Greggs' 2010 Christmas Letter

MerryChristmasoneandall:ThisisthemessageofChristmas:Weareneveralone.–TaylorCaldwell

Itishardtobelieve,butthisisourthirdyearinVictoria,andwhatanadventureithasbeen.PamandIarebothworkingfortheProvinceofBritishColumbia–PamintheMinistryofAgricultureandIamintheMinistryofEducation.Itisquiteliberatingtohaveajobwecanleaveattheendofthedayandnothavetoconcernourselveswitheveningmeetings,markingandthelike.Thatprovidesuswiththetimetodothethingsweenjoy.OneofthemajorsourcesofenjoymentinPam’slifeissingingwiththeLindenSingers,adynamic55voicemixedchoirinits31stseason.www.lindensingers.ca.Aswellasweeklypracticesandconcertseveryquarterandforspecialevents,thechoirtraveledtoCubainApriltoparticipateinaninternationalchoirfestival.Theytookmedicalsupplies,musicalinstrumentaccessories,andclothingforanorphanage;allofwhichwerewellreceived.Iwentalongfortheride,andhadafabuloustime.

Stayingonthechoraltheme,Pam,GildaandMargtravelledtoPowellRivertoparticipateintheKathaumixwhttp://www.kathaumixw.org/internationalchoirfestival.Withamassedchoirofover1,000voicesforthefinalevent,accompaniedbyayouthorchestraofover70musicians,thegatheredmembersoftheEclecticCircusSingersreveledinthemusic,artisticcommunityandexcitementofperformingtogetheronceagain.TheGreggssenior(Dave’sparents)celebratedtheir60thweddinganniversaryinMay.WithsuitablecongratulationsfromtheQueen,PMandassorteddignitaries,theblushingcoupleweresuitablyfêted.

AlsoinMayItookdeliveryofmynewYamaha.Enoughsaid.Yes,thatisagreatbiggrinyouareseeingonmyface.

Augustbeganwithaweddingcelebration;ElizabethandMitchSiemensKearns.TheyweremarriedinMexicoinJanuary,buthadthebigfamilycelebrationinVanderhoof.Itwasgreattocatchupwithdearfriends,andseesomeofthechangesVanderhoofisexperiencing.EspeciallyrewardingwasthechancetodrivebytheSupportiveHousingComplex,nowwellestablishedindowntownVanderhoof.ThosefolksoftheOminecaSafeHomeSocietyhavecertainlymadethiscommunitydreamaclassyreality.Anotheranniversaryweobservedwasour35thweddinganniversary.WecelebratedbyflyingtoEdmontontotakepartinourfirsteverhighschoolreunion,37(Pam)and38years(Dave)post‐graduation.PeterPondJunior/SeniorHighSchoolwasaschoolfromtheearlydaysofFortMcMurray,butitwastorndownin1977.Sinceitwassuchasmallschool,theclassesfrom1969–1977metinEdmontontoreacquaintourselveswitholdfriends,toreminisceoverthe‘olddays’andtofindouthowmuchwehadallgrownup.IknowPamandIhadn’tchangedallthatmuch…..LongtimefriendsVickyKneeandMaryLynnChamberlandworkedveryhardtopulloffthisamazing,memory‐makingevent.Wewilltreasurethelaughterandstoriesshared,forever.AveryspecialtreatwasvisitingwithKarenStaceyBrookeandhermom,Joyce,whotravelledfromManchesterforthisevent.AsKarenandPam’ssisterKathywerebestfriends,itwasespeciallyrewardingforKarentogetachancetomeetLouandKathy’sson,IanLoutittandhisgirlfriendRobyn.InSeptember,MargandMike,PamandIkayakedagainintheBrokenIslandsoffofBC’swestcoast.Youknowhowsometripsarememorablebecauseofsomespecialeventor

circumstance?Thistripwillremaininmymindduetotheimpenetrablefogandwet,cloudyweather.Theentertainingsealionswerealsointeresting;doyouknowtheysometimeseatseagulls?!?Ontheotherhand,spendingtimedoingsomethingyoulovewithspecialpeoplemakesupforeverythingelse.Givenouragingbones,Isuspectournexttripwillinvolveamothershiporsomeothersortoffloatingrecreationalvehicle.OctoberfoundusvisitingtheFryattFarmintheTurtleValleyforanotheramazingThanksgivingfeast,harvestedfromtheirbountifulgardens.AstheyaresoneartotheAdamsRiver,wetooktheopportunitytowatchtheamazingsockeyesalmonrun;thebestinover100years.ThiswasaparticularlyfinewaytospendaThanksgivingSundayinBC.NovembertookustoMexicotowitnessthemarriageofourniece,Staceytoherwonderfulhusband,ChrisSteedman.Over30ofusgatheredinCaboSanLucasattheluxuryresortandexperiencedatrulymemorableevent.PamandIthendroveupthepeninsulatovisitwithgoodfriends,GordonandDeniseintheirhaciendainLaRiberaontheSeaofCortez.WealsodroveovertothePacificsideoftheBajaandenjoyedthegreatstretchesofpristinebeachesnearTodosSantos–thehomeoftheoriginalHotelCalifornia.BothPamandIfellinlovewiththispartoftheworldandarealreadylookingforwardtoournexttripthere.CheckoutourFlickrphotostreamathttp://bit.ly/fkhnzY.

ErinandDrew:Thishasbeenaquiet,yetexcitingyearforDrewandI.Wemovedoutofour"garagesuite"andintoabrandnewactualbasementsuitemuchclosertotheuniversity.Weweresettledjustintimeforsummerclassestobegin.Amongthesesummerclasseswasour6weeklongarchaeologyfieldschool.WespentfourofthoseweekscampingandworkingintheGulfIslandsNationalParkReserve.ParksCanada,UVic,andtheHul'q'umi'num'TreatyGroupworkedtogethertosurveyPortlandandSidneyIslands.Wedidsomeexcavationofa3500‐year‐old(Ithink)villagesite,surveyedandmappedthreatenedarchaeologicalsites,andlearnedhowtoliveincloseproximitywithmanydifferentpersonalities.Thefoodwasgreat(wetookturnscooking),theexperiencewasamazing,andwedidn'thaveanyraintheentiretimewewerecamping.

Weendedoursummerwith...morecamping!DrewandI,alongwithtwootherfriendsspenttheAugustlongweekendatOzette(anarchaeologicalsite)inWashington.Ifanyoneeverfindsthemselvesinthatpartoftheworld,youmustmakesuretogototheNeahBaymuseum.I'mprettysuretheonlyreasonyou'dbeinthisarea,though,isifyouplannedonbeingthereasitisalmostthefurthestnorthwestyoucanpossiblygowhilestillbeingintheUnitedStates.Althoughitwasagreattrip,itwasabitsad,asitwasourlastcampingtripwithoneofthetwofriends,whohasgoneofftoYork,EnglandtodoaMastersdegree.Speakingofdegrees…ThiswastheofficiallastsemesterofDrew'sandmyundergradcareer(sortof).WehaveappliedtoconvocateinJune2011(althoughwehavetechnicallygraduated).It'stimeforustobeheadingoutintotherealworld,findingjobsinthefieldthatwehaveactuallychosen.Nomoreretailforme,althoughIdiddoashortstintwithChaptersatthebeginningofDecember.Drewwoulddrivemedowntownintimefora5amstart,tostockshelves.Whatagreatguy!IamnowworkingagainforServiceCanada.Thisiswherethe"sortof"comesin,ofbeingfinishedschool.They'vehiredmeasastudentfortheChristmasbreakandwillkeepmeoninJanuary,howeverinordertobeeligibleforthestudentfunding,Ihavetobeastudent.I'mgoingtobetaking3extraeveningclassesnextsemestersothatIcankeepthejob,buthopefullyitwillalsohelptoboostmyGPAabit.

Ican'tforgettheothermemberofoursmalllittlefamilyhere.Misty(our12yearoldcat)wasdiagnosedwithkidneydiseaseearlierthisyear.Fortunatelyjustbychangingherdiettoareducedproteindietshe'sbeenhappyandcomfortableeversince.She'stakenthemovequitewellandisenjoyinghernewhome.Ithinkherfavoritepartsofarhasbeentakingcareoftherabbitpopulationthatisspreadingoutfromtheuniversity(RIPyouthreebabybunnies).Goodthatshe'shunting,butawfultowakeuptoscreechingrabbitsinthebedroom.

Well,nowthatDrewandIareontoanewchapterofourlives,it'shardtosaywhatliesahead.Theanswertotheultimatequestion"what'snext?"isstillatthispoint:"We'llseewherelifetakesus.”Contractarchaeologyworkexistsanywherethereisdevelopment,sorightnowwe'rethinkingFt.St.Johnisalikelyplacewe'llendup(alltheproposedpipelines,etc.)Thatsaid,itwouldbereallynicetogotravelingforawhilebeforegettingsuckedintotherealworkthatwecan'tleave.ScotlandandEnglandareonthelist,asisacrossCanadatripandPacificcoasttrip.So,whoknows?!

Nathan:NathanmovedtoMontrealinMayofthisyearforseveralreasons;toliveinalarger,excitingcity,tolearnmoreFrenchandtoasserthisindependence.HefoundajobworkingforatelephonesalescompanycontractedtotheShoppingNetwork.Nathanwrites:“Max[Nathan’sroommate]andIaremovingintoanewplaceonJanuary1stwith2friendsfromOttawathatwehavemet.It'sgoingtobea5‐bedroomhousewith4ofuslivingthere,whichmeanswewillhavemorespaceandallbepayinglessrent.Nowwe

willbeabletogobacktohostingforcouchsurfers.orgwherewecanhosttravelersfromallovertheworldandprovidethemwithaplacetostayandamealinthemorning.Thingswithworkaregoingwell.InNovemberIbroketherecordfornonohairremovalsystemconversionratesandtomyknowledgeithasstillnotbeenbeaten.MycallsarebeingusedtotrainotherpeopleintheindustryalloverNorthAmericawhichIthinkiskindacool.I'mgettingclosewithmyco‐workersandsupervisorsandmakingmorefriendsatMcGill.WinterisgettingcolderbutI'vebeenhandlingitlikeatrueCanadiansofar.AsformyFrench,let'sjustsayit'sgoodenoughtosweettalkthelandlordintolettingusmoveinthemiddleofwinter;)That’saboutit!