This is long overdue. I went home mid-December for a week to celebrate the life of Olive Robison, the late mother of my uncle Jim. I was glad to have been able to know her, and to have spent time with the Robisons at that time, especially right before Christmas. I hadn't seen my cousins Emily and Noah in several months and two years respectively, and wouldn't have otherwise because Sarah and I had already made plans to meet my parents in Arizona to spend Christmas with my sisters. Much catching up was done in just a couple days, then I went to the ranch. It's a quieter time of year there, and I happily relieved my dad from a few days of feeding, which he seldom gets a break from for six months a year. I had brought my fiddle because I couldn't have shown up to a Robison gathering without one, and got one evening of playing in with the Helena crowd, thankfully at a slow, closed session where my out of practice fiddle couldn't be heard by the general public. They always welcome me back like I haven't been gone at all. My friend Dan Boyce met me for a couple beers and his company was as good as could be asked for, as always. Somehow without weather delays, I made it back to Iowa.
After two very pleasant days spent in southeast Iowa with Sarah's family for their Christmas, we each worked one day, then flew to Phoenix that night. We spent the week with my parents, sisters, Aaron, Elayna, and Brian, spending overdue time with each other in ACE's massive new house, cooking, hiking in the hills in and around Phoenix, bowling, watching E do things, taking in a Suns game, playing games around ACE's backyard firepit, riding segways, and going to interesting restaurants. The latter included sushi, a semi-famous breakfast place, and a Mexican-Chinese mashup. The Arizona winter was also appreciated by those who'd come south. Sarah and I regrettably had to endure late night/early morning flights (direct 2:30am return), but otherwise our travels went smoothly.
I've accepted a different role at work. A spot in the enhancement group, which is in the same office but deals with production problems and changes to current products, opened at the end of the year. My workload for Brazil-related things had dwindled to very little, and I felt the need for a change. I am in the middle of my second week, and all is well so far.
I am taking advantage of the indoor weather this winter by working on a couple braiding projects. I am just about done with a stockwhip handle, which will eventually go to Jesse Munk, whose place in enhancement I took after he moved to Parts Center. It's nice to not travel for a little while, after being gone for more than half of December.
