Greg Schmidt checks in
Greg Schmidt says he's busy, so he doesn't write very often, but it's Christmas time and that's when we catch up. We're glad to have the news.
Greg writes:
Here is my annual Christmas letter and a photo or two. I used to run a photo business in Alexandria called Gemini Photos, so you would think I should take a lot more pictures than I do. I had that business in Alex for over 10 years and took pictures at over 500 weddings.
I might get back into taking pictures once I retire. I am still working for IBM out of my home on Lake Irene, across the road from Chet’s.
I read the blog every now and then and enjoy it, keep it going. It is fun to hear about our classmates and Alexandria.
Mary and I are members of the Garden Club in Alexandria and enjoy that a lot.
My Dad and Mother are still living in Alex and, if you remember, he had Schmidt’s Electric and Furniture.
Dad still fixes Electric Shavers in Alex.
My sister, Valerie Hockert, who is three years younger than me, moved to Alex about a year ago and has purchased a new home. She has a Doctor's Degree in writing and used to own the Writers' Journal. She now teaches college classes online from Alexandria.
Here's the text of Greg's annual letter:
Christmas greetings to all of you.
We had a wonderful and full year. We hope you did too.
We spent January in Florida and took a cruise out of Miami before getting back in February. It was so cold after getting back that we decided to spend two months in Florida this coming winter.
We spent a lot of time after getting back on our gardening, and just puttering around the house. We did get to do a little more fishing this year, but not golfing, which we want to do, but just did not have time.
In May we drove out to Colorado to visit Scott and Lilia and we toured a little in the Denver area and also in the black hills a little bit on the way back.
We also celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary in August and we had a lot of friends stop in for the open house.
We spent a somewhat more quiet year than the year before or so it seems, but we still were very busy. We would have liked to do more and made plans to do more, but just did not get everything done we wanted to, but there is always next year.
Greg is still working for IBM and is on call more often as there have been some reduction in staff. Greg is still having fun with his stamp collecting and helping Mary with the gardening.
Mary did a lot of canning this year from results of the gardening, and also is making Jam including from our first crop of grapes. Mary also started working one day a week or so at the Alteration Shop in Alexandria to pay for her new Sewing machine.
We are very busy with the family and watch the 11 grandkids once in awhile, but not all at the same time.
Our current family is now 23 people when we all are together which is not very often. We are lucky if we can get them all together once a year. We were not able to get them all together this past year, so hopefully we will be able to do so this next year.
All of the families are healthy and doing fine.
Here are a few tidbits about our children’s highlights for the year.
Terry spends about 6 months a year in China now, and this is very difficult for them. I think the rest of them Nesh, Logan Griffen, Katyia miss him very much when he is over there. They still live in Dayton. We wish we could see them more than we do.
Dave and Allison, Isaac, Wyatt and Kaycee are all enjoying their new addition to the family –Cooper who was born in October. They still are very busy with the L Motel in Alexandria.
Scott and Laila are still in Denver and Lilia has a new job.
Mike, Kara, Corey and Lilly moved to Alexandria about a month ago Lilly was born last December. Mike just started a new job in Alexandria.
Jenny, Simion, Tori and Amilia are still in Coon Rapids. Both Jenny and Simion are at the same jobs. We still have beds that we never brought to Alexandria at their house so we have a place to stay when we go to Minneapolis. Have a good Christmas and a happy new year.
We will think of you as we bask in the sun in Florida in January and February.
Have a good New Year.
Greg and Mary
