Tuckered tootsies tonight!

Am done with cookies -- what didn't get made isn't going to get made.  Still have to finish the tree; Tom & the kids got a great start on it but we've got another bin of boxes of ornaments to go through -- at the very least the icicles have to go on the tree.  Then have to pick up and put away all the boxes, cookie sheets, baking stuff, ladder, unplaced decorations, etc etc etc.  Going to be a busy day tomorrow but I'm done for the night!  (And an aside:  after years (35 at least) of making anise drops I've discovered parchment paper is the secret to not having to lather the Crisco on the cookie sheets in order not to have the cookies stick.  Taste test tomorrow to see if they are good and snappy (another problem I have with getting them right.))

Neil Noel News 2011

Neil Noel News 2011

Warmest greetings to our friends and families as 2011 draws to a close!  Hope this finds you at the close of another year that we hope has brought many blessings and much happiness to you and yours.

The year started out with a grand celebration as my father turned 90 on January 2.  Just about all his descendants gathered in Oil City for a celebratory dinner where written memories from family, friends and former employees and business associates were read aloud.  Dad good-naturedly downplayed remarkable stories of his coming to the aid of his brother and sister when they got into precarious situations on the farm growing up, a state trooper who was being assaulted when he’d pulled someone over on I-80, a car full of teenagers who crashed into a tree, employees injured in logging accidents (lifting logs off them!) and several others.  At the end of the many tales, the grandkids exclaimed that they didn’t know they actually knew Superman!  A short six weeks later, Claire turned 90 too, and once again we gathered to celebrate.  My niece Christine spoke for all of us with her tribute to Claire and all that she has brought to the family.

Tom’s father passed away unexpectedly in April.  He had just seen his doctor who cleared him to start a moderate exercise program, but a few short days later before he could begin, we received a call that he had had a massive stroke and died.  His funeral was held in the chapel at their new home in Chambersburg, and his ashes were interred the day after Thanksgiving back in western Pennsylvania on a beautiful fall day.  Dad’s life was an example of hard work, love of family and pride in the accomplishments of his children and grandchildren.  He is greatly missed by us all.

Tom’s niece Elizabeth married Oliver Beckstein in June.  They met while both were at Johns Hopkins in Baltimore, Elizabeth working on her doctorate and Oli doing post-doc work.  They had a long-distance engagement while Oliver, who is from Germany, was teaching at Oxford in England.  There was a bit of a snag (to put it mildly!) with visa arrangements, but at the last minute it all worked out and the Denning-Neil-Beckstein families joyfully celebrated the first wedding of the next generation of the Neil family.  Several of Oliver’s family and many of his friends came to the US for the festivities, which were a combination of American and German traditions.  While they are currently living in Baltimore, Elizabeth and Oliver are moving to the Phoenix area where Oliver will begin teaching at Arizona State University in Tempe and developing a research lab in biophysics. 

Living in Chicago, Eva bemoaned the lack of lush green grass into which she could sink her feet, and in October moved back to Dexter.  She had really enjoyed working as a bridal consultant, but because the business was somewhat cyclical she supplemented her income working as a nanny and doing contract graphic design work.  She did take advantage of opportunities to travel to the Bahamas and to Key West during the year; if it’s a new and exotic locale, she’s ready to go!  Now, back in Dexter, she’s excited to have found a position she loves as assistant manager at The Buckle store in Ann Arbor, and is happy to be on  a managerial career path.  Before she left Chi-town, I took advantage of the free couch space and visited in September when my college roommate Deb Fetters McLane was in town.  Deb and I had a delightful visit while Eva was at work. 

In August, Tommy also returned to Dexter.  He has chosen to change schools and switch majors, and is now considering Music Education.  This year he was the senior member of the Field Staff of the Dexter High School band camp, and during the fall he assisted at marching band practices.  Tom and I both talked with the Dexter High School band director, Ken Moore, about his contemplated change of plans, and Ken was very enthusiastic.  Before classes began this fall, Ty worked for our church as a member of the grounds and cemetery maintenance crews.  It was fun to have him around during the workday. 

Earlier this summer, he went on tour in Illinois and Iowa with Tree Hut Kings, the rock group with which he had toured last year.  Now he’s playing in a group named Dirty Deville with some guys he’s known for years from the Dexter area. 

Our three-car garage now sports a service bay; Tom was thrilled to have a lift from a defunct Chrysler plant installed so he can work more easily on his ‘47 Plymouth (and the household cars as well.)  I find that it serves nicely as a mug stand when I’m leaving the house in the morning with my arms full, coffee cup in hand and I have to close the door behind me.  The ‘47 developed an electrical problem that took much of the summer to diagnose, only getting on the road in early August.  That was time enough to tick one of the items off my “bucket list” — to be in a parade.  We joined the line of classic cars in the Dexter Daze parade in mid-August, and I had a ball waving and tossing candy.  Tom good-naturedly bore with me (though no doubt he was a tad embarrassed.)  Can’t wait until parade season next year!   

                Aside from working on his car, Tom did spend time on his motorcycle, though not as much as he would have liked.  Seems like family and work schedules (and the weather) precluded him riding very often.  He did take a week’s trip to STAR Days again this year in July, which was held in Madison WI, and continues to serve as the STAR Motorcycle state director. 

My 40th (!!!) high school reunion was held in August back in Oil City.  It sure is hard to believe that four decades have passed; I am frozen in my mind’s eye as being 16 or 17.  The marvelous thing about the friends of your youth is that your friendships aren’t based on what you do or where you’ve been; you’re friends simply because you are.  Jean Deemer Gilmore once again had a slumber party for our group of 7 friends, and while we didn’t manage to stay up all night (which several of us did 10 years ago!) several of us did last until 5am. 

Following the reunion I headed up to Chautauqua, NY for a few days in the quaint lakeside Victorian community.  I had absolutely glorious weather and a wonderfully restful and entertaining time.  Tom joined me for dinner as he passed through the area on a business trip which was a pleasant addition to my mini-vacation.

He and I went to Mackinac Island in September and stayed at the Grand Hotel for a few days.  Sitting on the enormous front porch, looking out over the Straits of Mackinac where Lake Huron and Lake Michigan meet, offered quite the respite.  I can now say I’ve been “up north,” finally getting beyond the Christmas shopping destination of Bronner’s in Frankenmuth after living in Michigan for almost 15 years!

In October we once more celebrated with Dad and Claire on the occasion of their 10th wedding anniversary.  In 2001 when asked why the rush to get married after a whirlwind courtship of only a few short weeks, Dad had said, “We’re 80!”  At the rate they’re going, we may be happily gathering again in 2021 to rejoice at their 20th anniversary!

Work for me has seemed to be more hectic than ever, and my office is a testament to that.  It seems no matter how hard I try to get organized, it still looks like an egg beater went through the room.  Life in a parish office is constantly busy as we deal with people, womb to tomb; a person has to be able to juggle multiple tasks while smiling all the time.  But I continue to thrive on the chaos and love the people I work with and the 4300+ souls for whom I work.

My latest hobby is playing Lexulous online, a version of Scrabble in which each player has 8 tiles rather than 7 on the rack.  Now if I could only exercise while playing!  Didn’t hit the links as often as I would have liked (see preceding paragraph!) this year, though always had a good time when I did.  There’s always next year …

And on that note, our wish for your next year is a year of God’s blessings, full of peace, joy, happiness, good health and much contentment.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!