January Diary

 

Can’t believe January is over. Seems like it was only a few days ago I was posting a Happy New Year to all.

Anyway, it was a crazy, event-filled month. What happened?

Well, let me tell ya:

1) I fought off Covid for two weeks, documented in the previous entry.

2) A smell of gas permeated our garage the first weekend of the new year. We called out the gas company, and after their investigation they told us our hot water heater control valve was leaking gas. They shut off the gas to the hot water heater. We called our home warranty, who referred us to another plumber, who said that, well, better to replace the whole heater as it was nearing its sell-by date, than just the control valve. The home warranty said no. We said, screw that. We called another plumber and he replaced the whole thing for us for $1500 and gave us a 6-year warranty. After nearly five days we finally had hot water. But the most annoying thing is that I JUST REPLACED THE HOT WATER HEATER IN THE OLD HOUSE TO SELL IT BACK IN JULY! That’s two water heaters I’ve bought in six months. Hopefully no more for 15 years.

2) I saw the Stars beat the Panthers in NHL hockey, live at American Airlines arena in Dallas, and witnessed 12 goals in the process – a 5-5 tie that went into shoot-out OT. Very exciting and fun evening for me and the Mrs. We watched a half-dozen more games at night from home when the little ones were busy with school work and such at night.

3) My job was insane – we debuted a new payroll / accounting system January 1st and I also received a new boss. Both are welcome, but both involve a LOT of work. My company is international and has 27,000 employees, so it affects many, many facets of a job that I am still not a hundred percent comfortable and competent in.

4) I’m still making progress on the Grand Project. It’s fun and makes life worth living. Hint: It’s a book I’m writing.

5) I’ve been sluggish in my reading, slogged down by a trio of 600+ page books (one on World War II, one of conspiracy theories, one of Biblical exegesis). This thing kinda just happened. I have ten Sharpe books on deck that I’m dying to get to. As soon as I finish the World War II one I’m going to jump back in to Napoleonic Richard Sharpe and read two of those novels in a row.

6) I failed my New Years Resolution in that I’m not working out regularly, but I have worked out. Walked a bunch of times and lifted weights a bunch of time, just not all in a row.

7) Had a great date night with the Mrs – an outdoor restaurant with an open fire pit, live music, drinks, chips, and great Tex-Mex eating. Need to do this more often.

8) Visited a fifth college with Little One. So impressed and excited. Makes me wish it was 1985 again. O to have so many opportunities, so many open roads. This college actually sends its students to Rome to study for a semester sophomore year. As a corollary, we took Little One (and Patch) out to celebrate being accepted to all six schools she applied to at her favorite fanciest restaurant.

9) I’ve written three more songs for my imaginary band. This is now something like starting my fourth CD of tunes. Gotta find some old fathers out there who play and get an Old Man Band together. Or at least buy a Tascam multi-track recorder to put it all down for posterity..

Well, that’s all I can think of off the top of my head. It may not seem like much, but it really fills up the days, days that slide and blend and blur into one another. Is it the weekend already?! Monday, then Friday before you know it. It’s starting to get warmer down here which means 60 degree weather which means winter’s turned and spring is not too far away, which means before I know it I’ll be sweating in 100 degree heat during my summer walks. Life moves too quickly. Time slow down!

Hopefully more posts in February …