This website is now published on my mobileme account. Any opinions expressed, however, are totally my responsibility. The original website was published through the courtesy of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Jim Andris, Sept. 17, 2003. |
Annual History of Jim Andris, 2010(Please note that clicking on any of the pictures in this newsletter will give you a much larger image.) After many mild winters, St. Louis has received blowing snow and frigid temperatures this Dec. 12. With a fire in the fireplace, a half-finished jigsaw puzzle on the card table, and only a year more to go on my counted cross-stitch tree skirt, it seems a perfect time to begin this year's autobiographical entry. I have been writing these annual letters since 1972, and they have been on the internet for about 10 years now. This year I began a new project—I am scanning most of my old slides and photos into the computer, and I am slowly illustrating all of these old online letters with snapshots of the past. You, my friend, may find yourself in these epistles. (So far, I have updated the entries from 1972 to 1977 with photos, hope to do all in the next year.)
Stephen seems to be coming back to at least some of his normal activities after a year of hell. The bungled hip operation of 2009 has resulted in a total of three operations, a too-short leg and a life-sentence of antibiotic treatment. His recovery has been a rollercoaster ride. Still, he is back singing in the Trinity choir, fussing over the indoor and outdoor birds, and doing his version of the laundry: Stephen's Laundry Reality Show. We had Brian back in November to renovate the laundry room next to the bathroom. You may remember that starting in January of 2010, I painted the walls of the newly renovated bathroom which Lorene's gift of inheritance enabled me to have done. Now I get to start 2011 painting the laundry room walls. But hey, 72 years old and painting 12' walls; I can't complain. (Stephen can, however.)
I have learned a lot through all the hospital stays, rehab appointments, doctor's visits, and just being a chauffer in general. I never take Stephen anywhere without my latest cyberpunk novel, counted cross-stitch, or laptop. I just use the waiting time to do things I would want to do anyway. As far as being the chef, I love to cook, and cooking for two is actually easier than for one, because when you're alone, you actually cheat and don't cook half the time. I'd say that 90% of the time I enjoy my life, and we're not talking about the other 10%. And we still manage to do an amazing amount of entertainment and socializing, albeit occasionally the walk around the Botanical Gardens has been me pushing Stephen in a transport chair. We've found that the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts to several local theatre venues on Saturday afternoon are really marvelous. And finally, as I see various of my dear friends age and engage in combat with mortality itself, I realize (in my case at least) what a true blessing it is to be alive. I thank God every day for anything that comes my way. That doesn't stop me from worrying a bit about our world and our country going to hell in a handbasket, but at least I can contribute a relative amount of good will and peace of mind to the mess. May your days be merry and bright, and may you have a rainbow Christmas. Love, Jim Andris Catch me on Facebook |