Good bye 2017 and hello 2018
2017 started with a heartbreaking loss of our dear neighbor Dick Church who had been in our lives for 27 years. The mere thought of him still brings tears to my eyes and pain in my heart. He had been such a kind and thoughtful neighbor, my confidant and father figure, the one I would always run to whenever I needed him or anything. His door was always open to me. To have known him in this life is a blessing.
Dick in his back yard as his family and neighbors celebrated his 90’s birthday in July 2014
Moving on to the rest of 2017. In Feb Bob and I celebrated our 32nd anniversary in Las Vegas
March 11th, I left for China by myself with Bob to follow in April when the weather started to warm up for him.
Celebrated my birthday with my parents and the rest of the family
Took Mom and Dad to see the cherry blossoms by Dragon lake. This was the only time I could lure both of them out of the house as Mom is getting less and less mobile.
April dealt us another blow: 95 yr old uncle Bill peacefully passed away in La Mesa. Knowing I would not see him upon my return from China, I bid my farewell to him in the hospital before my trip. Now we have lost the two pillars of our family:Uncle Bill and Bob’s dad, the two greatest gentlemen.
Uncle bill and Phyllis at the Olmstead cabin 2016.
In April, Bob joined me in China. On May 3rd we made a nostalgic return to Nanjing where Bob and I went for our honeymoon in 1985. This time around we stayed in the same Jingling hotel and celebrated Bob’s 62nd birthday.
Bob at Ming dynasty tomb in Nanjing
While in China, we taught English to fill our time and sustain ourselves. 10 yr old Luke was getting a lesson on phonics
5 year old Annie has been learning English from me since last year. She loves Dr. Seuss.
Bob gave a helping hand to mom around lunch time
Enjoying the sunset and street food with my niece yaya on the dike of Huai river
In July, we took a trip to Phuket, Thailand. Sunshine and ocean are definitely our happy place
Movenpick Resort and Spa Karon Beach, Phuket, Thailand
James Bond island, Phuket
Most fresh Thai food, my favorite: papaya salad and coconut juice
Back from Thailand and reunited with my college classmates in Hefei in the summer. Some of the ladies were my roommates for 4 years at Anhui University
Living in China meant lots of great food
Another scorching day in Bengbu this summer as we experienced 2-3 months of high temperatures with extreme humidities. Definitely a total opposite of San Diego
We finally made it back to San Diego early September. Sad to leave my family in China but stoked to see Michelle and Chris. To be able to sit in our own yard and breathe the fresh air under the most beautiful blue sky are such a comfort to us.
Barely recovered from the jet lag, we embarked on an another trip: to the northwest at end of September aboard Amtrak’s coast starlight.
First stop: Klamath Falls, to see the breathtaking Crater Lake. What a teeth chattering cold and windy day at the lake!
Hiking the link river trail. Dreamed about a house on the water
2nd stop: Portland, Oregon. We rented a car and drove to Astoria and where the Columbia river meets the ocean. There, we tasted the best fish and chips ever from Bowpicker, a converted stationary boat in Astoria.
Long Beach peninsula where the Columbia river meets the pacific.
Voodoo donuts, a must in Portland. Bob is in donut heaven.
3rd stop: Seattle, Washington. Atop the space needle
Whale watching at pungent sound, Seattle as we followed a pod of orcas for hours on a speedboat
We caught some of that fall color.
Back in San Diego and tried to catch up with friends in October by the Midway.
Even made a visit to Michelle in San Francisco after thanksgiving. Finally met her roommates and saw their house. Shared a potluck one evening, and played a board game.
Meeting my two besties in Temecula for lunch just before Xmas
Chris and Michelle on Christmas Day. Thank you Chris for giving me this awesome picture
What a year we had in 2017。I am so blessed and grateful that I get to go back to China and try to make up some lost time with my parents in their golden years. I am even more grateful Bob is wholeheartedly in tune with me on this journey and adventure. While I realize I may lose some to gain some, in the end seizing the moment is what counts the most. I am looking forward to more adventures in 2018
Happy new year !!!
