The annual holiday letter

Since we (I would be more accurate) did not write a Christmas letter in 2006, and some friends may not have our new address and since it is over a year since we moved, so the Post Office not longer forwards mail, we decided we should get ours out early. So I have been working on it all week. Now you would think an hour typing on the computer and it would be completed. No way. DH and I look over the calendar from the last two years and pick the most significant or interesting events. I then had to find appropriate pictures and learn how to insert them where I wanted them in the letter. Drafts were forwarded to RM who does the proof reading. They come back with many comments: "Why are you telling me this?", "This looks like a list, expand on it or don't even tell about it", or "Why is this fact important or interesting?" I always enter this process by making sure my ego is strong. Actually I really appreciate her help. The finished product is worth it.

I have completed the letter. Next comes the printing. Since it costs 49 cents a page to make color copies, I am printing out all three (yes three) pages on my photo printer. Half way through I am low on ink and it is very bad (per DH) to run it dry. So we order ink on line. He bought this printer for me specifically because you can refill the ink yourself. But it has to be purchased on line. The ink should arrive in 4-7 days.

Next comes getting all the names and addresses on the label file in Word. I won't go into details, other than to say it took several hours.

I took the finished letter to my beautician today and she said is was a "good read", so I hope you all think so too. It will be sent by snail mail, by the way.

I have not allowed myself to do any decorating or shopping until this letter was finished. Even though the process sounds laborious, it was fun. And I always learn more about what the computer can do with each project.