Dear Ones:
Every holiday
season, it seems, presses in with obligations, a long to-do list and stress.
Then, thankfully, there’s a moment—like turning a corner—when everything
changes. Stress is replaced by joyful anticipation, pressure by peace, busy-ness
by contentment. That moment arrived a few days before Christmas and inspired me
to start penning this missive that covers the many events since my last letter at the end of 2012
______________________________________________________
2013: What’s NOT in Our Wallets?
Though we knew George’s job with Capital One was coming to an inevitable close in January 2013, it was nonetheless difficult. Things happen for a purpose, though, and George’s unemployment provided much-needed flexibility when Vicki’s cancer returned shortly thereafter. While I attended to Vicki as she embarked on a new round of treatment, George was able to help out in innumerable ways with with Jaden and Autumn.
Though we knew George’s job with Capital One was coming to an inevitable close in January 2013, it was nonetheless difficult. Things happen for a purpose, though, and George’s unemployment provided much-needed flexibility when Vicki’s cancer returned shortly thereafter. While I attended to Vicki as she embarked on a new round of treatment, George was able to help out in innumerable ways with with Jaden and Autumn.
My Sister’s Journey
Vicki rallied at first, fueled by her heart’s desire to find a “forever home” for her two grandchildren. Through her church—and I firmly believe God’s own miracle—a family found them. Living in Oregon, they came down to meet Vicki and the kids during spring break. It was a love match, and they got the legal ball rolling.
Vicki rallied at first, fueled by her heart’s desire to find a “forever home” for her two grandchildren. Through her church—and I firmly believe God’s own miracle—a family found them. Living in Oregon, they came down to meet Vicki and the kids during spring break. It was a love match, and they got the legal ball rolling.
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| Prom 2013 |
Natalie was caught up in a whirlwind of milestone activities as she approached high school graduation: dinner/dance cruise on the SF Bay, prom, a Giants game, Disneyland, Senior Recital. Her college applications were coming to fruition, and we were all thrilled when she was accepted at California Polytechnic State University (“Cal Poly”) at San Luis Obispo.
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| Leland at the Skylab Exhibit at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, DC |
Leland turned
14 and performed with the CCS Honor Choir. He also had trips to celebrate the
end of middle school, and George was able to chaperone. They spent a week in
Washington DC and New York, and took day trips to Great America and the Santa
Cruz Beach Boardwalk. [Click here to see the image of Skylab 4's crew. William R. Pogue on the far right, my cousin, was pilot, and his resemblance to my father is striking.] Leland continued to be active in Boy Scouts, earning the rank of Star Scout,
serving as Senior Patrol Leader and attending National Youth Leadership
Training (NYLT) camp.
In May 2013, when it became clear that Vicki would never again come
home from the hospital, Jaden and Autumn’s wonderful new family gathered them
home to Oregon.
Then
in the space of a few short weeks, George got hired as a manager at Growers Ice
Company, a 76-year-old Salinas establishment. Natalie followed in her dad’s
footsteps and graduated in “The Pit” at Salinas High School. Leland got
promoted from middle school to high school with the honors he’d worked so hard
to achieve. 
And on June 25, while Natalie and I held her hands, we said our
final farewell to Vicki. Jaden, Autumn
and their new family came down for Vicki’s memorial service. And so did
Brittany, Vicki’s grown granddaughter. Brittany was an angel in Vicki’s last
days, at her service playing and singing her own heart-wrenching acoustic
arrangement of Amazing Grace, and in
the sad task of going through her lifetime of belongings.
My heartfelt
thanks go out to family and friends who helped Vicki along her journey. I
couldn’t have made it through it all without the love and understanding of
George, Natalie and Leland, the unflagging comfort and support of my brother
Greg, and the seemingly tireless hands (and shoulders) of my friend Monica.
Time, Life and 2013 Marched OnWe enjoyed visits from both sides of the family in the summer. George’s cousin John Allen and family came to Monterey for a vacation and we were able to meet up with them for a little while. And my nephew Bryan and his family joined us for an afternoon and dinner (during which Natalie’s infamous bread-burning incident occurred).
In the last days of
summer in 2013, Natalie turned 18 and she started her new adventure at Cal Poly.
Her major is Wine and Viticulture, and she is concentrating her studies in
Enology (winemaking). Driving away after getting her settled into her dorm room
was one of the most bittersweet things I’ve experienced. We are so thankful
that San Luis Obispo is only a couple of hours away! 
Leland entered high
school and was as busy and involved as Natalie had been. He was accepted into
Jazz Band, which meant school started at 7:00 a.m. He also opted to take a
Geometry class online in order to jump into Advanced Algebra his freshman year,
thus keeping him out of the transition to integrated math. And Marching Band
was in full swing with two evening practices and one on Saturday each week, plus
field shows at every home game (to a trio of Santana songs). After
football/marching season ended, he tried out and made it onto the JV Soccer
team! 
Parents and Family weekend at Cal Poly in
October 2013 was a lot of fun. We got to hang out with Natalie, meet her
friends and their parents, tour the wine and viticulture grounds and
facilities, and go to a soccer game against Cal Poly’s biggest rivals, the UCSB
Gauchos. Almost all of the Cal Poly students wore “Buck the Gauchos” t-shirts
(but I don’t think that’s precisely what they were chanting in the stands J). We also got to see
Alton Brown live on stage in a very funny cooking show at the performing arts
center. Natalie also earned her place on the Dean’s List, making us very proud.
Thanksgiving and
Christmas were especially poignant in 2013, as we welcomed Natalie home and yet
spent our first holidays without Vicki. At every gathering after Vicki’s passing, my heart would swell in anticipation at the first knock on the door (Vicki was always the first to arrive, ready to see everyone and celebrate whatever occasion). Then I’d sadly remember.
Oh, and I celebrated a major-milestone-ends-in-a-zero birthday in December.
Oh, and I celebrated a major-milestone-ends-in-a-zero birthday in December.
What. A.
Year.
The 2014 Adventure
In January, Leland and George enjoyed birthdays, the SHS soccer season began in earnest, and we received the wonderful news that Jaden and Autumn’s adoption had been finalized. I am pleased to report that they are healthy, happy and flourishing in their new family.
Leland was interviewed and selected
to be a counselor for the NYLT summer camp and began a series of planning and leadership
training weekends. Leland
performed in his first Motown Revue, an annual fundraiser concert at Salinas
High. The band also marched in the Disneyland parade. This time, Leland
traveled with the band and Natalie was with us! Grandma and Papa came, too!
Visit this YouTube page to see any or all of the field shows, parades or concerts: https://www.youtube.com/user/SalinasHighBand
In January, Leland and George enjoyed birthdays, the SHS soccer season began in earnest, and we received the wonderful news that Jaden and Autumn’s adoption had been finalized. I am pleased to report that they are healthy, happy and flourishing in their new family.
Leland was interviewed and selected
to be a counselor for the NYLT summer camp and began a series of planning and leadership
training weekends. Leland
performed in his first Motown Revue, an annual fundraiser concert at Salinas
High. The band also marched in the Disneyland parade. This time, Leland
traveled with the band and Natalie was with us! Grandma and Papa came, too!
Visit this YouTube page to see any or all of the field shows, parades or concerts: https://www.youtube.com/user/SalinasHighBand
After Disneyland, the family dropped me off at LAX so I could fly to Washington D.C., where I was privileged to attend a ceremony at the Pentagon for my nephew Brad’s promotion to Lt. Colonel. The best part was staying with him and his family for a few days.Partway into her second quarter at school, Natalie started the search for roommates and an apartment for her sophomore year. She was looking forward to getting out of the dorm and more so to having a real kitchen!
At the end of a business trip to Las Vegas, where I ran XL’s agents meeting, I was able to visit with my niece, Lena, and her family, who live there. We were having such a nice time, we completely forgot about taking pictures. I also made a short trip down to see another niece, Tracy, and her family in Arizona. Tracy was going through chemo at the time, and we remembered to snap a photo.
Leland was honored as one of the Top 100 students at SHS.Leland
attained the rank of Lifescout. That means there are only a few merit badges
and one big project to go! He’s working to become an Eagle Scout.
Summer Highlights
Before we knew it, George had celebrated his one-year anniversary at Growers Ice, Leland wrapped up his first year of high school, and Natalie came home after her successful freshman year in college. Leland went off to NYLT camp—this time as a leader.
Before we knew it, George had celebrated his one-year anniversary at Growers Ice, Leland wrapped up his first year of high school, and Natalie came home after her successful freshman year in college. Leland went off to NYLT camp—this time as a leader.
It had been
our intention to visit Europe after Natalie’s high school graduation, but life
had other plans for us in 2013, and we treasured every moment we were able to
spend with Vicki. Instead, on Independence Day 2014, we embarked on the trip of
a lifetime.
Rome
After a very long couple of flights, we landed in Rome on Saturday, July 5th. Then we went out to discover the city, starting with the Pantheon, just around the corner from our hotel. We soaked up the culture along with the sun, visiting museums (the Borghese was our favorite), exploring the shopping district, marveling at the Vatican, touring the Coliseum, thoroughly enjoying all the wonderful food and wine, and beginning an in-depth study of gelato (yum!).
Orvieto
From Rome, we traveled to Orvieto by train (marking our first personal encounter with a gypsy at the train station, from which we emerged unscathed). We rented a car and George dusted off his manual transmission shifting skills, and we made the short drive to a delightful bed and breakfast inn.
Rome
After a very long couple of flights, we landed in Rome on Saturday, July 5th. Then we went out to discover the city, starting with the Pantheon, just around the corner from our hotel. We soaked up the culture along with the sun, visiting museums (the Borghese was our favorite), exploring the shopping district, marveling at the Vatican, touring the Coliseum, thoroughly enjoying all the wonderful food and wine, and beginning an in-depth study of gelato (yum!).
Orvieto
From Rome, we traveled to Orvieto by train (marking our first personal encounter with a gypsy at the train station, from which we emerged unscathed). We rented a car and George dusted off his manual transmission shifting skills, and we made the short drive to a delightful bed and breakfast inn.
It was a lovely
change of pace after the hectic city. We wandered the cobbled, winding streets,
shopped the local ceramics, toured the grand Gothic cathedral, and enjoyed the
local wines as well as the views of the countryside from this walled city on its
plateau.
We had a lovely, leisurely drive through the countryside and checked in at another bed and breakfast inn: Il Canto del Sole. Just saying the name takes me back and fills me with a momentary sense of peace. Wonderful hospitality, excellent food and free laundry (the washing machine was outdoors and we hung the laundry out to dry!). With the brown rolling hills, farm fields and vineyards, it was reminiscent of home. One of the highlights was touring the Banfi estates and tasting its wonderful wines.
We left the
countryside and drove to Florence where we happily surrendered our rental car
at the airport before entering the city. After dropping our luggage and
engaging in some lively banter with Monti, our flamboyant front-desk-clerk-cum-concierge,
we went out to explore our new neighborhood.
We admired the artwork masterpieces—on the streets and in the many museums—and were awed by the architecture. George and Natalie watched the world cup finals at a pub near our hotel surrounded by locals and tourists, alike (while Leland and I retired to the hotel and watched from the comfort of our beds!). We dined on Bistecca Fiorentina, had the best porchetta sandwich ever, supported the local economy and continued our gelato research. Our few days in this amazing city wasn’t enough. I suppose we’ll have to go back.
Cinque Terre
After squeezing as much as we could into our days in Florence, we boarded another train to the west coast. We stayed in Vernazza, and our hotel was a mere block from the train station—it was the 100+ stairs through winding alleys that were daunting but completely worth the effort. Time passed differently in the Cinque Terra. There were no museums, no high-end shopping districts, no cathedrals to command our attention. Instead, we delighted in the sea, salt air, sun, beach, wine, food and each other’s company.
Oh, and we
concluded our gelato analysis. George and Natalie preferred the perfection of
lemon-basil gelato at one shop, while Leland and I favored the flawless alla cannella (cinnamon) found at
another. We had to go back several times just to be sure.
Venice
Venice
We boarded the train once again, this time headed east to the
magical city of Venice. We savored our last days in Italy, cruising the Grand
Canal from the train station to our hotel, then taking in St. Mark’s Cathedral,
the Doge’s Palace, the Correr and the dueling musicians on St. Mark’s
Square.
The completely unexpected highlight of our stay was the Festa del Redentore, an
annual event dating back to 1577 to celebrate the miraculous end of a terrible
plague. We camped out at a café on St. Mark’s Bay to watch the locals gather and the
regatta of boats arrive. After a leisurely dinner, the fireworks commenced,
lasting over 45 minutes. It was a fitting send-off for our final evening in
Italy. The following morning we boarded a vaporetto to the airport where we
parted ways—George winging his way home and back to work, while the kids and I
flew on to France.France
Our friends, Mary and Mike Faigle, picked us up in Montpellier, and
we spent a delightful few days at their lovely home in Sussargues, catching up
with them and their son Nathan. We were sorry to have missed their daughter,
Celia, who was vacationing in the U.S.We did a little sightseeing, shopping and wine tasting, but we mainly enjoyed their company and hospitality. Visiting the butcher, the baker and the produce stand to put together a meal, instead of a supermarket, was a real treat. The Faigles introduced us to their favorite local winemaker, who was pleased to meet Natalie but horrified that as a student of wine she was not legally able to taste it (in California, anyway).
England
We bid adieu to the Faigles and France, and headed to the midlands of England
to stay with George’s sister, Lori, and her husband, Steve. We arrived in Derby
on Lori’s birthday and celebrated with fish and chips! We gathered with Steve’s
family for a lovely meal out and fun afternoon back at Lori and Steve’s home—it
was a full house!
Steve planned a fun road trip
for us. We headed south, stopping to tour the Wychwood Brewery (home of Hobgoblin).
We also satisfied a dream of mine, when we stopped in the town of Salisbury to see
the cathedral, which was the inspiration for Ken Follett’s Pillars of the Earth, one of my favorite books. Steve and I took a
tour of the tower, which included over 400 steps, but we were rewarded with
some great stories from our knowledgeable docent and beautiful views of the
countryside.
In Portsmouth we explored the historic dockyard, touring the HMS
Victory (famous for the Battle of Trafalgar and the boat on which Admiral Lord
Nelson died), HMS Warrior (Britain’s first iron-hulled warship), and the ruins-in-restoration
of the Mary Rose (a Tudor shipwreck). On our return to Derby, we stopped in at
the Warner Brothers Harry Potter Studio outside of London, where we toured the
sets and props of the movies we’ve loved so well. Then Leland and I headed home,
and Natalie stayed an extra week with her Auntie and Uncle.
The More Things Change…
A few days after our return, Leland started the 10th grade at SHS, we got Natalie moved into her new apartment and ready to
begin her sophomore year at Cal Poly, she turned 19 (her last year as a
teenager), and she kicked off her sophomore year at Cal Poly as a WOW (Week of Welcome) orientation leader for incoming freshmen.
I had rather a bigger change: After 18 years with XL, I took a leap of faith and began a new adventure as VP & Director of Risk Management Education for Berkley Design Professional Underwriters. I followed my friend, Monica, who made the move in 2013, and I am so happy to be working with her, again. I am also enjoying the energy and culture of this new company—and the (mostly) friendly competition with XL.
My office is in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea, and it's a lot of fun to work there. In the past my office has been in a business park or a stand-alone property. But we're across the street from the post office and it's a lively area. And there is no end to the number of restaurants to choose from!
My first business trip was to Hawaii in October 2014 for an engineering conference and trade show, where I came face to face with my former boss. Oh, and did I mention that my old boss's name was Randy and my new boss's name is Andy? That caused me more than a little trouble in the beginning.
And we said good-bye to Mister, our digestively challenged 15-year old cat.
Leland got
back into the groove (literally) with band as they prepared for their field
shows to a trio of Earth Wind & Fire songs. After marching season, Leland
went back to soccer, this time as the JV Team Captain.
A few days after our return, Leland started the 10th grade at SHS, we got Natalie moved into her new apartment and ready to
begin her sophomore year at Cal Poly, she turned 19 (her last year as a
teenager), and she kicked off her sophomore year at Cal Poly as a WOW (Week of Welcome) orientation leader for incoming freshmen.I had rather a bigger change: After 18 years with XL, I took a leap of faith and began a new adventure as VP & Director of Risk Management Education for Berkley Design Professional Underwriters. I followed my friend, Monica, who made the move in 2013, and I am so happy to be working with her, again. I am also enjoying the energy and culture of this new company—and the (mostly) friendly competition with XL.
My office is in downtown Carmel-by-the-Sea, and it's a lot of fun to work there. In the past my office has been in a business park or a stand-alone property. But we're across the street from the post office and it's a lively area. And there is no end to the number of restaurants to choose from!
My first business trip was to Hawaii in October 2014 for an engineering conference and trade show, where I came face to face with my former boss. Oh, and did I mention that my old boss's name was Randy and my new boss's name is Andy? That caused me more than a little trouble in the beginning.And we said good-bye to Mister, our digestively challenged 15-year old cat.
Leland got
back into the groove (literally) with band as they prepared for their field
shows to a trio of Earth Wind & Fire songs. After marching season, Leland
went back to soccer, this time as the JV Team Captain.
George and I
celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary in November, renewing our
vows in a surprisingly emotional ceremony at church and staying at the same B&B
in Pacific Grove as we had on our wedding night.
2015
The year began with a couple of milestone birthdays in January: Leland turned 16 (no, he’s not driving, yet) and George celebrated the big 5-0.
In February, we traveled to San Francisco to watch the band march in the Chinese New Year Parade.
And in the Motown Revue, Leland had a bari-sax solo at the beginning of Higher Ground (watch here).
The Jazz Band performed at California Adventure in March and participated in a cool clinic where they sight read Disney tunes and then recorded one as the score to a film.
In May, Leland received his Varsity letter for Soccer (he had been brought up from JV to play in a Varsity tournament, which qualified him to receive is letter), and we happily ordered his letterman jacket.
Just before Memorial Day, Natalie was injured by a steam burn in an enology chemistry lab class, and I went immediately to San Luis Obispo. We had already planned an RV trip to Paso Robles with our good friends, the Youngs, for the long weekend, so Natalie stayed with us for some extended TLC. We also hosted her college friends and roommates for a nice barbecue. (Although the burn was serious and frightening, she’s healing well and, at this writing, the scar is almost completely faded.)
Leland’s summer was filled with Scouting. In early June, he returned to NYLT as a counselor. Then, with a select few of his troop mates, he embarked on a high adventure at Northern Tier, for a week-long 75-mile canoe trek in the lakes of northern Minnesota, crossing over into Canada. In July, George and Leland joined the troop at Camp Cherry Valley on Santa Catalina Island.
In July, we took a lovely walk down memory lane when we joined Star Market in the Colmo del Rodeo Parade. It was great to see and hang out with the Star Market crew and reminisce about the "good ol' days." Walking down Main Street in the parade was fun, too. And on every block, there was someone calling out to us (Okay, they were calling out to George; apparently he knows everyone!). But when we were passing the final announcing platform where Leland's buddy, Colin, was on the mic, he gave a "shout out to Leland Mika." Leland really is George's "mini me."
Over the summer, we moved Natalie into her new apartment. Natalie and I did this on our own, and we were very proud of our accomplishments. We moved a bed. Upstairs! It's a nice layout with a big kitchen/dining room, pretty spacious (and empty) living room, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Natalie has her own bedroom and bathroom, this year, which is very nice. But her roommate last year had most of the living room furniture, so she and her new roommates are on the lookout for some good couches. Let us know if you've got any you want to get rid of!
Natalie also helped out at our cousin’s new bakery (Blue Aces Bake Shoppe) and worked at Pebble Beach during the Concours d’Elegance. Before we knew it, Natalie turned 20, and she and Leland were both back to school as Juniors!
In October, at the beginning of a week-long business trip to deliver workshops in Southern California, I was able to carve out a day to visit my niece, Wendy, and her family in Carlsbad. We realized that we hadn't seen each other in about 10 years. We had a lot of catching up to do, and had a lovely time (but again forgot to take any photos, darn it!).
After another fun marching band season (football game field shows and Pep Band, homecoming parade, Veterans Day Parade), Leland made the Varsity soccer team this year. But, sadly, he fractured his collar bone in practice during Christmas break, and with a six-week healing period, his season is essentially over.
The year began with a couple of milestone birthdays in January: Leland turned 16 (no, he’s not driving, yet) and George celebrated the big 5-0.
In February, we traveled to San Francisco to watch the band march in the Chinese New Year Parade.
And in the Motown Revue, Leland had a bari-sax solo at the beginning of Higher Ground (watch here).
In May, Leland received his Varsity letter for Soccer (he had been brought up from JV to play in a Varsity tournament, which qualified him to receive is letter), and we happily ordered his letterman jacket.
Just before Memorial Day, Natalie was injured by a steam burn in an enology chemistry lab class, and I went immediately to San Luis Obispo. We had already planned an RV trip to Paso Robles with our good friends, the Youngs, for the long weekend, so Natalie stayed with us for some extended TLC. We also hosted her college friends and roommates for a nice barbecue. (Although the burn was serious and frightening, she’s healing well and, at this writing, the scar is almost completely faded.)
Leland’s summer was filled with Scouting. In early June, he returned to NYLT as a counselor. Then, with a select few of his troop mates, he embarked on a high adventure at Northern Tier, for a week-long 75-mile canoe trek in the lakes of northern Minnesota, crossing over into Canada. In July, George and Leland joined the troop at Camp Cherry Valley on Santa Catalina Island.
In July, we took a lovely walk down memory lane when we joined Star Market in the Colmo del Rodeo Parade. It was great to see and hang out with the Star Market crew and reminisce about the "good ol' days." Walking down Main Street in the parade was fun, too. And on every block, there was someone calling out to us (Okay, they were calling out to George; apparently he knows everyone!). But when we were passing the final announcing platform where Leland's buddy, Colin, was on the mic, he gave a "shout out to Leland Mika." Leland really is George's "mini me."
Over the summer, we moved Natalie into her new apartment. Natalie and I did this on our own, and we were very proud of our accomplishments. We moved a bed. Upstairs! It's a nice layout with a big kitchen/dining room, pretty spacious (and empty) living room, two bedrooms and two bathrooms. Natalie has her own bedroom and bathroom, this year, which is very nice. But her roommate last year had most of the living room furniture, so she and her new roommates are on the lookout for some good couches. Let us know if you've got any you want to get rid of!Natalie also helped out at our cousin’s new bakery (Blue Aces Bake Shoppe) and worked at Pebble Beach during the Concours d’Elegance. Before we knew it, Natalie turned 20, and she and Leland were both back to school as Juniors!
In October, at the beginning of a week-long business trip to deliver workshops in Southern California, I was able to carve out a day to visit my niece, Wendy, and her family in Carlsbad. We realized that we hadn't seen each other in about 10 years. We had a lot of catching up to do, and had a lovely time (but again forgot to take any photos, darn it!).
After another fun marching band season (football game field shows and Pep Band, homecoming parade, Veterans Day Parade), Leland made the Varsity soccer team this year. But, sadly, he fractured his collar bone in practice during Christmas break, and with a six-week healing period, his season is essentially over.
We kicked-off a wonderful holiday season with the beautiful chaos of Thanksgiving and 26 around our table. We were also fortunate to be able to host and attend several other gatherings for Christmas and New Year’s festivities.
We remembered and honored my mother and sister in our holiday decorations and table settings (my family members will recognize the dishes). And I’d like to say a special thank you to our friend Bill McDonough for sending his traditional, flammable centerpiece (although nothing burned this year except the candles!).
Thank you all for your Christmas cards and letters while we were silent. We appreciate hearing from you and enjoy seeing your photos and reading your letters. And thank you, Merrielle, for getting caught up on three years’ worth of your family’s Christmas letters last year—giving me the courage to do the same!
Until next time...
With love from Diane and the rest of the Mikas: George, Natalie & Leland
We remembered and honored my mother and sister in our holiday decorations and table settings (my family members will recognize the dishes). And I’d like to say a special thank you to our friend Bill McDonough for sending his traditional, flammable centerpiece (although nothing burned this year except the candles!).
Thank you all for your Christmas cards and letters while we were silent. We appreciate hearing from you and enjoy seeing your photos and reading your letters. And thank you, Merrielle, for getting caught up on three years’ worth of your family’s Christmas letters last year—giving me the courage to do the same!
Until next time...
With love from Diane and the rest of the Mikas: George, Natalie & Leland
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