motor home, although we haven’t gotten out in it quite as much as last year. We do plan to head out in January on an extended road trip. Les has been wanting to explore the New Mexico and Texas area and I want to venture down into Florida and some of the southern states. We expect we’ll be gone at least 4 months.
I got to spend the month of June in Redding, helping out in Lance’s office. Les drove the RV up there for me and I stayed in it, coming back home on weekends. I actually had to drive the RV across town by myself to a different park after the first week, my first solo driving of this coach! Working in the medical field is quite a departure from my own background in construction. I really enjoyed it and it was great getting to see how much Lance’s patients trust and respect him. He and Sue have done a great job building his practice. I also got to help him design the build-out for his new offices and that was so much fun.
One of my most treasured memories of the year was taking the two oldest granddaughters, Lauren & Hannah, on a 12 day trip to Thailand. We had the most amazing experience; one that none of us will ever forget. We joined an ‘all-women’ tour group and were really fortunate to have 6 fabulous and accomplished women on the tour with us. (Five of them came from Texas and I hope to get to see some of them again as we travel through there this winter).
Les is still riding his motorcycles and playing tennis 3 days a week when we’re home. Lately, he’s taken up small radio controlled airplanes and is looking at RC cars, too.
Hawaii
The whole family spent Thanksgiving together on Maui. Les & I hadn’t been back to Hawaii since 1983. We even got to have dinner one night at the same restaurant we ate at on our honeymoon. Most of the family took surfing lessons one morning! Of course, they’re all very coordinated, caught on right away and had a great time. Lance’s wife, Sue, her mom Donna and I, chose to sit out on this particular activity. It was my observation that everyone in the water actually had the Lollar bloodline!
Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday season and a happy, healthy 2009.