There’s something about Christmas I despise; I really really hate the song, Santa Baby. OK, I got that out of my system.
About the year just passed. Peggy my wife of 45 glorious years and I celebrated our 45th anniversary. OK maybe one or two were tiny bit short of fully glorious, but well over the majority have been wonderful. I don’t’ recall how we celebrated; that comes with that many years too.
I officially became a ward of the state by signing up for social security. It is welcome every month. BLIP, there it is. It just shows up in my checking account. Who knew?
Speaking of money, 2011 started out rough. I had a major customer go really bad on me. Life changing bad. I was as broke as broke could be in Jan and Feb. I am going to write a book about the revelation that came out of all that. That’s for another time.
In late Dec into early Jan I decided to lower the Medicare cash reserves by having a pesky cataract removed. That sorta worked. More on that later. Let’s just say that if you are on Medicare and you get 47 bills for one procedure, only pay the ones that threaten your kneecaps. The rest are just fishing for cash.
We spent time in the old Buick up and down the road. Went to Lincoln NE for a few days to See Kevin on his 40th Birthday. Kevin is our youngest. Tim is our oldest, 44. I can’t quite figure out how that all works since I was just 44 just a few weeks ago…or so it seems.
Peggy took on a short term big project. She ran a cookie route for Pepperidge Farms Distributor. She did really well. The route kinda reached an end. But it showed her she is capable of anything she sets her mind to do and it is a marketable skill she can use any time she needs to. I’m proud of her. She’s an amazing woman.
I asked Peggy before I started writing this what she wanted me to report, she said, “We’re still kicking”. I guess that sums it up. She is a woman of few words. I’m far more verbose. Read on for proof.
We have had family struggles that come with age. Ben, Peggy’s dad has had a tough year. In December of Last year he had what appears to have been a stroke. He hasn’t been able to come home. He is in the nursing home. He has drifted. I don’t know what the short term outcome will be. I do know the ultimate outcome. My Dad (Uncle Earl) still resides in the Nursing home. Tough situation. I think about these good men and the years after pearl harbor. 70 years ago. I reflected on how old they both were on that day, Earl was 26, Ben 24. Yet off to war they went. They ARE the Greatest Generation.
A tear appeared in my universe. I was out working at the nursery one hot day in June, swinging a pick axe, all sweaty when suddenly on a Friday afternoon one eye went dark. Sightless. I didn’t panic. I don’t panic easily. That night I went to a prayer meeting. I asked folks to pray for me. My eye was still dark. The next morning I called the eye clinic where I had my cataract surgery. The week before they had done a cut away of a layer behind my lens by laser to help clear up my vision. The nurse didn’t seem to think it was too serious. Monday I went into to see the doc. He panicked. My retina had torn. I was immediately admitted to the Wheaton eye clinic. With cryogenic freezing and lasers they patched up my torn retina. It wasn’t painless. My eye was so swollen I would have been a great Zombie movie extra. I asked the older than me Doctor if the cause of this event was my working hard or blood pressure or the result of cataract surgery. NOPE, the doc said, “You are getting old”. No cure for that I guess. He asked, “How do you feel about this?”. Sad; I said . He replied, “Don’t be sad about this. There will be other things to be sad about later“. Wisdom. I shall heed it.
I have been very busy. Mostly doing evaluations. I travel all over America appraising nurseries and their operations. It has been very productive. AND the nursery business has been good.
So in spite of the difficulty of a seriously deadbeat customer, we have had a good year. Speaking of which, I was able to get a settlement in court from a man that has owed me substantial money for several years. Seems like the enemy is paying back all he stole from me.
We haven’t traveled a great deal on pleasure travel. I travel a lot for business. Peggy and I went to Asheville NC. I had an appraisal to do. While there we went to see the Biltmore Mansion. I was very impressed and wondered why we don’t have a house and garden like that. I call these kind of places bad for my spirit. NAH. Yet it was a thrill. The Vanderbilt Mansion speaks to the power of free enterprise.
I have been ministering here and there during which I have discovered something; the LOVE OFFERING. I am amazed. Nearly everywhere I spoke an offering was given. It was appreciated. I had never been given an offering before. I am grateful and humbled by it. In a couple cases I tried to give it back. They wouldn’t take it. I have learned from all this.
We have had a house guest for a few months. A lady we have known for a while. She is moving but had to have a job in her new city. Until that was sealed up, she couldn’t move. She now has a job and will be gone by January. It has been an interesting time having two women in the house.
We visited Peggy’s brother Clair. He lives near Akron OH. He built a log cabin, log by log - by hand. It’s huge. It was a kit, but much assembly was required. Handy folks those Schefferts.
Thanksgiving was at the Scheffert house in Oakes ND. Ben was able to come. It was difficult. Painful. Yet good. Almost everyone made it back for what may be the last.
The Buick threw a rod while were back in ND for Thanksgiving. I mean what’s up with a car giving up at 250,000 miles? It’s just broke in. I had a used engine installed; 67,000 miles on it. I was counseled to dump it, but it’s a good car and it’s PAID FOR. BUT, I’m looking. Shhhh…don’t tell the Buick.
All in all 2011 has been an interesting year. I’m not worried about buying Peggy a birthday Present next December on the 22 since according to the Mayan Calendar the world will end on the December 21, 2012. Wait, didn’t it end twice this year? Maybe I will have to shop after all.
IF you are getting this it means we Love you, we miss you, we wish that all the people from our lives were as near as this page is to you right now. May God bless you with all the Joy you can stand. In everything and even FOR everything, give thanks. We do. There is no Glory to be shared outside of the Glory of God in our lives. HE gets ALL of the Glory.
Peggy doesn’t Facebook, but I’m big on Social Media. You can find me if you are too. I blog. Two of them. Google can find them.
Contact FAQ:
Peggy’s Email is Pjredlin@gmail.com
Mine is generedlin@att.net
The biggest hope I have for us all in 2012 happens Tuesday November 6, 2012. For my Democrat friends and relatives I want to remind you to vote on Wednesday November 7, 2012.
Blessings on this Season of Joy and a Merry Christmas,
Gene and Peggy Redlin
St Charles, Illinois
