2011 was a fantastic year; a year of good health, with five wonderful grandchildren to spoil (but more on that later) and a year to enjoy what we worked hard to achieve.
We enjoyed multiple visits to see our children and grandchildren throughout the year; probably ten trips in total. This is such a wonderful time, watching grandchildren mature (and children develop as parents). Perhaps the best visits are over the Christmas holidays - it is a joy to see the excitement in a child's eyes at Christmas time. The older grandchildren are four true believers!!
Our first trip of the year (excluding to Florida) was to be in Minneapolis for the birth of Sydney Lauren on May 4th. What a sweetheart she is! Being the 3rd child, she gets taken everywhere, and rides along happily wherever she goes. It's funny… the first child has the "schedule" that doesn't get varied much, the second has to miss naps or has lunch delayed once in a while, but the third… well, there isn't much of a schedule. But Sydney has a wonderful laid-back personality and just accepts what comes her way. Even better, Aidan and Jack love her dearly, especially Jack who has assumed the role of her protector. He is always gently hugging or kissing her, rewarded naturally enough with a smile.
Our best trip (of many) to Ottawa was to take care of Elizabeth and Samantha and let Mom and Dad get away to Chicago for a few days. We thought that our parenting skills might be "rusty" but we had a fabulous time with the girls. Shhhh! Don't tell the kids, but we even bent a few of Mark and Michelle's rules (as grandparents are wont to do). It was a great bonding experience for grandparents and granddaughters. One of our highlights was a day with the girls at an old- fashioned country fair, the Carp Fair.
As always, though, when the entire family can get together, it is the most special. This year, we managed some time in Niagara Falls with the entire family. After our visit to the falls, the "younger generation" spent time at the Great Wolf Lodge, while we, the "older folk" escaped from the howling good time to the peace and quiet of an inn in Niagara on the Lake.
For us personally, 2011 was one of those in between years. No birthday milestones to announce. No surgeries! We did manage to squeeze in a 3 week trip to Prague, Vienna, Budapest and a number of delightful towns along the Danube in July. Our river cruise was a test for my two hip replacements and they worked magnificently. We did reaffirm that we enjoy travelling at our own pace rather than in an organized (hurry up and wait) style of trip. That aside, the places we visited were delightful and steeped in history, much of which was new to both of us.
I (Frank) have taken on a new hobby, bread baking. We returned to London from Florida to find the store where we bought our bread was bankrupt. So I stepped into the void and began learning bread making (from scratch). My first loaf was a success so I was hooked and began taking cooking and baking classes (much to Sara's delight). Sara keeps threatening that I should take over the cooking for company, but I decline in the interest of keeping our friends! I have gone from being one of the "bread winners" in the family to being the principal bread maker and even when our bakery re-opened, Sara asked that I continue because she says that my bread is better.
Sara has so much on the go that she runs out of time to do all she wants to do. She is really into photography. The magic she creates with a camera is something to behold (most of the photographs in this newsletter are a testament to her growing skills). She has been befriended by a professional race car photographer, John Thawley, here in Village Walk and is learning by picking up all kinds of tips from him.
In February 2012, we will travel to Lima Peru, Quito Ecuador, the upper Amazon and the Galapagos Islands. This is our dream trip which we will take with our travel companions, Mary and Perry Hill. Our attitude is what the heck; let's see everything interesting in this world while we have the mobility and health to enjoy the fruits of our labours.
We have amassed a few photos in our 2012 photo gallery . Take a look at some of the people who have made our life so wonderful.
Have a wonderful holiday with family and friends.
Sara and Frank
Ontario address Unit 51, 1040 Riverside Drive, London, Ontario N6H 5N4 (519) 471-6154
Florida address 28854 Vermillion Lane Bonita Springs, Florida 34135 (239) 495-1615
Mobiles Sara's mobile in Canada (519) 902-6154, Sara's mobile in Florida (239) 331-0165
Frank's mobile in both locations (519) 870-9895, Sara's e-mail: fgkearney@hotmail.com
Frank's e-mail: frank@fgkearney.ca Frank's work website www.fgkearney.ca