We got through the school year and we’re enjoying the last of summer break trying to take it easy. No big summer plans since we’re saving our pennies for our big trip in October to Tuscon for Kathryn and Jonathan’s wedding. As it stands now, we’re probably going to drive and enjoy the road trip there and back, and rent a house for the several days that we’re there.
I’ve been working freelance graphic design work, writing music, having gigs and taking the boys up to our neighborhood pool as often as I can pull their gaming devices out of their hands.
Bruce is still working from home having completely taken over the room that used to be my office. Luckily I still have a corner to keep my music equipment. I work on my laptop in various places in the house and on the patio.
Our daughter Lauren (twin sister of the bride-to-be) lives not far away sharing a rental home with two friends. She currently works for an insurance company from home and schedules patients for radiology procedures. She is still writing and enjoys creating music and drawing. I believe she has her sights on joining the computer story gaming industry on a creative capacity. She sells some of her artwork on Etsy!
Our son Brandon is not only full recovered from his long-haul covid experience, but is very focused on wellness and fitness. He started a job with Audi Corporation as a brand specialist last Feb, and is learning the ropes quite well. He currently has three semesters remaining to earn his bachelors degree in business/economics. He is still dating the girl he took to prom his senior year in high school, named Kat. She’s a doll.
Brandon’s twin sister Erin will also begin her last year of college in the fall in the field of criminal justice. She’s interested in the Parks and Forestry field and is hoping for a local internship next year. She currently works as a shift manager at a local escape room.
Sean and Benjamin aren’t in a hurry to begin the next year of middle school. Sean will start seventh and Benjamin, eighth. Each are practically joined to their Switch consoles, but also enjoy hiking, biking, bowling and eating! Benjamin has stuck with Boy Scouts and his goal is to become Eagle one day. His plans since younger childhood to become a chef still hold true. He helps me in the kitchen and often has ideas for meals that we try! Sean, not sure yet, but he loves all things robotics-related and has joined the robotics club at school which he’s looking forward to returning at school.
As for Kathryn: we had a beautiful bridal shower for her! She flew into town and we showered her at an historic resort at the beach. So many wonderful family members and friends attended, including my mom and sister-in-law from Orlando, and my mother-in-law, sister-in-law and nieces from Louisiana, her mother-in-law-to-be from Ft. Lauderdale, and lots of local friends.
Post-shower note
Hurricane Ida was on its way to Louisiana while our Louisiana family was here in Jacksonville for the bridal shower. They left Jacksonville and drove back home in order to help secure their homes and be with the rest of their families. They did not evacuate. The damage was horrible … no electricity, no water. No injuries, thankfully
The following week, Bruce and I met Bruce’s brother Brian half way between Houma, LA and Jacksonville so we could pick up my mother-in-law. We took Sylvia back home to Jacksonville so she could live a couple of weeks with us until the power and water was restored in Louisiana. At 82 years, no A/C and no running water was just too hard on her.