xmas letter

Here is the Christmas letter I typed for my family and friends this year.
Seasons Greetings to all my dear family and friends: I have been busy this year working and playing. I drove through winter storms in the dark to get home. Once I turned back and went home after skidding a few times driving to work. Now I live in Des Moines, 5 minutes north of the airport, so I will make it to work every day. The car rental closes for no blizzard. Someone has to rent cars one way when airline passengers are stranded and answer phones. If my car is too hard to dig out, a coworker will to pick me up in a suv. Sure having a day off sounds nice, but I need the money.
Spring saw my baby niece get baptized and I tried out my new digital camera. Mom was disappointed in the picture outcomes, but then it was my 1st time printing pictures on my computer. My printer is not specialized in printing photos because I did not expect to be printing any when I bought it. Each time I do get better at it and waste less paper. I prefer paper that is glossy on both sides for reprints. Though my biggest challenge last spring was figuring out how to hook up the DVD player, DVD adapter, and VCR to my TV. The instruction book had only directions to hook up the DVD player. For once I had to think like Dad hooking up multiple VCRs to one TV set. He will be distraught when everything goes digital. Easter was spent working my regular shift for regular pay because it is a religious holiday. I complained heartily that Christmas we get paid extra for is also a religious holiday. Since Mom left to spend Easter elsewhere, it was just Dad and I at the dinner table. I had leftover macraroni and cheese with a glass of milk for dinner before buying chicken strips at work.
My Mother's Day present this year for my mother was moving out. Grandma left for Missouri with my aunt and uncle to return in September. And I'm safe in my apartment. The last week before I moved was spent hiding in the basement from Grandma's tirades. Summer passed by slowly with the 4th of July with my parents' house and my taking a vacation to Virginia. My brother and I flew to Richmond, VA to view historical places and battlefields. I emailed photos to my email pals on my cell phone. We saw Jamestown, Yorktown, Williamsburg, Newport News, and Richmond. It was a scaled down version of our England trip in 2002. The summer ended with my 10th year high school reunion at a casino. I had fun reconnecting with old classmates, showing off my story outline, and losing money to a slot machine.
I visited the new mall for my birthday. My sister bought supper at a nice restaurant and we watched Cold Mountain on Pay Per View. I dressed as a flapper for Halloween. Everyone liked my costume, especially the guys. I finished my fairytale for my niece and edited until my head hurt. I made a copy in time for my baby niece's birthday party. I sincerely hope she loves it, I spent over a year writing and editing it. I rested my poor, exhausted head for 2 weeks before continuiing on my second book for my second niece. It is a contiuation of the 1st book, but I am still working on the plotline. I want it to be good. I spent Thanksgiving at my parents' house with my family. We talked nonstop all afternoon. I got my Christmas decorations into my car and put most of them up that night. Now I listen to Christmas music on the radio and at work. Sometimes, I just need a break from Christmas music. We got our first snowfall of an half of an inch. I am not sure if that counts in the first snow contest.
In December, I will finish getting ready for Christmas and the New Year. I'm not used to getting so many holidays off. I won't know what to do with myself. Hopefully I can afford a cat next year, I know I say that every year. It would be nice to no longer come home to empty apartment. I am working on getting my fairytale published. We shall see what happens. So for all my friends and family: Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.