Life in the USA – 2026

We celebrated our anniversary on January 16th with rather warm temperatures and enjoyed a wonderful dinner at NY Pizzeria in Watauga. Sometimes it is hard to fathom that Ursula and I met 61 years ago and have been married for 56 years. ❤️‍🩹

Winter finally arrived on January 26th with a severe cold front affecting the entire southern and eastern United States. We took the usual precautions to protect the outdoor plants, the pool equipment, and the waterlines, and we settled in for four days and came through without any incident. Watching the Australian Open 🎾 tennis matches was amazing and helped those icy, freezing days pass much more quickly.

Sometimes reality hits without warning. In March, my best friend Aubra was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. At first, the doctors estimated his life expectancy anywhere from a few months to about two and a half years. Fortunately, he qualified for a clinical trial at the Sarah Cannon Research Institute at the Mary Crowley Cancer Center in Dallas for a promising new medication. So far, the treatment is going well, and he is not in significant pain. However, he has developed a difficult side effect in the form of an itchy skin rash, which is very uncomfortable. I hope he will be able to continue the treatment and benefit from this experimental drug. I think of him every day and quietly pray for his recovery.

On March 20th, we set off on a two-week journey to Brazil to visit Ursula’s brother Wally and his wife Marli. Our adventure began in João Pessoa (https://youtu.be/TYdpJ2jdhWM?si=kLC6v3CZ0V6lVmbc), a beautiful beach town at the easternmost point of South America. We stayed at Hotel BA’RA, which fully lived up to its promise and proved to be an excellent choice. We spent a wonderful week together exploring sandy beaches, enjoying delicious seafood, and staying well refreshed along the way. Our loyal Uber driver, Jaime, added a special touch to our experience, sharing his deep knowledge of the area and its history, which made our outings all the more engaging. For the second week, we flew to Araxá, where Wally and Marli live. Their modern two-bedroom home, located in a quiet gated community on the outskirts of town, was both peaceful and comfortable. They showed us around, including the neighborhood where Marli once lived and the park where they first met in 1975. One highlight was a lively churrasco barbecue, where Marli’s extended family gathered for a warm and joyful weekend celebration. It was especially gratifying to see how well Wally has been accepted and respected by her family. He has embraced the culture impressively and communicates quite well in Portuguese. I, on the other hand, found speaking and pronunciation challenging, despite having studied before the trip. Marli is a truly kind and grounded person, practical and warm-hearted. She is also an excellent cook and delighted us with homemade Brazilian specialties, including pão de queijo, feijoada, and caramel pudding. (https://youtu.be/uqFoVNazYpk?si=DC79VmulIimUXSPg) As always, time passed far too quickly, and our departure came sooner than we would have liked. We grew very fond of Brazil and are already looking forward to returning.

Stay tuned for continuing updates as this year progresses ......

Upcoming Travel:

- Road trip Detroit, Michigan, London, Ont. (June)
- Las Vegas, NV (August)
- Sanibel Island, Florida (November)Read more