As an environmentalist, one who occasionally throws cans in the trash to avoid emptying the recycle bin, I’ve opted to send the family holiday card as a blog post.
It’s been a year full of adventure, starting with exploring abandoned structures in our hometown of Rochester.
From there, our travels took us to Batavia (NY), site of one of the better Pizza Huts in the Rust Belt.
Finally, we were blessed to sample amazing gas station food, from Speedway to Sheetz to Buc-ee’s.

It’s also been a year of milestones.
The older child finally left the house, claiming he is ready to seize the world. From the outside looking in, evidence to support that claim is lacking. When the goal is the music industry and the transcript reads Bible Study, heads will be scratched.

As for the younger child, there have also been many accomplishments, mostly measured in Amazon packages. Between those and dance, she has proven herself quite capable of pushing back retirement dates. There was only one major argument this year, resolved by her recurrent TikTok scrolling.

Of course, no holiday card is complete without talking about the head(s) of household.
In my case, it’s been another year of wheel spinning and questionable decisions, peppered with flashes of irritability, all in the name of growth.*

And then there is the anchor. She continues to wake up every day and thank the Good Lord that Rochester’s healthcare system does not oppress and demoralize physicians.**

To 2026!
*Of my abdominal girth
**DM me for the truth
10 Responses
Happy holidays! great photos!! The only questionable decision was leaving the Yankee conference in 1999 #growth
Hahaha…but then we wouldn’t have The Rent! Happy Holidays!
Loved your holiday greeting card!😂
Thanks, Bindu! Happy Holidays! 🙂
Happy Holidays!!! And thanks for the family update. The addition of Buc-ee’s is undeniable proof that Rochester has ascended to a new tier of greatness.
Well, in full disclosure, the Buc-ee’s stop was in Kentucky on a road trip to Tennessee. But we can still hope. Happy Holidays!!
Amol, Buc-ee’s is my sister in law’s favorite stop on the way to visit her daughter in Memphis!!!
Enjoyed your letter! Best wishes to you and your family!
Maria
Hey Maria! Buc-ee’s is undoubtedly the best! Thank you and Happy New Year!
Love the updates !! A trip to ROC is due ! Happy Holidays !!!
Haha…we’re waiting for you! Happy Holidays!