It’s that time of the year already! Where did the year go? Seemed like yesterday that we were enjoying the summer. Now, it’s snow time, Christmas shopping and festive decorating. 
Annual Hillman Christmas
Massive Missive 2022
https://www.hillmanweb.com/xmas/2022.html
ClickWe often think of all our family and friends, some of whom we haven’t seen since Covid. But, YOU are always in our thoughts, and we take this opportunity to send our Best Wishes for a Merry Christmas, and a Happy and Healthy 2023!
We’ve had two major events in our family this year; one a little bit sad, and the other a big happy celebration.
As we announced last Xmas, that Robin and Jen got married in July while vacationing in Newfoundland after being together for +15 years. They fell in love with St. John’s, and they MOVED there this past July! They sold their home in Winnipeg and bought a home in St. John’s all within a couple of weeks. It’s quite a bold move, especially with 17 year old Oriyen who is in her final year of high school, but they seem to have settled in well. Jovi and the two cats, Radar and Louie survived their first plane ride too.
Robin continues to work as a Business Analyst with Tactica Interactive from St. John’s. Jen just started working at a Re-Store, in Customer Service and office duties. Hopefully, she will have a HR position when they restructure in the new year. They both have “bikes” and have been exploring their new area together and as a family.
Oriyen is in grade 12! It must have been hard leaving her longtime friends at this stage. But, she makes friends easily and has settled in well. Her main interest is still drawing in various media. Maybe she will one day showcase drawings from her new province.
River enjoys hiking and exploring, a whole new world for her after Winnipeg. We enjoy funny chats with her, guessing what she’s drawn at that moment. Her latest activity is KARATE! From her first photos, she’s got that side kick executed perfectly! The Hillman genes are carried through to the third generation.
Although we will miss them being so far away, we are very happy that the move has turned out so well.The second major 2022 event is the long awaited celebratory party of Scott and China-Li’s wedding! The wedding gown finally came out of hiding after two years, the wedding planner got busy, the Manitoba Room venue was booked, and the guests all came. The big day was October 1, and it was a fun event. Mom and Dad shed a few tears as Bill finally got to walk China-Li down the aisle. But the biggest outpouring of tears was during the Father and Daughter dance. China and Scott, secretly, chose the song Bill wrote for me, “Two Loving Arms”, which we recorded in 1972 for our third album.
https://www.hillmanweb.com/cd/1020TwoLovingArms.mp3
After the first few bars, the dam broke! But a wonderful time was had by all!
Full photo coverage of the festivities on our website.Now that the celebrations are done, both China and Scott have their full focus on their careers, as Doctor of Thoracic and General Radiology, and Scott as Advanced Care Paramedic Practitioner. They also have +13 year-old Great Pyr Lily and +year old Golden Retriever Butterbeans to fill any blank slots on their calendar!
Ja-On and Angela are very much involved with their businesses: at Reactive Massage Therapy Clinic, and with Modere Biocell. Both have been making health-related video presentations daily, and have built up quite a following. With the girls back in school instead of home schooling, they are working more clients into their schedules.
Inara and Tayla were both enjoying their weekly riding lessons at their pony club during the summer. They were learning lots of skills taking care of the ponies. That has also helped with the care of Neelo, their little Morky!
Inara continues to excel in Taekwondo, recently receiving her junior black belt. Ballet and jazz, and drawing fills the rest of her activity calendar.
Tayla is amazing to watch in gymnastics classes. HOW in the world DOES she do THAT is the question. Had the pleasure of watching her at her swimming lessons on Tuesdays – just like a fish!
Grandson Soulin is working in the insurance field at Western Financial Group offices in Brandon. Nice to have someone in the know when we have questions about house or car insurance. He still hopes to join the Canadian Armed Forces. He is interested in working as an aircraft mechanic.Bill and I continue to be homebodies, but still keeping busy with our various activities. Needless to say, The “Jeddak of the North”, ie, Bill, fills his day with many research projects, first of which is author Edgar Rice Burroughs for whom has created a 1500-page website. And, since 1996, he has produced a weekly webzine on SF-adventures. Other folks of the same interest have been reaching out via emails, hour-long phone calls, etc., and that usually sends him down another Burroughs rabbit hole. He continues to update our family history, our Musical Odyssey on-line memoir, and various volunteer websites. Bladder and kidney issues continue to plague him. Maybe 2023 will bring a positive solution.
Gardening, cooking, seniors aquasize, and family keep Sue-On active. Tai-chi is now available indoors, so that will fill another slot on the calendar.
This year turned out to be a year of home repairs instead of international travels. So far, we have re-shingled the roof, built a new deck, replaced the air conditioner, the built-in oven, the hot water tank, the microwave, replaced cedar planks on the back of the house (damn woodpeckers!), new shed door, railings, etc. Maybe 2023 will allow some kind of travel other than trips to Winnipeg for medical appointments.It’s going to be another unusual Christmas gathering. We will get together with Scott and China, and Ja and family on Jan 1st, 2023 at 41 Kensington. Robin and family will not be able to come back as they were just here for the wedding in October. It will be late Xmas, New Years, and early celebration for Bill’s 80th birthday!
For +300 wedding photos and our annual on-line Christmas card, check our website:
https://www.hillmanweb.com
https://www.hillmanweb.com/xmas
Wishing you all the BEST in 2023!Bill & Sue-On
