So, the trip to Jersey City is on. I guess I need to practice walking as Rob does it all the time at breakneck speed. I want to just spend time with him and he wants to "show me NYC"; I guess we'll compromise somehow.
With temps being in the 90's for the past 25 days, our AC is acting up. It is tripping the circuit breakers every 2-4 hours. I even has the circuit breaker replaced after on AC man told me "nothing was wrong". Well, it is still tripping the circuit breaker. The first company is the same company that installed the AC and they have the reputation of stalling on repairs; not any more. I am changing companies.

It's been a while. I lost my kidneys Christmas; they went from 60% in September to 10% in December. Some say it was from diabetes or hypertension; some [me] even think it was from un-regulated use of a powerful diuretic for water gain; who knows. I had my arm surgically altered in January for a fistula to facilitate dialysis in March. From January to March, I lost 68 pounds on a rice and beans diet. Dialysis started in March; pneumonia arrived in June; my mother passes and I returned to the hospital.
Enough good news.
I have adjusted to a life divided into two or three day blocks; usually, we run out as soon as dialysis is over and gamble, or go to movies or whatever.
During the last month, I had my eyes fixed; cataracts were removed and I went from being severely near-sighted to being far-sighted. I can drive without glasses but need them to read. If you are thinking a out having this done, DO NOT go on line to watch a video of the surgery!

The insurance company approved the repairs and the parts are ordered, now the waiting game.
Zu texted and she is coming home a day early as one of her traveling companions is suffering from an inner ear problem. I assume Zu will do most of the driving, but she is anxious to get Tinker on familiar ground.
My bachelor days are over; she will be back tomorrow night. None too soon, if you ask me.

I thought Iwas finished with the car but a routine service found a missing bracket and a damaged motor mount. They had the car 53 days, swore it was as good as new, and now they are waiting for the insurance company to come by 'in the next 48 hours" to inspect it. Just in time for it to sit over the weekend. When the insurance company approves the supplemental repair,it well take a day to order the parts and a day to install them. I won't see it until next Wednesday or Thursday. The defective parts caused a "Clunk" eachj time the motor mount flexed or jarred over a speed bump.
It is hard to trust any worker these days; so many times sloppy or inadequate work is acceptable. I wish dealers could be replaced by a corner garage where you knew the mechanic and he knew you.

Well, Zu left for Florida this morning; she's travelling with two friends. I got an indication when the friends showed up with pillows and plans to sit in the back seat and snooze all the way there. They took enough snacks and pillows and games and books to stay forever. I have the feeling that Zu is going to drive most of the time. They all met at the census of 2000 and have been friends ever since. Me, I'm "Home Alone" for the next week. I have a few chores to run and there is always the casino; who knows. Keep your fingers crossed on me losing my mind in the next week.

We decided to trade off my birthday for a family reunion Saturday. The reunion was wonderful with family and good food. The reunion was held on a 20 acre farm owned by Vanessa and her husband. We were going to celebrate my birthday Sunday afternoon with our daughter and her husband and John and Tracey. Sunday morning, while in the shower, my wife comes and drags me out, telling me to get dressed and come into the living room as my "birthday present" was being delivered. It was Rob. Our son had driven in from Manhattan [ driving all night] to surprise me. I was without words. I won't get to see him at Thanksgiving or tr Christmas, so I was resigned to waiting until sometime in February to see him. It is/was the best present I could get.
Even though we talk once a week, there is no substitute like looking in his eyes or seeing his reactions to reassure us that he is OK.

It's been a while. I returned to "work" today as an educational consultant. It sounds fancy, but it was a small job for an old friend at St. Catherine's College. It was the old "expert" role: I was 50 miles from home [although, I did not carry a brief case]. They were going through accreditation for the first time and I. in a prior life, worked for the state and was a visiting examiner for 12 other colleges and universities. So I gave them some ideas about what to expect in twp weeks. \It was raining or misting all the way down and back, bur I enjoyed the drive. Driving becomes almost automatic, and your mind can engage in other activities. I thought about my summers in Bardstown, at my aunt Margaret's; I thought about Brenda, her school, and how her life has changed. It was nice.
The stock market hit 10,000 + today and people are starting to talk like the light can be seen at the end of the tunnel; I hope they are right. It is interesting that the President won the Nobel Piece oops, peace. prize for what he says he will do. I've seen nothing but words and spending. Unemployment is higher, debt is greater, and he still keeps talking. I still hope what he promises comes true without destroying the nation or selling the next generation to China.
I recently got in contact with some old friends from PRP; long distance art teacher; a local English teacher; and an old friend who worked for the board. Funny how old friends are just that; catch up with events and, 5 minutes into the conversation, and they are just like they were years ago.
But, what the hay, I'm just an old man getting older who worries. I hit 66 in three days; am the participant in a government-run, single payer health system; and I'm on the government dole. Life is good.