The year started with a mild winter with below average snow. I continue to revel in my leatherwork and just I had more time to play like this:
In February the dealership called me and asked to buy back my previous car lease – I relented and leased this new snazzy Limited Edition Scion!
(See! Now snow! And that was taken on the 18th of February.)
In March (the 11th) the ground was already warm enough to allow barefooting! Yeeaaayy!
Beautiful April days allowed us pleasant days out in the sun. At 14 years of age, old Chippie really likes to be outside with us in the ever increasing sun.
Also in April, our dear friends Troy and Naomi became fellow American Citizens.
At the end of April, my store moved to a new bigger and nicer location! Lots of excitement! Some hired help, some volunteers – and we all did it in one weekend!
May saw me and Wilhelm out for a walk in one of the parks next to the Mississippi river.
I woke up on my birthday, June 19th, with some heavy wind damage – the fence between us and the neighbours were blown down, and Wilhelm’s car had a narrow escape when a heavu tree branch just missed falling on his car (It is the silver colored one).
On the last day of June, me and Wilhelm went on a Google Photo Walk on an island in the Mississippi river, where I took this photo of downtown St Paul nestled on the northern bank of the river.
July 4th saw us again at the now very intitutionalized Potjie Day at Mark’s house with about 30 other ex-South Africans and interested Americans. Wilhelm made a potjie all on his own!
In July I joined fellow leatherworkers to give a talk at a Sci Fi Convention where I saw this Steampunk booth! (And yes, the leather in there comes from my store!)
August was the highlight of the year when I travelled to South Africa for my Mom’s 80th birthday! It was a delightful two and a half weeks of pure visiting! We watched the olympics together – a glorius choice of about seven channels of non-stop olympics!
In the middle of October the weather was still mild enough for me to join The Minnesota Barefoot Hikers for a hike in a local park! We saw quite a few of these little snakes trying to soak up the last few warm rays of sunshine.
End of November both boys were home and we joined the Dalldorfs for a very hearty lunch!
And Christmas saw us at the Kuhns’ to bring the year to a good end….
