The final month of the year and it seems like the region always cranks up before the new year with all the holiday events that are held. We’re not done yet with 2023, but reflecting back on a busy year personally, it was both joyous and sad.

The highlight of the year for me was seeing our son and his partner of half a decade get married. Tim and Megan, who live and work in Omaha, Nebraska, held their wedding in Maine in early October. Despite the wet weather, the ceremonies went very well and no one got hurt! Over 100 family and friends gathered at Oxbow Brewery in Oxford and from the reviews, it was a grand time for most, if not all.

Another great memory was flying to Nebraska for our niece’s wedding in July. Despite missing the rehearsal dinner due to flight delays and missing luggage, the grand affair was beautiful. A small gathering for the wedding turned into a large reception (over 300 family and friends) in a beautiful hotel. The only disappointing thing was not having my mother-in-law and sister-in-law present as their initial flight got messed up and they couldn’t get another in time.

In May, my wife and I drove to Maryland to watch our nephew play baseball for the University of Nebraska against the Maryland Terrapins. Maryland was a top team this past season but the Huskers managed a win in the three games we saw. A highlight of that visit was having our Maryland nephew drive an hour to watch one of the games with us. A low-light of the visit was Maryland’s stadium – not what we expected for a big-time college program – bleachers without backs and bathrooms slightly larger than our old Register van.

One last highlight of the year was being able to start to repair and upgrade our 35-year-old house. Lord knows it needs it.

The sad part of 2023 – and in any year – is publishing the obituaries of our family, friends and acquaintances in the region. As I grow older, news of people dying seems to grip the heart a little tighter, especially those who we have gotten to know and befriend over the decades and those who die too young.

In closing, I hope you had some personal highlights in 2023 and will close out the year with even more.