As I prepared to write this letter, I reread these words I wrote a year ago... "Thanksgiving is over, the calendar says it is early December, but it feels anything but like Christmas or late fall in Wisconsin. The sun is shinning and today the temperature is in the mid-fifties, again. Perhaps we moved and no one told us?!? Hmmm.... wonder if we will have a white Christmas?" I find I could make only two changes in the sentence from last year. The sun is not shining today. It is overcast but not really gloomy and the temp is closer to 40 than 50, but I am not complaining, I like it like that.

The Lord continues to bless and enriched us. We were able to travel to New York twice in 1999 and found our parent's in good health. Paul's mother still is able to live independently in her own apartment in Allegheny. She now has a computer and is on-line so we are able to "talk" quite a few times a week. It is so nice to be able to "reach out and touch" each other more regularly.

We were honored to have my mother, father and brother, Scott, visit us in June. An energy fair is held in the Steven's Point area (about 45 minutes from us) and for several years Scott has wanted to attend. This was the year and he brought mom and dad with him. We had such a great time. At least I thought so. Paul and Scott went to the fair the first day. The folks and I later drove down. It was most interesting. They had a world map up at the front gate and each person was asked to mark on the map where they were from. There were markers from all over the world... including one marker in the middle of the southern Pacific ocean. There were many displays about alternative energy and life styles, in addition to the many lectures one could attend.

Unlike Scott, the rest of us did not spend all our time at the fair. One day we went to the Marathon County Library (county's have the library system here... not individual towns) and did some genealogy with mom. We discovered that a couple of great-greats came to the Schofield area from sw NY and for about a year or so ran a lumber mill on the Wausau & Eau Clair rivers. (These two rivers meet about one mile from our home.) They later sold the mill to Dr. Schofield who was the architect for Schofield and moved to the Steven's Point area. It was a fun morning looking through the histories, each one finding something different to share.

I undertook a couple of new projects this past year as the opportunities presented themselves. I took a beginning sign-language "class" offered to people in our church by one of our regular attenders. I guess you could say I decided to learn a foreign language. I can finger spell most everything (very slowly) but have a very limited vocabulary of words I can remember how to sign. Laurie, our "instructor" is studying signing at a local school. She made the class most interesting, sometimes we would sign to one another, one class she would not let us speak for the first hour, another class she brought some other people who signed to "converse" (haha) with us and we watched some video tapes of nursery rhymes done entirely in sign. Our little group was not able to get past the initial three months as we all began to run into scheduling conflicts. Perhaps the door will open for us to resume, but not at this time for me.

My other project has been basket weaving. (I know, I was already a basket case to start... maybe that is why I have enjoyed it so much.) A couple of women in our church are great basket weavers and they have started a class to instruct in weaving. I love it. I have made five baskets this year. Judy holds the classes at her home and Diane teaches us. They both have made such beautiful baskets and are so creative. The one thing I really enjoy the most is being able to just go, make the basket, visit with one another and come home with a completed basket. I only have to buy just the material to make the basket for that class. I really don't think it is something I would do at home, and I know if I brought material home to work alone, it would just sit. Watch my web page over the next month, Paul promises to get pictures of the baskets on it.

As I write this letter I realize that I have been busier than I thought. On top of all the previous projects I have gotten involved with I basically have worked "full-time" since the end of June when I was called by the City of Wausau to work in the Water Utilities Department to cover a vacancy. Well, other than three days in October, I have been working there four hours in the morning, and then putting in my other half day at church. The job with the Water Utilities ended in November, but I went immediately into the Treasurer's office, where I usually work in December & January. And of course, on top of all that, I still have Lady and rode most regularly.

The farm where I was boarding her finally sold this spring and the most delightful people, Bob and Crystal LaPean purchased it. The Lord sent me such a special gift in my friendship with Crystal... and Bob. All summer long, myself and one other horse owner who very rarely rides, Brumby's owner, were the only boarders at the farm and thus, Crystal and I got to do a lot a riding together. Lady now has her own very special friend Jewel, another Appaloosa mare. I have never seen her get so buddy buddy with another horse as she has with Jewel. Crystal has another horse, a buckskin gelding called Buck. In September two other people came to board with us. Joyce moved her two horses, Buddy, an Appaloosa gelding, and Ranger, a Quarter Horse gelding who is about as old as the hills. Then Deb moved in with her Andrew, a big TB/Arab cross gelding. The barn is now full and what a delightful group we are.

We called a new pastor this year, Rev. Kim Swenson. He, and his wife Vicki, and their three children came to us from upper Minnesota in July. We still have our youth pastor, Brad on staff, however, in January he goes from being a part-time youth pastor to a three-quarter time youth/outreach pastor. Things are certainly hopping at Bethany. People in and out, events going on... new and old. They certainly are keeping me on my toes. It is a good thing.

Paul abides. (He says this statement says it all.)

It is so hard to believe. This, my friends, will be our last letter to you this century. However, I give thanks to the Lord for you and how you have touched our lives. God bless.