Merry Christmas to all

As 2016 draws to a close, Ellie and I want to wish all of you a joyous Christmas, filled with peace, love, joy, and hope.  This year has had its ups and downs, with good days and some not so good, but in the end here we are, still chugging along, and looking forward to 2017 which will be a year of milestones for us.

The first will be my 80th birthday on January 15.  Then on March 10 Ellie and I will celebrate our 50th anniversary, to be followed in July by Ellie's 75th!  That's a lot of celebrating to look forward to, and looking forward is exactly what we're doing.

I don't know if my cancer is officially in "remission" or not, but it hasn't spread or enlarged since my chemo treatments began in April and my hair has returned!  My latest CT scan disclosed no new news as of last week.  So, we continue to count our blessings and will stay with the clinical trial of the immunotherapy drug for as long as they'll have me.  My oncologist tells us that I am one of the "lucky" ones who respond very favorably to this therapy.  I can live with that.   (Literally)😊!!

So, life goes on...the Clemson Tigers are ready to win the national championship in Tampa next month, for which we already have ordered our tickets!  That should come as no surprise to anyone who knows anything about anything!!!  My condolences in advance to Buckeye fans everywhere, who have waited so long to share the national spotlight with some really good teams, only to wind up having to face Clemson, who roughed them up pretty good the last time they met.

I managed to get in a few rounds of golf this fall, resulting a handicap of exactly ten strokes higher than it was before I started treatment....perhaps the most fortuitous outcome of this little adventure....one which could pay big dividends in the year ahead.

All kidding aside, thank you all for your prayers and concern for us.  We have felt the love and truly appreciate your good wishes.