The Birthday Month

 September is my Birthday Month. I like to say I try to celebrate it all month long, but that is pretty hard to do. Most restaurants only give one free meal (or entree, dessert, whatever) on the exact day of your birthday, or they have a limited time coupon to use (usually a week around your birthday). And though I do drink quite often out at the pub, or Post, that just is ridiculous to try to do it every day - and expensive! Either way, that Day, is Friday. Later today (not sure what time yet) a friend from Florida is arriving herein the Valley. I have known her for many years, and this year, she flew out specifically for my birthday. So plans today will be probably meeting up with her once she is settled into a hotel. Not sure what Friday will bring, as I would like to see what kind of birthday lunch I can find (or where near me anyways), which will then end with me at the Post (with my friend). Saturday I am doing my yearly 'Come hang out with me for a drink' afternoon.

I guess the Youngest is asking about going to Tucson this weekend. It is unusual for him to kind of 'push' about going to visit, but I guess he has an ulterior motive. The Daughter recently just had part of her computer system re-built/modified, and I guess she offered up some old parts to him, that are an improvement for his system. The Wife told Youngest that I had plans this weekend as it is my birthday weekend, but talking with me last night about it, I mentioned maybe we could go down Sunday for a few hours. My requirement being we are back home by 6'ish, so I am able to have a couple more hours with my friend before she leaves Monday. Decision to follow on that one.

I have been "learning" some new things this week - or maybe, just how to utilize resources I have not used before would be the better turn of phrase. I actually started using the Google calendar feature. I have missed several Auxiliary meetings, and other such related to the VFW, because they are only on certain days of the month, and I forget. I figured out how to set them to repeat on special terms (like second Tuesday of each month) and to send me a reminder hours before the event, so I can plan to be there better. I hope it works....

Also going to be messing with Google Docs today. This year brings about he 6th Annual Santa Run my friend and I started a few years back. We had to change up some of the requirements to attend, and I need to get some sort of flyer out about it. I work so much easier from my PC than my phone or tablet, I figured I could type up the info, or even make a flyer format, and sync to the phone, and send messages to those that have gone in the past years, or are interested this year. There have been some other changes that my friend is doing as well, as far as the locations we go, and already that is getting some negative feedback. So I am starting to wonder if this is the end of the fun....

Went to bed early last night (for me) at around 9pm. Must be why I woke at 1:30am wide-awake. I really need to see if my medical provider will prescribe me some sleep aid (like Ambien) so I would be able to get a decent 8-hour sleep. This 1-4 hour nap crap with hours awake between is just brutal.

Enough of my griping already....

PeacE

Fresh Starts

 I have a feeling that today is going to bring about some fresh starts. I have a Doctor's appointment, and I am guessing a few will be stemming from that visit. Weird though, how my best glucose level, and probably BP reading was this morning, than I have had in three months... go figure.

I chopped it off. Well, more like buzzed it down with hair clippers. I have kept my hair short (near the scalp) for several years. Most of the reasoning was because I worked in a non-air-conditioned facility a good part of the day. Well, I left that job almost exactly 2 1/2 years ago, but still kept my hair short. The Wife has been nagging/asking/begging me to grow it back out to how I styled in my younger years. I tried. I gave it a go. So for the last two months, I've let it grown to about 1-2 inches. It was at that stage where it just sticks up all over, and no amount of gel is going to get it to lay down. It's still warm here in the Valley, and wearing a hat all the time is just not comfortable (or appropriate attire sometimes). I waited till she left, then buzzed it back down again this morning. Feels so much better!

I see I made it over my reading goal for the year, and yet there are three months left. I wonder how many I will end up with by 12/31....

Went to Tucson for the concert yesterday. Due to a mix-up, we were about 40 minutess late to the concert. I ain't pointing fingers, but someone didn't read the full name of the place, and we ended up at the wrong location. We did make it before the first set-break, and was able to enjoy the second half of the show. Made it back home around 10:30 I think it was. I was beat by then, after not sleeping well the night before. I was a bit surprised when the Wife's alarm went off this morning, that I had no recollections of waking during the night. Maybe that was why my readings were good this morning?

Welp, nothing much to do this morning. Appointment isn't until around 3pm, so got time to kill.

PeacE

Going on a Holiday

 No, not really. We are getting out of town today though and headed south to visit the Daughter and family. I get to see my Doodad, so maybe it is a bit of a holiday. The Youngest and Middle Sons are traveling with also, so it may be a good trip.

Work continues. We were informed Thursday that that day would wrap up the QC work that we had been working on. Yet, they were going to move us on to yet another aspect of the project, what they call Complex Document Review. Basically, it is reviewing the documents that were overly large for a entry-level to review. Pay grade is still above the norm, so of course I volunteered to stay on. BEsides, I already have experience in that sector of work. So that continues into next week, though, it may not last the whole week. We shall see...

Welp, I guess I should get off here and go get the car gassed up and ready to go.

PeacE

Day Tripping

 Today, rather now, yesterday, was our trip down to Tucson. We arrived just before noon, and had fun talking, visiting and playing with the Daughter and family. Doodad was a bit less energetic (from what the Wife told me of her day trip a couple weeks earlier) but she was still so full of energy. I remember a younger me having more energy than I do now, and still can't imagine having as much energy that Doodad has. I am sure I was just as bad when I was her age.

The Daughter is turning Thursday this week, so we also took down some birthday presents we had gotten for her. And since we had the chance, we took the family and a favorite Niece out to dinner to celebrate her day. Nice place called Guadalajara Mexican, and it seemed to specialize in southern Mexican cuisine. Many dishes I had never heard of, so I got to try a new one.... and it was different! I had a Molcajete Ultimo, which is 4 jumbo shrimp, steak, and chicken breast all packed into a molcajete with bell peppers, onions and queso fresco simmering in a molcajete sauce. In short, it was that all literally boiling in a bowl-shaped lava-looking rock - and I mean boiling! Add a side plate with beans and rice, some flour tortillas - and whew! It was good. Another thing that was cool, is when they do the chips/salsa before your meal, the 'salsa lady' comes around to your table with a cart, and asks if you want salsa, or guacamole, and then prepares it right in front of you. On recommendation from the SIL, we tried a medium salsa, and it was awesome!

Most times we go down, the Daughter and Wife spend much of the time together talking crafts and whatever. This time around the Daughter put me on the spot more, wanting to know more about what is going with me. So was uncomfortable a bit. I usually don't have the kids asking me about my health, or work, or about other things that are bothering me right now. Today she did, and it actually felt good to fill her in, and to let her know that she is not responsible for anything I do/say for my benefit, and she could make her own decisions regarding things.

So was a very good day trip, and we made it home around 11pm. Doodad was sad we had to go home, and said we could sleep there. When asked where we would sleep, Papaw had to sleep on the couch and Mamaw would sleep in her bed with her. I always get the shit end of that deal, I guess. But it was funny. Am looking forward to spending Thanksgiving with them this year, and hope the Boys will be able to within their work schedules.

The Wife was sound asleep within 20 minutes of us getting home, but I find I cannot drop off to slumberland. I am just physically and mentally tired, but things just won't shut down for me tonight. So I am back to trying to bore myself (writing here) and see what happens. May have to watch some dumb videos or something.

PeacE