2006

Amy and I neglected our Christmas card sending duties again this year, so I thought we would try a fast and inexpensive alternative. With any luck, the extra photos will make up for the inconvenience of having to sit in front of your computer again. It looks like we're going to have a green Christmas in Ottawa this year. The snow that accumulated early in the month all melted away with the record-setting temperatures we've been having. I guess the best we'll get is the freezing rain and fog from this picture on 23 December.

For recreation, we play volleyball together once or twice a week, and Amy has made quite the network of volleyball friends, sometimes playing four or five times weekly. I am also playing squash with my university's club team.

Early in the spring I started training with a military team to take part in the 90th annual march held around Nijmegen in the Netherlands. Prior to leaving, I had walked over 600km (100 hours worth) wearing military gear and in widely varying weather conditions. The march itself is 40km per day, 4 days in a row. However the high temperatures on the first day led to the first deaths in thirty years and the cancellation of the march! The 250 military members forming the Canadian contingent were disappointed, but we made the best of a few free days in Europe.

As usual, we made the best of the national capital Canada Day festivities on July 1st, sporting the traditional red and white, but our holiday in the prairies to visit Amy's family was the main feature of the summer. Our trip was timed to coincide with a reunion of Amy's Bauche family. We spent the first days of the trip "camping" at the reunion before continuing on to the homes of our hosts where we ate, played games, and generally relaxed. The end of August brought our annual trip to the cottage with as many of our good friends as could make themselves available, and we weren't disappointed. Just when we thought the party had to end, Sterling showed up straight off the rock, screeching the delights of his favourite bottles.

The passing of my grandma in September was a sad time, but all eight grandchildren made it to the funeral, allowing the first group photo in recent times. Not present were Jacob and Thomas: Carrie's two boys who will be welcoming a new sibling into their home in February! It has been fun to be able to visit with them on a weekly basis, but it is expected they, in true military style, will be moving across the country in the summer.

As 2006 started, Amy was still settling in to her new job at DA Test, working again as a test engineer. I was starting my second semester of classes toward a masters of electrical engineering at Carleton University. I have now finished all my classes to this end and am continuing to do research for my thesis.

Amy has just started her own postgraduate studies: a professional masters of public administration at her old school, Queen's University. She goes once a month for two full days, and will go for an intensive two straight weeks in May. If all goes well she will graduate in the summer or fall of 2008.

There are some among you whom we have seen as recently as yesterday, and other who we haven't seen in many years. May the new year bring you love and happiness. We look forward to seeing you when our paths next cross.

Love,

Wesley and Amy