December, 2023

Dear Family and Friends,

2023 has been an eventful year for the Sauvageau/Sauyet family, starting with a 3-day visit from former daughter-in-law Cristy and her then 2-year-old, Tiffany, who we think of as our bonus granddaughter. Tiffany is a real character. She runs full steam ahead at all times and knows how to twist everyone around her little finger.

Dick & Gee Sauvageau
5606 SW 58th St.
Ocala, FL 34474
(352) 873-4301
        

Dick & Gee Sauvageau
295 Sebago Rd.
Naples, ME 04055
        
Cell phones:
    Dick: (203) 512-2057
    Gee: (203) 744-4193
        
Email addresses:
    geesauvageau@hotmail.com
    dicksauvageau@hotmail.com
        

Next up was Dick’s 80^th birthday in February and the surprise visit of most of the Connecticut contingent to help him celebrate. (Oldest son) Scott, Amy and Kayleigh (23) came along with ({our} youngest son) Michael, Ayden (20) and Alex (formerly known as Karma and originally born Alea, 15.)

May is the month in which Dick and I transition from Florida to Maine. This year we decided to do the trip by way of Washington, Oregon, Maui and Connecticut. (Wouldn’t everyone find that the shortest route?)

We flew to Spokane where we got to spend several days with (middle son) Tim and his family – Alden (18), Ethan (16) and Ember (then 2 ½). Ember is a whole kettle of fish different from Tiffany. The 2 girls are only 3 weeks apart, but are like night and day. Ember is much quieter but just as charming and is just as capable of twisting everyone around her little finger!

From there Tim drove us to Clarkston, WA, where we embarked on a 7-day cruise along the Snake and Columbia Rivers that separate Washington and Oregon. We had amazing weather and saw spectacular scenery along the way!

Our cruise deposited us in Portland, OR, where our long-time friends Dale and Suz hosted us at their house for 3 days before getting us to the airport where we flew to Maui and stayed with Cristy, Tiffany and Josh (Cristy’s partner/Tiffany’s dad) for 6 days. We had more perfect weather and spectacular scenery. We were lucky enough to have been able to drive through and appreciate Lahaina before the devastating wildfires destroyed that beautiful old town.

From Maui we flew back to CT, where we spent nearly a week visiting Michael and family, seeing old friends and getting to meet our newest family member, great-grandson Benji. Of course we also got to spend time with Benji’s parents, grandparents and aunt (Teddy, Sarah, Scott, Amy and Kayleigh.) (Boy, does it feel weird to think of our little boy “Scottie” as a grandfather!)

Benji (officially Benjamin David Sauyet) was born to our grandson Teddy and his wife Sarah on May 18th, just a few days before we left on our western trip. He was a day shy of 1-month-old when we first met him. He is – of course – absolutely adorable! By the time you get this letter he will be 7-months-old and is a healthy bouncing baby who’s beginning to think about crawling.

Between mid-May and mid-June Teddy welcomed his first-born, received his PHD in Physics and was granted a post-doctoral position at the University of CT! Wow! Incredible changes!

Ember

4 weeks after leaving Florida, having 7 flights in 3 weeks, visiting with every member of our immediate family, and meeting our Washington granddaughter and our CT great-grandson for the first time, we arrived in Maine for the rest of the summer.

Actually, I wasn’t in Maine for all of the summer. On September 1st I met my sister Marty and our cousin Boo at Logan Airport in Boston and flew to Ireland for a 2 ½-week “girls’ trip”. Ireland has been on Marty’s bucket list for many years, and cousin Boo decided to help make that happen. Her father and our mother were siblings, but on her mother’s side, Boo’s heritage is Irish. She has visited numerous times, driven there every time and knows her way around. She was the consummate tour-guide and travel companion. Suffice it to say, we had an amazing trip which I have chronicled and you can peruse at http://dickandgee.com/trips/ireland/ if you’d like to know more and see my pictures.

In October Dick and I transitioned back to Florida where we spent much of the fall attending to our routine medical appointments and catching up with friends down here.

Unfortunately, on the Ireland trip I managed to injure my knee (something “popped” in the back and re-popped on the way home.) After several x-rays and an MRI it turns out that I had several tears in my meniscus and sufficient arthritis in the knee to warrant a knee replacement which was done the Monday after Thanksgiving. As you read this letter, I am recovering from that surgery and doing really well!

Happy Hanukkah, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to one and all!

Love & hugs,

Dick & Gee

Benji

Tiffany