Happy Cottage Eve!! (IYKYK)
The spouse and I leave for the airport in a few hours for the annual family holiday cruise. I’ll be spending my birthday this year in Puerto Rico, where my goal is to eat mofongo and drink mojitos, which sounds like the best way to celebrate turning the answer to life, the universe, and everything.
I hope everyone has a fabulous holiday season, no matter what, or who, or how much, or how little you celebrate.
Casa Siamese
Ellicott City, Maryland
December 2025
Dear Family & Friends,
If 2024 was a year filled with highs and lows for our household, 2025 seems to have passed in a blur! Hanna and Erik have been going nonstop. Most importantly, though, both we and our two kitties are doing well.
Hanna’s position as a medical editor for [redacted], editing and publishing clinical guidelines in HIV care and sexual health for [redacted], has become so much more important in the past year. She remains passionate about her work, but the increased focus on the day job means less productivity on the creative writing side of things. However, she published a paranormal romance novella last winter and contributed to a fantasy and charity romance anthology. The fantasy anthology even highlighted her story on the back cover! As always, Hanna’s spare time is filled with reading way too many books, coloring while watching strange documentary series, and finding space for more LEGO sets. She also learned this year that a building holding over 1,000 books is a library. You will not be shocked to discover this means Casa Siamese is technically a library (so is her Kindle).
Erik started his year in sub-freezing temperatures, working with Army and Air National Guard units from around the country assigned to support the presidential inauguration. He continues his civilian job with the [redacted], while serving with the [redacted] as a Warrant Officer on drill weekends for his military service. His Warrant Officer peers (now 183 strong after just 1 year!) nominated him to represent [redacted] on the U.S. Air Force Warrant Officer Council alongside his Active Duty counterparts. His work on the council will help shape the future of the Warrant Officer corps for the entire USAF. He spends time outside of work playing video games, going to the gym with friends, and watching every rocket launch possible on YouTube. Erik will still happily tell you all about the joys of driving electric, having recently crossed 120k miles on his car (and 50k miles on Hanna’s), all maintenance-free.
After graduating from Warrant Officer Training School last year, it seemed like Erik was back in Alabama every other month for an event such as Air Force conferences or Warrant Officer graduations, which included many of our friends here in Maryland. He also visited Arizona, Texas, and Florida for work and Idaho to spend time with family. Hanna’s author adventures took her to conventions and book signings in Maryland, Virginia, Connecticut, Oregon, and back to sea for another cruise. After her event in Portland, she spent a week visiting old friends and high school haunts in Puyallup, Washington, before Erik and their good friends from Atlanta flew out to meet her in Seattle. Together, we all enjoyed an amazing week-long Alaskan cruise that included glaciers and whale sightings. Family trips this year included Punta Cana last spring and our upcoming cruise to spend Christmas and New Year’s (and Hanna’s birthday!) in the Caribbean.
Lucy and Alex are both in fabulous shape for sixteen-year-old cats. As much as we enjoy traveling, and we love the time we spend at home with them the most. Casa Siamese also acquired a new resident this fall! Our friend Thomas has taken up temporary residence in our guest room. He’s been a wonderful housemate. We also have new neighbors! In November, Hanna’s parents downsized by trading their house across town for a condo literally across the street from us.
For regular cat pictures and to stay up-to-date on Hanna’s writing news, sign up for her monthly email newsletter at jlgribble.com. We hope you have an amazing 2026!
Love, Hanna and Erik (with Lucy & Alex)