Another Year of love, health, friends, good food, and … dogs!

Irene & Steve at the Ocean

Let’s start with family. Irene made 2 trips to southern California – of course to visit grandson Levi, and also to spend time with Jason & Etchie, Travis & Abby, and mom Lola and her family. A highlight for Irene was a reunion with a group of lifetime girlfriends from high school days. Steve was able to join in for the first trip – and yes, he got to put his feet in the ocean.

Levi and Etchie

Momma Lola and Irene

Lola's Birthday party

Abby & Travis

Irene's High School friends

Irene & Steve in Temecula, CA

We also met Travis and Abby at the Biltmore in Asheville, NC for a special birthday celebration for Abby.

Abby & Travis at the Biltmore

Lexi, Steve’s great niece (his sister Nancy’s granddaughter) was married this year.  

Lexi & Jake

And, after 15 years of separation, Steve’s son Matthew renewed communication with his dad.

After 18 months of construction, the remodel of our little house is 99% complete. We are very happy with the results, and we hope that this is now truly our forever home.

Two of Irene’s sisters live in Tennessee too. We enjoyed a day trip to Cherokee, NC with Lizz and Lyle in their new motorhome, and also getting together with Gloria and Freddie.

Gloria & Freddie

Lyle & Lizz

Irene’s business, AAA Affordable Cleaning Service, continued to grow. Her clients easily become her friends. She has now reduced that work schedule to focus more on her artistic talents. We finally upgraded her little studio “she shack” (really the old “storage shed”) so that it now has A/C and heat as well as a new electric line and internet/cable TV access. Irene displayed at two local outdoor art shows and sold paintings and crafts; her major focus this year is batik, and she is teaching classes about batik and other media. She’s also really into Kayaking – there are so many rivers and lakes in east TN which Irene and her girlfriends explore.

Batik Painting by Irene

Kayaking on TN rivers

This is Steve’s 8^th year teaching American Government and Political Science at Walters State College. He was awarded the Adjunct Teacher of Year recognition based on support of students and faculty. He also continues to teach English virtually online for international executives and family who relocate to the US from other countries. He still serves as an Election Commissioner for the county, and once again helped bring a free medical clinic to our town which served more than 200 people in one weekend.  And…he even got a new knee – robot assisted surgery knee replacement.

February 23^rd was the 21^st anniversary of our first date, September 21^st was our 15^th wedding anniversary, and Irene threw Steve a big 79^th birthday party in November.

Steve's Birthday Party

Other fun times included the Scots Irish Fest in Dandridge, a Judy Collins concert in Knoxville, our house-warming party with Steve’s homemade Paella, a picnic at Cherokee Lake with Irene’s bicycle friends, and 12 new restaurants from French to Italian to Middle East, and a couple of new local brew pubs too.

Homemade Paella à la Lawrence

Serena (age 10) and Hannah (age 9) are both doing well. They keep us grounded and did great during the confusing year of contractors and construction in the house.

Serena & Hannah - a favorite painting

We look forward to another year of love and friends. If you’re travelling nearby, please think about stopping in the Great Smokey Mountains of Appalachia for a visit.

                        With our love and good wishes for the next year, Steve & Irene

Sunset in our backyard