The Christmas season this year seems to have fallen to a sequester of sorts with only 26 days between Thanksgiving and the big day. This has led to a budgeting of time which means all Christmas communications are occurring electronically. We'll see if this is a 'one hit wonder' or something that is a new family tradition.
I'd like to start the year where we left off 2012, with our oldest, Jason, having found 'the one' and ready to take the next step. Alexa's a Texas girl that prefers sun to sleet, warm to cold, sand to snow. So Jason (after many suggestions by me including one that involved mimes and a carriage) decided the perfect venue to pop the question would be, wait for it, on the top on the world in Colorado in the middle of winter. Yes my friends, Loveland Pass was his choice and as always the weather was brisk. Getting the whole family involved, he suggested to his brother that rose petals spread at the top would be lovely, but Brandon rejected the idea, mentioning that the 20 mph winds might undo his handy work. Alexa's family flew in from Texas to help celebrate with the newly engaged couple over the New Year. I jokingly suggested to Jason that it might be advisable to give Alexa a little push off the rocks if she said no thinking it might be less uncomfortable to tell her family that she had a little mountain accident than admit that he had misread her cues and she really wasn't all that excited to join our family. Alas, all went well and she accepted his proposal. A May wedding is in the works.
On the pet front, Winston, our eighteen year old Maine Coon, went to kitty heaven earlier this year. He had filled our lives with joy and also laughter and has been sorely missed. While some suggested a replacement, I imposed a China like two cat limit. Jason and Alexa helped to fill the void with a new grand-kitty, Lydia who they got as a friend to their other cat, LeeRoy. It is so nice to be able to enjoy a rambunctious kitten for a few hours and then send them home to terrorize the parents in the middle of the night. I can only imagine that this is the joy of having grandchildren although I hope not to learn this first hand too soon.
David has become his own reality show of sorts, a combination of Pickers, Storage Wars and Overhaulen'. His budding business, Mancave Restorations, has included the acquisition of gas pumps and old cars, entire garage contents and even a large copper device some might call a still. It has turned into a 40 hour plus a week occupation but it is exactly what he's always wanted to do which many of us will never be able to say. He has a couple of partners in crime that help fill the space with some pretty interesting junk, er, I mean, inventory. Watch for 'Junk Dynasty' coming to a cable channel near you.
In the fine Maloney tradition of going whole hog into a new hobby every few years or so (scuba diving, hot air ballooning, and gourmet cooking to name a few), I am now a hobby photographer. This has involved the standard hobby requirement of sinking much dough into equipment and trips that bring a great deal of satisfaction but little in the way of financial reward. If you'd like to see some of my work, I direct you to one of my travel blogs from this year: tlmistanbul.blogspot.com, tlmengland.blogspot.com, and tlmoaxaca.blogspot.com . I expect this one to last at least a couple of more years so you have more pics to look forward to in 2014.
Finally, I want to share a story about tunnels, more specifically, seeing the light at the end of one. As most of you know, our youngest, Brandon, has been attending Vanderbilt University for the last four and a half years. This December he is graduating with a degree in Engineering Science. Being a slightly hovering mom, I had made many resume pumping suggestions over his college career including the need for him to become involved in campus clubs. He assured me that engineers don't really do that sort of thing. Well, the proof is in the pudding, so I anxiously awaited the outcome of his job search this fall hoping that he would prove me wrong. Well, I guess they are smarter these days because he's starting a new job this January in Atlanta that doesn't involve a cash register or broom. Manhattan Associates, a supply chain software engineering firm, is gaining a new consultant. We are very proud of his accomplishments and are very relieved to have written our last tuition check.
As always, the Maloneys wish you and yours a safe, festive and reflective holiday season and hope to spend some non-digital time with all of you soon.
Tammie & David
