Thursday

Last night, I was sitting on my bed playing a mindless computer game and listening to my book when I kept hearing an intriguing background noise. Living downtown, you get used to hearing sirens and traffic but this was something else... It was rain. My only access to the outside in this loft is doors to the terrace which are about 30 feet from my bed on the other side of my 3/4ths bedroom wall.

One of the very few things I do not like about this condo is that I can never hear the rain. (There is a whole floor of units above me.) I got up to go see for sure and wow. It was pouring down buckets. It was east coast rain - not the rain we usually have - but a gully washer. And it went on for a really long time. It was pretty amazing.

And I went to sleep listening. Usually I have my Echo play me thunderstorms but I didn't need them last night! And I usually wake up 20-30 minutes before the alarm goes off. Not this morning. It jolted me awake. And good thing because today is one of the two days a week that the pool closes for lap swimming at 9 so I need to get there and get my swim in before it does.

The pool was way too hot today. By the end of my swim it felt like hot tub hot. Ugh. Usually it's fine. Often, it's brrrrrrr when I first get in but fine after 3 laps. Today it was just hot. Not fun. Hopefully, it's a one off OR I'll get used to it.

I have two books waiting at the library. There's a huge soccer game tonight. If I'm going to the library, it needs to be sooner than later or tomorrow. I am dipping my toe back into crock pot today. As I recall, the problem is that by 3:30, the house smells amazingly delicious and at 5:30 the dinner disappoints. We'll see.

I got a letter from my insurance company (the one I am leaving) saying that I will no longer be covered at the end of this year. I thought that the coverage ended as soon as the new company got the application... So maybe I have double coverage til the end of the year? Still no word from the new outfit. As long as I can swim at the gym for free every day, I'm cool.

I've really grown accustomed to my retired life and learned to enjoy the heck out of it but there are still a few things I miss about my working life. I still have work dreams - lots of them - always great experiences.

Yesterday morning, my brother, who owns a small computer company, called me with a curious case of What The Fuck Is Going On Here. One of his customers thought her business was getting hijinked. And it sure looked like that. Anyway he wanted to run it by me and see what I thought. We talked about various things that could be happening and I came up with a decent idea for repatriation and then we hung up while he called his customer and I did some research. I found a couple of very relevant things. Over the course of yesterday, and a few more insights, it all came clear.

This morning he called me back and gave me the What Happened. It was really interesting but the coolest part was that he said what led him to the ultimate discovery was the remedy I proposed and the research I did. That feels so nice. It's a sense of worth that I just don't get any more. Retirement is great but feeling that again was very cool. Thanks, Bro!

And my new phone does GREAT video phone calls. Not that I really need it for phone calls at all. :)

I LOVE voting by mail. Washington State gave us an absentee option in the early 90's and I grabbed it. I have not been to a polling place since and I do not miss it at all - especially when I see those long lines.



Ok, I think I'll go make a doll and then go library.

My tweets

• Wed, 12:21: And thank you both for all that you have done and continue to do. https://t.co/WfOmUullki
• Wed, 14:50: First pic with Pixel phone... https://t.co/70KCtakkio
• Thu, 10:52: Yo! Hill, Wonder no more... https://t.co/kLzbNDs6dF

For your eyes only

There are Susan Dennises everywhere. There's a dentist in Michigan and a photographer in Savannah and a tree hugger in Australia and a bunch more everywhere. There's a Susan Dennis in Chicago who uses my email address for everything. She signs up for newsletters. She got a new credit card last year. She buys a LOT of really not attractive dresses at Sears. I know this because all of her email receipts and responses come to me.

Today I got one from a real estate management compay that started off warning that the top secret documents she was attaching were for my (and the 8 other people on the email) eyes only. She sent out three emails and finally, I replied that she might want to double check her email addresses. She sent me an email saying she would and sorry. And then I got another For Your Eyes Only. If you live in a townhouse in Alberta, don't share secrets with your management company.

And speaking of real estate... I'm starting to get calls wanting to sell my condo. I got one yesterday and one today. I only answered the phone - both times - because I like testing out my new phone. I think I'm done now with calls from people I don't know. Plus, no thanks. I don't want to sell.

I heard from both my new and my old health insurance today and, turns out, the old doesn't stop and the new doesn't start until 12/31. That's cool.

Also there will be no more buying of inhalers or any other drugs this year. I have hit my max. S'ok, I have plenty of everything except the one inhaler and, don't tell my doctor, but I think I don't need it. Plus, I think between what I have on hand and some old (different format) I'll be fine til January.

The crockpot smells pretty good but I'm still planning to go out if necessary. Or have shredded wheat.