Dear Family and Friends,

It is time to send holiday greetings and a short resume of the year. It was a different kind of year for me.... most of the time I was in bed. I was diagnosed as being diabetic in the spring. The resulting problems brought on by MS and the diabetic condition left me quite weak. But in the last month I have begun to gain strength back. I have so much to be thankful for with caregivers, family support and good friends!

From my hospital bed I can look out my bedroom window and see across the water to Seattle. Right now I am seeing a beautiful moonrise and Seattle lights. I see wonderful sunrises as well at other times. There are boats of many kinds - sailboats, navy craft, pleasure boats, tugboats, and fishing boats to watch. Of course there are seagulls, crows and smaller birds to observe, and Canadian ducks and geese that pass by in their formations going north and south depending on the season.

I am lucky to have my sister, Maude, nearby - just one house between us. She is recovering well from her stroke of a year ago and can now walk down to my house with a cane. Her speech has improved so much and she is able to attend her Retired Teachers activities. It is always nice to have the nieces and nephews drop in to visit me when they come to see her. Their many jobs and schools keep them busy between Washington and Idaho.

As we have done for many years, our longtime friend Eleanor, Maude and I get together for scrabble on Saturdays sometimes now that I am feeling better.

Michael and the kids were here for my birthday party in August (my 82nd) and several friends and Maude and Clarice were there. Marilyn had to be gone on business with Jack, but helped to get things arranged ahead of time.

We were happily surprised in October to have Leetus (son of my brother Arden) and Mary come for an overnight visit to Maude and me. They are still living in Alaska. One of my helpers fixed dinner for us here and I was able to spend the evening in the dining room with them reminiscing and playing tapes of family history.

Michael, (who continues to work at the Pain Clinic where he has advanced to a supervisory capacity), comes up from Portland when he can get away, sometimes bringing one or more of the kids. They are all involved in their jobs, as is Leslie, who with Michael's help, is working on the promotion of their consulting business. Julie and Chris took an extended trip for several months in Europe and Morocco this year. They have had many interesting things to tell. Steve is working full time and still playing the drums in a music group.

I am so grateful for all of Marilyn's help and it is such a joy to see her. I thank her for writing this letter for me. She lives close enough to me so that she can come by frequently to take care of my business and oversee the caregivers. Besides teaching full time, she helps Jack with their sales business and travels with him some weekends and in the summer for trade shows. They will be driving to California this Christmas time to see their grand kids and some close friends.

I know so many of you have serious health problems, but I hope there will be much good too in the coming year. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Enid