WYFP is our community's Saturday evening gathering to talk about our problems, empathize with one another, and share advice, pootie pictures, favorite adult beverages, and anything else that we think might help. Everyone and all sorts of troubles are welcome. May we find peace and healing here. Won't you please share the joy of WYFP by recommending?
Not much on the FP plate this week around here, but enough to be just frustrating. Follow me below the Twisted Cheeto for this week's submission.
When a loved one retires, it's assumed that life will settle down into its second half relatively smoothly: travel, shared hobbies, getting things done around the house...that sort of thing. And for the most part, we're going to try and find time for that sort of thing. Last weekend we were in Healdsburg CA for the SF Kossacks holiday party, and had a wonderful time; we combined that event with the opportunity to stay over a couple of nights. We were originally planning to go up Friday and come back Sunday, but family affairs raised their insistent heads -- spouse had to take his brother to talk to a lawyer regarding some issues surrounding a trust that'll kick in after his mom passes -- and we ended up going Saturday and returning Monday instead. Retirement does allow that flexibility at least, and since Sunday was a bit on the damp side it may have worked out better coming home Monday when it was drier. (Spent most of Sunday watching football, and I got some nice yarn at a cute little yarn shop in downtown Healdsburg to make myself a couple of scarves for the winter.)
Friday, we were hoping to have some fun. We had plans to go to lunch with my mother-in-law, then see an exhibit of photos by the homeless in Palo Alto (very interesting exhibit; hope to diary on it later), and after dropping her off head down to San Jose for their tree lighting and the opening of Christmas In The Park. But early in the morning, we had a call from spouse's brother; he had a rash developing on one of his legs. At that time, we didn't think it was serious and just suggested he pick up some cortisone cream. Then while we were getting Mom situated in the car, he called back and said it had gotten worse, and he was concerned it might be a reaction to one of his meds. Well, so much for Christmas in the Park; after we got Mom back home, I went to hang out at the local Starbucks while the spouse took his brother to the Urgent Care clinic (he would have had to take two buses to get there on his own so it was faster for Big Bro to take him). Turned out to be nothing super serious -- ended up with some antibiotics, an anti fungal cream and had to get some boxer shorts to keep things aired out. And I ended up at Starbucks for about 3 hours since the boys decided to grab dinner afterwards; my dinner was good old Mickey D's.
It's the unpredictability of life that's got me going crazy -- I like to at least have a general idea of what the schedule is going to be so I can plan ahead, especially when it comes to planning meals so we're not always stopping for fast food. (At least McDonald's has the Minute Maid Light Lemonade, so my thirst was quenched.)
One of these days, we'll have our lives back -- I just hope we won't be too old by then to enjoy it.
So, what's up in your FP departments?