John and I are always remarking how the days and weeks just seem to fly by--never enough time to do all the things we want to do. This past year was the wettest year on record for Grand Rapids, and that curtailed many of our plans for biking and hiking, and we've been in flood stage on the River for the past few days, though we've been able to drive into our house while a lot of the neighbors had to park out on higher ground. We had great family times over the past few weeks: Christmas Day hiking with Carlton, Kayla and Ariel; Christmas Eve with Franny, John's 104-year-old mother, who was quite lucid and funny, even singing Christmas carols in her creaky voice; also a good time the other night with John's 3 younger sibs. Below he's kidding with Mary, the baby of the family.
