2008 HAS COME and GONE! It was another
very busy year for the Pat Russell's. We are both still enjoying retirement and
traveling where we want, when we want!CORVETTE UPDATE:
The
Le Mans Blue Corvette will be 3 years old in February 2009 and currently has 42,000
miles on the odometer. The miles have accumulated through all the activities and
road trips that we have participated in with the Las Vegas Corvettes Association
(LVCA) and on our family trips. With LVCA this year, we have gone to Slap Bottom
Harbor, CA for the Annual President's Run; drove in the St. Patrick's Day Parade;
attended a Las Vegas Wrangler Ice Hockey game; cruised to a LVCA Wine and Cheese
Tasting Party; drove to Antelope Valley, CA for the Annual Poppy Run; helped with
the Nevada Open Road Challenge out of Ely, NV; helped with the Annual Corvette
Roulette Weekend in Las Vegas; went on the Labor Day Get-A-Way to UT and ID; attended
the Broadway in the Desert production of Les Miserables in St, George, UT; helped
with the Silver State Open Road Challenge from Ely, NV; and took a trip across
country to visit the National Corvette Museum and GM Corvette Plant in Bowling
Green, KY. On the way we stopped in Winslow , AZ "to stand on the corner";
stayed in Espanola, NM and toured the areas around Los Alamos and Santa Fe; stopped
in Amarillo, TX to see the Cadillac Ranch and ate at the Big Texan Steak Ranch
(where a 72 ounce steak is free if you can eat the meal in 1 hour!); stayed in
Little Rock, AR and attended a meeting of Central Arkansas Corvette Club; and
stopped in Memphis, TN to eat at Neely's BBQ and tour Graceland. The real thrill
of the trip was touring the GM Bowling Green Plant and watching Corvettes being
"born"! The tour of the production line was the highlight of the trip
for us. Pat also won another Clean Car Award this year in May. Pat is the webmaster
for the Las Vegas Corvettes Association (www.vegasvettes.com)
and Nita helps with the Corvette Roulette Committee.
FAMILY
NEWS:
Our oldest Son, Jim, and his Family have lived in Tempe, AZ over 10 years.
Jim and Michelle just celebrated their 16th Wedding Anniversary. Sons Joe and
Steve will be celebrating their 13th and 7th Birthdays respectively this December.
Daughter Katie will turn 11 in January 2009. They all keep busy with school, Scouts
and sports activities. While Joe went back East on a Scout Trip in July, and Katie
was at Girl Scout Camp in AZ, Grandson Steve came to Las Vegas to visit with Grandpa
Pat, Grandma Nita and Aunt Kathy. It was a lot of fun swimming, watching movies,
learning to play Aunt Kathy's Nintendo DS and playing with Grandma Nita's extensive
Legos collection. The week went by too quickly.
We
visited in San Ramon, CA with Son Andy, Wife Spon and Daughter Naomi in April.
In May Andy and Spon celebrated their 7th Anniversary and Naomi's 1st Birthday.
They came to Las Vegas in August to attend Grandpa Leon's (Spon's Dad) Wedding.
We were very happy that they stayed with us a week. On August 8th Naomi decided
to start walking! It was such fun watching her explore.
This
past July Daughter Kathy had to move back home to Las Vegas. The reason for her
return was due to a slip and fall accident ( June 23rd) that occurred during our
visit with her in Palm Springs, CA. Long story short, on July 8th, Kathy had surgery
to her left knee to replace and repair ligaments. Nita remained with Kathy from
June 23rd until July 18th, when Pat came and helped move Kathy and Nita back to
Vegas. She has had therapy and continues to improve. After a 6th month break in
work, Kathy will start nursing again at St Rose Dominican-San Martin Campus here
in Vegas. We are very thankful that Kathy has returned to good health!
Pat
and Nita had fun visiting family friends at Mt Home AFB, ID in September. Mt.
Home was Pat's 1st assignment after Tech School in March 1969. After 40 years,
there were some changes--all new housing, some new administration buildings, new
schools, BUT some of the buildings were the same--the same Visiting Officers Quarters
where Pat stayed in 1969, hangers from WWII, and a street with housing from the
50's. On September 30th, Pat and Nita headed to Colorado Springs, CO and the Air
Force Academy for Pat's 40th Reunion. 68 STILL GREAT! The Reunion Committee did
an outstanding job planning the get-together. Attendees went to a FAC Memorial
dedication, Class of 68 Memorial Service, Classmate's Funeral Service, State of
the Academy Briefing, Lunch with the Cadet Wing, the Navy vs Air Force Football
game with Tailgate Party, Golf Tournament and AWESOME Social Gatherings. Pat was
recognized and given a plaque for "Webmaster Extraordinare" for building
and maintaining www.usafa68.org which he continues to update.
The
end of 2008 finds us preparing for family visiting. Nita's niece, Cheyenne, is
getting married December 22nd, and all the "Kids" are coming home for
the occasion. The Jim Russell's will return to Tempe, AZ for Christmas, But the
Andy Russell's will stay in Vegas and then visit with Grandma Marlene (Spon's
Mom) in Desert Hot Springs, CA. We will also celebrate Steve, Pat and Andy's Birthdays
while we are together. Pat's Mom, Marybelle (86 y/o), will be with us, But Nita's
Mom, Ethel (82 y/o), will be in Iowa this year. Pat and Nita visited Mom Britton
in Iowa in June before Ethel came out to spend the summer in Henderson, NV. We
have had a full and exciting year. We hope that all our Family and Friends have
had the same. God Bless!
Merry Christmas
and A Very Happy New Year!
From
left to right: Pat, Son Jim, Daughter-in-law Michelle,Grandson Joe, Granddaughter
Katie, Daughter Kathy, Grandson Steve, Nita, Granddaughter Naomi, Son Andy and
Daughter-in-law Spon
Pat and Nita