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| 2009 Holiday Season Highlights |
The fourth quarter of 2009 was somewhat gloomy at times, but we surged onward. |
| The last
three months were work-a-holics annonymous days for both Jim and Kelley. Jim's teaching appointment hit high gear as midterms, field
trips and finals kept him constantly on the go. Kelley's office produced a teleconference, 2 multi-day training sessions, and 3 major
conferences. Somewhere in there were some holidays, a death in the family, and the annual SAF conference, this time in Orlando, FL. |
| In mid October, before the fall season turned to
winter, we took time for a quiet weekend in Valle Crusis, NC.
We stayed at our
favorite (Appalachian Mountains) B&B: Taylor House Inn. We went
to the Valle Festival and explored the Ashe County, NC and Grayson
County, VA highlands in search of McCarter ancesteral homestead. Here's
a look at the tough but beautiful landscape of Jim's heritage. |
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As we retuned from the mountains, Kelley received a
phone call from her sister saying that their father,
Harry Duffield III, passed away the night before. He had spent nearly
10 years
in assisted living and was quite limited for the last 2
years. His memorial service attracted many of
his old comrads, and some of his daughters' childhood friends
and family.
Harry Duffield Memorial Page |
| Thanksgiving was
spent in Richmond with Kelley's mother, sister, and brother-in-law. The
McCarters contributed to the feast with a concoction of butternut
squash, cranberries, sweet potatoes, and pecans. An afternoon of
vigorous leaf raking worked off the calories and woke up some forgotten
muscles. A visit to the river retreat of the Creesy Family on the
Northern Neck capped off the holiday weekend. |
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Christmas holiday
break and end of the semester seemed to come in the blink of an eye
after Thanksgiving. Jim hustled to get finals administered, graded, and
posted before we jumped on a plain for Ft. Myers on the 21st. A fairly
complete set of McCarter siblings and their families converge on Jim's
mother's condo complex throughout the Advent season. |
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Jim and Kelley headed home on the 31st just in time to host Brenda and Stuart for a New Years weekend. New Years was welcomed at home with fruited champagne toasts. The busy weekend included the Farmers Market breakfast with Nita, the REI garage sale, shopping excursions to Total Wine, CompUSA, and Sam Ash Music. |
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| Saturday night dinner at The Pitt was followed by a Sunday surpise celebration brunch at Tir na nOg for Jim's birthday. |
Here's to 2010 - may we ALL be more loving, patient, tolerant, and thankful
for the time we have on this earth. |
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