Lucy, I am HOME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Can you believe this freaking year is over? WTF happened? I swear it was only yesterday I was in my thirties…young, desirable to advertisers, a demographic that mattered. Now I am in my 40’s, my IPAD is dead and I am hitting gay middle age.
Heavy sigh, maybe I should mix it up and get a perm.
How was everybody’s Christmas? Good? Were you all good? Well I wasn’t. I have been very very NAUGHTY this year and I got shit from Santa. Not even a lump of coal. Not that we need coal here in Texas, it don’t get that cold.
Doesn’t matter really, we got good ol’ Saint Nicolas where I am from. He’s younger, trimmer and rides a horse 
Seriously, who rides a SLEIGH?? 
Lazy gay ass. EEW!
Looking back at the last 12 months, again I am left speechless as to how much stuff has happened. Really: never a dull moment in our lives.
After a very Texas winter (random cold spells, no rain or snow) spring was such a promising time. We flew back to California for a week to visit our friends and family up North. It almost felt like a visiting blitz with friends to see almost every hour of the day! What a delight to come back to such a loving and warm welcome.
The invitation still stands for all of you to come visit us here in Texas…really it ain’t all that bad.
The month of May brought warm weather and Ann Knight from England for a week’s visit. (If she can do it y’all can do it from California! Or Minnesota..or Michigan, I am just saying!)
We took Ann’s visit as the perfect way for all of us to become better acquainted with Texas. 
From Galveston to the Alamo and from The Alamo to the Capitol to the MOST amazing Gospel Brunch we actually developed a better taste and understanding of Texas.
The last day was spent having dinner at our all time favorite restaurant Bess’ Bistro 
We are convinced that one day Sandra Bullock WILL be there and she WILL recognize me from our fateful meeting that one afternoon in 1992 in a hallway of her PR agent.
Anyway… back at the house, it was clear that both our kids have been CRAVING female attention as they were practically attached to Ann everywhere she went. 
Maybe they aren’t gay after all!
And then she left and with her went the last bearable weather of 2011. The next 100 days were brutal, a hell on earth, as Texas experienced it’s WARMEST and DRIEST summer on record. We had 90 days with temperatures over 100 degrees. There was no relief, no rain and no where to go. 
Truly, we were outside one morning and Pogo peed on my foot and I swear I thought it was rain!
Halfway through the summer we were advised to cease watering our plants and lawn (like there was any left) and instead start watering our foundation. Or it might crack! Seriously, WTF? 
But, remember: climate change is a hoax! And Rick Perry is a GOD…oh no wait..I think I got them mixed up.
September was a big month: our long planned, long awaited and MUCH needed Europe trip! Paris, London and Plymouth were on the menu. Three weeks of loving, exploring, discovering and realizing what is truly important in life: to love and be loved. 
Now throw a 40th Birthday in the mix, 
a couple of castles and some amazing scenery and you have the trip of a lifetime. 
It feels good to be able to appreciate, understand and grasp the things that matter and the things that don’t. It makes one feel might mature and grown up….
With George home from his adventure we have set our sights on Dallas. A city much more sophisticated and developed than Austin, with friends and family nearby, we aim to find our forever castle there. This will become our homestead, our ranch and we will shoot any and all who tries to mess with us. Cause you don’t fuck with us in Texas!
And yes, there is part of the year missing. Why? Because it has been discussed enough and remains something special and significant to the both of us. For remember that “everything has a moral, if only you can find it!”
Our grandson Kyle continues his tour of duty in Afghanistan; at last word he was building a bridge. A noble and inspiring endeavor and something we, as people, could stand to do more of ourselves…..building bridges, rather than burning them and to lead the way instead of throwing up roadblocks.
2012 is bound to be our best year yet. To quote somebody else: “I can feel it in my piss!” Yet, it could also be our last year here on earth, according to the Mayans. If that is so, I suggest you shop at stores with no payments until 2014! (That way the joke is on them!)
May you continue to be as happy as you allow yourself to be, as healthy as you need to be and as loved as you inspire to be loved.
Peace,
Sven
Balancing on the edge of 2012, are we ready for what it’ll bring? That’s a big hell YES! It’s gonna be a great year and hopefully we’ll make our way out to Texas or you guys to New York City. You’re writing is as inspiring, thought provoking and WISE as always! We love ya!