Christmas Letter 2025

First things first: a JibJab. Song link at the bottom.
https://www.jibjab.com/view/make/most-wonderful-time-of-the-year-starring-you-ecard/a7ca17fa-3ce1-4914-875f-cd5bda3551e5
It’s that time of year again for Christmas Letters. Once again the year flew by faster than the one before it. Funny how that works, even in a strange and tumultuous year like this one…when sometimes a day seems like an eternity.
This year I’m writing you from Gulf Shores, Alabama.
Shelly and I started coming here in late December of 2016. Each year our stay got a little bit longer, maxxing at 18 days… And then I got ambushed by transverse myelits in 2023 and everything changed. I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to make the trip again.
But we’re back for the first time since ’22…and we’re staying 48 nights!
Before the 720 mile trip south, the farthest I’d been from our apartment the past 27 months was when we made the 200 mile trip to the Lead Belt for Dad’s funeral.
Dad died April 4…52 days short of 99. RIP Tissel.
This trip to Gulf Shores has been one of our highlights every year that we’ve made it. Many of the best days are when we have company.
Our friends Tom&Gloria from Atlanta have joined us most years and this time they came down a day early in order to be here when we arrived and to help Shelly unload and get everything into the condo. They’re coming back at the end of our stay to help her get loaded up for the trip back to Springfield.
There will also be guests from Bradenton, Reeds Spring, and Pittsburg, KS. We look forward to Caroline&Chad being here for Christmas, and for Rob&Carol and Bruce&Jeanette being here in mid-January. People from my time in hell at Sport Clips are gonna be camping for a week at the State Park a few miles away. It’ll be great to see Troy and Kathy.
In years past, I racked up lots of steps on the beach, but I’m pretty walker dependent these days, and walking in the sand is not really an option. That’s okay…the sights and sounds from our 8th floor balcony make me very happy. And the sparkle in Shelly’s eyes now that we’re back makes me smile all over. {Plus it’s been COLD down here…and
Shelly made it to Colorado this summer. It was a three generation road trip, as Amber and Cecily joined in. Tom came from Atlanta to be my care giver while Shelly was traveling. That is truly a BFF!!
The first Saturday in June backyard party at the Rock House was a fine day. We’ve already got the house at Shady Acres booked for that weekend in 2026. Come join us!!
I’m not gonna drone on about my TM journey. I’m in the one-third that made a partial recovery, but below the waist I’m a mess…and that isn’t likely to change. I’ll never be like a was b4 the ambush. My mobility sucks…my legs tingle and burn.
But I’m ok above the shoulders. Just ask the people who play Rummikub or Hearts with me.
I enjoyed each and every sandwich in 2025…especially BLTs with tomatoes from Shelly’s garden. I savored every slice of pie I was fortunate enough to have. I marveled at sunsets and lightning storms. I loved every time my phone lite up with an incoming call from a friend. Glad to be alive in ’25.
I’m not sure how many people will open this e-mail. If you not only opened it, but read this far, I’d love to get a quick e-mail reply…or even better a phone call.
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Steve
417-379-6817
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The music of The Mavericks is hard to categorize…blending Country, Rockabilly, Tex-Mex, Latin, Americana, Rock & Roll, and R&B.
Shelly and I saw them about a dozen times. Every show was Fantastic. We were at two of the three shows at Knuckleheads in 2023. I can’t spot us in this video, but we were there with several of our friends.
Raul Malo lost his fight with cancer on 12/8/25 at 60. It broke my heart. He was the One and Only.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=in35TGjSWgk