|
December 17, 2008
Winter is well and truly here with cold and
snow. I just returned from two weeks
in England spent with Juris’
dad Dzim. On his 84th birthday
he ended up in hospital with a chest infection. I went over to help him recuperate. He is now doing fine.
Our year has been all about travel, especially
for Juris, and about getting used to not having James around and finding
a role for myself.
The highlight of the year was a long trip to England and Latvia in the summer. Juris went for five weeks and I went for
seven. We spent two weeks with Henrijs
(Juris’ brother) and his family. We
spent time at the beach and managed to do a little sightseeing. As usual the Latvians were very
hospitable. We attended an open air
pop concert with Prata Vetra, Latvia’s most popular
band. I enjoyed it more than I
expected. Back in England I spent time with
my older sister Katy for the first time
in years. We went on a road trip
visiting cousins on both sides of the family.
I helped celebrate my dad’s 85th birthday which he
thoroughly enjoyed. On the way home I
stopped in Ottawa for a brief visit
with my cousin Larry who I had not seen
in almost 40 years.
 Juris has been
exceptionally busy at work with plenty of travelling. Teck (same company, new name) sent him to Fernie, and Vancouver (within BC) and Australia. He also had a couple of sojourns in Winnipeg and Arizona. He moved to a slightly different job with
supposedly less travel and they promptly sent him to Peru and Chile. You see him here beside some dinosaur
footprints high in the Andes. He continues to play squash and soccer when
he is home. He entered the fray of
local politics for the first time last year running in a By-Election to
become a councilor for Fruitvale. He
failed to get in by quite a wide margin.
He then ran in the election for the whole council and failed to get in
by just 3 votes. I was probably more
disappointed than he was.
 I have been dabbling
in one or two activities this year, trying to find what excites me. I sit on two boards related to disability
issues, and also I am doing a few hours a week respite for Serena a young lady with
mental disabilities, in some ways not unlike James. I took up Middle Eastern dance a few years
ago but now have more time for practices.
I am really enjoying this and have even performed a few times. You can see me here with my fellow dancer Deb at a local
parade. I am weaving and knitting
again and am President of a local weavers group. My writing group has not been so active
this year but we still meet. The bulk
of my writing at the moment is about James. I got in plenty of cross-country skiing
this year as the season continued will into April and I am getting
much more adventurous. It is just
starting to snow as I write and I have a ski date set for a few days after I
return from England.
Juris and have both joined a new Rotary
club. This I am sure will take up our
time and energy next year.
We will spend Christmas with our friends the Toupins again this year. They have been very good to us
since James died and have included us in many family
get-togethers.
Right now we have few plans for 2009. Juris will likely have fewer travel
opportunities and we will stay close to home and spend time together sorting
out the house and garden. Many things
are uncertain next year with the current world economic climate, so we will
see what comes.
We wish you all the best for the coming holiday
season and that you and your family weather the current turbulent world
economic woes without too much stress.
Much
Love
Maddy
and Juris
|