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Christmas 86
December 5, 1986
Dear Friends:
Life continues. The first six months of 1986 were spent hard at work developing my career in microcomputer applications to education. As a result of this work, I was appointed Coordinator of Computer Resources in Education at SIUE starting Fall, 1986. I have a reduced teaching load, run the lab, consult, give workshops. I love this job!!! Oh, and by the way, the University approved and funded a research project for me next year using interactive video. I am so pleased! Stephen continues to work very hard as Dean of IGS, but the School is in a rather critical period right now. We're hoping for a better year in 1987.
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| Stephen and Wee Prince Wink of Wildwere | The Park Plaza from our Balcony |
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| Walk to our Unit at The Barwick Condominiums | Living Room View at The Barwick Condominiums |
At home it was our sad duty on December 21, 1985 to see Stephen's yorkie "Wink" off to wherever it is that beautiful and loving animals go when they die. He was 14. That was hard. But we now have Billie Oliver, the singing canary, and an aquarium full of beautiful fish.
We continue to fix up the condo a bit at a time. We've had a lot of visitors. Stephen's father and new bride were here for his birthday in May. My cousin Marlene, husband Roger and daughter Dawn were here in June. Mom and dad were here a bit later. My brother, sister-in-law and 9 year old twins were here in August. Willard Lutz stopped off for dinner in November. Last but not least, Stephen's 15 year old daughter Stephanie was here for the whole month of August. [Editor's note: We also participated with friends in the Hands Across America event held on May 25, 1986.]
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| Stephen and daughter, Stephanie | Cousin Marlene, husband, Roger and daughter, Dawn |
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| Hands across America with Sheila and Aaron's family | Hands across America with Stephen, Carol and Nick |
On April 11, I completed a tape of my original songs. (I'm Always Facing Rainbows) I have sold quite a few tapes, and continued to perform every now and then. In fact, I've been back into the studio with ideas for a new tape. At Easter time Stephen and I visited Tom Manuel in New York, and this November I got to see Tom again at a computer conference in Pittsburgh. My own annual end-of-summer travels had to be cancelled this year. I was in bed for nearly a month in August and September with gout. I used the occasion to read and grow spiritually, and I'm completely recovered now. Stephen and Stephanie went to Oregon for a week. Over the Thanksgiving vacation, I visited mariam in Santa Monica. We had Thanksgiving dinner at her sister Carol's house in Thousand Oaks.
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| The Cassette Tape Jacket | Our visite to NYC and Tom Manuel |
Stephen and I have been going to a very wonderful church here in St. Louis, Trinity Episcopal. Father Chapman and the staff have made us feel very welcome, as they do all who come there. And it's just down the street from us. Also, we continue to meditate.
Sheila and Stephen gave me a "murder mystery" birthday dinner costume party for eight complete with balloons. In addition to five other wonderful characters, played by Stephen, Sheila, Pat Artrip, Tom Dewey, and Bob Burns. I was the drunken and inept Captain "Mal" de Miere, Mariam, from Santa Monica was Bella Donna maria Costa, the opera singer with murder in her past, and Kathy Vinehout from Springfield, Illinois was Desiree, the young vintner with revenge in her heart. As it turned out, everyone had a motive, but no one was actually guilty. On December 17, I gave a Christmas open house. Thirty-five people showed up for punch and cookies. Now I'm looking forward to a Christmas season with my family in the east, and a new year of challenge and growth in my religion, my personal relationships, my job, and my music.
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| Wellington C. Waterloo and Captain Malcolm D. Meirre | Bella Donna Maria Cossa |
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Countess Natalia Irina Forilska and Miles F. Latout |
Mademoiselle Lucinde S. Gucie, Jules T. Hieffe and Desiree Flambeau |
May you experience the greatest love of all this Christmas Season.
Peace,
Jim Andris