Thursday Finally Feeling Like Myself

Yes, woke late, closer to 8 than 7, and coughed and sneezed my way through the morning. The pollen is harsh this year. Wow! I may have to add to my pharmaceuticals.

I skipped breakfast again, feeling that I had had enough food the night before. My weight, even with a Shake Shake caloric disaster, was down to 230. Better!

I spent the early morning paying bills, looking at bills, reading email, and all of the day-starting stuff. Since I have retired, I have used Quicken to create a daily balance of my worth. This allows me to ensure that nothing has been intercepted by unsavory people and that my money has not been raided. Retired people like me can easily be robbed of everything or a large pile. I am protecting my checking account, savings, and IRA balances with care.

Skyrizi, the injectable med for psoriasis, arrived today. I put it in the fridge and checked that paperwork. My next injection day is Friday. All set.

I wrote the blog. I was time-boxed as I had lunch with Scott W at 11:45 (it would be noon as he was running late). I talked to Deborah in the morning; it is always a pleasure to start my day with Deborah.

I managed to finish the blog, the dress, and all of that (skipping the creams since I planned to get a haircut, but that did not happen). I was soon headed to Cedar Hills McMenamins for lunch, and a beer wtih Scott W. Brad J was in Central Oregon and sent us a picture of him hiking at Maxwell Butte there, and thus would not join us.

Scott was late getting back to refuel his Jeep; I offered to pay for lunch after he had made such a large investment in gas, but he said he was OK. We talked about travel, my trip, and his adventures at home. We talked some about the market and AI. I am reading a new book on AI and, depending on what I find, may suggest it. It seems DIY-style, and that is interesting to me. I have started to skim some of it as it spends a chapter on one or two concepts, but the introduction is complete, and I admit I had forgotten some of it. I am also reading Deborah’s gift, The Humans by Matt Haig, and it is delightful. It reminds me of Douglas Adams’ stories (Matt Haig is also British). We talked about investments and our strange experience of being liberal but harvesting gains from the market. We find the AI-centered run-up unfathomable, but enjoy our returns. Bonds with the new Fed appointment and the strange rulings from the US Supreme Court make us nervous about hiding in bonds. Basically, harvest and hope.

I also arranged for the next Theology Pub next Thursday at 7 (the reservation starts at 6:30) on the 8th.

I returned home, went back out, got some more veggies, and started on the chopping for dinner. I meet Sonsee out at the 185th Veggie, and we talk a bit. She is the wife of Michael G, whom I used to work with at Nike. She is enjoying retirement. I give her one of my cards. It was good to see her.

I am making golash from a cookbook that Michael G’s family gave me for Christmas many years ago, but more stew-style with veggies. I recipe wants as many onions as there is meat. Three and a half onions (I had a half left from the chicken), carrots, potatoes, and the end of my celery are all chopped. This time, I take out the knife sharpener and run the knives through it. Better and safer!

Corwin shows up as the cooking starts, with 1 1/2 pounds of chuck cooking reduced to one-inch (or so) bits. I add the onions and garlic once that is brown. Trying not to burn anything, I add spices, tomato paste, wine, and various other goodies. It is a wonderful recipe.

Corwin puts on The Agency season two and starts binge-watching while I cook, then mostly just stirs for an hour once in a while. I even set an alarm for the stirring, as I can be easily distracted. Hank, Corwin’s dog, is there and wants to be close to me all the time. I don’t have doggie treats at the house (that will have to change), but Hank gets some food later and is happy.

I ordered tickets for our fun day with Dondrea and Z, with Corwin free to join us. I also sent my sister, who is turning a birthday this month of July, a gift (I sent a matching gift today while writing this).

I read more AI and more of the novel, and then went to bed. I fell almost immediately asleep, woke just before sunrise for the usual-you-are-older-and-have-diabetes reasons, and went back to sleep. The dreams, all faded to mist in my mind, were pleasant.

Thanks for reading!