A New Blog, a New Life Phase

My last blog-posting was December 6, 2025 when I decided it was finally time to end our sabbatical in New Zealand. Much like the passengers and crew of the SS Minnow, we took off on a metaphorical three-hour tour only to find ourselves delightfully marooned for 15 years on the shores of Aotearoa. It has only become more clear to me in the intervening seven months that despite the tremendous good fortune we have had to live and work there, it was time for change and to re-patriate to the USA.

To many, returning to the US in this particular troubled time seemed questionable, but since returning I have passed my 75th birthday and I know I am transitioning into a new phase of my life. Breaking it down, I calculate five prior distinct periods:

1. Childhood 0-13 years;
2. Adolescence/College 14-22;
3. Early adulthood 23-38
4. Parenthood 39-58
5. Empty Nesting/Adult adventures 59-74

At 75, I am in a new stage of life and it has been a bit of a struggle for me to understand and adjust to it. Optimistically, you might call it early old age? I have found that no matter how mature and thoughtful I may think I am, and although I intellectually try to prepare for life changes, I never really get it until I am there. That was true of high school, college, marriage, doctoring, especially parenting, New Zealand, and now. 

So how is NOW different? Working is no longer in my top three priorities of life. Spending time with friends, family, and loved-ones is #1 now. I also can't count on being able to immediately bring up knowledge well-known to me but one synapse away from consciousness. I am hesitant to plan too far in the future because increasingly things have to be rearranged or cancelled because of some important new development. I love to prepare and anticipate trips and other things but I don't feel I can plan more than 6-12 months ahead. There are more minor aches and pains that raise the question "What's next?". I also look back and see how quickly the last 25 years have passed but I realize I can't realistically expect to be here in another 25 years.

I apologize if this is sounding a bit depressing, and in all honesty I suppose it is, but I'm really just trying to honest with myself, regroup, and go forward. I appreciate anyone who reads my postings, but as I have been at it for 16+ years, it also functions as a diary for me. As my third stint in New Zealand has ended, it is time for a new title for this blog, and I think Phase Six? is as good as any for now.

The primary reason for the transition was facing the fact that the most important thing for me currently is to be available for the people I love while we are still here. (An old saw in sports is "The best ability is availability".) I will briefly summarize month-by-month how this has gone.

December 2025- Almost immediately on landing in SFO

Post-customs @ SFO (Photo courtesy of D. Nishikawa)

we were informed that our last material connection with Timauru, NZ, our wee cottage, had found an eager buyer to take it on lock stock and barrel. Within a 48 hour period we no longer had a house, a car, a job or any belongings there. It was a bit mind-bending, as if the entire 15 year adventure had been swept away like footprints on the beach, almost as if it never happened. 
In a few days, we were off to Eureka CA for our annual celebration of our 49th wedding anniversary and Terry K's BD. along with Linnea M.

Terry @ the Larrupin Cafe

Scenes from the Arcata Christmas Market

The month ended with the traditional Christmas at the Cabin in Camp Connell, CA with the family and a quiet NY Eve in Fort Bragg.

 

January 2026- Always a busy month, but especially this year. It started with a trip to Georgia for Grandson Isaiah's 13th BD AND bar mitzvah.

Kimarra, Papou, & Isaiah

Since we were on the Eastern seaboard, we try to visit Fayne's family in Upstate New York.

At Syracuse-area Wegmans with (L-R) Fred, Mary, Gary, & ?

A puzzling situation in East Greenbush

Back to the Bay Area for a last minute visit from Camille H. from Timaru (originally Buffalo, NY) and a slightly belated BD party for me with dear friends and family.

Fayne & Camille @ the Richmond-SF Ferry

Two cakes, no waiting

Group Photo of the BD Gang (Photo courtesy of David N).

February 2026- Although work was no longer one of my top priorities, I still love and appreciate the privilege of being Dr. Wallace. I was ready to step away from the stress of acute hospital medicine and night and weekend call while I was still considered a desirable team member. I wanted to find some place to contribute without being bound to a rigid schedule or taking on the responsibility of being a PCP (Primary Care Provider). Fortunately I was offered an ideal opportunity with Mendocino Coast Clinics, Inc., the same organization that took over my practice in 2009. I agreed to take on part-time work two days per week with the understanding as long as I gave adequate notice I had the flexibility to take off as I needed. That work started in February, and as an added benefit I got to see many of my old patients from 1984-2010. The only real bugaboo has been dealing with the EMR (electronic medical record), a challenge particularly for practitioners of a certain age. I am doing my best, determined to not leave until I have finished the "data entry", although at times it keeps me there from 8 AM to 7 PM. Working some is good for me, however, and keeps me grounded.

Another motivation for returning home was because of my grave concern over the current state of the USA. I guess my old Berkeley/Peace Brigade ethos has never left me and I would feel guilty if I didn't try in some way to make my voice heard. The local Indivisible Mendocino group encourages like-minded people to gather every Saturday 11 AM to noon on Hwy 1 on Main Street in Fort Bragg. The spirits are high and a sense of solidarity pervades, and yes, most (but not all) are of the Boomer-Plus Generation.

 

A pleasant benefit of living in a diverse society is the opportunity to encounter a SF street festival celebrating Asian New Year.

March 2026- A spectacular month due to the arrival of our third grandchild, Truen Marez Howell on March 5th. Mother and baby did great!

Sofia & Truen, Day 1

 We couldn't wait to fly back to meet him.

Papou & Truen March 17, 2026

Truen is hidden by his blue blanket

We were able to gather at Athena's house in SF for dinner and celebration of Cousin Sophia and husband Rudy rare visit on the 23rd.

L to R: Cheryl, Sophia, Rudy, Athena, me, Margaret, & Xania

Another chance to reconnect with my past life: SF Giants Opening Day March 27, 2026. Dr. John Gallo and I were there the first day the new park opened on April 11, 2000, and like that day, the G-men lost (not a great season so far). It was fun taking the ferry over and walking down the Embarcadero with all the strange and wonderful public art.

The Boys are back in the bleachers.

 The month ended with a National No Kings Day protest in SF.

April 2026- Is it even possible to have too many baby pics? I think not.

Sunday April 12 was Greek Easter which we celebrated with a fine dinner hosted by Margaret, Cory, & Xania in San Rafael.

The spread served on Margaret's fine china

The very next night Athena and I were privileged to see Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band on their Land of Hope & Dreams American tour at Chase Center in SF. With 21 members of the entourage, they played three hours without stop, a great and inspirational show.

In the service of maximizing my cultural experiences, I took in the KAWS: Family Exhibition of his cartoon-inspired Pop Art at the SFMOMA.

May 2026- Mostly hanging around the beautiful Mendocino Coast, checking out the local shops, hiking on the headlands, and catching a rare glimpse of a Western Long-tailed Weasel.

 

We enjoyed a full four days immersed in the 19th annual Mendocino Film Festival. It has grown steadily since its founding by local film buffs to now encompassing 80 films. Keep an eye out for these documentaries:

1. Cookie Queens- A look inside the competitive and profitable world of Girl Scout cookies. 
2. Pieowa- Chronicling Iowa's pie culture.
3. American Pachuco: The Legend of Luis Valdez- A very informative story of influential Chicano artist and storyteller.

And of course more baby Truen, clutching Raffie, the plush giraffe I bought for Sofia before she was born 36 years ago.

 June 2026- That brings us up to the present day odds and ends like:

A squadron of pelicans convening at Marina Bay, Richmond CA; 

 

A trip down to Half Moon Bay in celebration of Connie Winton's 76th BD (whom I have known for 90% of those years);

A great time with great people. Thanks Connie! (Photo courtesy of D. Nishikawa)

Connie, me, & Cheryl

The Northern Cal excursion continued with a trip up to Yuba City to Judy and Tommy Vincent from my Fort Bragg office days (sorry, no photo) and then down to the Thunder Valley Indian Casino in Lincoln, CA for a wonderfully bizarre Bob Dylan concert. I will link to this review of a similar performance one day later in Berkeley as I think it does a very good job describing the experience. I will say this: the lighting was poor, I sat behind a man with an extremely large head, the musicians were very good, Bob's voice was good, and he played almost exclusively new and unfamiliar songs and covers. I was well-prepared for this and enjoyed it, but found out the next day the person I thought was Bob was the bass player, and the the real Bob was on keyboards wearing an outfit somewhere between a Hazmat suit and beekeepers garb. 

The Legend (clandestine photo courtesy of Sharon Nishikawa)

And finally, we dropped in in Sacramento for our first-time visit with Adriane and Joel, a wonderful pair we met years ago through our neighbor Christine. Their home is unassuming from the outside but that only hides a wonderful backyard garden retreat. We then went to the nearby Tower Cafe, well-known locally and owned by my high-school chum Jim Seyman. It is very deservedly popular with great food, but alas, no Jim on that day. 

So that's what I've been up to, and the main reason I came home: family and friends. Looking ahead a few months, a milestone birthday party in New Orleans, a grand wedding in Fort Bragg, and a jaunt to Georgia (the state not the country) to visit perhaps the most adorable baby ever?