2006 Greatest Hits! Kristin Mannix

This year to save time and paper, we decide to post our holiday letter on-line. This is a remix of 2006.

January: Come Together, The Beatles

Kicked off January with a big party. My boss, George Thompson retired after working at the Diversity Council for 10 years, 5 years with me. While it was sad, I was excited my colleague Kay Hocker who moved into the role. Another leaving brought us together with family, as Nathan’s grandfather Arndt Halvorson passed away. While difficult for all who loved him, Arndt’s years of struggle with Parkinson’s and deep, abiding faith made his passing a blessing.

February: Land Down Under, Men at Work

We left February 1^st for our reconnoiter of Australia. Last September, Nathan received our visa with an entry date of on or before February 14. This trip was our official entry to Australia, and featured short tours of Sydney, Adelaide, and Hobart. Highlights included a hike to Wineglass Bay, the Adelaide City Market, Surfing Lessons, and a trip to the Sydney Opera House. Inspired by Madame Butterfly, Nathan and I returned to sing with Jaymi Wilson and friends in her annual Hope Lodge concert.

March: Working for a Living, Huey Lewis & the News

After an indulging 3 week vacation in Australia, Nathan and I returned to a heavy work load. Nathan worked almost daily (er, I mean nightly) 12 hour shifts….to squeeze in a Blues Brothers pilgrimage to Chicago with long-time friend Todd Jones. Their trips to the Billy Goat Tavern “Cheezeborger, Cheezeborger, Cheezeborger,” Second-City, and REAL blues.

April: Clean, Depeche Mode

After a flurry of cleaning, painting, cleaning, landscaping, cleaning, redecorating, we were finally ready to put the house on the market with friend and realtor Curt Briston. Let’s just say that a clean house is not a natural state of affairs for us, so this really was a month long activity. While I clean, Nathan gives up his remaining nights and weekends to play in the pit for "Singin' in the Rain". We figure it will take 3 months to sell the house, and we will be on our way to Australia in September. That was the plan anyway.

May: These boots are made for walkin’, Nancy Sinatra

Nathan and I spent Memorial Day weekend in a hike around beautiful SnowBank Lake. The Lake was beautiful—the trip was not. Not enough water access, hard to find campsites, 90+ degree heat and worse humidity, a badly sprained ankle (at exactly half-way!), and ticks, ticks, ticks. We had one day where we hiked through sweltering heat, lightening, rain, hail—all in about 2 hours. But, the 4 day trip was made worth it, by a well-earned Blizzard ice cream and a tremendous sense of accomplishment.

June: Summertime, Porgy & Bess

We kicked off the summer with a short stay in the Wisconsin Dells with my Mom and Dad. We enjoyed a few days of relaxing days of golf, food, and fun. Dad’s been struggling with a chronic illness called MDS, so it was great to have a few relaxing days of golf, food, and fun. Around this time, Mom & Dad agreed to try a new treatment for MDS that uses a chemo-like therapy in September. We are hopeful this one will free Dad from monthly blood transfusions.

July: Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy of Company B

Nathan played in Rochester Civic Band for 4^th of July. This lead to an introduction to Swing Street, an awesome local “big band.” After a few fun, hard work rehearsals, Nathan says “If I’d have found this group a few years ago, I don’t know if I could leave.” NOW he tells me! (First Goodbye Party with the Diversity Council.)

August: How Can I Miss You (When You Won’t Go Away), Dan Hicks

In April, I gave my letter of resignation to the Diversity Council Board of Directors, with an end date of August. August arrived before I knew it and I started saying goodbye to the many wonderful friends made at the Diversity Council. While hard to say goodbye (and keep saying goodbye!), it was easier knowing the organization was in good hands. I will miss Kathy, Kay, Kami, Ebony, Ben, Moses, Savita, George, and everyone SO much. (Mt. Olive Goodbye Party with Kevin and Joy Peterson).

September: I’ll Be There For You, The Rembrandts

In August, my grandmother Olga was diagnosed with cancer, detected in the bones near her hip, with a mass later detected in her lungs. My mom, (my hero) was able to be with her for radiation treatments for a few weeks in August. In September, I went to chauffeur Grandma to her treatments in Aberdeen so that Mom could head home for a week to keep an eye on dad. It was great to spend time with Grandma during the Twins run for the Playoffs—she’s a Twins fan through and through.(Goodbye party with Eric & Hilary, Goodbye dinner party with Diversity Council staff)

October: Sign of the Times, Prince

Our plan had been to leave in September…we even had a joint leaving party with our friends Eric and Hilary who moved to Pittsburgh. But, with our house not sold, Grandma and Dad ill, and me unemployed, I began to ask for a sign—“What should we do—go to Australia or plan for a little longer in the U.S.?” In October, while visiting our families in California, it seemed like we got a sign, actually two. 1) An offer on our house, contingent on the sale of the property, 2) an offer of a job, for me at the Murdoch Veterinary Trust in Perth.

November: East Bound and Down, Smokey and the Bandit Soundtrack

“Long way to go, and a short time to get there” describes November exactly. With a start date of January 9^th at Murdoch, Nathan and I suddenly had a lot to do….and less than 9 weeks to do it. First was making travel arrangements and getting Jake’s quarantine arranged (argh….more bureaucracy!), then packing, visiting friends, Christmas Cards and shopping, selling our vehicles, etc. etc.

December: Leaving on a Jet Plane, The Carpenters

Well, here’s the hard part…actually leaving. Nathan and I are excited for our new life in Australia, thrilled to finally be on our way after years of planning for this. But leaving is hard—there are so many people and moments we will miss (birthdays, weddings, funerals, golf outings, rook games, theatre, dinner with friends). We hope our friends and family know how much we love them and that distance can’t keep us apart. We hold onto the fact that we will be back soon, and hope that EVERYONE takes advantage of our sincere offer to visit us in Australia. (Finally, we are really leaving, goodbye party: Tuesday December 12, 2006 at Sonte Tapas Bar, 3^rd Ave SW from 5-8 pm).