December 2025
Welcome to our 32nd Christmas compendium. Remarkably, we squeezed one year of memories into a single, solitary page (a true Christmas miracle). Cliff Note version: Retirement is GREAT!
This year was full of adventure: a two-week live-aboard in the Maldives, a 2+ week road trip to visit our northernly neighbors, a return to Lembeh for two weeks of diving, and a whirlwind mission to pick up Bumble – more on that later! When not gallivanting, we are love living in Tahoe and exploring the numerous mountain bike trails in our backyard. Our retirement epiphany - retirement is less relaxing than advertised, but way more fun.
2025 kicked off with a bang (literally). After packing away our Christmas decorations in San Jose, we headed back to Tahoe. Along the way we were rear-ended by a hit-and-run driver. Thankfully, the Subaru protected us and our furry felines, and we were able to make it home. A couple of days later Lori’s beloved 91-year-old Aunt Barbara passed away, and we found ourselves on a plane flying to Washington to help sort and organize a lifetime of memories. To bring her treasured items back to California, we rented a Ford Transit van and were amazed by its agility and how easy it was to drive … (hint: foreshadowing here).
One of the many retirement benefits is enjoying longer dive trips. In March, we sojourned to the Southern Maldives aboard the Emperor Serenity - a floating palace complete with a king bed and a large, full bath. Diving was nonstop - sharks, rays, turtles… rinse, repeat, repeat, repeat. While 2-weeks of repetitive deep dives felt a bit long, it was an incredible experience. In October, we returned to our favorite macro photography destination of Lembeh, Indonesia. We saw hatching flamboyant cuttlefish, mantis shrimp with eggs, numerous nudibranchs, and an abundant multitude of octopus (Blue Ring, Starry Night, Mototi, Alga, Coconut, Long Arm, Common, Mimic, Wonderpus). Even after 700+ dives, the ocean continues to astonish us by bestowing both mating Blue Ring and Wonderpus Octopi. WOW!
Our original camping plan was to explore the US, but with National Park staffing in flux, we revectored and visited our friendly Canadian neighbors. We hoisted the roof top tent onto the Subaru, left the West Coast in the rearview mirror, took the ferry to Victoria Island (Butchart Gardens, Fisherman’s Wharf), and then travelled to the jaw-dropping beauty of the Canadian Rockies. Banff delivered bighorn sheep, bears, glaciers, and waterfalls. Jasper revealed wildfire scars as well as optimistic locals passionate on rebuilding their town. Lake Louise campground was surrounded by electric fencing (a first for us), and the hikes and views were stunning. Driving the Icefields Parkway was so beautiful and amazing; it felt surreal. Trip tip: download the “Canadian Rockies” from the GuideAlong app - it’s like having a private tour guide.
We missed our furry felines in Canada which sparked a brilliant idea: CAMPERVAN! Bumble, our 2024 Ford Transit van, was born. AWD (perfect for snow country and off-roading), headroom, queen bed, full kitchen, heater, A/C, and “plenty” of power. Since we have brought Bumble home, we have a growing list of enhancements and modifications to implement. When spring arrives, we will be camper training the boyz in the driveway and then the road. Fingers crossed.
Health-wise, we’re incredibly grateful. Mike is 27 years cancer-free and nine years post-bypass - basically a real-life medical marvel. Mike enjoys his retirement tinkering with his 3D printer, automating the house like it’s about to launch a rocket, and replacing the back-end of our full-blown synchronized Christmas light show. Lori is now a webmaster wizard for four websites with most of her time on her personal passion project: www.lamore2travel.com. There she shares her travel tips and inspiration. She also crafts cards, volunteers at the Tahoe Truckee Humane Society, started learning Spanish (¡muy impresionante!), enjoys lunch dates with friends, and somehow finished reading 12 books.
On the furry-feline front, Tolo and Trout celebrated their 4th birthdays this year. Tolo’s obsession with his butterfly toy continues unabated, while Trout chases the laser pointer and bounces of hall walls when zooming through the house. Every day with them is a whirlwind of mischief, cuddles, and pure cat joy.
Looking ahead to 2026: Two-weeks on a Raja Ampat live-aboard - Check. Campervan adventures with the boyz - Double check. More mountain biking exploration – Check, check, check. And maybe, we’ll complete the under-house storage project. Here’s to a New Year packed with adventures—both big and tiny, underwater and on two/four wheels. Between furry cuddles, adventures on land and underwater, and synchronized Christmas lights, life is unpredictable, joyful, and exactly the way we like it.
Wishing you a wonderful holiday season full of family, friends, laughter, and joy. We’d love to hear from you - send us a note at or check out our latest shenanigans, photos, and travel at http://www.mljanz.com/.