According to the countless iPhone photos featuring sand, surf and sunsets, we spent a lot of time at the beach this year. The photos capture Frank and Margaret’s short stays in various towns up and down California’s coast. 

The four Pereiras shared two major trips this year. First, we met in Louisville, Kentucky, to celebrate a milestone birthday for Joey, and see 3.5 minutes of total solar eclipse. Frank and Margaret extended their trip with an additional week in Nashville, Tennessee, home of The Grand Ole Opry (where we enjoyed a show with Vince Gill and Carrie Underwood), The Country Music Hall of Fame, The African-American Music History Museum, and Hattie B’s Hot Chicken (as well as a wonderful variety of bbq). Professional quality musicians perform everywhere in Nashville, including the airport terminal.    

In August, we four flew to Cape Town (George and Wilderness, South Africa), to celebrate back-to-back family weddings. Our niece Deborah and Jason wed at a boutique hotel with strolling peacocks trumpeting in sync with guest’s applause. The following weekend our nephew Joshua married Alyssa under the trees on an ostrich farm featuring glamping tents and guest rooms in former stables. During our stay in South Africa, we most enjoyed spending time with family members we hadn’t seen in twelve years. We also had supervised encounters with elephants, a cheetah, a lioness, and a lemur.   

In early September, Margaret’s dad, James Connor, passed away after a week in hospice. Jim stayed mentally sharp throughout his 92 years on earth, playing bridge and later, Euchre, and keeping up on topics of current interest. Margaret is especially grateful to his housemate, Ellie, who helped him to remain in his own home outside of Phoenix, Arizona.   

May God bless you, your families and the world with peace in 2025!

Love, Frank, Margaret, Joey and Julianna