2009: This Year Was Not Boring

I've started the year-end review of records and see that there's a reason why I haven't kept up with some projects and pastimes: and feel frazzled. Here's a brief recap.

Head-On Crash and Sprained Bodies

In January, my wife and #3 daughter were in a head-on car accident just outside Osakis, about 10 miles up the road. They were headed south, another car blew through a stop sign (according to the police report) at the end of an Interstate off-ramp, made wide, fast right turn into my family's van. Snow on the road didn't help.

Happily, the folks in the other car weren't hurt.

My wife and #3 daughter came out with whiplash, what I'll call 'sprained bodies,' and - in the case of my daughter - a broken wrist. That was a bit rough, since #3 daughter is a writer and guitarist. My wife was able to climb a flight of stairs by the end of the month.

Daughter's Wedding

As soon as my wife was able to move around, she started getting things ready for #2 daughter's wedding. That happened in September. And involved making the wedding dress. Those things take more attention than hemming sheets. Happily, my wife is a better seamstress than she lets on - and isn't the sort of person to let a head-on collision stop her.

#2 daughter made the veil, and September 5th she married my new son-in-law.

Thought I Might Lose a Son-In-Law

Then her new husband got "dreadfully sick" as my family's Christmas letter put it. He wasn't able to eat for about a week. What made it scarier was that doctors could tell that he was sick - but couldn't figure out why. Eventually, we celebrated his eating a large chuck of watermelon.

My Father Died

Then my father's health started deteriorating faster.

About a week after I knew that, God willing, I'd keep my new son-in-law for a few more years, at least, my father died.

He's been cremated, as was my mother. Their ashes were mixed, then put in two urns. I buried one in the Red River Valley of the North, near my mother's birthplace,the other in northern Illinois, near my father's. Actually, #3 daughter and her husband, and quite a few other people did most of the work - but at least I was there.

Other Than That - - -

Aside from that, though, not much has happened.