I'm about ready for 2005 to be over.

It was a tough year for us on the medical front, of course. With R.'s foot surgery plus my two surgeries and the radiation treatment, more than three months of the year were far from normal for us. My major hope for 2006 is that no one in our family has to see the inside of an operating room.

Work was difficult as well. All the changes that the company has undergone in the last couple of years have made things much more stressful. I still enjoy what I do and the people I work directly with, but it just seems to be more difficult to get anything done. I did get assigned a new group in November that has me very excited, and I'm looking forward to taking on some new challenges next year.

My great-aunt's passing and the difficulty in dealing with her affairs in Memphis from 1,300 miles away added to the stress in 2005. My own health issues made it much more difficult to get things done, but I think the end of the tunnel is in sight on this one. I made the commitment to my aunt to take care of her estate about 15 years ago, before I was married and had children. I really didn't give it much thought over the years. It was only when she became ill that I started to think about what I had gotten myself into, and at that point I couldn't in good conscience go back on my word. Fortunately, the lawyer and real estate agent I worked with in Tennessee were very helpful and we have been able to slowly but surely get things taken care of.

The year certainly wasn't all bad, though. We had several very nice trips to Florida, Seattle and New Hampshire. I saw a lot of ball games this year, including two in the Monster Seats. I also added three new ballparks to my list, Safeco Field in Seattle, Campinelli Stadium in Brockton and Everett Memorial Stadium in Everett, WA. The Patriots won another Super Bowl and the Red Sox made it to the post-season for the third year in a row.

The kids continue to do very well in school and are very into learning. They both like to read, which I consider a blessing and a bit of a miracle in this age of 200 cable stations, the Internet, Playstation and Gameboy. I think the fact that A. and I have shared our love of reading with them since they were babies has had something to do with it.

Goodbye, 2005. Don't let the door hit you on the butt on the way out. To all of you who come here and read my ramblings, thanks, and I wish you and your loved ones a healthy, happy and successful 2006.