A definition ...

... of the word "anal-retentive":

"The term anal retentive (also anally retentive), commonly abbreviated to anal,^[1] is used to describe a person who pays such attention to detail that the obsession becomes an annoyance to others, potentially to the detriment of the anal-retentive person. The term derives from Freudian psychoanalysis."

So, as our friend, please forgive us for driving you crazy talking about this trip for SO LONG. 

Dennis just showed me the first e-mail he wrote to me with the idea of going to New Zealand, and it was dated February 9, 2014.  Besides it being very "anal" of him to still HAVE that message, it says a lot about him that he could find it so easily.  Almost scary ...

In fact this trip has been in the works for SO LONG, that I forgot that our original intention was to take this trip in 2015.  But as often happens with plans, life gets in the way and it was postponed until now.

So yes ... WE ARE FINALLY LEAVING  this Sunday, February 21st at 6pm.  We fly from here to Phoenix, and then onto LA.  We won't get on the BIG flight until 11:35pm California time, so I'm anticipating being pretty relaxed by the time we leave this country.  The entire journey will take 27 hours before we finally arrive in Christchurch at 5PM on Tuesday.  For our friends in Tucson, it will be 9PM Monday night. 

So ~ we thank you all again for putting up with BOTH of  us.  Truth be told .... I am ALMOST as anal as Dennis.