To all Friends and Family,
This will be short because time for completing the long list of “to do’s” for the next two weeks is limited. The myth of having more time in retirement is exactly that—a myth. I’ve found the drawback with retirement is that we fill up our days with longer, more frequent projects. And we also don’t have a magic quittin’ time when we can go home from work. Work accompanies us everywhere we go, seven days a week.
So, as promised---a brief rundown of 2004 from the Love house. We’ve spent a lot of time this year visiting with family both in Sandpoint and in Louisiana, Arizona, California and Washington. Our family unit here in North Idaho has grown with the October move of my niece Laura, her husband Sefo and the 2.5 year-old triplets from Samoa. Laura has taken a job as extension agent for Coeur d’Alene Tribe through the University of Idaho. So, they now live in Plummer, and we’ve been enjoying seeing them a lot more often than was ever possible when they were in Samoa. The triplets are adorable, and they enjoy visiting their great-grandmother’s house in Colburn where their stick horses are boarded.
Our family dealt with some sad losses this year. As mentioned in last year’s letter, my dad, Harold, died in Nov. 2003, and Bill’s mother, Ora, died on Valentine’s Day this year. My Aunt Mary Jane from Pasco also died in May. So, we’ve all been making adjustments to the absence both. I’ve spent a lot of time with Mother, the ever-positive trooper. We’ve taken trips to visit family in Arizona, California and Washington, and we’re looking forward to returning to Arizona in February for the Scottsdale Arabian Show.
Geocaching would have to rank at the top of Love family pursuits this year, since Bill, Willie and Annie all own GPS units and geocaching handles (names). They’ve logged many miles hiking to caches, collecting trinkets, replacing trinkets and telling of their adventures on the geocaching.com site. Willie’s wife Debbie and I’ve been happy to accompany them on some of these trips and will enthusiastically report that geocachers find some beautiful spots to hide their little containers. We also planted the geocaching seed for Cousin Barb Wuebbels from Phoenix who spent a week getting acquainted with North Idaho this past summer. I do like to mention that Bill visited the emergency room twice this year, thanks to mishaps on his outings. Just a few dislocated body parts put back in place and then on to the next cache.
Willie is still working at the Gem State/Newport Miner (http://www.pendoreillerivervalley.com/) and commuting to Boise to see Debbie on weekends. The title of “sports editor” has been added to his responsibilities. He also wrote and published his first magazine feature on--of all subjects—geocaching. Debbie changed her major and will graduate in May with a degree in multi-ethnics studies. She has worked with a Bosnian family this past year in Boise. We’ve really enjoyed her visits up this way, and hope it works out for her in the job market somewhere in this area.
Annie graduated from Boise State in May. She then moved to Seattle and has been working as a front-desk clerk/van chauffeur for the Courtyard Marriott. She lives in a nice apartment overlooking Lake Union and has found the good jogging routes and great neighborhood bakeries. She hosted us on a wonderful weekend in November and put us up at the Waterfront Marriott right next to Pike Street Market. And, yes, there was some geocaching accomplished.
I’ve continued my busy writing schedule. The highlight for my assignments this year was an interview with Lord of the Rings actor Viggo Mortensen. It appeared in Sandpoint Magazine (http://www.sandpointonline.com/) this fall, and it’s posted on my website in its full form www.mariannelove.com. I hope to finish my third book in the next month or two. I even have an editor at a publishing company who likes the two chapters I sent her and wants to know when she’s going to see the whole manuscript. So, if all goes well, Lessons with Love will be on bookshelves sometime in 2005.
In spite of the sadness of losing family members, we’ve had a fun, busy, fulfilling year. We’re hoping that continues in 2005, and we wish the same for all of you. By the way, http://www.geocachingonline.com/ will explain to you the latest Love family addiction. Be careful. You might catch the bug too.
Much love,
Bill, Marianne, Willie, Debbie and Annie Love
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