Happy New Year

Better Late Than Never!

The New Year has begun and we are already busy, busy. Look at the date-Jan 24th! Catching up is hard to do when I can't remember where I was yesterday!

House-We are freezing up here in the Northwest, so all projects are on hold. We are still hoping to finish the kitchen cabinets, but again our events and activities are always in the way. We did decide to finish the outside garden room into an extra guest room for those real overflow people. We are hoping to have lots of company next Christmas so we will need the room, even if Jim and I go to the boat again. We'll paint the floor, finish the walls and maybe put down carpet to help with insulation. We have an electric radiator for heat, so if we do have to put someone out there, they won't freeze right away! The project sounds like so much fun, I can't wait for the weather to warm up so we can begin. We have a futon couch for sleeping, and we'll need to improve the lighting, but the space will be very nice and cozy.

Boat: Jim keeps checking on the Karen Marie II. She floats and is doing OK in the cold weather. We are already making plans to go on lots of cruises this summer. We'll have to work around my meeting schedules, but we are excited about it. We are trying to coordinate the Oak Harbor Yacht Club, the Power Sqd and WINSA, the Whidbey Island Naval Sailing Association schedules. We could cruise every week starting in April. That's a little early for us, but there is a Power Sqd activity in March that we may go to in LaConner, and we may take the boat over for that. It'll probably be cold, but we can plug in and run a heater for warmth. Can't wait for our days on the water to get here.

Family: Everybody is doing fine. Libby is off in Leavenworth this weekend, skiing in two different places . Her business still does well, and she has a trip planned for England in Feb with a side trip to Paris. She is gone more than she is home, so her Jan schedule when we had her here most of the month was a treat. Missy is doing very well at Norco Community College. She got tenure-did I say that before? They continue to love the great hot tub they put in with their pool. After the fires they were scraping the black soot off of everything, including the pool, but when we were there in Thanksgiving it was wonderful. The tub will hold at least 6 people, so it is a gathering place whenever people go there to visit. Meg is wonderful, but a normal 12 going on 30 tweener! Jim's nephew, Brett Wagner, is at the Sundance Film Festival where he is showing his short film, Chief. This is a wonderful chance for him. We are anxiously awaiting any news.

Church: We are still meeting in the small chapel across the street from the big building. We hope this year we will be given permission to make other arrangements. No telling, the group could decide they don't want to be in Oak Harbor any more! We always feel pinched for space and uneasy about our location, but we have a full schedule of church activities. I am busy being on the Altar Guild, Chair of the Liturgy Committee and the WebMaster. On top of that, I am the Secretary of the Standing Committee for the Diocese. And, I just signed up to start EFM, a study program for laity out of the seminary in Sewanee. Like I need another thing! Jim continues as the Junior Warden. Right now he doesn't have much to do since we don't have a facility, but one day he may have more to do. We are busy but we are keeping up.

Knitting: I am finishing a few projects for friends, shawls and other things. It has been a real challenge to stay focussed over the holidays. I bought a Knitting Machine. A small inexpensive one, but I plan to knit squares and sew them together for blankets for the homeless. I have a great book, Knitting For Peace, that lists all sorts of projects from blankets to socks to chemo caps. I am knitting a chemo cap for a friend's sister right now. As soon as I am finished with that project, I am going to go full out on the yarn I have for those blankets. My stash has not gone down! I have the yarn to knit a felted bag for my rector sitting there waiting for attention. I have enough for two sweaters, I have shawls and more shawls and more shawls to knit, and I have 1/2 a sock finished. Sounds normal, huh?

Us: Jim and I have been on the Protein Power Diet for a month. We have lost weight and we feel so much better. We'll continue on for many more months. Last night we ate at the local Japanese restaurant and had Teppan Yaki. We loved the vegies and meats and watching the chef chop and slice. And, it was all on the diet, since we didn't eat the rice. We also found out you can get a Healthy Diet Menu at Olive Garden, and they have lighter meals listed with calories, fat and carbs listed. All of this is good to know so we can go out now and then.

Early Feb we are off to SoCal for a visit with the kids and Grandma Wagner and Super Bowl Sunday with Scott's family. I'll stop off on the way home to see old college friends. Jim's going to the Seattle Boat Show on Jan 28. He loves it! I may or may not go. To me it's the same thing as standing around a car sales lot, kicking the tires. I can take a book or knitting and sit at the Power Sqd table. Maybe I'll go. Next month I hope my message is a little sooner. Great plans and all that. Hope your new year is going well and you are staying warm. All the best, The Whidbey Wagners