Writing the date of this occasion made me realize that new year's eve is the last day of the old year. And that New Year's Day is, duh, first day of the new year. In this house, these two days seem like one. So I will not attempt to separate the two.
What usually is a busy day in our family when everyone is doing something to comply to the traditions we had developed over the years, was not so much this year. We started by going to one o our friends house (Annelydie and Larry's) where we had breakfast and played games with them. We cooked some of our usual New year's eve food but not as extensive. Nick Pham, Miriam's friend joined us. We introduced him to the Lewis tradition of watching Pride and Prejudice, now synchronous with Shannon in Madison, WI and Brahms in Arcata, CA. It is not the same as when everyone is in the same room eating from the same platter of Tim's herbed sausage concoction and lumpia but it is what it is. My only consolation is that at the time when we would all be together, my other kids no matter how far they are, were with us. Thanks to technology which is getting better every year.
Top Ten Happenings for 2018:
Helen
1. Board Secretary of WASH (Watercolor Artists of California Horizons)
2. Started classes in Botanical Art at Filoli
3. Twenty seventh wedding anniversary in Vancouver, Canada
4. Two trips to Nashville
5. Whole family Trip to Madison to visit Shannon.
6. Hazel and Mitch's wedding in Toronto where I met my new sister - Jona.
6. Gastronomic delight and walks with Tim in Taipei
7. Lost Lala, our dove of 16 years.
8. Audible books and introduction to Greek Mythology (Circe)
10. Empty-Nestedness; The house is really quiet.
Tim (To be added later)
1. Shipped another kid to college and another to Eureka and became empty nester.
2. Visited Cheekwood
3. Drank coffee at Lion Coffee in Toronto and saw Mitch and Hazel's wedding.
4. Used the chain saw and didn't fall off the ladder.
5. Lost Bunny to heart attack.
6. Went to eureka for Christmas.
7. Finished two short stories.
8. Chauffered Helen to Filoli, a lot!
9. Sang in choir.
10. Celebrated 50th birthday and 27th anniversary.
Shannon (To be added later)
1. Moved to apartment - the 3rd time in Wisconsin.
2. Paid off car loan. Now officially owns car.
3. Game Con in Cleveland
4. Game Con - Philadelphia - 16-hr drive.
5. Improvisation
6. ....
Brahms
1. Found Blue liquid (whatever that was)
2. Creation of UC Davis Bathrooms (IG)
3. Grew some baby greens
4. Potluck in a roundabout
5. Drove a parade float
6. Dug a hole
7. Pizza named after me
8. Won a selfie contest with cousin and a giant snail
9. #branch (beginning and end)
10. Got my keys out of my car
Miriam
1. Tree prison
2. Anvil? NOPE! Cowbell!
3. Two Cutie Nominations by UC Banduh mates
4. Two solo gigs hehe
5. Realized HS Band was not as great as college band
6. High School Spriiiiiiiiiiiing trip
7. SMOKE WEEK in Davis
8. I got 5 free t-shirts
9. Beach Cally/SLO first college all niter
10. I broke up with McDonald's
Nick (Guest of the Night)
1. Kinda switch to tenor Sax.
2. Made lots of peanut butter sandwiches.
3. Springgggg Trippppp.
4. First vlog videoooooo.
5. Drove from Folsom to LA in the roundtrip to Hell.
6. Gave Miriam Hubert
7. Handed a .... (I can't understand!)
8. Played Catannn!
9. (I can't understand his handwriting)
10. Pride and Prejudice Marathon Whyyyyyyyyy??!
Note: Nick's handwriting are not only cryptic they are also ambiguous.
Well, there was 2018. And now we begin a new chapter -- to live and enjoy what we have and not regret what we do not have. To get wiser and kinder than we were a year ago. To make new friends; to learn new skills; to try new foods; to push our ourselves not only to make us more popular and famous but also to make others happier and more at peace. To be more tolerant of others and set a higher bar for self (I hope). To smile more. To participate in activities with other people just for fun. This is just to list a few. The longer the list the greater chance we have of achieving something. :)
We thank God for all the grace, blessings, trials, and guidance he has showered us last year. All of which He used to prepare us for 2019 and beyond! Praise Him!
