Christmas 2010

May the joy and peace of the season remain throughout the coming year!

Dear Friends and Family,

This has been a year of new beginnings. Bud got two new titanium knees, our log cabin got a new metal roof and our three dormers got new siding. Bud had second thoughts about his double knee replacement surgery the first week but he's really glad he did both knees now. Although his energy is still returning he no longer has pain when he hikes, bikes and swims. And yes he does all three two or three times a week.

We're grateful our roof and dormers no longer leak and proud our 24-year-old cabin looks almost new again. We also stained the cabin's logs and the hot tub shelter and got a new dining room table.

Four days of sanding and staining brought back the beauty of the 30-year-old German oak table and chairs. Bud's son was about to send it to the dump. It looks terrific.

We biked and swam this summer at a friend's home. They live 16 miles from us in farm country where the roads are relatively flat and used their beautiful pool. Bud rode five to seven miles. You'd never know his double knee replacement surgery was only in mid January. I'm proud of him. We canoe camped on a number of local rivers and twice on Sapelo Island this year. The trips were magical as always. Rocky Creek, the stream just below our cabin, is crystal clear now and fills its entire riverbed. I haven't seen it this full since the late 90s. It looks exquisite tumbling over the rocks.

This has been a big year for reading and writing for me. I've read over 60 books and written an amazon.com book review for every one them. I love doing the reviews as it helps me remember what I read. Amazon.com sends writers four free books a month to review if they receive over a certain amount of helpful votes by other viewers. I was honored to be selected and get to choose four books a month from their “Vine Program.” If amazon was attempting to increase the number of writers who do book reviews they succeeded. At least with me. It's a lot of work but fun.

I turned 60 this year. When I turned 50 I realized I was no longer a kid. At 60 I'm in the “old lady” category. Thank goodness I don't feel it. To celebrate I canoed the upper Ocmulgee River. I was nervous. I'd not paddled white-water in awhile. Acing the rapids made me feel young again.

Bud's civic, hunting and conservation activities continue to keep him busy. Thankfully he is no longer president of the High Falls Towaliga Watershed Alliance. It was a huge responsibility and he did it for four years. He's now serves on the board of directors and their water testing committee. He's also on the Environmental Protection Division's Rivers-Alive-Program Advisory Board and leads cleanups on local rivers for the Georgia Wilderness Society and the Rivers-Alive-Program. He has also agreed to create and serve as president of a new “Friends of High Falls State Park.”

Wishing you all the joys of Christmas and many blessings in the New Year!

Much love and warmest wishes,

Bud and Niki