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Best wishes for a prosperous and safe 2005. We hope this letter finds you happy and healthy, enjoying your blessings and your relationships. Sorry for the tardiness of this year's letter, it just keeps getting more and more difficult to find the time (keep reading to learn why). Just hope this doesn't turn into a multi-year summary! Please visit the Barron's Place website (www.BarronsPlace.com) throughout the year to keep tabs on our activities. If you are reading this online you can select the links to view the details of our year. 2004 was a VERY busy year for us and one that was marked by a significant loss - Anita's Kitty Precious passed away after a battle w/ leukemia. She and Anita were VERY close and had been through many significant life events together. In addition, Precious was rescued by Anita's Granddaddy Rabon, who was very special to her. Anita continues to recall the sweet love and limitless affection Precious shared with all - we miss her very much. Anita worked very hard last year to get her real estate business launched into high gear. I pitched in and provided a helping hand - I'm often her admin assistant, her IT staff, her marketing staff, her financial advisor and her partner (you get the picture). We did get LOTS of help from Mia's Grandma Gayle who took over the mailings. Anita had mixed success in 2004 but has taken two very important steps to improve in 2005 - she's moved into her own office and has re-focused her business on larger, more profitable homes! Success, Make It So!! My P&G project for 2004 was in Oxnard, CA. In April I was coincidently in Oxnard while Kevin and his family were vacationing in San Diego - how convenient! I returned for two more visits in the summer totaling a month in duration. The hours were long and it was work but I brought my dive gear with me and had the opportunity to dive the kelp forests of the Channel Islands - what a wonderful experience (the diving, not the work). Also had time to visit Mom. The wounds have healed from the dog attack in 2003 leaving her with reduced use of her right hand. She continues the physical therapy to free the tendons from the scar tissue. Kendra, working part time (getting up at 4:00 AM to get time in before A.J. wakes up) from home. A.J. is just the sweetest little boy. Kevin and Tina are trying to keep their sanity (successfully?) raising Andrew, Grace and Will. Kevin left his job w/ the state of Virginia to pursue a career w/ TrafficLand. I didn't get a chance during the summer to complete my yard projects so I tried to squeeze them in before the fall - bad idea!! I routed many of the downspouts underground to improve the drainage and at the same time decided to start my underground mole barrier - that's right a physical barrier of aluminum flashing to keep the blind pests in the neighbor's yard. It's safe to say that my plans were stronger than my back and my calendar!! We put our Fairfield Resorts membership to work this year and took the Barron's to Edisto Island, SC. We spent a few days hiding from hurricane Frances but overall it was a GREAT experience. We're trying to put the details together for a similar trip in 2005. Anita and I used the membership to escape the snow in February to visit Pompano Beach, FL. We took the opportunity to visit Dad and Nancy in Coconut Grove, FL - took a rainy trip thru the Everglades National Park and visited the Winter Homes Of Thomas Edison & Henry Ford with Anita's Aunt & Uncle Mary & Don Moore. We made it back to Gatlinburg, TN for a short (working) weekend - we had a brand new 3 bedroom unit all to ourselves (the joy of membership). We went west for Thanksgiving to Las Vegas, NV. Anita wasn't feeling well for two days but we had enough time to relax, work out, make our contribution to the casinos, take a day trip to Zion Canyon and visit Hoover Dam. We celebrated Christmas early w/ Mia and her family before heading to Sylvester, GA to celebrate with Anita's family. Coincidently my current P&G project is at our plant in Albany, GA - 20 minutes from Anita's parents (how convenient). I went down early to work but Anita had difficulty making it down due to the holiday storm in Cincinnati. I drove up to Atlanta to pick her up and brought her to her parents on Christmas Eve. We spent Christmas with her Grandparents (her Grandmother was finally home after spending months in a nursing home recovering from a broken hip) and celebrated her father's 64th birthday on the 26th. Mia turned eight in November (it's me that's feeling old) and is growing up (too) quickly. She worked VERY hard during the spring and summer to improve her reading and is now home schooling (very successfully) with her Grandma Gayle. She's performing exceptionally well in math and is preparing to start Spanish (in 2nd grade). Mia enjoyed our time at Kings Island (except for the day my wallet got stolen), her trampoline, swimming at home, gymnastics, reading and is now enjoying the ski season at Perfect North Slopes (hope the warm weather ends soon). We wish all of you peace and serenity and hope you'll join us in Cincinnati or at a vacation destination soon. With Love,
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