Featured image above shows where we were on this day 11 years ago. We were in Woodinville WA for a Jackson Browne concert at the beautiful Chateau St. Michelle outdoor venue. Front row center seats and one of the 2-3 best concert experiences of my life. What a memory! (Apologies, the photo isn’t up to my normal standards – it was taken handheld in low light after at least a bottle of St. Michelle red wine. So all things considered, it’s not bad.)

Back to 2020, wow, there’s a lot going on in my supposedly quiet retired life.

First, it’s now nine days until my knee replacement. Lots of MD appointments to get ready, some changes in meds, and getting some things done now that will be tough to do in recovery. And a self-imposed no-drinking rule for the next 3+ weeks.

Second, we’re trapped in a seemingly-endless heat wave. The longest and hottest in memory. Every day for the past ten days we’ve set a new all-time high temperature record. Every day! And this heat wave is predicted to stick around at least another week. Somewhere around 97 degrees every day, with atypical humidity.

Third, my Dad’s assisted living facility just got a clean bill of health after one of their workers tested positive for COVID a couple of weeks ago. But now all the residents and workers have tested negative two straight weeks, so…whew!

Fourth, we sold my Dad’s house back east and should see the proceeds in September. That’ll be a big help in paying for their long-term care.

Fifth, I pulled the trigger on my next vehicle, a used BMW X5. Bought it yesterday. My 5-series lease is finished next month so I needed something afterward. My original plan was to buy a new electric truck – a Rivian, to be precise – but that vehicle won’t be ready until sometime in 2021 and I couldn’t wait that long. So starting October, no car or lease payments.

Sixth, I’m scheduled to do some serious proposal writing over the next ten days. I can’t procrastinate on this task at all. (1) There’s a firm deadline. (2) I’ve got to get my part done before surgery. So it’s my least favorite kind of thing – have to do it, and have to do it now. Blech.

I could go on, but I think I need to stop blogging and move over to some proposal writing.