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Dec. 22nd, 2003 03:24 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
carmenbeaudryMy Family and Friends,
For the last few years, I've spent the long night of Winter Solstice writing an essay, usually of my Yuletide memories. I've been looking forward to this year's, but I fear it's going to be a bit late. I still plan on writing it and sending it out, but it probably will get to you some time between now and the New Year. Instead, I write to you of the past year.
This has been one hell of a year. Some of the good things have been, in no particular order:
Our youngest daughter, Katy, graduating from high school with honors and being granted a scholarship to Washington State University.
Carmen traveling to Denver in Oct. to teach a costuming class for a costume/historic rapier symposium. She also costumed a production of "The Misanthrope" in May, and "The Lion in Winter" in Nov.
Wade continues to enjoy working at Optidisc as a screenprinter, printing cds and dvds.
We have a nephew, Collin Richard Vance, born to my sister Cara Mia and her husband Kyle in July. He is a darling, and we're spoiling him the best we can long distance.
Our oldest daughter Gwen moved to Rainier Valley in Seattle. She is in a house with two friends and seems to really like her situation. We miss her a lot, but do like having a living room again instead of a Gwen's room.
We're actually having a fairly good holiday season, all things considered. By that I mean.......well, I'll go into the not-good things of the past year.
This biggest one of these for us was the untimely death of Wade's mother in July from pulmonary fibrosis. We knew that this was something that would ultimately cause her death, but she was active up until 2 weeks before her death, and until an hour before she died, everyone thought that she'd last at least until Christmas. It's hit all of us hard and continues to do so.
Many of our friends have also lost loved ones, or struggled with ill health. We have gotten all too familiar with hospital waiting rooms.
In the last week, we've lost 3 friends. One, who I've known for most of my adult life, died after a struggle with cancer. We had known for a month that the end was coming, which gave us time to say goodbye and tell him all the things you want to say to someone before they go. It still was very hard to have him die.
The second person died the same day, of complications of an asthma attack. She had been in the hospital for a few days, but it was real shock.
The third friend I saw on the previous Saturday, and he was in seemingly perfect health. I found out last Weds. that he died Sunday of a heart attack. You never know when you see someone if it will be the last time.
Then, Thursday, I got word that one of the people I fence with fell from a roof at work and had to be airlifted to Harbourview with severe injuries. He's out of intensive care now, but it will be some time before he's well. And, of course, most of his injuries are to the left side of his body, and he's left-handed.
I really don't know what it is about this year. I have had periods--brief ones, luckily--of utter despair in the last week. However, I do have faith that after the long night, the light will dawn again, and spring will come.
And it is that I wish for all of you, that even in the deepest darkness, the Light shines, and guides you home.
with love and luck, and hopes for a better New Year,
Carmen/Melusine
written Winter Solstice,
Dec. 21, 2003
"Heaven's not beyond the clouds, it's just beyond the fear"
For the last few years, I've spent the long night of Winter Solstice writing an essay, usually of my Yuletide memories. I've been looking forward to this year's, but I fear it's going to be a bit late. I still plan on writing it and sending it out, but it probably will get to you some time between now and the New Year. Instead, I write to you of the past year.
This has been one hell of a year. Some of the good things have been, in no particular order:
Our youngest daughter, Katy, graduating from high school with honors and being granted a scholarship to Washington State University.
Carmen traveling to Denver in Oct. to teach a costuming class for a costume/historic rapier symposium. She also costumed a production of "The Misanthrope" in May, and "The Lion in Winter" in Nov.
Wade continues to enjoy working at Optidisc as a screenprinter, printing cds and dvds.
We have a nephew, Collin Richard Vance, born to my sister Cara Mia and her husband Kyle in July. He is a darling, and we're spoiling him the best we can long distance.
Our oldest daughter Gwen moved to Rainier Valley in Seattle. She is in a house with two friends and seems to really like her situation. We miss her a lot, but do like having a living room again instead of a Gwen's room.
We're actually having a fairly good holiday season, all things considered. By that I mean.......well, I'll go into the not-good things of the past year.
This biggest one of these for us was the untimely death of Wade's mother in July from pulmonary fibrosis. We knew that this was something that would ultimately cause her death, but she was active up until 2 weeks before her death, and until an hour before she died, everyone thought that she'd last at least until Christmas. It's hit all of us hard and continues to do so.
Many of our friends have also lost loved ones, or struggled with ill health. We have gotten all too familiar with hospital waiting rooms.
In the last week, we've lost 3 friends. One, who I've known for most of my adult life, died after a struggle with cancer. We had known for a month that the end was coming, which gave us time to say goodbye and tell him all the things you want to say to someone before they go. It still was very hard to have him die.
The second person died the same day, of complications of an asthma attack. She had been in the hospital for a few days, but it was real shock.
The third friend I saw on the previous Saturday, and he was in seemingly perfect health. I found out last Weds. that he died Sunday of a heart attack. You never know when you see someone if it will be the last time.
Then, Thursday, I got word that one of the people I fence with fell from a roof at work and had to be airlifted to Harbourview with severe injuries. He's out of intensive care now, but it will be some time before he's well. And, of course, most of his injuries are to the left side of his body, and he's left-handed.
I really don't know what it is about this year. I have had periods--brief ones, luckily--of utter despair in the last week. However, I do have faith that after the long night, the light will dawn again, and spring will come.
And it is that I wish for all of you, that even in the deepest darkness, the Light shines, and guides you home.
with love and luck, and hopes for a better New Year,
Carmen/Melusine
written Winter Solstice,
Dec. 21, 2003
"Heaven's not beyond the clouds, it's just beyond the fear"
