Remembering Sophie

Sophie

November 1999 - May 19, 2011

Dale and I moved into our house in November of 1997. Sophie came to us in February of 2000. She was with us for 11 of the 14 Christmases that we've celebrated in this house. She will be greatly missed. The above picture is not actually Sophie. It is taken from a Christmas card I sent out a just a couple years after Sophie came into our lives. I thought it was appropriate since the dog in the picture looks almost exactly like her.

Christmas 2001 - Rosemary Clooney

Dale, my friend Noel and I went to go see Rosemary Clooney at Orchestra Hall in December 2001. The orchestra played the first half and Rosie sang with the orchestra backing her the second half. When we got back to our seats after intermission we noticed a chair had been set by the piano. Now, we saw her do a Christmas performance a few years earlier where she used a stool to sit on for support from time to time which made sense because she was about 71 years old. Having to sit for a performance is not something I'd seen a performer do before so this did not look good. When the show started she had help walking to her chair and did indeed end up sitting the whole performance. She was in fairly good spirits but was nowhere near the energy level I was used to. She mentioned to the audience that she had recently been to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester for test and that she was fine. I assumed she was just under the weather and, being a trouper, felt that the show must go on. Sadly, she passed away early in 2002. She was just shy of 74 years old.

Christmas 2001 - Pete & Steph

Pete and Steph's Christmas photo from 2001. Shelby and Odin make great reindeer! This was Pete and Steph's first Christmas as a married couple.

Christmas 2001 - Gratefulness

The sense of security many Americans took for granted was shattered on September 11, 2001. I believe a lot of us, myself included, reflected on this, and, during the holiday season of that year, were especially grateful for many of the things we always took for granted. We had a new understanding of the importance of families, friends and the time spent with them and how quickly it could all be taken away.

Christmas 2002 Part 3

Christmas 2002 Part 2

Pete and Steph's Christmas card from 2002 when they were living in Hawaii. I love the Hawaiian shirts on everyone including Shelby and Odin!

Christmas 2002

Mom usually sends out her cards after Christmas with the idea being Christmas Day is the beginning of the season and not the end. Her 2002 card included Madonna and Child prayer cards - one for me and one for Dale.

Christmas 2003 Part 3

Christmas 2003 Part 2 - Pete & Steph

Pete and Steph always put together a cute Christmas photo. The one above is from 2003 which was their first Christmas back on the mainland after having lived in Hawaii.

Christmas 2003 Part 1

This is the year Dale's mom and dad, Brenda and Irv, came to Minneapolis to celebrate Christmas with me and Dale and also with my mom and dad. Oddly, there are no photos to be found of this visit. What's strange about this is that Brenda and I are both such shutterbugs when it comes to documenting visits and holidays. So is my mom for that matter. We'll all just have to keep looking because I'd think between the three of us something will have to turn up eventually. Regardless, it was a fun visit and so meaningful to be able to celebrate Christmas with Brenda and Irv. The following note showed up a year later for Christmas of 2004. I think it's safe to say Brenda and Irv had a fine time as well!

Christmas 2004 - Ultra Lounge: Christmas Cocktails Part 3

Part 3 is the final (so far) in the Ultra Lounge Christmas Cocktails series. Fifteen more fun tracks released in 2004.

Christmas 2004 Part 2

Pete and Steph's Christmas tree from 2004.