At this time of year, I am so very grateful for all the blessings that have come my way. With healthy ageing parents 92 and 90 still living in their own home, I am so grateful that they will be joining us for Christmas lunch. Our children will not be joining us as they are dining with their respective families, but they are healthy, and we are all looking forward to being together again soon. John is a Rotarian, and Rotarians are our extended family who is always available to lend a hand. We are so fortunate to have friendships that bind us together and enrich our lives on so many levels. Where we live in Sooke, the Rotarians are in charge of the ‘Salvation Army Kettle’, which collects money that goes back into our community to support the Food Bank and the Shelters. The Rotarians also run a ‘Sock Drive’ for the homeless at this time of year, as they have told us that clean, dry socks were important to them.
2021 has been a year of firsts for our family. We had two new grandbabies born this year, Annabelle and Xavier. Our puppy ‘Maverick,’ an Australian-Labradoodle finally arrived in September after years of waiting for him. After spending 2019 designing our very exciting ‘Forever Home, ’ John and I eventually moved into our home in April 2021, and oh what a ride it has been. Especially trying to build a new home during a global pandemic. We had delays on everything, so patience was necessary just to see the project through. But hey, we all love a challenge, and you learn to ‘pivot’ pretty quick.
When designing our ‘Forever Home,’ we included a private guest suite for our family and friends at the other end of our home. With four children between us, and six grandchildren, we wanted them to have their own private space. We never imagined in a million years that in 2021 it would turn into an Airbnb. But oh, what a blessing it has been. As I am new to the world of hospitality, this community has been a wealth of information and support, and for that, I am forever grateful.
Breaking bread and sharing a meal has always been special to me, and this year, we have seven elder seniors joining our table. Seniors are full of amazing stories, and if you ask them, they will share some fascinating events in their lives. Let’s face it; since they were born, a lot has happened in the tech world alone.
So as another lockdown has been implemented in our province of British Columbia, Canada, we move forward into the New Year of 2022 with hope and optimism that we are near the end with COVID. We want to be safe, and we all want to get back to living our lives like we did back in 2019.
I want COVID to be something that I share with my grandchildren and let them know that those days were difficult. But by working together collectively with experts from all over the world, we can make a difference and terminate this virus.
May your Christmas Holiday be filled with much joy, love and laughter. I hope that 2022 brings you peace and harmony in a world where we all support one another just like a family on this journey called life.
Big Hugs & Love,
Linda
Linda