So as we’re coming up to a new year there are things that I’d like to get done and habits to start. One of those things is preparing to die. I mean it’s going to happen. There is nothing I can be more certain of than the fact that I will die.
While I’ve always known this fact, it’s getting closer, I’m at the age that there isn’t really a possibility that I’m going to live more years that I’ve already lived. I’m on the short end of the stick…

This fact has been playing on my mind and one of the things that I can do to help myself is to prepare for this inevitable event. Those that have to clean up after I’ve gone deserve ease in saying goodbye. I need to make sure that the things I’ve created and someone would want are right there, not having to be searched for. It’s the last gift I can leave, here is my life’s work, keep what makes you happy, the rest can fade with my memory.

So here’s the start of the list:

• Pictures – All of them, in a directory, on two devices. This is on a hard drive, a pair of them mirrored. Remember, all of them in a central repository.
• Accounts and Passwords – All accounts (bank, social media, local accounts, et al) need to be documented and be in a format they can be accessed.
• Semblance of organization – Keep things that may be wanted together and in place. Keep things that can be disposed of separate. I have a lot of things, tools and computers mostly. Keep those things that had sentimental value together and stuff that can be put at the curb ready to do so and documented.

Enough of that for now.

The day went well, got the garage further along, it was great to watch the Cowboys loose on the big screen in the garage. I’m happy about the transition to having tools based in the toolbox instead of on the wall. It makes sense to do this, the countless trips back and forth to the tool wall creates an interruption of the job at hand. I can have about 90% of the tools in my old rolling Craftsman tool kit.

Tomorrow I’m going to pick up mom and we’re getting rid of the refrigerator. It won’t be long and that piece of the renovation will be done.

The day didn’t get off to a fast start but I got moving around 11 and made good progress throughout the day. Did some time at the gym and then back to working on the garage. We proved that the truck will fit in the garage and we had to get rid of the extra refrigerator. I managed to get it into the back of the truck and we’ll get it over to a disposal center on Monday or Tuesday with moms help. So we’re really close on the garage and that should be done by the end of the year. Hopefully anyways. Then just need to wrap up the back room and we’re on to the next project time permitting. We have to do something with the bathrooms. They’re falling apart at an alarming rate and something has to be done fairly soon. Ah the joys of home ownership. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’d flounder if I had to live in an apartment again. I guess it wasn’t that bad but just not my cup of tea.

The other keen thing that happened today is that I got Burning Shores to work for Zero Dawn Forbidden West. It’s been two years since I completed the game and never could get the DLC to launch, finally did some digging and it really helps if you actually install the extra content so it can launch. Lesson learned…

I do like me some Friday’s. Got a project at work knocked out in short order and enjoyed the day. Mom stopped over to visit. Brought us cookies. I went for a 7 mile bike ride to enjoy the weather and when I got back Sandy and I took a walk. I’m trying to give away the garage refrigerator but it doesn’t look like anyone wants one. I actually hate to get rid of it but we have another one. When you look at it, I’ve got 5 refrigerators for 2 people. I mean one is for the RV but still.

We get so few rainy days that the ones we get are special. Normally I’d like to just sit at home or lay in bed listening to it. Today, I had to go out in it. For some reason the safety features such as anti-slip aren’t working. I replaced the battery and usually it takes about 50 miles to reset the sensors and get everything back up and running but it’s been about 75 miles now and still no slip control.

It’s that day of the year. Sandy and I are sitting around the house after opening presents watching A Christmas Story and admiring our gifts. We replaced pot cookware with a stainless ensemble including a 2 quart enameled cast iron number. A couple of whisks and some smaller tongs were left by the big guy too. I also got my sweatshirt collection refreshed. Sandy got a vacuum cleaner… I know I know, but that’s what she wanted. It’s a Dyson so it’s pretty upper end. I’m hoping the gift will help us clean better. We’re not filthy but when we do run pull out and plug in and run the vacuum we have, it’s got lots of pet glitter (AKA hair). With the cordless convenience it should make it a snap to get things cleaned up.

It’s going to be a nice quite day. Sandy and I may go downtown to take our picture in front of the tree or we may wait and do that on NYE which is less than a week away. Christmas is always a little sad because it’s over. Admittedly we’re on the bridge and nothing gets done until next year but that starts a long stretch. The miles to go before I sleep I guess.

Also got the front and back yard fertilized. Writing it here so I remember when I last did it.

I’ve got things on my mind and things I want to get done but I’m not going to worry about them today. I’ll do what I feel like today and tomorrow will take care of itself if the great spirit sees fit to leave me here another day. Merry Christmas to all!!!

So yesterday I was perusing my email and came across a little 6 shot single action .22lr revolver for $124.99 at Academy and couldn’t say no. Heck I think it even has a $25 mail in rebate. So I bought it online and picked it up at 7:30am this morning.

So I’ve got another gun that will get shot once ever 5 or so years. While I currently don’t have any place to shoot it, I do aspire to owning a piece of land where I can take some cans out and plink them with a 22.

Aside from that trip, not much happened today. It rained a lot, that was nice to have the rain and thunder, I do so enjoy it. I also cooked up 3 pounds of bacon. And went for a 4 mile bike ride before the rain. And took an amazing nap with the cats. I love it how they are happy when I nap with them.

Life is good today. Happy Christmas Eve everyone!

So for the second time in two months I find myself at the hospital. Although this time it’s Sandy who’s under the knife and I’m doing the waiting. This is a really nice hospital, it’s UT Southwestern University Hospital and makes the one I was at look like a clinic. We got here in record time but then again we were getting here at 4:45am so there wasn’t a bunch of traffic and considering we’re 2 days away from Christmas, there probably wouldn’t have been normal traffic anyways.

We’re here so Sandy can have surgery to fix her nose that got broken and healed wrong when we went camping at Dinosaur Valley State Park. So the $1k bike leads to a $15k surgery. At least she’s cover by her military benefits.

As I get older, I’m beginning to lament the path not taken more and more. Don’t get me wrong, I traveled the road that I was supposed to and came out at this end of it extremely blessed in all that I have. But what if I would have started earlier? What if I hadn’t smoked for 20 years? Where would I have been had the military took me?
It hits me when I meet professionals that are so much younger than I am. The doctors that are working on Sandy don’t look over 30 even though they surely are. I wonder what it’s like to have your life on track and things in order 20 years before I did age wise.

I can’t complain too much. I’m not sure what higher power is looking out for me but they’re doing a great job!

Still don’t have the hang of Sunday’s. Oh well, this one isn’t too bad. I’ve been pulling the stuff out of production all weekend and the main part should be down today. What a royal pain in the backside. I’m wondering if Oracle just doesn’t have the talent to tune the database so it actually works right.

The beef tips from yesterday turned out amazing!!! We’ll definitely be making that again. I’ll have to keep an eye out for sales on sirloin and use this as a go to. It has freezing possibilities for quick meals during the week. Check it out and you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

There’s football on today so I’ll try to get some more work done in the garage. It’s cold out today and the propane heater works well but give me a headache I think, maybe it’s just work.

Today always reminds me of the Robert Frost poem ‘Stopping by the woods on a snowy evening’. The shortest day in the northern hemisphere and the longest night. And miles to go before I sleep, miles to go before I sleep…
It sort of feels like using this time to rest because there’s a lot more to do ahead of you, or at least how I like to think of it.

Tonight we’re trying to make beef tips and mashed potatoes. The recipe came from here and it calls for sirloin beef tips, that’s a rather expensive cut of meet at about $10 a pound currently, it’s basically a steak. The idea was to use like a chuck roast and cube it up and low and slow it. But now that I’m thinking of it, we probably should be doing that in the pressure cooker. I was looking for beef stew tender meat but that takes about 8 hours, this one is done in 3, well supposedly 2.5 but I’m cooking it for 3.

Made more progress on the garage. There was college and professional football on today. Nice to work to. We’ve been having a fire in the fireplace in the evening and the cats absolutely love it. It might as well be for them:)

I got a great start to it today, up at 5 and trying to make the production exports work. I’m not able to pull the demographic data except for 500 records every 45 minutes. I’ve been doing this for something like 19 years and have never seen it this bad, there’s also a lot more coming out but what can you do.

I still need steps and calories but I think I’ll try to handle up on that when the football game comes on. There are a couple tonight including the start of the NCAA football playoffs. Not that I follow it but it’s good to have football on in the background. I like that there’s a live event someplace that people are hanging out at. I don’t want to be there myself by any means but it’s nice to know there’s a party crowd someplace.

Life is good today, it’s been busy but I’m not stressing over things that I don’t have control of. At least trying to be zen about the whole thing. There’s part of me that is dwelling on past mistakes and apologies that can no longer be made because it’s too late. I keep thinking of the scene in Hamlet where he’s confronted by his fathers ghost. ‘Sent to my reckoning with all my imperfections on my head’ or something to that effect.