2005

A little snow gives the snow-board men a happy home

  Another reasonably quiet year, as I remember, but planning was going on in my head.  I will have turned 65 by the end of the year, a health insurance I have will require me to pay Medicare B, and I will start drawing a check (why make two trips?), my age for full retirement benefits was 65 years 6 months and I didn't lose anything taking it six month early.  The job was getting more stressful, at Christmas my work load is very heavy, lots of reports every day, an extra, weekly, payroll for the eight weeks bells are rung, for 45 to 60 people, bank deposits and counting, and countless "thank you" letters (mail merge is a wonderful thing).  When the season was over the Majors in charge put an ad in the daily paper thanking everyone, by name, who helped at Christmas, no mention of me.  When my friend asked Mrs. Major why my name wasn't included, her reply was "he doesn't help with Christmas".  I don't know what I was doing, I must have been delusional.  That, 2005, was my last holiday with the Corps.
  Hollie is doing well, she "graduated" in June, aged out at 20, and started a day program that she still participates in.  She had some sadness because she will miss her teachers and classmates, but she was excited by the transition too.
  Linda, on the other hand, wasn't too excited by the prospect of having a knee replaced, but she was dutifully getting ready.  She had had enough of the pain, but not anxious to have the surgery.  She'll do fine (next year).

Rocky (Amaroq) took advantage of a rare snowfall in Oxford, England

Jon, dressed for work (not really!)

Hollie at one of her favorite stores, Lighthouse Depot, in Wells, Maine