Newsy November

Wow!  Where did October go?  Seems the months enter briefly and whoosh, gone!  This time travel at warp speed is becoming a bit overwhelming!  I suppose one of the biggest surprises post- retirement is the realization that we spent so much time during our career, working years looking forward to all the time we would have in retirement.  Not so!  We continue to use every minute of the twenty-four hours alloted to us each day.  Now we have departed October (which to us still seemed to continue to remind us of days still in late August!)  Of course, you know what November has been already.....Nor Easter, Polls, Election, and we have only begun.  We are fast approaching the Holidays........Whew!

In  the Kanipe family, we are anxiously awaiting the birth of another great, grandchild.  Oldest Kanipe grandson, Jeffrey & wife Pricilla are preparing for the birth of their first child on November 13.  Lee and I watched as the moon became fuller and finally waned with no word.  I suppose the old saying " when the apple is ripe, it will fall from the tree", holds true for birthing of babies!  Along with that, in the Knight family, grandson, Daniel has announced his engagement to Stephanie.  Not sure when the wedding will be, but the next year holds the promise of a marriage.  Also, on the Herman side, nephew, Stephen and Lauren have announced their engagement and plans for a wedding in the year 2013!

Son Greg Knight, and his son, Daniel (recently engaged) will be completing their posts-graduate degree with Master's in Computer Engineering Softerware Technology from ECU in December.  Our congratulations to both and good wishes toward completing their thesis on time.  Donna Kanipe, Todd's wife, will be completing her second year in post-graduate toward Master's in Psychology.  Wow!  All our "middle-agers" are pushing forward!

My sister and her husband, ages 81 & 82, are finally getting back to a more normal life, since he had a total knee replacement on October 17.  He is now in outpatient rehab, doing great, and I hope she is finally able to get some much-needed rest and sleep.  She is a retired nurse, so he has been fortunate to have the great care she provided.  My concern now is for her! Hopefully she will get her routine back to normal again.

Lee and I have desperately been trying to find time to return to the beach with some of our close friends.  We have canceled once and now that both of us are battling this cold, therefore, we are not sure we can go anywhere before the first of the year.  Lee has had little resistance to this, and it now appears to be moving into his chest.  We are in touch with Duke and will keep a close watch to make sure he does not get a complication.  Both of us know that being pro-active is the key to his successful recovery from a simple cold.

So many things to do since November is here, that I have to make myself slow down to keep from being  overwhelmed!  I know all of you are experiencing the same.....Food preparation, entertaining, enjoying family......then shopping for Christmas................decorating....Food.....entertaining....family......cleaning...cooking....baking.......

I must sit and rest a while........................

More Later...........................................Brenda