Seasons Greetings Dear Readers,

This letter diverges from my usual Newsletter and sends to you tidings of travel of two earth bound souls, Jim, my husband, and me. Thinking back about one year to January 2006, Jim and I set off to warmer climes. Our first stop was to Destin, Florida. Destin is located in the pan handle. We learned early that it is also called San Destin, Miramar Beach, Fort Walton Beach and so on, depending on exactly where you were standing at the time. We stayed at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, Destin, Florida. This resort is on the bay side of the Gulf of Mexico, Emerald Coast, and very, very beautiful. You can learn more about it at http://www.sandestin.com/. The beach of the Gulf is a short distance away, and so it is like having the best of both worlds. Destin has that out-of-the-way feeling about it. It’s quiet, peaceful and waiting to burst when the change in seasons happens.

Three weeks later we traveled to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Here we could walk to the beach and found ourselves fast becoming beach bums. We collected shells and strolled watching the seagulls and occasionally, dolphins. You can see some images at http://www.myrtlebeach.com/.

During our stay in Destin and Myrtle Beach, my page proofs for my book, Female Suicide Bombers, arrived. While at Myrtle Beach, we were mailing proofs to McFarland in North Carolina.

April found us in Huron, Ohio visiting Jim’s sister and her husband. Although Jim has seen them more recently, I had not seen them for nearly 20 years. It was a wonderful visit just being with them. Huron is of course on Lake Erie and we enjoyed being by the water again.

My yearly summer trek to Nebraska didn’t work out this year, but my thoughts and heart were with my family there just the same. Instead, we had the porch ceiling insulated and Jim began working very hard on the yard, his beautiful flower garden and painting the house. Close on the heels of a newly redecorated porch, we welcomed a very dear friend from the East Coast. We enjoyed his company for a couple weeks.

In June, we were blessed with a visit from our younger son and his fiancé. We enjoyed their company on the new porch as well. We enjoyed watching the birds around the feeder and chasing a few rabbits from nibbling our plants. In the middle of our summer activity, I began my 10th book on women leaders in Africa.

In July, my beloved, late father’s friend welcomed her 100th birthday. She often tells me that as long as she can stand up, make her bed and get up at 4:30 a.m. to go to the kitchen for toast and coffee, she needs nothing more. We can learn from her.

When Thanksgiving rolled around, we visited our younger son and his fiancé in Minnesota in their new home. Todd cooked a very tasty Thanksgiving dinner. It isn’t everyone who has such a great son who is also a certified chef.

The year of 2006 brought honors to both of us and one more book to our life. Marquis Who’s Who in America honored Jim by including his biography. Marquis honored me as well in Who’s Who in America, in the World and of Women.

Each day is a blessing enjoyed and we fill each with family, friends and much of the time with just being together. Each day we are thankful that we can enjoy a 45 minute walk on a hilly recreation trail, laugh together, love together and live together. We have a good life.

We hope that the Season finds you with your family and friends, in good health and having a good life.

Holiday cheer,
Rosemarie and Jim