Christmas 2011

Dear Family & Friends,

As Christmas fast approaches I am thinking about how blessed Ron & I are. We have 2 beautiful daughters who each have wonderful spouses. We have a gorgeous little grandson who is just a delight & another one on the way. What more could a person wish for.

We had a good year last year. After we returned home from Mesa in Apr., we had a nice, but short visit from our friends Donna & Vaughan. They were visiting their son in Campbell River & stopped for visit on their way to the ferry. Alan, Kazuko, Hanna & Amy came for the long weekend in May. It was Kazuko’s birthday so I made her the famous Brown birthday cake. I think that I have at last mastered the angel food cake.

I think the highlight of our summer was Lesley Anne & Sam’s visit for a month. Ron & I droveover to Vancouver to pick them up at the airport. Needless to say, we were very excited to see them coming through the door from the plane. While Ron was putting the suitcases in the car, Lesley Anne surprised us with the announcement that grandson #2 is on the way. Needless to say, we were very excited. It was so much fun to have them home, but the month went by too quickly. We drove them back to the airport in Vancouver & it was a very tearful goodbye. We had a 2 week rest, then Lesley Anne’s in-laws, Pam & Frank, arrived. They stayed for a couple of weeks, then went to a car show in Langley. We really had a lot of fun with them.

In between visits, we kept busy. Ron has taken over the gardening & he quite enjoys it. I didn’t do my usual pots, because the weather took so long to warm up, so I’m hoping to plant some pots next summer. Ron also had a job. He went back to working at the military base for a few months during the summer, however, it didn’t interfere with his golf.

I enjoyed golfing over the summer also. I golfed twice a week...on Wed. with Carol, Claudia & Dora & on Sun. we did couples golf with Gord, Carol, Dave & Nancy. I managed to fit in a bit of quilting & took a class at our local quilting store.

We left for Mesa on Oct 12 and spent a few days in Vancouver at Alan & Kazuko’s, then headed south. We had perfect weather on the way down & spent a couple of days in Redding to go golfing. We then headed down to Lake Cachuma where we met up with Larry & Ellen from Los Angeles. We had a really good time exploring the small towns in that area & meeting some of their friends. We then went to Ventura to visit with Kirk & Joyce & had a golf game with Linda & Frank. We spent a few days at Paso Robles at our favourite RV park Wine Country RV. The wine festival was on & we really enjoyed visiting the wineries & tasting wine. We managed to buy a few cases also to take with us to Mesa.

We arrived in Mesa on Nov. 1 & within a couple of weeks had purchased a home in Silveridge Resort. We are really enjoying having more space, although we really don’t have space for overnight visitors.

Jennifer & Dave have moved to Singapore where they are teaching at a Canadian International School. They are enjoying Singapore very much, although they miss their New Zealand friends. They are having a great time traveling around Asia during holiday times and recently went to Vietnam. Christmas for them will be in India this year.

Lesley Anne, Brendan & Sam are comfortable in their house in Adelaide & have recently made the spare bedroom into a room for Sam. They are getting ready for their new arrival in Feb. Lesley Anne & Brendan have made friends with a couple of neighbours who have children the same age as Sam & Pam & Frank don’t live far, so they have lots of support.

Next year, we are tentatively planning to fly to Singapore in Oct. & spend some time with Jennifer & Dave, then Jennifer had thought to come with us to Adelaide for a couple of weeks before we fly to Mesa.

We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.

Love,
Ron & Gail

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Picture #1- Samuel Thomas & Lesley Ann at our house this summer

Picture #2- Amy and Hanna Brown

Picture #3- Dave and Jennifer

Picture #4- Gail & Ron - Golfing at Sunland Springs - Mesa Arizona - November 2011

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Our New Address in Mesa

Ron & Gail Brown
Silveridge Resosrt
8265E. Southern Avenue Site #507
Mesa, Arizona
USA 85209 Phone - 1-480-373-7507

PLEASE NOTE OUR HOME PHONE 250-339-5900 IS CALL FORWARDED
TO OUR ARIZONA NUMBER. Just call home and you will get us !!!

Click on the Below links for Pictures.

Our New Home

Pam & Frank's Visit

Mesa 2011




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