December 2010 from Bill Sheehan
Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Year from the Sheehan Clan in Southeastern Connecticut. This has certainly been one of those “interesting” years. We hope that it has been a year of continuing recovery for all.
Chris continues to work at Hendel’s in the maintenance department. Judging from how he paints a room and explains different plant care to his Mom, he has learned some valuable skills in his years at Hendel’s. He did get engaged to Eva Cosgrove of Wallingford during the Christmas holidays last year and they are planning a wedding after Eva finishes her schooling sometime in late 2011 or early 2012 since she is working and attending school at the same time. Mom and Dad approve. Eva is a fantastic young woman. This has been a tough year for Chris. On Columbus Day we had to put down his Dog Oscar who had a tumor on his heart and then in early November his pet ferret Sox got sick and also had to be euthanized.
Corey commenced a new adventure in April when he bought the Video Store where he was the manager. Now he is a struggling retail shop owner that is barely hanging on in a struggling economy but he is optimistic that he will be able to keep the business going and eventually become profitable. He also sells his videos on EBay which augments the in store sales somewhat. Dad told him he would have to get someone else to do his taxes since he has no experience with the requirements of a small business. He has gotten customers as far away as Hartford, CT because there are so few actual video stores in the area due to on line renting.
Joyce had to undergo additional back surgery in June and it was not very successful. She has reached the end of physical therapy and is now in an exercise maintenance program. Weekly massage therapy is also helping her maintain her life style. She was hit from behind while at a stop light on Election Day and may have some aggravation of her back problems from that incident. Those evaluations are currently ongoing. Her back problems have limited her mobility but she does not give up. There are still occasional trips to her Dad’s house in Rhode Island to visit her sister who is still living there.
Bill continues to do all the things he wants to do but not get paid for it. He reviews and approves Town expenditures on the Board of Finance, volunteers for the local Red Cross Chapter, plans Emergency drills for the Regional Emergency Services, explains submarines to visitors to the Nautilus Museum, and supports regional economic development on the Board of SeCTer. During one of his docent watches he watched the backpacks of fifty boy scouts from Arizona that were in the area on their way to the National Jamboree outside of Washington, DC. The highlight of the year was a trip to California in mid June to attend the wedding of his grand niece Danielle. She was married at a resort on Big Bear Lake in the mountains of southern California. His newly discovered niece Gigi from New Zealand also attended so there was a great reunion with his niece Teresa and her family, as well as Gigi and her husband David. He was active supporting his favorite candidates in the November election. He also continues to write a blog on Waterford local government on the local newspaper’s web site and also has a weekly column in the online paper, http://Waterford.patch.com.
We hope everyone has a Blessed Christmas, and that you and yours have a prosperous 2011.
Joyce Bill Chris Corey
