Saturday, July 4, 2026

Weekly Report

Reading: Beautiful Ruins 

Eating: spaghetti for 4th of July 

Playing: Ticket to Ride at BGA 

Obsessing Over: taking photos of Patrick’s cats and dog 

Recommending: Hail Mary (movie) and Widows Bay (TV) — both live up to the hype 

Treating myself: nighttime moisturizer, extra sleep 



What made you happy this week

  • Movie Hail Mary
  • Seeing old friends
  • Sammy the dog
  • Lots of reading 
  • Train adventure with Sean
  • Napping on vacation 
  • Widows Bay TV show 


Trips we are considering

September — Atlanta Dragon Con — drive … need pet sitter…

October — Detroit? — fly with Nora

November — NC? Drive … need pet sitter…

December — LA and Ojai? Fly with Laurie

Key West/Haines City/our house — gaming weekend  …Peter pet sits 

Nov - April — weekend bike trips to Miami, Gainesville, Tally …Peter pet sits 

​April 2027 — Italy…need pet sitter?…

Summer 2027 — Halifax or Midwest drive? If no pets


Wednesday, July 1, 2026

Train Trip day 2

​woke up, didn’t sleep great

Breakfast — meh. Met a lovely couple, she’s a former engineer, he’s a writer.


Chilling out with Sean. Reading Loretta’s book


News that Patrick feels poorly, and we’re taking an uber. Got off Raleigh with no issues. First elevator down, then a very Loooooong ramp up to station. Weird.




Ins and Outs for July

​IN:

  • Air conditioning 
  • Protein
  • Reading
  • More unpacking 
  • Hanging up art
  • Trying out a Lakeland church or two
  • Tampa theater
  • Strength training
  • Playing games with new people
  • Moisturizer and hair conditioner 
  • Estate planning
  • Christmas in July 
  • Postcards
  • Needlework
  • Planning trips with Aunt Laurie
  • Being delighted by birds
  • Watermelon
  • Confidence 

OUT:

  • Carbs
  • Social media after 10 pm
  • Social media during work hours 
  • Pretending to like fireworks 


Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Train trip to NC Day 1

The adventure begins! So far… we’ve waited for the train that’s an hour late. 


Finally in the train. The station attendant kept telling us to go to far end away from all the other people. We were hesitant and only went halfway and when she next came by, she emphasized we needed to go further. We said what about all of them … and she said they were coach. Oh yeah. We’re fancy with our roomettes. 




Sean and I are two cars apart. We will try to get moved closer for return trip. This would’ve been so tiny together! We’d gave hated each other after an hour.




It’s quite cozy. 


We’re headed east to Orlando. We passed Lake Alfred where we played games a week or so ago


Sean and I made plans to eat in dining car at 8. There’s no way to lock the room.


So the train WiFi is a joke. Won’t even connect. God I miss Italian trains.


Ok I finally connected to WiFi. We went to dinner. Community tables. Met a woman from DC — born in DC like me! Dinner was good — and I ate too much for so late a dinner. Must eat earlier next time. 

Settling back into room. We missed most of sunset. 

Reading Loretta’s unpublished book. I’m sure I’ll sleep well with the rocking of the train. So grateful NOT to be in coach.

Monday, June 29, 2026

Living with Peter in the fall

So looks like I (or Sean) will be living part of the week this fall semester with Peter. He’s still terrified of driving, which Sean does with him, but Peter won’t drive solo.  No point in getting him a new car yet. I’m okay with it at least until 10/15 (when extended tax season is over). Our goal is to get him through college. So, we have to make concessions.

In December I’ll find a driving instructor that specializes in post accident trauma…? That has to be a thing. 

Anyway, poor kid. And poor us. But we’re all grateful we had the resources and flexibility to make this happen.  College is the only thing that motivates him.

EDITED TO ADD: 

I’ve started looking at graduate level classes for me to take… and I’m getting kinda excited at the prospect! Either history or personal finance. 

Small Joys Project

Back in January 2023, I came across a British woman on Twitter who had written out 365 small joys on pieces of paper and put them in a jar, ...