January 14^th, 2004

Greetings from Granbury:

No doubt, by now you know that we've moved. The planned message to let you know where to get in touch didn't happen because CableOne, our ISP, cut us off two days early. Since the move we've been covered up with boxes, literally. Stacks filling every room were taller than Pat. That took some time to clear.

But now the rooms are clear if not the closets and garage, and one computer is connected after a fashion, and we're back in business.

We thought it would be fun to share with you the picture Owen took January 10^th, 2004 from our back porch near Lake Granbury about 5 miles southeast of town. Comanche Peak is a local landmark and the highest land in this part of the valley of the Brazos River.

This morning we awoke to a dense fog in the early hours. Pat took this picture looking toward the sunrise across our neighbor's yard as she went for the paper about 7:30. According to the TV news, it was a shallow fog that blanketed all of North Texas. They showed Ft. Worth skyscrapers punching through the mist to a sparkling blue sky.

When the sun is shining, as it did at noon on January 8^th, our house looks like this. As you can see, we have moved to the woods. We have never lived where trees grow naturally—these are post oaks—nor have we lived in rolling hills. We are located about ½ mile from the cove on Lake Granbury which gives its name to the subdivision, Timber Cove. Our lot is on the gentle slope down to the water. The shore is what is known as an easy-off shoreline, as opposed to a high bluff. There are plenty of those on the lake too.

Before Christmas we had a get together with our children who live nearby in Ft. Worth and Arlington, and Owen's 96-year-old mother, Thyra Fajen who now lives in the Granbury Care Center. It was great to see all the family, and Thyra was happy to see our new house for the first time. It was a rare occasion for all of the family to be together, that is, all but granddaughter Katie, a Texas Tech sophomore who had to work, and needs every penny she can earn.

Moving to North Texas is quite a life-style change for us. We have a new house to decorate and yard to landscape. Hopefully we'll be able to cope with the heat and humidity so common to this part of the country in the summer time. The house is smaller than our Odessa home and the yard is much larger.

Thanks for all of your holiday greetings. I started sending individual thank you letters with family up dates, but the task just got too overwhelming with all the other things pressing. Thyra appreciated all of your cards and letters. We taped them to the walls so she could enjoy them all through the holidays.

We wish you bushels of luck galore
to be your fortune in 2004.

Owen & Pat Tyler

We'd love to hear from you. Here's the email address: pat@tylersterritory.com
Open printer-friendly version of this letter.