Dear family and friends,
This year's Christmas
letter is especially hard to write. First off, Theresa usually wrote
them. Secondly, I'm just beginning to be able to think
about life without her and writing about it
is quite difficult. Anyway, here goes.
This year has been one of
adjustment. The kids have helped me immensely - I'm not much of a cook and
don't like cooking, so they each
take me in one night a week for dinner.
Some of
the
highlights since March are described below. I attended all of them. Hence, I've been quite busy. I've had to adjust
attending all these family events
with no partner. Sure is hard.
In mid-May, Mike & Mary
were in Minnesota from California for a wedding in Mary's family. Margaret
took the opportunity to host a wonderful party for all the relatives at her beautiful home near Blue Earth.
Most everyone was there.
In June, I spent a
fun-filled week with Garth & Hannah at Dave's cabin north of Alexandria. We
had a great time fishing, swimming, & sitting around
the
fire. Dave had to stay home and work until Thursday evening and then rode his motorcycle up and joined us.
My father,
who turned 91 in July, is doing well. He & Marlys continue to live in their own home in Blue Earth. For relaxation and for
fun, I spent 2 different weeks staying with Jim and Diane and visiting Pop &
Marlys while down there. Jim will
be retired from farming in 7 years when he turns 70, so I like to help out
while he's still farming. We all spent Independence Day together, which is also Pop's birthday, at Margaret's for
a delicious family buffet.
Dan & Dawn are rail fans,
meaning they know a lot about trains and train history and
love traveling on trains. So in early August, Dan, Dawn, David, Garth, &
Hannah, and yours truly, traveled by Amtrak to Chicago. We had a wonderful
time and spent all day at the
Chicago Museum of Science & Industry.
One weekend in early
September, Dan & Dawn invited me to travel with
them on a steam train excursion. We traveled in very old
coaches pulled by a beautiful old steam locomotive. On Saturday, we went out
west of the Twin Cities about 100 miles to Glenwood,
Minnesota. On Sunday, we went east across the
St. Croix River to Dresser, Wisconsin.
Throughout
the
spring and summer Kathy & Cam
invited me to numerous family outings, such as Connor's band concert, Kyla's
first horseback riding show and other
events.
Theresa & I graduated from
2 different high schools in 1957 and this year was our 50-year reunions. At
my reunion, 12 out 15 classmates were in attendance. Theresa was on her
Reunion Committee and we both attended her meetings and helped with
organization duties. So when her reunion occurred in late September, I
attended for both of us. As the lone widower attending
the
banquet, I was asked to light a candle in remembrance of all 14 deceased
classmates out of a class of over 100.
My sister-in-law, Diane,
suggested that I host Thanksgiving at my place and that I should and could
cook a turkey. Well, after discussing it with the
kids, they all agreed and we decided that they'd each bring the
side dishes. So, on Thanksgiving, I cooked my first turkey and I must admit
it turned out better than I had expected.
2007 was a banner year for
high school graduations in the
Meyer and Bleess families with a total of 5 graduations. I was able to
attend and enjoy all of them.
Several weddings also
occurred in 2007. On March 31st, Theresa's brother,
Rich's daughter, Bethany & Nate Dos, exchanged vows. On July 7th, my brother, Pat & wife Sue, hosted their wedding reception. On a lovely summer day on
September 1st, Theresa's sister, Frani's son, Jeff & Kayla Zabel, were wed.
On a fall afternoon, Theresa's sister, Ginger's daughter, Hannah & Mike
Niles were married. Eric Smith & Suzanne were married on November 17th.
Suzie is Roger's only sister, Margaret's daughter.
The Land O' Lakes District
Fall Barbershop Singing Convention in October had a special meaning this
year. About a month earlier in Blue Earth while at my brother's,
I had received an e-mail message stating, "LO'L Hall of Fame Committee has
unanimously endorsed your election to the
LO'L Hall of Fame." Suffice it to say, it was very nice being recognized.
All the kids as well as Theresa's
cousins and uncle attended the
presentation and as my friend, Jim Richards, so aptly put it, "Theresa would
have been very proud."
The Great Northern
Union men's chorus that I sing with also had several public performances:
Madison, Wisconsin, in April; Twins game in June; St. Olaf church in
Minneapolis with Cantus in June; Faribault's Fesler-Lambert Performance Arts
Center in September. But for the
first time since the early 70's,
I missed the chorus' annual show
in November due to a wedding.
I'm constantly busy with the barbershop singing judging program. This year I
participated in our tri-annual recertification at
the
end of July in St. Joseph, MO for our 150 judges from across the globe. I taught a portion of the class and was a student for the rest. The judges have just decided on tracking
some new contest data that has major ramifications on
the
program that I wrote and maintain. So, I've been very busy this year with
program enhancements and fixes.
All in all, it's been a
busy year and as Theresa would say, "Life is good."
Merry Christmas and Happy
New Year to each and every one of you.
Roger