Merry Christmas 2003!
Happy New Year 2004!
- Another beautiful Christmas Eve with the extended family
- Numerous tournament successes for Derek
- Atlantic City: the trip from Hell.
- ACUI National Conference in Chicago: Betz's first national presentation
- Betz playing pool again thanks to the new Michigan Women's 9-Ball Tour
- Dateline 3/16/03: Baby owl fails to heed fog advisory; flies into glass patio door.
Summer Highlights
- Fundraiser for Ciara spawns a new obsession: bowling! I formed a team with four of my closest buddies and we had a great time on Thursday nights all summer. Our team: "Little Stinkers."
- Surgery for middle cat Simonis--trying times for mom and dad!
- Met VERN!!! Currently seeking Trading Spaces teammates.
- Visit from Sean--first time since 1998.
- Plenty of work for Derek after a 3-week lapse left him feeling distressed.
Autumn Highlights
- Barn Dance! Barn Dance!
- The high school reunion that never was
- New house built on Munger, in our back yard
- BCA Junior National 9-Ball Championships
- Rolling Sculpture Show, downtown
- $1000 vet bill for a cat that was an "accident"
- CALIFORNIA!!!!
- Blackout of the century
- TC golf for Derek
- Oktoberfest in Dayton
- Did I mention CALIFORNIA?????
Autumn/Early Winter Highlights
- I planted over 200 bulbs (tulips, muscari, fritillaria, allium, etc.) again this year. You can never have too many!
- After two Michigan Women's 9-Ball tournaments (I missed one because of work), I am rated in the top 12 in the Midwest . Three of the women in the top 10 are currently on the Women's Pro Tour. Derek has had many victories too, including $500 in prize money in less than 24 hours on 12/12.
- Kristin hosted Thanksgiving dinner for us, my Mom, Eric, Eric's parents, Fred, Kathy, Ric, Foster, and baby Althea.
- Derek, Mom, and I drove to Brad's playoff football game at SVSU, followed by dinner at Applebee's with our favorite SVSU Cardinal. I swear he gets bigger every time I see him. 6'3”, 200+ of muscle.
- Derek's Christmas present to us: high definition TV, digital cable, and at last, high-speed internet. It ROCKS.
On the Horizon
- Derek's off to Las Vegas , then the Rose Bowl (Go Blue!) immediately after Christmas. Then he's back for a day or two before leaving for almost a whole month of tournament trails down south. I am planning to do lots of domestic stuff while he's gone: scrapbooking, working on the website, and perhaps painting our master bedroom (since it doesn't look like we'll be selected for Trading Spaces anytime soon). My next MW9B tournament is in March. New e-mail address: derekbetsy@comcast.net .
We hope this letter finds you healthy and cheerful! May you have an exciting and rewarding 2004!