Happy Holidays... Christmas Letter 2011

Trish and Kevin at Zilker Botanical Gardens, Oct. 2011

Happy Holidays!!   December 2011

Hmmmm!  Did I even write a Christmas letter last year!? I can’t remember… can you?  This year has been a “miracle in the making” for me.  I have been on a new inhaled drug that combats the stuff that sends me to Club Med for my exacerbations with my lungs. I am truly fortunate to be able to have these drugs available to me, with our insurance covering them, as daily maintenance. I am happy to report that I was “CLUB MED FREE” this entire year.  I can’t remember a year where I wasn’t hospitalized at least once!  I better knock wood, though, ‘cause the year isn’t over YET!   

Vessie (YUM), Fleck and Bela.
Undoubtedly, looking at a
a piece of food!

I have felt pretty strong and energetic except for when the fires were ablaze in Bastrop, which wasn’t very far from our house.  The smoke was so thick outside that it was very difficult to breathe.  We could even smell it INSIDE the house for a time.  I endured that, though, and recovered after about three full weeks of attentive, home regimens doing inhalation treatments almost round the clock for my asthma-like symptoms.  Bless all those folks who lost their homes and lives in that fire.  It was catastrophic for Texas to bear as well as our summer drought which gave us over 100 days toppling  the 100 degree mark. (It’s raining today! Hallelujah!!)

Cindy and Gerard...(sister)

We have had some loved ones visit over the course of the year but haven’t really taken any vacations together.  I was fortunate enough to be able to “kill two birds with one stone” when I attended a calligraphy conference, which I have wanted to attend for over 10 years, in Phoenix.  Since that is where my BFF lives… I spent a week with Bernice and her family!  That was special and I always value the time with loved ones.  My sister and her hubby came for a couple of weeks in October and we had a great time really getting to know her hubby this time. LIKE!

Bernice and I in Phoenix!

 I finished my stint as Capital City Scribes’ President in May and felt that my term was a very successful one. I was very happy with the progress our board made over the course of two years, reaching the goals I created and grew the guild by leaps and bounds. I still do Calligraphy at home and have been non-stop busy… especially this Fall. I have a new blog with some of my most recent work;
http://www.trishtaylorcalligraphy.blogspot.com 

Air Cargo with Randy Collier, Ray Cargo and Kevin.

Kevin and his old buddy, Randy Collier, whom I met the same day I met Kevin back in 1993 when they were in “RedEye”, are now in another band together with another friend: the Velvety, Teddy Bear voice of Ray Cargo.  Their band is called “AirCargo’ and really have some smooth sounds! Still Bluegrass, but their harmonies, I’ve been told, are stellar! They have played throughout the year and even recorded some songs over here at Kev’s studio to upload to some Internet Social Media.  You can find them on Facebook if you put in their name… all together… otherwise, you will find lots of baggage information.  Kevin wrote quite a few songs that they are playing and the other guys are equally as talented lending their singer, songwriter abilities….  as well being hot musicians. 

Bela... Diva Dog...likes to be
incognito and covers herself up!

Our plans for the holidays this year involve a long awaited trip on a cruise (Officially #11) with some good friends of ours from Houston leaving out of Port Galveston. This is the first time we have left from TEXAS and I am very excited that I won’t  need to limit my bags to the allotted amount of weight and can BRING “everything and the kitchen sink” like I’ve been accused of in the past (Hey, a girl has to have her choices, you know).  Luckily, my luggage has wheels.  I feel sorry for the poor guy who has to lift it to put it on the carrier to get it to our room.

Besides our good health, with Kevin still doing his arduous 10+ mile runs and sometimes biking on his Terra Trike, the puppies have been healthy as well and are fat and happy!  Bela and Fleck will be 9 in the Spring and Vestal will be a whopping five years old already!  We’d love to keep in touch with you throughout the year if we don’t already. You can find us still at trishkev@sbcglobal.net and both of us are on Facebook. www.facebook.com/kwillette1 or /trishtayloraustin. 

As always, we think about you and feel blessed just by knowing you. Keeping in touch once a year is always nice, but looking forward to more contact in the future.  Love and hugs!  Trish (4 Kev 2)… and the puppies.   MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Surely, there's food involved!

Vessie Voodles

Fleckie, our precious hunter!