As 2004 comes to a close I find myself once again in a last minute struggle to deal with holiday chores like Christmas shopping and getting this letter written so I can send out Christmas cards. Although this is only my second Christmas letter I am determined to continue writing them. Each year I have the best of intentions to get a handle on my holiday stuff early but as of yet I have not had the best of luck. It's a busy time of year for all of us, especially those who work in retail stores! Sometimes I feel at my best when the last minute pressure is on, but I have high hopes that 2005 will mark an end to my last minute holidays.
I have a new addition to my small family this December as I have adopted a ten-month-old kitty from the Michigan Humane Society. Her name is Apple Jacks, given by MHS and is appropriate for her coloring. I call her Jackie. Coal & Smokey who are now 12 years old are dealing with this quite well and there have been no incidents. Coal is even starting to play with her a little. Actually, it's more like Jackie terrorizes a very tolerant Coal! I think they will eventually become buddies. Smokey remains a mostly solitary cat but she doesn't seem to mind having a newcomer in the apartment, at least for the most part.
Smokey is still healthy and happy despite her condition. It's been over a year now since I found out she has diabetes and started giving her insulin shots. She is a very large kitty of about 18 pounds and I'm sure the Vet will tell me she needs to lose some weight the next time we see him. We'll do what we can but mostly I just want her to enjoy the remaining time she has with us.
I continue to reside in my Birmingham apartment with my roommate Keith - I've been here over seven years now. Things are going well and although I still wish to relocate to a somewhat less crowded area, I'm not yet ready for the financial burdens of home ownership. This is still a goal but one that I have had to be realistic about and put off for a couple of years. When I'm ready I know that I will find a new place to call home.
This year I had my ten-year anniversary at Kroger. It's hard to believe that what was supposed to be a temporary job is now in double digits. Although I have not been entirely happy with my work situation as of late I am confident that things will get better. In the meantime I look forward to a slow January so I can start spending some more time on my Internet business. R&B Web Community now serves four clients and the coming year brings new opportunities and growth as we explore new ideas and welcome new clients. We have one definite and two potential new clients lined up.
My parents are doing well in their Clarkston home and still have three dogs and three ats. My Uncle Roger joins us there each Sunday for our traditional family dinner. My parents enjoy active lives with frequent travel and social gatherings. I am happy that they can rely on me to take care of the house and the animals when they are not around - they certainly have done a lot to help me during the course of my life. As far as I know my sister still lives in Indiana with her husband Al and children Zak & Ashley, although I don't hear from her much these days. I hope they are all doing well and that the New Year may bring about a change for the better…