A year of excitement for our family! I retired in May after a great celebration with coworkers and family. Sons Mark and Brian and their families all came from Oregon and Jerry brought his fiancee' from Sacramento. The only thing I miss about work is my friends there. It's nice to have no alarm, clock and to be able to come and go as I please. So far I haven't had any times with nothing to do. I suspect that will never happen.
Did you catch the reference to "fiancee'? Jerry and Cindy got engaged in the spring and were married October 6, 2002 in Rocklin, near Sacramento. Brian and Rose and their four kids came down from Oregon again for the wedding, and Mark and Katy and two boys came from Salinas. We caravanned to Sacramento. My sister (Lana Lee ROTH) and her two daughters and their three kids came from Southern California. Cindy had many relatives there from California and even two from Japan. Cindy's parents live in Fresno.
Jerry and Cindy are living in Rocklin where Jery had previously bought a house. Jerry works for and organization that sponsors and supports charter schools, with an office on the State University campus in Sacramento. Cindy works in recruitment and admissions for the graduate program in Political Science at the University of CA. at Davis. In November, Jerry was elected to a seat on the Board of Trustees for their community college district. It spans parts of 4 counties, which meant following 4 different sets of election results and adding them. I went to Rocklin on election day and the three of us celebrated quietly at home, where Cindy had baked and decorated a cake for Jerry's win.
Did you catch the reference to "Salinas"? I the summer, Mark and family moved back to CA., where Mark is now the number-two man at a church with 9 pastors. Katy works 2 to 3 days a week at Bay Physical Therapy in Monterey, and I make an hour drive to Salinas once a week to be there for the boys, 9 and almost 11, after school. I am even relearning to cook once a week, after a 20-year hiatus.
Brian and Rose have decided to stay in the USA for the time being. Brian is working with a new stateside missions agency, planting "home churches", where people meet in homes for closer support, in addition to regular Church activities. He also works as a consultant to other churches regarding their effectiveness and he is an elder in their church. Rose is still home-schooling the 4 kids, ages 8-13.
I'm still going south every 2 to 3 months to see my sister and my mom, who has been in a nursing home almost 3 years now. My sister lovingly visits Mom twice every day, except for brief breaks when I go down.
At this point, I'm postponing any decision to move. My college roommate and husband will be visiting in January. If any of the rest of you come to CA., let me know.