FINALLY An Update!!!

Okay-it's been a long time since I posted, so here's my update :) Sorry for the delays-it's been crazy here!


Happy New Year 2007!

For the first time in a lot of years, I was not together enough to send out Christmas cards, so I thought I’d do a Happy New Year letter and catch you all up on what’s been going on in our lives throughout this year.

As many of you know, in January I left State Farm and started a new job with Infinity Insurance Company, as a territory representative in the Hartford/New Haven area, although a lot of the summer I worked in the Philadelphia area, assisting our reps there. Basically my day consists of ‘selling’ our programs to independent insurance agents who then sell them to their clients. My company specializes in non-standard, or hard to place, auto insurance risks. The job, the company, the benefits and the flexibility have been a great asset to us this year. I work basically from my car, but my ‘office’ is home, so it’s been great transition!

We were able to get away for just a couple of days in the spring to Maryland, visiting friends and enjoying the Eastern Shore. Of course, with Tom’s business, it’s difficult for us to get away, but we did manage an overnight trip to Boston in September to visit some friends of mine who were up from Tampa, Florida. We had a great time, sightseeing with Dan & Suzanne and just being away together. Right after our return from Boston, I spent about 5 days in New Orleans with the Junior League, on a rebuilding project. There were over 500 volunteers from all across the US, Canada and England to work with the Junior League of New Orleans at rebuilding their city from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. The magnitude of the devastation is enormous, so different than what we see on TV. We had the opportunity to work on a few different job sites doing everything from gutting houses to the studs to sanding drywall and working to help clean up the parks and cemeteries. It was a great experience and I was happy to have the opportunity, along with 4 other members of the New Haven Junior League. I made it home just in time for our 2nd wedding anniversary on October 8, 2006, only to leave again 3 days later to spend some time celebrating my mom’s 60th birthday at her party in Florida. I’ve traveled enough this year for both Tom & I!


Tom found out this summer that he needs knee surgery. His MCL & ACL both need to be replaced. Unfortunately, that caused him to have to withdraw from his sixth time running the New York City Marathon. He was disappointed, but hopes to have the knee surgery in early 2007. He’s been keeping busy as ever with his Pepperidge Farm route and growing his territory nicely, with the addition of a brand new BJ’s Wholesale Club. The bread business doesn’t lend itself well to travel and being able to spend time with our families, but all of that is about to change.

Our biggest news this year is that in the beginning of December I was promoted with Infinity and will be managing a sales territory in JACKSONVILLE, FLORIDA-so we are moving SOUTH! Tom will sell his route in Connecticut and hopes to take some time off (WOW!) and purchase a route in the Jacksonville area. Our move will take place during the last week of January 2007. Everything for the move has been falling into place. I was able to take a quick trip the week of Tom’s 37th birthday, incorporating a business trip to Atlanta, down to Jacksonville and spend some time looking at houses and the week of Christmas we both took a quick overnight trip to decide on ‘the house’.

Unfortunately the day after Christmas, we also had to have Nilla put to sleep. It was a difficult decision, a very sad process, and we are quickly realizing we don’t like a quiet house and hope to get another dog when we get settled in Florida.

That pretty much sums up our year, it’s been a wild ride this year, lots of business trips for me, several trips back and forth to New Jersey for Tom as he finished up his stint Advisory Board Chair for the Demolay. We’re hoping to get to Florida and maybe, just maybe, relax a little bit. We’ll have plenty of room for visitors, so come on down!

Home e-mail will probably be changing, but my work e-mail remains the same at michelle.torres@ipacc.com. Also, check out our blog to keep up with our daily doings at www.blogspot.com/tomich1008, here you can read about our adventures as we post them. Subscribe to get your post emailed to you without having to check the site when we post.

Here’s hoping you all have a fabulous, safe and happy 2007!

All the best,

The Torres’