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For those of you following the journey of A Cappella on our website, you will note that the last entry was on March 13, 2011 when we were still in New Zealand. Since then we've been taking a “vacation from our vacation”, enjoying time back in the U.S. reconnecting with family and friends and our land life. We plan to remain here until mid-February 2012 when we will fly back to Auckland to re-join A Cappella.

Highlights of our time in the States have included:

1. •Rejoining old friends in Cornelia's book groups, Ed's poker group and at the Oakland Yacht Club.
   

1. •August visits from son, Jasper, and his fiancee, Josie, who live in New York; and from daughter, Anna, and her friend, Doug, who live in England.
   

1. •September/October trans-Canadian railroad trip with Cornelia's mother, Mary; aunt, Sally; and uncle and aunt, Chuck and Donna.
   

1. •Taking up Duplicate Bridge, which we have played regularly at Rossmoor several days a week; we also made trips to bridge tournaments in Las Vegas and Monterey.
   

1. •Once again, attending San Francisco Giants baseball games.
   

1. •Purchase of and move into a different condo at Rossmoor (this one is larger with 3 bedrooms, allowing for a guest room, and with a great view of Mt. Diablo from the large rear patio).
   

1. •Attendance at Strawberry Music Festival near Yosemite in May and late August.
   

1. •Some medical issues – Cornelia had hip problems which are now mostly resolved, and Ed had gallbladder surgery.
   

1. •Numerous trips to Southern California to visit Cornelia's father and other family and friends. We had two spectacular Thanksgiving dinners – one with Ed's cousin Jez and her husband Don, and one with Cornelia's father and sister, Rosemary.
   

1. •Finally, Jasper and Josie are getting married here in Walnut Creek on December 28. We are excitedly finalizing the wedding plans.
   

Following the holidays and the wedding, we will prepare for our return to the cruising life. The current plan is to return to New Zealand in mid-February. We'll remain in that country until early May, during which time we will have some boat work done and hopefully tour more of the North Island The beginning of May marks the end of the cyclone season in the Pacific, at which time we will sail north to Fiji. We expect to spend several months there and then move on to Vanuatu and New Caledonia before landing in Australia in October 2012 (when the cyclone season begins again).

Please keep in touch as we continue our journey.

Happy holidays to all of you.

Cornelia and Ed

s/v A Cappella

Current position: 37 degrees 53 minutes N, 122 degrees 05 minutes W