Happy
 Holidays
 from the North Shore

Dear………but I figures I’d send you guys a little note about what’s happening up north in Minnesota land. We don’t often get a chance to send newsy messages.  And this year, we’re a bit late in getting the cards out for Christmas.  I guess it’s just like everyone else and a little nutsy up here.  Here’s our holiday wishes.

 We’ve been riding on air since October when son Scott and Ginger got married at Lake Tahoe.  It was a wonderful wedding on a sand beach of the lake, beautiful day, a small gathering of 14 people.   The couple took a honeymoon in Hawaii and are now back home ion St. Charles, Missouri.  They’ll be spending the holidays at home.  Other son Robert will be visiting us for Christmas, and we’ll get a chance to catch up on all his activities in Madison.  He’s loving his job, although it keeps him more than busy as they rewire the entire UW-Madison campus for the upgrade of computer services.  He’s often doing this at night or on the weekend, so I think he’s ready for a break.

 Cindy and I have both had a challenging fall, both ending up in the hospi8tal for a week each.  Cindy had to go in for an anemia condition, the result of a bleeding ulcer that she didn’t know she had.  A test last week told us that it has healed and she’s back to normal, for the most part.  Too much pressure with the magazine and also working hard to keep the Great Lakes Aquarium in Duluth afloat.  She’s the chair of the Board of Directors.  I had to go in after I suddenly developed an infection in my7 left leg.  It stiffened up and I was unable to bend it.  They called me Peg Leg Pete at work.  We still don’t know exactly why it became infected, but I was on IV’s for the week with massive amounts of antibiotics, which I continued in pill form for another month.  First time either of us has spent any time in a hospital.  Quite an experience.

 After we left Chicago from my Mom’s funeral in May, we came home to discover that our 14-year-old-sheltie Huckleberry Finn had cancer and we needed to put him down.  A week later, one of our cats also needed to be put down.  That left only Sassy, our 6-year-old Balinese.  This year we decided not to put up a Christmas tree in the house because of two new little friends that we acquired in July.  These are tow rambunctious kittens who spent a bit of time at the animal shelter before we found them.  As a result, we think we really got two MONKEY’S instead of kittens.  They are about 1 ½ weeks apart, so they are constant playmates.  As monkeys, they’ve learned to climb all the trees outside.  So, you see, a  Christmas tree would be a disaster this year.  They are the most curious animals we’ve ever had, and nothing gets by without inspection.  Sassy, as the older cat, loves that there are two.  They ignore her.  She doesn’t really think we needed to get two kittens at all, since she was all we needed, but as long as we had to get one, two was okay---because they leave her alone.

 Last weekend we got a chance to go to Green Bay and watch the Packers play (Dec. 12).  It was a very windy day, and with temps in the upper 20s, we had a gold game.  But they won. (not like this weekend).  We got a chance to tailgate with friends, both before and after the game.  Quite an exciting time.  Of course, it was one more thing planned in a busy few months.  At least it was for fun.  We never to see the Vikings and, of course, this week they won.  Next week they play each other.  That will be a game.

 We certainly hope that everyone is doing well.  All in all, we ARE well now.  We wish you the best of New Year.  I think about how you’re doing, from time to time.  You’re so far away (like, we’re not).  There are just so many kids---and kids of kids.  Take care.  As Grandpa used to say “Love is all around.”

 Love,

Cindy and Paul

 northshorebirds@frontiernet.net