December 2024

Hello everyone and Happy Holidays!

Chris tried to help out by using ChatGPT to write this year’s letter . . . yeah, no. Thanks, but he has forgotten that I am a control freak. 🤣 Which is also why my cards are “holiday cards” because they will never get delivered by Christmas even with its fixed date on the calendar.

The year 2024 is a remake of 1994, which was a trifecta year for us: Vanessa turned 30; Chris and I celebrated our 30^th wedding anniversary; and I got a new paperweight from work for staying on payroll for the past 30 years.

This past year also saw a couple of new milestones: Logan turned 18 and he graduated from high school. The turd almost didn’t walk on stage; it took a few minutes, but he finally did. He now attends Community Based Service which is where students may stay in the district until 22 years old for extended life and work-skills training. Vanessa went through the same program twelve years ago.

Vanessa continues to be unemployed after losing her job due to Covid, but she now volunteers one hour a week cleaning at a local museum. We continue to hope for a paying job, but at least the volunteer work will give her something to do to break up the monotony. Otherwise, she enjoys going to the salon and getting pedicures.

We learned something new about our kids and where their seizures come from: Jean passed a bad gene to them (pun intended). Logan was able to take part of a genetics study at Seattle Children’s Hospital, which included obtaining the parents’ genetic info. Logan, and by extension Vanessa, has Angelman Syndrome; caused by the gene UBE3A on the 15^th chromosome. This defective gene is causing the seizures. Basic genetics: we all get a set of DNA from our mother and father. For this specific gene, the father’s gene is silenced; only mother’s is used. I passed a mutant gene that doesn’t fit into the Marvel Universe. ☹️ We will have a genetics counseling appointment sometime early next year. The researcher wanted to provide us with the info before he went on vacation for the remainder of the year. And now, I pass the info to you.

Our cats, Cora and Sheba, continue to be spoiled indoor cats. Since our last update was 2022, they have not bonded but remain tolerant of each other. I think Sheba may be part Bombay given her characteristics and temperament. She Is very social and longs to be a lap cat, but given her girth, you must be sitting to hold her. She is still a good 20 pounds and could probably scare a chihuahua just by her size alone.

Cora has gained back her weight to a healthy weight and “chirps” at you with initial attention. She will seek a hand to be pet, but still does not like to be held for more than 5 seconds. Also, she is the stereotypical black cat that runs across your path when you least expect it.

Oh, and I decided I needed extra crazy and made 8 different sweaters this year. Cards – I mean the design of the sweater for the cards. Those on my address list might get one. Those who send me holiday cards WILL get one. I made only 40. The problem now is. . . I can’t find the envelopes.

Okay, bye from us for now. Stay safe y’all!