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November 23, 2025

Hello, it’s high time I sent you an update, but it just doesn’t feel that there’s much new or exciting. Let me express gratitude for the things I’m thankful for:

1. I had a very enjoyable break for a month in Minnesota, Washington, DC, and Chicago. Every day was filled with the delight of wonderful food and stimulating conversation. Thanks to all who invited me to stay in their homes and/or share meals together. It felt absolutely wonderful to get my bike out of storage and go riding almost every day, even if I was woefully out of condition. I especially enjoyed visiting my friend Dee, who was my first boss at 3M. She’s in her mid-80’s now, but is doing very well. We met twice and talked four hours non-stop both times and got in some nice walks as well. I can’t begin to count the number of people I visited with, yet I know there were some who were disappointed that we couldn’t get together. I promise I’ll be back to the US before you know it.
2. Very happy news that I received while visiting my elder daughter Gina in DC was that she and Vincent are engaged to be married. An upside to the government shutdown that idled both of them was that they had time to explore options for their wedding celebration. I have a firm commitment to be in DC during the latter half of October next year. I’m really looking forward to it.
3. I’m comfortably settled in my new location in Ghana. I’m in an apartment that’s less than half the size of the house I lived in for the past two years, but that’s alright. One advantage is that I now have 24 hr running water (most of the time). Also, the town is more than 100,000 people, which means that there are bigger shops that offer more variety in food. It’s only a 10 minute walk to shops where I can find butter, Greek yogurt, and other treats. The only challenge is that it’s harder to meet people here, although I’ve been making headway.
4. Lastly, I’m thankful for all of you and the kind and supportive thoughts and wishes you send me. I miss you, but knowing that you are there helps me get through the challenges that still arise on a regular basis.

Best wishes for a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday and safe travels if you’ll be on the road. I’ll leave you with some photos from the last six months in Ghana.

Until next time!

One last observation: I haven’t spotted any funeral homes in Ghana. Instead, carpenters build caskets and the families of the deceased collect the body from the mortuary and prepare it for burial. My favorite sign advertising carpentry for caskets is along the road to my new location:

Exodus Funeral Services