Thursday, March 23, 2017

2016 Holiday Newsletter

Holiday greetings from Bob and Betsy!

Welcome to another edition of the intermittently published Blichmann/Bond family newsletter.  Alway keep your audience guessing, I suppose.  It’s been a pleasantly eventful year (or so) for our team.

The big news close to home is that Bob retired in October.  Some people have trouble filling their time when they retire. Bob is not that kind of guy, and claims (grumbles?) that his days are perhaps even busier now that he’s not punching the clock.  Gone are reasons to put off projects, so rooms are getting painted, shrubs are getting planted in the yard, and food is getting procured and cooked. The challenge may be to mix in some actual fun stuff.  Those bikes aren’t going to pedal themselves!

The other big news is that Nathaniel married Lindsey Woodmansee in November.  The newlyweds met at summer camp when they were in high school, so the wedding had a fun camping/outdoors theme.  It was held down in Gainesville, FL, where they live.  The ceremony was held outside at a nature center affiliated with the University of Florida.  The venue even supplied a real alligator to keep an eye on things. It was a beautiful ceremony, and we had a great time meeting lots of new people.  We are especially happy to have Lindsey officially added to our family.  

Betsy got a big ol’ pickup truck last summer.  It’s a red and white 1988 Ford F150.  V8, 4-wheel drive, standard transmission, marginal climate control, bad radio, the works.  Its purpose in life is to get us to trailheads, which are not always off the best roads.  And to haul garden stuff.  Betsy looks good in it, and always turns heads when driving it around. The truck’s name is Harriet.  Harriet is a thirsty girl.  

Betsy also continues her extreme knitting pursuits, focusing mainly on sweaters, shawls, and socks.   She is currently serving as President of the Charlotte Knitting Guild, our local organization for folks involved in the fiber arts.  

Nathaniel is presently back in school, studying Occupational Therapy.  Paul is still in up in Madison, WI, and enjoys playing tuba in various local concert and brass bands.

Our two pet rabbits, Mr. Skippy and Zeela, continue to be healthy, happy, good looking, smart, and popular. All that in addition to contributing to the best compost in town.

Because of the planning for Nathaniel’s wedding, we took more trips to Florida than to Michigan this year.  We did make it up North for a long weekend in July.  Bob took a big solo road trip, circumnavigating Lake Michigan, to visit family right after he retired.  

We hope you are enjoying the holiday season.  

Here’s to a fun, productive, and meaningful 2017!