Christmas 2009

Dear family and friends,

I’d planned to sit down and write this letter in the hospital while Brian was having surgery. But like the year that was, it just didn’t work out. There’s just no way to put any kind of a spin on the news for us – or the country, for that matter. This year sucked. Ok, it did have some bright spots, but mostly it felt like we all just somehow endured. I guess that’s the brightest spot, right?

So here’s the rundown on the Edwardses of Oregon:

• Brian (I’ll start with him because the surgery thing probably has you all on pins and needles). His year has been especially eventful. After much thought and a fair amount of prodding from his family, Brian decided to close Northwest Clean Gear. With the exception of his loyal horse people, the Northwest just didn’t seem hot to have clean gear. Fortunately there is still a market for top-notch PRing and Brian delivers on that front through the small agency he’s been working for – McKenzie Worldwide. They’ve got a blog and are about there with their new website. He also did a fair amount of dirt-biking which resulted in the aforementioned surgery. He broke his wrist in October and decided after weeks of online research (which garnered him “most informed patient” honors from his doctor) to get it X-rayed. Turns out it was a reverse Barton fracture that required a plate to be attached to his radius. We’re hoping to have it paid off before we retire (retire, now that’s a good one!).
  

• I’m still doing Cedar Mill Communications and still loving my work and my clients. This year I added script-writing to the translation editing and business writing I do. They’re not what you’d call griping; most are for businesses looking to tell the world about what they do. Scripts have ranged from the maker of bendable DVDs (you can mail those babies and they won’t break) to bed bugs (yep, they’re out there in a hotel near you!). I’m still teaching English to my Germans – mostly the frauen of Daimler Trucks (formerly Freightliner). This year I launched an English-language book club for the ladies, and in October we spent two nights at the Sylvia Beach Hotel in Newport, Oregon, a book lovers heaven!

• Jessica is now 23 and deep in preparations for completing her degree in English and getting married – both of which are major endeavors, if you ask me. She’s also looking for a job – probably the most daunting endeavor or all! She is a very attentive girlfriend, and has become an avid soccer enthusiast thanks to Scot, who is now playing indoor soccer on Brian’s team. He’s the ringer, scoring goals nearly every game. Go Scot!

• Alex probably mourned the death of NWCG almost as much as Brian since he lost a job. Al is now chief gardener and all-around house guy. He helped reduce our dead maple tree – yet another victim of the year, as far as I’m concerned – to firewood and mulch. He’s going to help us trim trees this winter, including our too-tall cherry which yielded two pies this summer before the birds got the last of the ripe ones. Cleaned off the pits and left ‘em on the tree, they did! His dirt biking ability has significantly improved, and he managed to keep off the injured reserve, unlike Dad.

• Ginny graduated from Sunset High School in June and then promptly left for the month-long European adventure she earned slinging pizzas last year. She and her three best girl friends traveled around Germany (stopping by our old digs in Sandhausen), France and Spain. She began her college career at University of Oregon in the fall. But Ginny, being the savvy consumer that she, is decided she wasn’t getting her money’s worth and opted to get her lower division credits locally at Portland Community College before transferring elsewhere. She’s got her sights set on a medical career (smart girl!) and is seeking volunteer work at the local children’s hospital. Of course, we were all excited about the Ducks making it to the Rose Bowl.

That’s the nutshell version of the year for the human members of the family. The pets are all still doing well. Actually, probably better than last year. I’m not inclined to re-home Skye since becoming an avid Dog Whisperer viewer. (BTW our first Guide Dog, Raspberry, was re-homed this year when she wouldn’t stop counter-surfing or garbage diving. Great expressions, don’t you think?) Felicity (now 14) and Frankie are just as sweet as ever. All three Hunden are still as eager as ever to get their morning walk and ball-chasing. And that’s one perk that even this awful time could quash! I’m thinking it helped us get through it.

May you all have a much better – or if you’re really lucky – a just as good 2010.
Mary, Brian, Jessica (and Scot), Alex and Ginny and the critters