It was an amazing year, with so much change. There’s a summary on the top left if you want to wrap up quickly. To open though, while we have had a great year, of course, there are many others dealing with tragedies like the loss of a loved one or recent cancer diagnosis and we see you and understand how the holidays can amplify those strong emotions. Reach out. It’s okay to say “I’m not doing so well”.
Just before Christmas, for the first time in a long while, we hosted an ambitious Christmas Party that was great great fun before nipping off to Lake Placid, NY, for a very snowy and chilled New Year’s Eve and a few days after. Home of the epic 1980 Olympics, this charming little town is well worth a visit. January wrapped up with our first even post season game with the Houston Texans. They didn’t progress but the rookie year for the new QB portends well for future years. Callie is back to Aberdeen but almost immediately takes two of her flatmates off to Toulouse for about a week to stay with our longtime friends David and Linda. February was ushered in by an almost annual trip for Matt to meet Simon and attend one England 6 Nations game, plus added treats like a Whiskey Tasting and a visit to the shrine of Edward the Martyr. By the end of the month, the three of us were on our way to Wanaka to stay for the first time in our finished (but not entirely furnished) Wanaka Home.
That takes us in to March and includes the enjoyable Wanaka Show with Jack Russell Race, and then Jeab almost immediately jetting off to Bangkok to bring her Mum back for 3 months. Callie is home by end March too and we are all together for April for the Eclipse (impressive even on our cloudy day) and Gabby’s 2nd Grade Campout. Matt and Jean take some time to see the Rolling Stones and their fav comedian, Nate Bargatze, and Callie is soon back for her last term at Aberdeen that will see her find and move in to a flat with two friends in time for the summer and her second year. Matt signals his intent to retire
May brings a number of key moments. Gabby turns 8 and has her BFFs over for a pool/slumber party, Callie returns from Aberdeen, and one of two destructive storms sweep through Houstons, felling trees, sadly killing many, and leaving us without power for a week. Thanks to Nan and Note, Lynn and Tanes, and Chris and Janet for opening their homes and AC while we waited for repairs.
June kicks off Gabby’s robotics team that will take her through to a competition with Lego robots in 2025 and Matt official retires following a very moving and enjoyable party with current and former coworkers. Sadly, we also learned of the passing of our dear friend Mike Tierney. Jean took her mum back to Thailand and the rest of us headed over to Healdsburg, CA, in early July first time in our finished (but not entirely furnished) Wanaka Home.
Our full month in NZ was incredible as we had time to more fully explore the area around Wanaka, host the son of a friend of Matt’s and host Callie’s flat mate Katie (Callie took her to Bungee amongst other adventures).. We researched more about what moving to NZ might look like (turns out, not that easy or desirable at this time), had a wonderful side trip to Mt Cook, and had a number of wonderful catch up with old friends Linzi and Brian. We were very lucky to not be in Houston when yet another serious weather event knocked out power again for a week.
As we enter August, we get in the Olympics, a high point of which was watching our friends’s, Warren and Lin, daughter Maia compete in the US fencing team, something she’s been working towards for many many years. As much as we love Wanaka, it was time to get back to Houston for 3rd Grade for Gabby, although Callie and Katie would stay another week..Once rejoined with Callie in Houston, Gabby is back to school and Jeab and Callie head over to California to spend some quiet reflective time in Healdsburg with Kathy followed by a quick visit to see our Olympian Maia and her parents Warren and Lin.
September means back to Uni for Callie and once again, the Dad-Daughter Road Trip, this time via The Lake District on the way up. Matt took the long way back, with Aber Geo Reunion in Holmfirth, over night with Sandy and Greg in Great Missenden, a long weekend care of Kipling and Steve in Norwich, and several days exploring and reunioning in London thanks to Wuri and Jason
October saw a rapid hand over from Matt coming back and Jeab taking off. This time with her friend Frances Williams, first to see Callie in Aberdeen, then all to Edinburgh to meet Frances’ daughter, then Callie goes back to Aberdeen and the rest off to Italy where Maddie as on semester abroad. Jeab and Frances were wonderfully hosted by Sandy and Doug Kypfer a few hours north of Rome, then back to Rome to visit with Maddie. Gabby and Matt go a see the wonderful Gold Over America Tour with Simon Biles et al. Very exhilarating and entertaining.
We’re all (3 of us) back together for November where Gabby and her friends perform at the Loy Krathong celebration at the Thai Temple we go to and the once more to the airport for a two week jaunt the UK. This time, three wonderful days in York, then driving through a wintry borderland to Kelso to meet Fran and Jez, then convoying up to Aberdeen for the Thanksgiving week in Aberdeen. In addition to visiting with Callie and her friends, we had a lovely meal with the Byrnes and Pressneys and met the Forbes. All too soon, we were heading south to Norwich to be hosted by Kipling and Steve Grady then back to Houston.
December always seems a little frantic and Callie, in addition to completing term finals, won gold in her first skating contest and Gabby did her second piano recital At the time of writing, we are a day away from Callie returning, then we are off to Vegas and Flagstaff for a week. 2025 looks to be interesting one too, as after 38 years away, Matt (and Jeab and Gabby) will be returning to live, for the next several years at least, in the UK. Aberdeen to be precise. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!
Gabriella, Calliana, Jeab and Matt
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