Today was a long day. Sometimes it's a challenge to stop and remember every little nuance and thing that happened. Whatever does is followed by something else. I slept late and loved doing so. I want to get up and meditate and walk, but maybe, right now, it's not reasonable to expect to maintain the same daily rituals for a while. Once up, we walked the dog as always. It's always fun to do, and with Lucky around, it's his one opportunity for that routine of his own to continue, solo. I made a breakfast bagel for Tommy. Jen to say hi to Sabrina during my am zoom call, and Tabitha too. Lauren got word from Kathy that she could indeed attend the caregiver training at Mission Oaks. So I dropped Lauren at 9.45. They took off for what would be a full day with her mom, learning all sorts of home-care-related needs. I tackled some maintenance tasks at Pano, including cleaning/fixing some floor vent covers, clearing out the thyroid meds, cleaning a few particularly filthy doors, and removing the hack-job safety risk cord-cutting Tommy did when putting the TV into the shelf in his room. I'm stupified at how little thought went into this for such an intelligent guy. It was absolutely a fire and electrocution risk, and it popped off when I rotated the TV to access it. I found one cable in the garage and the other at Savers, where I stopped later to drop a crapload of clothes donations. I saw and talked to Orv for awhile. He had a handful of things to share about his own wife's struggle a few years back. It was great info and so good to see him. I also found and moved another mirrored door out. I tried to triage the garage lighting issues to no avail, and I can't access much of it due to the contents, so it'll have to wait. I managed to keep my focus on work in parallel, which felt good. I went to Keypoint and got some cash and the paperwork to open a new joint checking with Linda, so we have it in place for property tax next year and less risk of one or the other being unable to manage things if the other is incapacitated. This is the shit you have to consider at our age, I guess. I listened to more of The Five Invitations. It struck me how I'm in the last chapters of my own life. The "Headspace" podcast had a similar topic today about living conscious of death as a way of living more present, thoroughly, and with gratitude. Linda's situation, Jen's cousin's too, is the beginning of a period of loss that I've lamented facing for years. And so it begins. I also stopped at HarborFreight, and along with some stuff for Panorama, I get the missing dremmel pieces and cut the switchplate in less than 60 seconds. I printed out things for Kathy to use this weekend/next week when working w/Linda on bills, as Property Tax is looming. I received the pamphlets from ABTA, pulled my copies, and will get them to Kathy tomorrow as well. I contacted Cancer CAREpatient at Orv's recommendation and will be talking to them tomorrow. Lauren returned and had all sorts of insights and experiences to share. We drove to Andale and took food home while she shared the details. Her mom's anxiety is high, likely in part due to Steroids but also likely due to the lack of a 'filter' and impulse control. Lauren said she and her sister talked afterward in the car, and although Kathy knew she had these issues but never how bad. Linda also had some positive things to say regarding gratitude to me for the kids and the home she has. It sounds like she's got more work to do, and they might delay her return home until Sunday. I remain a fan of their taking the time to ensure she's stable. It seems like she may never be the same person again. Once home, it'll be a long week with transitions and appointments. It's a horrible situation no matter how you look at it. I talked with Jen last night about how the romanticized idea of death coming in your golden years by passing away peacefully in your sleep seems like a fairy tale. My exposure to death so far is a sudden unforeseen tragedy or grueling gradual decline. I expect this experience, the year ahead, will dramatically impact and change us all. How can it not? I talked briefly to Jess about a Roku position I might have been interested in. 2 months ago, I'd have jumped at the opportunity. Yet, as we talked it over, I admitted that the year ahead wouldn't be one in which I'd have the time and focus a new position would warrant. It felt good to at least acknowledge it out loud, just as it did to have had Jennifer be the one to quickly pass on the invitation to go to Washington with Matt, Steve, Diana, and the usual suspects. That meant a lot to me.