Tim Brough's Black Leather Bookshelf

I did the Christmas cards this week, and as is my custom, sent out an end of year analysis. Here it is for my LJ friends. Happy Holidays.

I can't sugarcoat it; 2012 was a tough year. Despite my best efforts, I remain unemployed, although I did have two part time jobs at different points of the year. The class I was taking courtesy of a grant from the state turned out to be well beyond my comprehension level and I ended up not being able to complete the final exams to pass the course's accreditations. Between last year's letter and this one, I lost 4 very good friends, Joel lost his father, Syd, and we lost our beloved Sophie Cat.

Joel's father was an amazing man, a World War II veteran and one time procurement officer in the Department of Defense before retiring. You may recall that, last year, we held a 90^th birthday party for him here in our area. I consider this a good thing, as it will be how we will all have our last memories of Syd.  We should all have such a long and full life; He was a mere 6 days away from his 91^st

When Superstorm Sandy hit just a couple weeks later, we found this in the driveway. Yes, that is a car…under the tree…in our driveway.

Fortunately, thanks to good insurance, most of the damage was covered. But the car did spend two weeks at the car doctor. Joel's father also left us a Prius, which is getting great milage on the trips back and forth to Alexandria.

All is not total doom and gloom. Joel's job remains as secure as ever, and he has taken to a night shift in a good way. With only 3 nights a week instead of 5 days, he gets some extra time at home (and given his father's passing, we needed the extra days to clean up Syd's Alexandria apartment).

So what good did happen this year? Well, Joel and I did get to this year's Newport Folk Festival in Rhode Island, with beautiful weather and some great music from the likes of Jackson Browne and My Morning Jacket among others.

Joel's younger daughter, Miriam, got married on Labor Day to her longtime partner Suzanne. It was a lovely service held outdoors on a centuries-old farm. The brides both wore white and looked lovely. The wedding took place in Massachusetts. We drove up the Friday before with a fully loaded car, drove back Monday with even more in the car then we left with. How this keeps happening I don't know.

I did book signings here in Philly, as well as Cleveland, Chicago, DC, Asbury Park NJ, and California. I'm almost done with a new book, my first in many years. (The time off has to be used somehow.) And at the Thanksgiving regifting this year, Joel was the top number and procured a Time Share certificate, so we're going to Disneyworld at the end of January (Thanks, Aunt Sharon!) by which time we hope to have Syd's apartment rented. So here is to a better 2013 for all of us. I'm thinking Florida will be a great way to start it off.

Love to all.