Dear Friends and Family,
When Steve “retired” from Insitu in April of last year, very few thought he would last 6 months without returning to the workforce. But after 18 months of sabbatical, he has confounded us all, proving he can be as successful enjoying himself without a salary as with one, although that may soon be changing.
Our first full winter at our Arizona house brought us lots of visitors from colder climes, curious to see our new place. We hosted 44 different individuals, in different groupings for different lengths of time, and loved playing host and hostess to so many friends. Steve showed off his new cooking skills, and Nancy introduced almost every visitor to her new favorite massage, Asian reflexology.
We left Arizona somewhat reluctantly in early May, then immediately departed for two full weeks in Europe on a whirlwind tour of Austria with our Viennese friends, with some time in northern Italy, Prague, and Bratislava thrown in for good measure (link). Verona, Italy was our favorite place, and we’d love to go back and just hang out there some day.
Then it was off to Tennessee in June to celebrate Nancy’s mother’s 85th birthday, which she richly deserved after undergoing heart valve replacement surgery in March. We threw her a big gala party in a local hotel ballroom, with music, friends, and lots of food, and Alma looked so elegant in her long mauve dress and diamond tiara (link). Some of her friends came from quite a distance to help her celebrate. We made sure that the many pictures were collected into an album for her. She really treasures the memories.
On our return, we spent almost a week in Camarillo, California, doing recurrency training in our TBM aircraft (link). Nancy’s friend and flying buddy Marcie was able to join us, which prepared Nancy and Marcie nicely for their next adventure – flying the TBM to Rhode Island for the 99s International Convention (link). Their friends Pat Gregory and outgoing 99s president Susan Larson were able to join them for the trip for added camaraderie. Nancy particularly enjoyed the side excursions to Mystic Seaport (by car) and Brunswick, Maine (by plane) for sightseeing and visiting friends. Nancy lived in Brunswick as a child when her dad was stationed there. The base is now decommissioned, so she was able to land on the same airfield her dad flew from.
Steve was not to be left out of the flying adventures, as he and his brother Dave flew the Ximango motorglider to Minden for the annual Touring Motor Glider Association fly-in (link). Steve’s motorglider won the judges award. He has been serving as the volunteer webmaster for the group which he has used to polish his programming skills (www.TouringMotorgliders.org).
After barely a week back in White Salmon, we left again, together this time, for our 4th annual east coast trip, visiting friends and family, and also accommodating a speech Steve had been asked to give at NASA Langley. It was a pleasure to reconnect with NASA friends we hadn’t seen for quite a long time.
After another month back in White Salmon, we’ve relocated to Arizona again, where we expect to spend the remainder of the winter.
During all this traveling, Steve has been investigating the possibility of leading a new start-up. He has been orchestrating partnerships and potential venture capital, and if launch conditions occur, he should be ready to activate it in early 2013. He’s also been working out and getting in shape, and has recently shown an inclination to take up golf.
Nancy, meanwhile, continues to travel, manage the households, and pursue her interests in faith, flying, and alternative wellness strategies. She occasionally thinks about writing, but so far has ably avoided actually putting pen to paper.
Rich and Tabitha continue in Seattle, with Rich still working for Amazon. He is now tasked with a pilot project of warehouse automation, and works very long hours, much to Tabitha’s dismay. Tabitha herself is not only working as a consultant in efficiency organizing and project management, but also is taking classes toward graduate studies in nutritional science. We sincerely enjoyed hosting them in Arizona for Thanksgiving, where they could soak up some sunshine to compensate for Seattle’s gray winter.
Pixie and Angel turned 10 this year, and are finally showing a little gray around their muzzles. They are slowing down a bit in their playtime, but remain, as always, loving and cuddly. Casper is still with us, at 16 or 17, although his eyes are getting somewhat opaque and his kidney enzymes are not what they used to be. All three continue to be a joy in our lives.
Our guest rooms in Arizona remain ever at the ready, just begging to be booked. Please consider a visit!
Love and joy come to you, and a Merry Christmas too!
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| Nancy poses with friends GiGi and Peter prior to a trip abou Vienna in Peter’s Bentley. | Nancy and Marcie Smith complete their annual recurrency training in our TBM turboprop. | Brother Dave and Steve pilot their Ximango Motor Glider over Lake Tahoe in July. |
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| Nancy and her flying buddies take the TBM across the country in July for a 99’s meeting in Providence. | Steve is invited back to NASA Langley (where he started his professional career) to give a talk on “Aeronautical Entrepreneuring.” | Pixie and Angel are caught napping together on our bed. Casper the cat just escaped this picture. |
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