Delbe' and Mic

Hi All,

I don't know where to start because I can't remember where I left off. 2012 began with arthoscopic knee surgery for me, which didn't do any good, so in March I had partial knee surgery and we've been battling our primary insurance company ever since. Funny thing is my knee is still no better than it was.

Delbe' has spent months navigating through the retirement process, paper work, phone calls, emails, etc. and now he's not even sure if he's ready to turn in his papers. I can't make that decision for him. If he could still do all the yard work he used to do and loved to do, there'd be no problem. That was always therapeutic for him as well as being a hobby. His weaker lung power just won't let him get out and work in the heat/humidity. Of course I have a to-do list a mile long but that's no fun!

We had a fun two weeks with Wendi, Piper and Fin when they came out while Joe was in Huntsville working on a feature film. We all helped Piper celebrate her 7th birthday. Like last year we celebrated Fin's June birthday the same time. We all missed Joe. Fin informed one of us that "Gran's cat is not normal". She's right about that. Mia doesn't like people but she has to be in the middle of what ever is going on. Talk to her and she hisses, walk by her and she hisses, look at her and she hisses.

Kurt fell off a ladder before the Fourth of July and ended up with a broken right femur, a crushed left elbow and broken left wrist. When the exrays were done the doctor found the wrist had been broken before but never fixed. It has given him a lot of pain and frustation. He had another operation on it last week. The elbow and leg seem to have healed. It's been a very long three months for him and Shel. Sue's having surgery on her left thumb September 27th. The doctor told her she'd hate him the first three days.

Our priest informed us just before Easter that he was leaving us for a church just down the road in Melbourne Beach. No one had any idea he was even thinking about going so we were thrown for a loop. As the Senior Warden of the Vestry, I all of a sudden became the "boss". It's been one thing after another since Fr. Norman left. Just before he did we began smelling something dead under the church. It wasn't under the church but had gotten into an a/c unit and ruined everything. New a/c unit. Next I had to terminate the youth leader's contract for which may or may not have been improper actions. VBS was canceled as a result. One of the sprinkler pumps died, another expense. Our Priest-in-Charge fell and ended up in the hospital. Healing has been very slow and since we couldn't afford to pay him and a supply priest while he was mending, I had to terminate his contract. I've had to contact supply priests to come lead our services. We've gone to one service and canceled the Wednesday service and things are running okay, now. The search committee is hard at work but it will be a few months I'm sure before we find a new priest. I can hardly wait.

Our summer has been very typical and long and it will be nice to turn the a/c off and open up once again. That kind of weather isn't around long enough.              We'll be so glad to get the election over with. I just hope and pray for the right outcome, other wise America will be in a world of hurt I'm afraid.

Everyone take care and enjoy the rest of 2012!!!!!

Love,

Delbe' and Mic