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Christmas Greetings 2014 from the Hopkins
Wishing you and those you love
all the joy that is Christmas!
It was a busy 2014 for Rich & Susan. We started the year setting aggressive goals; sell 3 cars, 2 houses, and a bicycle, and buy a new car. As we tally the results, we devoted a lot of effort towards these goals, but our accomplishments disappoint. We did sell Rich’s Mom’s car, but the old Camaro will have to wait until next summer. And we are still trying to select a new car to replace our 1996 Maxima. We sold the rental house Rich purchased in 1982 in July, but are still preparing Rich’s Mom’s house to sell. And that extra 10 speed bike, well, we didn’t even get photos taken for a listing on Craigslist.
We started preparing our rental house for sale in July 2013. Working about 20 - 30 hours per week, we completed painting and preparing the exterior just before Thanksgiving 2013. This year we started on the interior and worked through June. We formally listed the house in mid-July. Ten days later reviewed 3 offers over our asking price. The sale closed August 21. We were ecstatic just knowing that we wouldn’t have to spend another day working on that house. Progress comes slowly; one house sold, and one to go.
Rich's Mom
Last December 30th, Rich’s Mom had a stroke and was hospitalized for 4 weeks. This left her with paralysis in her left leg, arm and hand, and unable to live alone. She embraced physical therapy and was making great progress. After 6 weeks she was able to live in her apartment alone –with family help. In June, Margaret had a second stroke several days after breast cancer surgery. She spent 3 weeks in the hospital before returning to her apartment. The stroke reset her previous paralysis gains back to zero, and she required 24 x 7 assistance. After 2 weeks at her apartment, she regressed even further and was admitted to a rehabilitation facility in mid-July. She stayed there for 6 weeks. She still required assistance to dress, bath and use the restroom, so we moved her to a new apartment in an assisted living facility. Her health has stabilized, but she has very little use of her left arm and grip with her hand due to paralysis. She can walk very slowly with a walker, but often uses a wheel chair.
All of this occurred while we were trying to empty her house of a lifetime of possessions and list it for sale. This is the house we moved her out of in June 2013. Getting it empty has been stressful for everyone. Seeing how difficult it can be has inspired us to start emptying our own house now. More Craigslist ads to come! We made 8 trips to Salem this year, spending over 6 weeks there. The last was for the Hopkins family Thanksgiving. More trips will be needed next year before her house can be listed for sale. The target listing date has moved to March 2015.
Susan's Mom
Susan’s Mom continues living at home, thanks to the efforts of family members doing household and yard work. The non-diabetic neuropathy in her feet and legs has worsened. It is difficult for her to stand for very long. We hope a recent increase in medication will provide some relief. Irma will soon have 4 great grand-children. Granddaughter Tara had a son in July. Grandson Joey and wife Mallory are having a baby in January. We will spend 2 weeks with Irma over Christmas; baking, cooking, cleaning, and preparing for 34 family guests.
A March vacation
It was a hectic and stressful year for us. Fortunately, we had prepaid for a 3 ½ week vacation. It started in March with a week in Puerto Rico with 21 of our best friends –some of which were celebrating milestone birthdays. We quickly acclimated to Hawaii type beaches and even warmer water. Then it was time to catch a ship for a 7 day cruise of the Caribbean. Stops included islands of St Thomas, Barbados, St Lucia, and St Maarten before returning to Puerto Rico. With sunny weather, warm ocean waters, wonderful friends and abundant rum punch, this was the highlight event of our year. On the way home, we flew to Orlando to spend 8 days with Rich’s brother Ron and his family. Naturally, it included a trip to Disney World, where we were joined by Susan’s sister Sondra and her family. But, our group outing to beaches in St Petersburg was dampened by heavy rains.
A summer trip to Susan's home
In early June, we flew to Evansville to spend 2 weeks with Susan’s Mom and family. Susan's family is doing well, and most returned home for the event. We helped out by picking and freezing 10 gallons of cherries, shelling pecans, weeding and mowing the yard, and numerous other tasks. We took a day off to meet friends Dan and Kathy Wickard in Greenville, KY. We toured the Corvette museum and factory – both are great attractions. Rich hoped Susan might fall in love with a corvette and end our on-going car search. But even after a ride in Dan’s new and amazing corvette, Susan’s delicate back said “no”.
Susan’s sister Louise, and brother-in-law Bob, came to visit us in early July prior to their departing on a cruise to Alaska. Niece Sara (their daughter) treated us all to a wonderful July 4th meal while we watched spectacular fireworks from our deck. The city launches its display about ½ mile away.
Other travels
In mid-July, we attended the annual Anderson family gathering at Lake Mayfield. Besides the usual Washington state relatives, families of Rich’s brother Alan (from Salem) and Ron (from Orlando) also attended. It is a unique opportunity to visit with everyone and get caught up. And use our kayak.
In September, while Rich worked in Salem, Susan made a trip to Chicago to visit her brother Alan, Lori and their girls. The weather was beautiful; they got in some long walks, and made smores in the backyard fire pit.
Our activities
Susan required physical therapy sessions after too much painting, pulling up carpet, etc. in our rental house. Her body is just not as forgiving as it used to be. In spite of the aches and pain, she managed to snow shoe and kayak a few times. She even shot a hockey puck into the goal from center ice to win a free turkey just before Thanksgiving. Not bad for a 64 year old.
Susan stays busy with regular commitments; volunteer work in a Children’s Hospital guild, a scripture study group at church, and a book club (although this is more fun than work). She enjoys knitting in her spare time The young lady she mentored through school lost her Mom this year. At age 19, she has no immediate family. Please pray for Nitsa.
Our events limited Rich’s kayak outings. But he enjoyed attending several MLS soccer games, cheering on Seattle’s Sounders team. He also watched Seattle’s Seahawk football games more regularly – possibly a side effect of co-managing a fantasy football team with Susan. We made it into the fantasy playoffs. Or maybe because they are reigning Super Bowl Champions.
Rich continues operating his financial planning business out of our home. It is a hobby as much as a job. He invests at least an hour each day reading to keep current on investment products and strategies, global economics, and the unavoidable politics. An added chore this year was replacing all its computers – now that Microsoft has frozen their XP product. It required much more time than anticipated, and is still on going.
Ending the year
We return to Evansville in mid-December for Christmas with Susan’s family. Upon returning to Seattle, we will drive to Salem after the New Year for the Hopkins Christmas.
We started the year with visions completing our sales goals by mid 2014, and spending the rest of the year on leisure travel and exploring retirement’s golden life. I guess it wasn’t meant to be. We anticipate buying a new car by February and hope to have sold the remaining items by mid 2015 – including some additional collections from our own basement.
Wishing you a season filled with wonder, a new year bright with promise…
Rich and Susan
Merry Christmas
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