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Ann’s Work & Leisure Activities (continued) On January 25, 1999, Ann writes: “(Husband) Ron has worked for Oldsmobile for 33 years in Skilled Trades as a Tool Grinder. After all of our children were in school all day, I went to work at Farm Bureau Insurance in the Marketing Department until I had my retirement vested. I took night school classes at LCC to further my employment.  “I enjoyed working there, but at heart I am still a Cake Decorator, and that is my full time job now. I left “the Farm” in '88 to take a full-time head cake decorating position, but I found the 'mass production' was just too commercialized for my liking. “I enjoy taking time with my clients and giving them a 100% quality product. Ron is a big help to me as he does all of the baking for me now. We are looking forward to his retirement in the next three or four years.  “My hobby ambitions now are travel, quilting, crocheting, cross-stitching, reading, writing, listening to classical and Christian contemporary music. “My most memorable travel was to Europe in '94. Our son was stationed in Germany, and I took a five-week vacation to be with him. My best friend from school went with me. We had the pleasure of touring to Germany, France, England, Belgium, Luxomberg, Switzerland, Austria and Italy. It was wonderful. I look forward to being able to go back one day soon. 
“I loved Germany so much that when I came home, I hooked up with AOL and have found approximately 18 German penpals. My #1 penpal is the first one who found me. Martin is a wonderful young man, and I have had the pleasure of meeting him here in the states. Ron and I traveled to Minnesota where he was working, on a visa. We took him to the Chanhassen Dinner Theatre and spent the weekend just talking and having fun. We also took with us another brieffreundin, Nadja, who flew here to visit us. Martin and Nadja met for the first time and shared a lot of “firsts”—first peanut butter and jelly sandwich, first Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup, Rice Krispie Treets, and I could go on and on. They had never experienced foods like this.“In November of '98 two more brieffreund und breiffreundin came to visit, Petra und Frank. We had a wonderful time sharing a first Thanksgiving with them. It was the first time they had experienced an American Thanksgiving. We have enjoyed so much meeting these new friends.  “I did get my feet wet in the German language by taking a class at LCC in July '98. I think it will take more than one class...but that will be in the future—unless I can find a good private teacher out there somewhere. “We live in the rural part of Grand Ledge (what is left of rural these days) on 2½ acres. Ron has a partnership with God when it comes to growing things. He has planted a small orchard with apples, peaches, pears, plums, cherry trees. He has a large red-raspberry crop, black raspberries, strawberries, and a grape arbor. He has also planted a wonderful nut grove with English walnuts, hazelnuts, chestnut, and butternut trees. He plants a garden every year, and he makes all of our jam, jelly, and juice.” |