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CHRISTMAS 2024
“We all have broken places, but we can still be like the sun. When we shine our light onto someone through their broken places, they come to life in a new way – they feel seen, that much less alone…..and so do we!”~ revised from Maria Shriver
Dear Friends,
This has been an especially challenging year in many ways, but also one filled with many blessings. The highlights of the year were two international trips, one with my travel buddy, Nancy from Chicago, to the Greek Islands and Turkey, and one with my six adult children to the Algarve in Portugal. However, the most memorable time for me was the upending experience of two major hurricanes within two weeks of one another, especially when the eye was directly over Siesta Key on the beach where I live. I am sure many of you saw the reports on all the news stations. I also endured a second bout of covid, a car accident that was not my fault, and being a nomad for 60+ days. “We all fall and rise. Over and over. Life’s a roller coaster. And what a beautiful ride it is!” ~ Drew Barrymore
Greek Islands: In April we traveled with Silver Sea which is an extraordinary luxury all-inclusive cruise line where we even had our own butler who dressed in tails every night! The ship was small with about 400 passengers and an equal number of staff, so we were well cared for. The highlights for us both were Mykonos, Santorini and Ephesus. Santorini was one of the most romantic places I have ever been, and the history at Ephesus was almost overwhelming – just actually standing in the amphitheater where Paul preached to 20,000 people was thrilling. On the evening we were there they had a lovely string concert on the steps of the 3- story ruins of the largest library in the world at the time. Small tables were set with flowers, candles, wine and hors d’oeuvres surrounded by spectacular lighting, One of the interesting things we learned was that at that time the men built a secret passageway underground from the library to the brothel, so at night they would tell their wives, “We are going to do some reading at the library.” Some things never change! 😉
Portugal: I bid on a trip to Portugal for a villa for 6 adults at a fundraiser in December. Since I had had to cancel a trip to Portugal in September because of getting covid the day before we were leaving, this seemed like a wonderful substitute. I called all my kids and everyone was excited about a trip in June. Our 3 bedroom, 3 bath villa was gorgeous, set up on a cliff overlooking the village of Carvoeiro. From the huge porch in front we could watch all the boats go by and the sunsets over the Mediterranean. We even had our own saltwater pool in the gardens up some steps in the back. The Algarve is the southern section of the country where there are many beaches and caves, so we explored several of them by boat, snorkeled and swam. We also rented a car and drove to several other towns and beaches in the area. We had fresh seafood every night (lots of octopus), and everything was unbelievably cheap! Our most expensive meal for 6 adults with appetizers, seafood entrees, bottles of water and several bottles of wine was $180 Euros (about $200). We all want to go back!
August / September: I attended the National Speakers Association in Denver in early August and came home and got Covid. Later in the month I traveled to Washington, DC, for the Veteran Speakers Retreat where I was asked to be the chairman of the Trustees in 2025-26. A week after I got home, I was doing errands and had stopped on the inside lane at a red light. When it changed, a Ford F-150 truck in the turn lane next to me decided to go straight and did not see my little car so turned right into me and pushed me over into the next lane. No one was hurt except my neck, but there was a lot of hassle getting the insurance taken care of. Even though the damage was all cosmetic, they wanted to total my car (which I LOVE!) I was fortunate in the end to find a body shop to fix it for half the cost and I got to keep my little red Lexus hard top convertible, the first car I have ever bought!
Hurricanes: On September 24 everyone on the island was mandated to evacuate because Hurricane Helene was coming…..and it is now December 21st and I am still not able to be in my condo! The elevator was fried by the water and we are still waiting for parts. I live on the 10th floor (20 flights of stairs) and my knees will just not take that climb. Helene caused an 8 foot storm surge and 4 feet of water in all our storage units (I lost everything). All the villas which are a part of our association will take months to repair because of water damage. Cars were floating and destroyed. In our parking lot there was a railroad car filled with heavy equipment from work on the building. Unbelievably, the power of the surge moved it 300 feet! Then two weeks later Milton hit with a 12 foot storm surge and caused even more damage. Over all these weeks I have stayed in hotels, with friends in Indiana, Savannah and San Diego, with family in Portland, OR, and now in a little “borrowed” condo in another part of Sarasota. I just want to go HOME!!!! However, I am so grateful to be alive and safe and especially for the many friends from all over the world who have offered help, places to stay, support, and prayers.
Family: The greatest blessing of all is my family, both my professional family, my chosen family, and my blood family. My granddaughter, Kinsey, a cancer survivor, is in her second year of a 5 year doctorate in CA to work with children who have cancer. My grandson, Gavin, loves working on cars in California. My son, Garrett, from Seattle has left Amazon, loves his new hobby of rowing, and is searching for a tech startup to have fun while Ashley continues to teach and ride in competitions with their horse, Rally. Grandson Owen from Portland is in his second year of college and just saved enough money to buy his first car. Simon is a HS senior and a star soccer player. He is hoping to get a scholarship to play in college. Randy continues his freelance website work, and Gretchen continues managing online sales for several boutiques. They are all huge soccer fans! Erin is enjoying her fashion business and is representing a number of new lines, several made in Europe. She stays busy with her kitties and traveling to shows all over the country.
I am still working a bit, though doing very little marketing. I will be speaking in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, and Seattle in December for Seattle Boat and then staying out there for Christmas with my children. I was just asked to be on the Board for Tidewell Hospice in Sarasota and continue with Designing Women, Guideposts, and Lead Like Jesus Boards. I am so very grateful for my faith, my Book Group, my Bible Study group, and my precious family and friends all over the world. You have certainly made a difference in my life. This holiday season I am praying mightily for PEACE in our country and in our world. May 2025 be a time filled with learning, sharing, and joy for each one of you. Thank you for being a part of my life. Merry Christmas!
Blessings,
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