We Are Going To Hawaii!

We have gone more than a week in this new year of 2026.  Since I did not buy Christmas cards this past Christmas, I thought I would write a Christmas letter.  I wrote it but never sent it to anyone—it just didn’t have a whole lot in it.  

 We spent the first months of 2025 getting Dennis well from the two bouts of congestive heart failure he had at the end of 2024.  In April he was accepted in a medical study for what is called the “Optimizer,” an implanted device that helps strengthen the heart.  He felt better almost immediately.

We made our way to Missouri for a month this summer to spend time with family and friends.  All these adventures have been written about in previous blogs.  

Tomorrow we are leaving for an 18-day cruise to Hawaii.  We sail out of San Diego, will see all the island of Hawaii, and on the return a stop at a port in Mexico.  We will be gone 18 days.

Charlie went to our sweet dog sitter tonight.  Ashley has already sent photos of him settling in—which makes me happy.  Just hope that little pea brain of his doesn’t forget me in the next 18 days.

We start this year with some possible medical issues and will be dealing with these when we return.  Fortunately, nothing that could stop our trip to Hawaii.  My decision is to thoroughly enjoy these days, taking in all the beauty of the trip, and being grateful to God that we can make a trip like this.  A year ago I would not have been so sure that could have happened.

Keep your eyes open.  Although we will be on a ship for 6 days before we reach Hawaii, and will be out of contact with the world, I will be documenting this phenomenal trip.  We are going with two other couples.  That should be fun—something I have never done before.

Now I need to kick back and relax.  We are leaving the house at 5:30 am to get to the airport for our flight to San Diego.  Keep watching—2026 will be a year of more blogging.