Thursday, August 4, 2022

The health insurance costs in Arizona are mind-blowing CC, but I guess not entirely surprising unfortunately. A lot of people I know wor****il 65 just for the health insurance even if they are unhealthy or have a partner to take care of. I was lucky that I only had to pay fully for a couple of years and could afford it (but it wasn't as much - about $11K a year with high deductibles - I was still in my former companies group plan).

The roof is done!!! The housekeeper is cleaning the entire house on Friday. I will be there this weekend and the following one which is the weekend when we have our wedding celebration party and several houseguests. Hopefully I can get it into shape by then. I did rent a hotel room for DD and her boyfriend next weekend to reduce the number of people in the household. They stay up later and sleep later than the rest of us anyway so that will work better for everyone.

And today is the 2nd anniversary of Mike and my first date. We knew it was different right away. We had texted via the dating site and then talked on the phone quite a bit before we met and felt that we had a lot in common. I remember repeating in my head on the way to meet him that I hoped he was as good in person as I thought he would be and he was even better. It was a LONG lunch, we walked on the beach and we set up our next date while there. Our first date was on a Tuesday, then we met again on Saturday as I was in NH Wednesday to Friday visiting friends. BTW, my memory isn't this precise - I saved screen prints of our early texts. Mike likes to tell people that at our first date when he arrived before me he asked to be seated next to the stairs so he could make a quick getaway if necessary, but luckily he didn't, LOL. I doubt that is really true, but who knows? Today we are having lunch at the same location (we did the same last year), and we will also be going out to dinner at a beautiful restaurant on the water which is only affordable for special occasions.

Have a thrilling Thursday!

I love all the celebrating! It does seem very meant to be. DH and I enjoyed meeting the two of you, and the ease and respect you have for each other is apparent. I love happy second acts. May we all have them in our lives!

Yesterday was a long day. Many driving trips east have taught us that the journey from North of Chicago to about Toledo and vice versa is the most arduous. One time we spent 2 nights in Cleveland so we could go to The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (highly recommend). Most fun I've had in Ohio :)

We are a few hours from home. Both of us agree we could have stayed gypsies awhile longer, but we're okay with going home too. There are friends and family to see, and things to look forward to.

I am over the moon with DH being semi retired. We have been together pretty much non stop since June 20. No fights. Very few impatient words even. He is the best thing that ever happened to me.

Peps, you're doing plenty of prep even if you're not setting up your classroom. You are so right to feel no guilt!

Agree, Miss 150, Paula and Shirl, keep checking in! Ocean Diane we need to hear from you on TT. Hoping all is well!!

You and DH just seem to have so much fun one way or another! Keep on!

11 puppies have flown the coup! We are down to three until the 15th when Ashby goes off to be with his new family. Then Miss Pink and Mr. Orange will still be here. My hope was to keep both pups, but I think Ron is going to put his foot down about keeping two... I will have to think carefully about that. If I don't keep Pink, I could be down to one breeding female and for a breeder, that is not ideal.

Damn, my weight is stable. I am fluctuating a pound back and forth. I really kind of like how this is working right now. I am wondering how I will manage my new schedule with eating, etc... I am going to have to really devote some time to prepping food for my work days.

Happy 1st date anniversary, Liz! Ron and I have no such landmarks.... All I know is that it was in October 1990 that we first kissed. Boy, that was a long time ago! I guess it's different when a romantic relationship blossoms from a work/friendship relationship... It was very gradual and there was no real "dating" involved.

I am lucky that my district offers an early retirement incentive plan. Part of the package is that the district will carry their contracted share of medical costs until age 65. That is going to be my ticket to retiring at 60 or 61. Gone are the days of lifetime medical coverage. My dad's district still sends him a check every month to cover his medicare supplemental insurance because he was grandfathered in under the old model of lifetime medical coverage. I do not have such a luxurious benefit awaiting me. CC, my brother is paying roughly 800 a month here for his HMO, so not too different from what you are looking at in AZ. PPO for him would have been 1200 monthly (but he's got some pre-existing stuff like COPD, obesity, controlled diabetes, etc...).

Taking dad to an assisted living place this afternoon for a tour. Fingers crossed he likes it and that he is well behaved during the tour! LOL! He's been a bit snarky with my brother lately.

Congratulations on two years together Liz! You and Mike are a perfect match!

Tomorrow starts a long stretch for me working so I probably won't be checking in too much. All of the boys will come over Saturday night for poke bowls, they have become a family favorite. Ahi tuna, shrimp, cubes, edamame, shredded carrots, avocado, mango and sushi rice! Yum!

Im at a plateau in my weight this past week or maybe a little more. I'll just keep plugging away, I know it will eventually go down. Didn't track my food yesterday, not beiI was eating particularly bad but I'm just getting sick of it and did go to a friends for dinner. Back to tracking today as it makes me more aware and honest with myself!

Sorry to see summer coming to an end soon. I've only been kayaking twice so far. Have 3 more trips potentially planed.

September 1st I move DS #3 in to college. Empty Nesters at last. I can't remember if I shared our trials with him last summer? Long story short, he never really dealt with Ben's death, started using pot at 16, quickly escalated his drug use to stronger pot and stronger drugs and had a drug induced psychosis last July. Spent 2 weeks in the hospital then lots of rehab and counseling and meds after that. He celebrated his one year of sobriety a few weeks ago.

Paula, thank you for sharing. Our lives and our children's lives are not easy and as a parent we feel responsible for them all. I hope DS finds his way successfully (whatever that means). Many hugs!!!

So glad DS#3 got the help he needed. Your son was close to the same age as my mom when she lost her dad when she was 14. Then her mother died when she was 18. While she "dealt" with it, I think it haunted her for the rest of her life. It's tough to lose a parent at any age, but as a child it is much harder I think.

Bless him! One year sober is a BIG deal!!

I saw three more houses today and 3 more tomorrow... Today's houses:

1) gorgeous views, completely remodeled, but strange and too many stairs, levels, and weird angles. Only 2 bedrooms. No.

2) 1980s never been remodeled! You'd be better off tearing it down and starting over. Big no.

3) Holy Moly. This one was nice. Most expensive house I've seen so far, but I understand why. Huge flat lot (2.6 acres), views for days, neighbors aren't close, outside spaces to die for. Big house, but not a lot of rooms. In fact, only 2 bedrooms unless you convert the gym to a bedroom which I would do. So living room, dining room, kitchen, small office, laundry room, main bedroom/bath, guest room/bath, gym/bedroom/bath, powder room. Outside, enormous patio, pool/spa, gazebo, raised veggie beds, outdoor kitchen with tv, fireplace, built in bbq, refrigerator drawers, screened patio with fireplace and tv, rooftop deck, outdoor shower, gas fire pits along the pool and on a patio off the kitchen, 3 outdoor fountains, solar panels, 3 car garage. And all one level. No stairs anywhere except to the garage and the rooftop deck. Yikes. Loved it.

3 more tomorrow. I?ll keep you posted!

I'd vote for #3!!!