Posts from — December 2008

 What a great year for the Nymark/Farrell family. A wedding in the Dominican Republic … a bookstore purchase in Toronto … a soccer championship in Thunder Bay … college in Ottawa … new interests in golf and curling … and a bit of travel thrown in for good measure. We feel like a very fortunate family.

Forest and Erin’s wedding on Dec. 1st was a blast… our first all-inclusive. Michael is sold! As far as he’s concerned, no legal drinking age, staying up all night with the boys and sun and surf should be what life is all about.

It was a year of weddings. Mike and Lindsay’s fav. babysitter from not that long ago, Shelley Neff married long time beau Dan and we also had a fun time in Ottawa this summer at our niece Meaghan’s wedding. Meaghan and Peter got married at the Museum of Civilization in Hull, Quebec. Pretty special.

 

Mike played defense for the St. Ignatius high school soccer team in their successful bid for the Ontario triple AAA soccer championships last spring. Soccer is still his first love … and a few of the boys are working hard this winter to see if they can win it again in Windsor in 2009!

Lindsay has started a three year Biotechnology Technologist program at Algonquin. Although the workload is heavy, she’s really enjoying the new experiences and the independence that college brings. We’re looking forward to seeing her at Christmas.

Brook and Colleen have purchased a used bookstore – the Recycled Book Shop– in down town Toronto. What an adventure for the two of them! Located on McCaul Street just around the corner from the Ontario Art Gallery and in the heart of the University of Toronto campus. Drop in and see them if you’re in Toronto!

I went to Guatemala for a couple of weeks last March to study Spanish. It was quite the experience. I stayed with a family that spoke no English. Facing each other with nothing but smiles for three meals a day was a little trying. I learned that for an old guy like myself learning a new language is going to take more than two weeks in March. I haven’t given up. I might even try a little Italian in the upcoming year. Cathy and I hope to spend some time next fall in Italy celebrating a special birthday. Visiting Italy is something Cathy has wanted to do for years so if the stars line up correctly it will happen next October.

Cathy’s work is a bit over the top from my perspective but she gets great satisfaction from helping people and her work allows her to do that. It also brings her to Toronto fairly regularly where she gets to see her mom. I slip in the odd hint at retirement (her’s) but so far that’s not in the works… few more years of post secondary funding to go! We still preserve our tradition of Friday morning breakfasts at the Scand Home though.

Minneapolis was the site of a small reunion for Keith’s side of the family this summer. Our cousin from Norway, Wegger Strommen was in the city for the Republican convention so I decided to drive down to visit him and my American cousins. I hadn’t seen Wegger for 40 years and I’m not great at keeping in touch with folks so it was a lot of fun. Cheryl and Marlys were great hosts and it was nice to touch base with everyone.

Cathy, Michael, Lindsay and I wish you all a very merry Christmas with family and friends

and all the best dreaming up juicy and motivational New Year’s Resolutions.