Christmas-2000

A new year on the way! Seems like this time every year we look forward to the New Year and set ambitious goals for ourselves. Somewhere around February or March we tend to loose that objective. Not so at the Martin Residence! Around the middle of January we've forgotten about any resolutions that might have been declared.. Too busy with the season to think about those things. Heck: We might still be counting chads, dimples and pregnant ballots. Saw Jessie "the" Jackson, Declare on TV last night that if "the will of the (people) is not met" there will be massive demonstrations in the streets.. Fortunately those generally happen in his streets! I sleep better just knowing that the smartest gentleman in the world is looking out for me!

Enough politics!

The last year has been a blur of activity. The real estate market on marco has gone crazy the last 2 years.. There doesn't seem to be any let-up in the activity and the surprises keep coming.

Kid news..

Nate is back in school; Signed up and started in August at a school specializing in the digital arts. Audio is Nate's chosen field and this is the place to learn. Gara Ann and I accompanied Nate on orientation day and were we impressed! This "school" has more toys than Santa Claus. We toured the labs and the campus and my first impression was that this was a scam.. Too many million dollar labs and too much equipment. It is not abnormal to see people (both students and faculty) with green hair and a ton of rings (nose, cheek, eyebrow and lord only knows where else). While up to visit, I mentioned to Nate that he needed to dress a little better for school; he was wearing

sloppy shorts and 2 tee shirts with sandles. He informed me that he was considered a "Yuppie" because of his conservative dress habits. As an aside, Nate shaves his head (must not like red hair) and has done so for a few years. That's conservative! He is enjoying the school and seems to be doing well. He will have a technical degree in audio engineering upon graduation. And then get a job! (we hope).

Fun trips and adventures! Last year I aquired a camper! Been looking for years and GAM has been saying go for it! Well I finaly got toooo old to sleep on the ground. I purchased a 25' diesel powered Winnebago in November and have enjoyed it immensely. Quick trip to the Keys With GAM to see Nate (on vacation?) Trip to Orlando for a meeting then on to Jacksonville to see Nate. BIKE WEEK in Daytona for a week in Feb and on to the Mountians "just cause".

Then a couple of overnights in Florida. In June I drove it up to St.Louis (towing bike along), picked up Nate & GAM at the Airport and then on to Centralia for a night at "Moms" and a pile of that famous fried chicken of Gerry's. Packed up Mom and Gerry (and enough food for a month) and headed to Dexter, MO (5 hours south) for nephew (little David's & Rachel's) Wedding. Gerry rode "shotgun" most of the way and we picnicked somewhere in between on more of that super Chicken. Any of you out there that haven't experienced Gerry's cooking are realy missing something. Now I'v got to tell you that they know how to grow pretty girls down in Dexter! Great wedding with a bunch of great people. Fun to party with inlaws & outlaws you've never met.. Nate had a ball and Aunt Gara Ann was in her glory. I went to bed early but the rest of them partied all night. Got to see Randy & Jeanette in Piggott (about 30 miles) for an afternoon. Took GAM, Mom & Gerry over and met Alice and company there. Rain and more rain.

Mom and Gerry caught a ride back north with Jack & Carol Chance and we headed NW to visit friends Jim & Jan Danbom in Lake Okoboji, IA. Stayed a few days and were entertained magnificently. Treated to many boat rides and even a party in the "barn" attended by many (about 20) local dignitaries who are snowbirds on Marco in the winter.

On to Cable, WI for wedding #2 in as many weeks. Cable was thick with Marco Islanders attending the wedding of Erik Wibbels (Marco) and Cas (Cable). We realy enjoy all these wedding parties. At Cable Nate and the other kids built a huge campfire (had me worried about burning down the resort) on the beach nearly every night. I camped in the parking lot at the resort where most of the party stayed and one night GAM & I hosted a cook-out in the parking lot. I think I grilled burgers for about 12 but 25 attended. Everybody pitched in and we made do. I even got to see a black bear and her three cubs on one of my early morning walks.

Rained every day for a week but GAM's idea of vacation is an Egg McMuffin. I told her the closest Micky "D's" was - 20 miles down the road (and back)- in the rain - on the bike; she says "so what" and off we went. My kind of girl. I probably won't call her a matron hardly ever agin. We put the bike on the ground whenever possible and GAM & I did some riding and were able to see the sites in a fun way. A little rain didn't dampen our fun hardly at all.We parted company with Cable and headed back to St.Louis to fly out GAM & Nate but stayed one night at Hannibal MO., home of Huckelberry Finn. Again we put the bike on the ground and rode aroud the town and saw the sights. After dropping off the gang I came back home to catch up on work. A little over 5,000 miles on the camper. FUN TIMES!

More fun Trips! Jim & Jan asked if we would like to accompany them on their 48' SeaRay on a trip to the Bahamas in April... WOULD I? I Hadn't been there on a boat in 30 years.. Heck; I was standing on the dock all packed and ready 10 days before they came to pick me up. Gara Ann had to stay home and run the business (somebody needed to do it) and Jan decided to stay also; Jim and I left for the Islands and played there for about a week and then Jan & Gara Ann flew over for a 5 day stay. Just like I remember it from my captain days in the 60's except more people. We were docked in the Abaco's at Marsh Harbour for the stay but Jim had the loan of a friend's 33 Baha sport boat that went faaaaast so we got to see most of the islands within 50 miles of Marsh. It blew 35 MPH for most of our stay but not a problem.. We had a ball.

Now I know you guys are thinking that I get to have all the fun and GAM does all the work but she did travel with and without me too! In May to niece, Laura Peiser's high school graduation with Grandmamma Toalson, Gerry, Bill and Charlie...what a beautiful party courtesy of sister Alice. Then she did her usual summer trek to Arkansas, Missouri and back to Arkansas to visit the Books and then again to MO to watch Mizzou play ball. We understand there is a new coach so we expect great things in the near future on the football field. She enjoys going back to roots...even if they don't win.

One of the special joys in her life is the opportunity to teach adult Sunday Bible Study and loves all her "kids". Speaking of church..in March the choir did a musical, My Utmost for His Highest and a special treat was that Randy Book came bach to Marco to be the Worship Leader of the musical so we had fun with the Books, Peisers on Spring Break and even Shannan Book Selsor and her girls at the "Martin motel"...great times and wonderful memories.

I just wonder if any of you have seen the shift in the Martin Christmas letter? Notice that there is more about US and less about the KID than previous letters. Well get used to it. We are, after all, EMPTY NESTERS!

As we celebrate this season of the year we reflect on so many blessings in our lives...friends, family, business opportunities, material blessings, good times and the list goes on, but our greatest blessing is the GIFT OF CHRISTMAS in the person of Jesus Christ who, through His life, death & ressurection has provided us with the gift of life now and forever. Our world is full of "craziness", but one thing is for sure Jesus is King of Kings and just as He

came in Bethlehem, He will come again to claim His own. Our wish for you is that you belong to Him now & forever!