New Roles for Many
Be careful what you pray for, you just might get it!! After 2+ years of less than financially fulfilling work delivering food for Uber and packages for UPS, Rick landed 2 consulting gigs!! One to help his fraternity brother Tom’s company improve their on time delivery performance (they manufacture industrial burners) and the second to assist a team of (mostly) ex-P&Gers to grow the Right Guard and Dry Idea businesses they purchased. He’s thrilled to have something challenging to look forward to every day and is getting paid well to manage projects (aka “play Mom” – “Did you do what you said you’d do in the manner and time in which you committed?”). The antiperspirant gig doesn’t require any travel (Rick likes the commute across the hall from the bedroom to his office) with the burner gig requiring monthly travel to Cleveland (paid transportation to visit Tom).
Anita “retired” from Door Dash to give the car a break and return to her passion for socializing stray kitties. Kevin landed a promotion to Vice President, Andrew is working as a Data Manager at the C. Kenneth and Dianne Wright Center for Clinical and Translational Research in Richmond, A.J. completed his HVAC studies and entered the field in Northern VA, Mia was promoted to Store Manager for David’s Bridal in Jacksonville, Grace moved up from Hostess to Bartender as she continues to pursue work to leverage her BS in Neuroscience.
Farewell to Some
We gathered at Arlington National Cemetery the week of Dick’s 82nd birthday, almost 11 years after his passing, to lay his cremains to rest in an event marked with gallantry and emotion. We hired a professional videographer to document the experience. When you have 30 minutes, sit down with a box of tissues to watch the experience. Rick attended additional services for his long-time mentor and high school Latin teacher, Bruce Johnson, Tom’s mother Sue and a dear friend in Cincinnati that passed prematurely from ALS. It appears we’re in a new chapter of our lives, one where we get the opportunity to share the impact those close to us have had on our lives, support those close as they grieve transitions and be reminded how precious the lives we have, truly are.
Celebration with Others
Many of the travel celebrations this year involved Rick’s Mom Sally. Grace visited after her graduation from Temple, enjoying everything from happy hour to a mud spa with Sally and her sister Terry. Rick celebrated his 59th birthday in Laguna Beach with Sally and returned in September to enjoy SCUBA diving in San Diego with additional time with Mom. Sally was able to join us for Dad’s Memorial Service and the 2022 Barron Family Reunion at National Harbor and a cook-out hosted by Kendra and the Guidry’s. She enjoyed a visit to Death Valley with Terry and joined 3 of her remaining 5 siblings in Amelia Island, FL for a delayed version of their “speed limit” birthday celebration.
In addition to Sally-centric travel:
- Rick visited Louisville to see Bobbie Johnson (Bruce’s widow) and tour the Louisville Slugger and Evan Williams Museums.
- Rick and Anita drove Anita’s mother Louise to Tampa, FL for a surgical procedure, then
- Rick headed to VA to visit Kevin and meet his girlfriend Amy (Kevin’s divorce from Tina was finalized this year).
- Rick returned to Cleveland to celebrate brotherhood at his Sigma Chi reunion, and
- Rick drove through the remnant of the Buffalo blizzard to reach Marshall, VA to celebrate the 60th birthday and retirement celebration for his longest friend John Hessenauer.
I’m sure you’ve noticed Rick’s the one seeking experiences away from Cincinnati. Anita did get away from home, mostly to help her Daddy Sam care for her Mamma Louise. Louise’s dementia has progressed, making it increasingly difficult for Sam to provide full-time care. We’ll be in GA for Christmas to celebrate a year of blessings, give her Daddy a little break and to assess plans for help and support in 2023. I think you now see why Rick made two trips to visit Sally, with two (or more) coming in 2023.
Still Some to Include
Anita continues to pursue her passion for helping kitties, now focusing primarily on those “community” cats found at apartment complexes, restaurants, shopping plazas and parks who will be socialized and placed into an indoor Forever Home. She finds the work VERY rewarding but difficult to win the trust of cats who’ve been taught to avoid human contact. Her technique (and persistence) pay off and many families are now enjoying the company of kitties who had been lost and forgotten. If you’d like to help by making a financial contribution, the next “semi-feral” cat will greatly appreciate your generosity. Adoption fees are $50 for adult cats and $80 for kittens, while vetting expenses for standard services have climbed to over $300 for a HEALTHY cat!!
Rick’s grand daughter Mia and her husband Eric celebrated their 2nd wedding anniversary in St. Augustine combined with her 26th birthday – YES, she’s 26!! His grand daughter Anna celebrated her 22nd birthday and 1st wedding anniversary to husband, Jacoby. Rick still has his heart set on being a great grandfather before he’s 60, but unless one of the girls is doing a great job of hiding the news…. he’ll have to push that goal out a bit.
As the kids have grown and their lives take them in their own direction, it’s been difficult to find/get photos of them to include on the website. While working on this year’s update Rick noticed he did not have any 2022 photos of Will. So, rather than pass, he reached out and asked Will to send him a few. If you haven’t kept up with Mr. Will(son)’s progress, please take a look at his photos from 2022. He consumed his first (legal) beer and enjoyed countless adventures and experiences with his girl friend Ashley. Note to self for 2023 – ASK for what you want, you just may get it!!
What’s 2023 Hold?
Do you recall last year’s intro (“If you want to make God smile, tell him your plans.”). We’re enjoying one day at a time, planning for the things we desire and looking forward to all that He brings. We sure hope our paths cross in 2023, as we’ve come to enjoy your love and friendship. Please comment on the post, use the link below to send us an email to fill us in on what’s happening in your life or support Anita’s efforts to rescue community cats.
With All Our Love,
and 
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