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Dear friends,
Just because you didn't get a letter from me last year, don't think I dropped you from the list. Nobody got a letter from me last year.
So here goes with a brief summary of the last two years.
My job with Denison was eliminated in mid August of 1999. By December, I had the opportunity to work for the Census 2000 program, as a recruiter. My job was to set up places to test prospective Census workers and to administer the test to them. I ended up putting off the Christmas letter till it was closer to Christmas 2000. I recentlly applied for and was given the job of Manager for Ashley Villa, an apartment community for Senior Citizens. What was supposed to be a three hour a day job has become more like 8 hours, though.
In July of 1999 I was mowing grass on the hillside behind my house, with a Sears riding mower. I would mow up the hill, then let it coast to the bottom to take another pass. I discovered the mower didn't have a brake, so in order to stop the mower from running into the ditch, I let out on the clutch, which caused it to do a wheelie, turning over on top of me. When Marianne heard all the commotion, she came running. She was concerned that I might have broken the mower, which is also 50% son Dave's. I was able to push it off and over back onto its wheels, but discovered that while it was upside down without lubrication to the connecting rods, the one rod seized on the crankshaft and broke, which then broke the other rod. I couldn't find parts, but ordered them from Sears, who promised delivery in 5 days. About the 10th day they said Oops, we don't have them in stock and will have to back-order them- it will be a month delay. A month later and they called to say it will be another month. This went on for a while. This spring I finally went to see a neighbor who repairs mowers. He had two used rods that he said I could have, so I put the motor together and got it running, then received a package from Fedex with two new rods. A week later I received two more rods, and a week after that a call from Sears saying they would be unable to get me the rods and were refunding my money.
This year we had our 110th annual Thurston Reunion. Guess who was in charge of roasting the hog. Guess who lost the roaster on the main intersection in Kilbourne. Well, after getting everything back in order, the hog roasted beautifully, and we had a great gathering.
This summer, Marianne and Sister Trudy took a vacation to California, to the Redwood forests. Marianne brought back a burl, which after being set in water created lots of miniature Redwoods. We were told that one would become dominant and the rest would die, so in order to save the redwoods I decided to cut the burl into numerous pieces and thus have a redwood for each piece. I cut it in half with no problem, but in the process of repositioning the pieces I ran my hand across the sawblade, which cut a slice off the middle finger, cut the length of the index finger, and nearly cut the end off the thumb.
Our pond in the yard is still a favorite of the grandchildren and their friends. Marianne has planted lots of flowers around the pond and shelter, making it a beautiful place.
Shailyn, Ashley, Mathew and Kassidy are all together again with Jim and Kim in our downstairs. I recently completed a circular stairway from my bedroom to the furnace room, allowing us to get downstairs without going around the outside of the house, and providing an easy route for the grandchildren to sneak upstairs.
David, Amy, Tristan, Erica, Nathan and Alyssa are finding their home across the road getting smaller and smaller as the children grow. When school is out, Shailyn, Tristan, Ashley and Erica stop in till their parents get off work. Marianne sets them in different rooms and oversees their getting homework done.
Beth is still caring for two handicapped children. She recently adopted Bubby, changing his name to Joseph Levi Thurston. She and Dusty also are changing their name to Thurston, so there lots of Thurstons congregating in the immediate area. Beth and Marianne often conspire to bake pies or cookies, usually at our house where I can sample the broken or burned ones..
Bill and Maureen are settling into their home, having built a Florida room on the back, landscaping and adding play equipment..
Bill gave me his truck when it developed a leaking head gasket. I had Jim take it apart, replace the gasket and had the head planed flat, so I now have a truck again. I'm a bit cautious when crossing train tracks now.
Ashley Villa Apartments, where I work Beth, Joseph, Dusty
Dave Thurston family
Dick Boring Maxine (Eckard) Frey Dick Cummins Maxine (Kanniard)Hintz Yours Truly
Classmates at our 50th Anniversary, Memorial Day 1999
Mrs. Hart, Jean's sister, Jean (Kimble) Gilbert, Mrs. Cummins
Classmates at our 50th Anniversary, Memorial Day 1999
Dick Cummins, Harley Hart, Dick Boring
Classmates at our 50th Anniversary, Memorial Day 1999