Thursday, December 12, 2024

Christmas - Festivus 2024 Stewart Newsletter

Welcome to my annual announcement of how we’re doing so much better than you. Even if we aren’t.

Dave. After living in Montreal for several years, and trying really hard to make his art pay, he has decided to take a break from all the Frenchness and move back to Seoul. He’s teaching English, and he begs forgiveness for being the catalyst behind their recent Martial Law debacle. Note that he left behind a bunch of paintings at the Corkin Gallery in Toronto. Have a look and buy something, would you?



Kath and Alan and George and Edith. No huge change this year except that George is now at kindergarten all day. He’s also in Tai-Kwon-Do on Saturdays. The Jake Paul fight is scheduled for later next year. Edith is a mini Kathryn - knows exactly what she wants and when she wants it. Still at the daycare beside Children’s Hospital - where Alan works. Kath is a teacher in North Vancouver and I’m exhausted just hearing about their busy days. They all had a big trip back to England this past summer where there’s a ton of family on Alan’s side. We see them often, and the grandkids stay over on the weekend pretty frequently. I have Lego in my sock drawer.


Laura keeps busy with the part time ECE gig. She’s slowing down a bit and trying to plan some handing off of her bigger projects (CLC in Harrison Hot Springs every year).  We’re still living the hi-rise life and, come this summer, it will be the longest we’ve ever lived in one spot.


Me, I’m still alive. After the bladder cancer diagnosis last year, I had my bladder (and other bits and pieces) removed in February. The cancer had spread, and so now I am on a years’ worth of immunotherapy (last treatment will be April ‘2025). So far, so good. I don’t have any symptoms and my last CT was clear. I look fantastic, and my charm is off the charts. I’ve kept up my blog (it’s my therapy, and you're reading it now) and now goes back some 18 years.



So in a nutshell, that’s it. We keep on keeping on. The grand kids get bigger, and our kids get older. Life is pretty good.


We hope your lives are good too, and you’ve learned to pivot when uncomfortable stuff gets in the way (that’s my new word - pivot).




Wishing you all the best for 2025.


Platonically,

Doug (and Laura).


3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Will the condo really be the longest spot you’ve lived?! Wow, the years have flown by apparently.

Joel Larson said...

Thanks for the always entertaining Christmas letter, Doug. Sorry to hear about the bladder cancer. We are fellow travelers in that regard except mine was caught early enough for surgery to remove the tumor and not the whole bladder. I get “scoped” once a year in January to check for the evil Capt. “C” making a counter attack.

Best wishes to you and Laura. Tell her that the Wild are kicking butt and taking names this year, so far. Of course, being a Minnesota professional sports team, there’s still plenty of time for them to go into the toilet and finish near the bottom. Best of luck to you, Former Fearless Leader.

Joel.

Anonymous said...

Thanks for sharing Doug...wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas! Doug