Season's Greetings to All! Our 17th Christmas newsletter!
Just like last year, our new year started out in Bonita Springs at Mona's place...dancing the night away at the Island House to Johnny Caribe's band. Are we becoming snowbirds??
As for our 2020 travels, we did Puerto Vallarta again...with the usual suspects Steve & Bonnie and this year adding Mike & Jo Ann. February was Grand Cayman again, this time with Mona, Berna, EJ & Rachel, and Erika. Of course, we did our timeshare in March in Orlando (with Mona)...which ended up being one of the best weeks we've ever had (in our 30 years going there). Since Disney closed due to Covid, no one in our community went anywhere, except to the highly-chlorinated pool! It was a week-long pool party!
Our "big" trip this year was taking Honeymoon (EJ's 22' RV - like a kitted out Amazon van) and just heading out west on Highway 66 to see where it took us. After numerous RV parks & campgrounds, we hit 3 national parks in one day in the Moab area before starting the trip back - swinging through Denver to see Erika (and new boyfriend, Mick) on the way.
Left: Katie in Amarillo
We braved the virus and flew to Aruba in November...with Erika & Mona. But, we had to cancel the sailing trip in the BVIs until next winter. Oh well. Our last trip of 2020 was a drive to Denver in Katie's new Tesla to see Erika's new house. Our average mileage between charging stops was around 200 miles in the Midwest, but it dropped to 100 miles in freezing weather going uphill to 5,000' elevation. Ugh...but, actually fairly acceptable for us oldsters. We basically ate our way across the country.
Evan is in his 16th year as IT Manager at VS Engineering...having retired from Allison 20 years ago now. His favorite pastime, other than on the sailboat at Eagle Creek, is cruising around on now his 3rd scooter. He and Katie are trying to take up golf...but, not so successfully yet. We did quite a few polo matches this summer - watching Billy whack with the mallet. About Evan's only exercise now is 3-mile runs on the rail-trail behind our house.
Katie is in her 4th year handling the social media for Vida Aventura. She's been much more active in golf having hooked up with a group of gals who like to play sometimes twice a week. Katie now has to say "yes" when asked if she golfs! Add occasional yoga and walks on the rail trail for her exercise. We've been in our Sunflower Court house in a cul-de-sac in Zionsville for 20 years now. It's a great base for our travels.
Left: Erika at her new house in Denver
Erika is in her 4th year now in Denver. She just sold her downtown condo and bought a house near Congress Park...not too far from the hospital where boyfriend Mick works. She's still working remotely for her company out of Chicago, however, now in a new division that was spun off in January...named Amount. After hitting her 5-year mark with the company in April, she took a 3-month sabbatical this summer to road trip around Colorado and Wyoming. Like last winter, she's renting a villa in ski country...this time in the Silverthorne area.
EJ & Rachel are still in Broad Ripple...and making seemingly endless improvements to their house. Are we hearing about a 2nd story hot tub?? Along with friend, Addison, they updated and sold Evan & Katie's old Indy condo this summer. EJ & Rachel were lucky to have completed 5 of their 6 planned winter trips before COVID hit...including skiing in Utah & Colorado, a convention in Vegas, Grand Cayman with the family, and San Diego to see friends.
EJ's still helping run the business with Rachel's father. They acquired two more Jiffy Lubes this year...totaling now 14 stores across Indiana. Already minority partners, they are looking to buy more and more into the company to become full-time business owners. Interesting path for an engineer and a nurse!
Rachel's still doing her nursing thing in now two hospitals - mostly in their emergency rooms. They are both becoming more involved with our sailing club including EJ coaching the Purdue Sailing Team. They just obtained a ~1962 Thistle and taking on the challenge of renovating it! They have hopes to race throughout the US next year on the 17-foot 3-person sailboat. So keep an eye out for them on the interstates and lakes near you!
Left: Rachel & EJ sailing in their 1st regatta together on Eagle Creek Reservoir
Below is a pictorial of many of the events throughout this last year.
We hope you and your family enjoy the Christmas season and most of all, be sure to enjoy New Year's Eve...Evan's favorite holiday!!
 Katie & Evan in Aruba |  Mona, Erika, Katie, & Evan in Aruba
|
 EJ & Rachel in Grand Cayman |  The crew on Eagle Creek Reservoir
|
 EJ fixing up the condo |  Rachel on the scaffolding
|
 The crew at Rum Point in Grand Cayman
| |
 The crew at Tukka Time in Grand Cayman |  Mona, Berna, & Katie at Tukka Time
|
 Rachel at Starfish Point, Grand Cayman |  Erika showing off Mark's chair at Tukka Time
|
 Erika & Katie at Stingray City, Grand Cayman |  EJ with a stingray
|
 Loungers at our villa in Grand Cayman |  Lounging at our villa in Grand Cayman
|
 Erika, Mona, Meg, Matt, EJ, Rachel, Berna, Evan, & Katie in Grand Cayman
| |
 Evan relaxing in Grand Cayman |  Erika, Katie, Mona, Berna, Rachel, & EJ in Grand Cayman
|
 Katie, Erika, Mona, Berna, Donovan, & Evan at Pirates Cove in Grand Cayman |  The crew at the Czech Inn Grill in Grand Cayman
|
 EJ, Rachel, Katie, & Evan on the links |  Katie & Evan picking up Tessy
|
 Rachel in her frontline ER apparel |  EJ in his bottom-painting apparel
|
 Erika relaxing at our villa in Grand Cayman
| |
 Erika on the top of Pike's Peak |  Mick & Erika relaxing after hiking near Telluride
|
 Evan, Katie, & Adina giving the harvested hops to Deviate's Greg & Mike |  Evan, Katie, Mona, & Erika in Aruba
|
 Conner, Rachel, Nathan, Emily, & EJ at Brewfari |  Rachel & EJ at Put-In-Bay
|
 Erika power spraying the condo deck |  Erika trying to keep that sprayer under control
|
 Joey, Tito, EJ, Rach, Matt, Camila, and Corbett on Mt. Sniktau (a 13er in Colorado)
| |
 Erika on a 9-mile hike to Crystal Mill in Colorado |  Erika tasting wine in Palisade, Colorado
|
 Katie & Evan in Aruba |  Katie in command on our sailboat
|
 EJ & Erika on Eagle Creek |  Katie. Berna, Mona, & EJ in Grand Cayman
|
 Erika rappelling in Moab |  Erika & Mick in Vail Village
|
 EJ, Erika, & Rachel in Breckenridge |  Rachel paddleboarding on Lake of the Ozarks
|
 Evan at a polo match |  Katie on her paddle board
|
 Evan & Katie on Lake Michigan |  Evan, Mona, Katie, Donna, Dell, & Rosa at polo
|
 Katie & Erika in Aruba
| |
 Evan with their anniversary dessert |  Erika hiking at Cascade Falls in Ouray
|
 Erika on her paddleboard on Twin Lakes |  Erika & Maria in Rocky Mountain National Park
|
 Katie with Honeymoon in Michigan |  Evan's office with Honeymoon in Colorado
|
 Our wood supply for cul-de-sac bonfires |  Evan's new scooter (Piaggio 150cc)
|
 Evan & Katie in Moab |  Katie at the Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island
|
 Mike, Jo Ann, Katie, Bonnie, & Steve in Puerto Vallarta (Evan was sick) |  Evan, Bonnie, Mike, Katie, Jo Ann, & Steve in Yelapa, Mexico
|
 Evan in his office in Ouray, Colorado |  Evan in Puerto Vallarta
|
 Madonna & Katie in Beaver Creek |  Erika at St. Mary's Glacier hiking to ski down
|
 Katie & Erika at the Story Inn |  Mona, Berna, Katie, Jane, & Donna at Urban Vines Winery
|
 EJ & Rachel and crew hiking in Lake of Egypt area, Illinois
| |
 Katie & Evan in Amarillo |  Katie at the Big Texan in Amarillo
|
 EJ & Rachel Halloweening as Steampunkers |  EJ & Rachel in San Diego
|
 Katie with our 4-wheeler in Silverton |  Katie (the invisible woman) & Evan in the 4-wheeler
|
 Katie at the Cadillac Ranch |  Katie - Just had to stop at the state line
|
 Katie & Evan at Arches National Park near Moab |  Evan & Katie at Canyonlands National Park near Moab
|
 Katie & Evan on a street, guess where |  EJ & Rachel sailing somewhere
|
 Joey, Torrey, Deanna, Cal, Ben, EJ, Rach, Amber, Tito, and Corbett skiing in Utah
| |
| Past Years: | 2003 | 2004 | 2005 | 2007 | 2008 | 2009 | 2010 | 2011 | 2012 | 2013 | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |