Yesterday’s post was just a ‘stats' one. I don’t like skipping a day, but it happens. Jen’s continuing to struggle with the loss of Scottie, and I completely understand. I found an online service that makes custom stuffed animals and ordered one based on photos of Scottie. Now I come to find that it’s likely a scam site and there’s a slew of people who’ve gotten nothing or crap back after waiting 4x the initial timeline. I’m hoping to dispute the charge and move one. We’ll see how that plays out. Meanwhile, I’m thinking about pulling together a photo book for her with some timelines and milestones from 6.5 years of writing. Another thing that came about yesterday was talking to my mom about Lauren’s driving her PT Cruiser and, essentially, she’s going to give it to her! She’s not driving anymore, she let her license expire and it’s really not that valuable as far as the ROI to sell it. This works well for both of them. The visibility in the car is excellent, too, and it’s small and fuel efficient . She’ll be taking it next month when she’s down for the holidays. I went up to Jikoji this afternoon to be onsite for a StarLink HW update. I made the mistake of plugging my Tesla charger into the extension onsite, knowing from past experience that it seems impossible to remove, and sure enough, it was. It took a long time and a lot of effort, including feeding some plastic carton sealing ribbon through it and hooking it to a stump. Never again. The installation went well, ended at the end of the 4hr window but it was fine and good to be onsite and see some familiar faces. Driving down from Jikoji this afternoon I was above the fog - the Saratoga hillsides were covered with light grey mist. Such moments can be pretty cool. Cinematic. I was listening to something about how impactful doing gratitude journals could be, and how carving out time to just focus on and reflect on simple gratitude the moment you wake up and before your mind yanks you out from under the covers and into the chaos of the day. Sounds familiar, no? It does and has worked for me, yet it remains an ongoing challenge to be Zen about things like dipshit dipsticks driving wrecklessly up Hwy 9 on the way to Jikoji and back. And sometimes it’s not wreck-less.

⚖️179.2(-1) ❤️61(60-124) 👣 5,335/2.5mi

⚖️180.2(+1.2) ❤️63(60-128) 👣 4,025/1.8mi (🚴 🏋️‍♂️)

Breakfast at LG Cafe w/all four of us. Lauren/I visited Madronia. Went out/about w/Jen afterwards, hitting a shop in Cupertino then getting my mom's PT Cruiser for Lauren to drive around in, revisiting some skills. She did excellent. I found a couple of rolling racks for Jen's clothings needs on CL – we went to get them at 40 Wadsworth, which turned out to be the same street I walked last week with Mark and Clayton and John. Met the owner, Jerry - very nice gentlemen. We chatted LG History a bit. Back home we setup the tree, Jen/Lauren decorated beautifully. I made Egg Nog - needs work. Played a game of Farkle to close out the last night of her visit. It was and always is wonderful to have her here. Also, got a wonderful note from my brother reflecting on some positive influences over the past few years that felt rewarding. 

⚖️179(-0.8) ❤️62(59-112) 👣 5,088/2.3mi ()

I Get To Be Here

A recent guest on the "Mel Robbins" podcast asked who you talk to most in life. My response was the typical one for an older married man: my wife. Well, typical for me, now, but maybe not historically. And perhaps less typical too. In any case, the catch in her question was that the correct answer is "yourself".

2 AM bedtime meant a longer linger to start the day. It was so worth the effort to get Lauren and bring her down last night vs today. It gave us more time. She/Jen spent time w/Deann, grocery shopping, and so much more. Lunch at Aqui Campbell. Saw Zootopia 2 (liked 1st much more but enjoyed all the same). Played Phase 10, listened to TGS and Hamilton.

⚖️178.8(0) ❤️63(61-118) 👣 6,672/3.2mi (🚴 🏋️‍♂️ 🏃‍♂️)

The 4.30 AM wake up went reasonably well, as did the timeline getting Mark to SJC. The fog was dense but drivable. The cluster of cars dropping passengers was 3-deep and in such a manner that all of the open space 25ft further was obscured. His drop-off was close to being a tuck-n-roll exit. I returned to bed while Jen went on her weekly hike. I reached out to Tommy in an attempt to open a dialog, but he pushed back and said, "January". Fine by me. The ball's in his court now, and knowing that will make it easier to focus on other priorities. I opened one of the 3lb bags of coffee I ordered, ones well rated for the light/medium roast profiles I prefer: "Dominican Republic Ramirez Natural Jarabacoa". The first pass hit the 14% mark on the spot. It'll be fun to brew a pot in the morning and get an initial sense of how it differs. Jen and I are driving to Sac to get Lauren from Menchie's at 11 and bring her home. She can't take her pet hamster on Amtrak! :-D. It's a nice drive, and I renewed FSD on the Tesla for the month, which makes it a lot less stressful. For me, at least, maybe not Jen.

⚖️178.8(0) ❤️63(60-142) 👣 7,292/3.3mi (🏃‍♂️)

As much as I write, I often have little to say. From there, 80% is redundant: Woke this, thought that, etc. Yet, still, I had an opportunity to send something zen to my daughter and feel the gratitude for a shared interest. I managed to address some calls and errands needing to be made and run. I picked up, trimmed, and inserted some photos for ad-hoc rotation within a small frame added to our family history array, of Scottie. Jen made the keto shortbread but… with lemon, and yes, they are phenomenal. I have writing to do, reading to do, studying for precepts too. There’s never an end, it seems, of opportunities even when I haven’t the drive or inclination. I am committing to the book, though, as the most important task I have of all. It’s time to make the time while I have it.

⚖️178.8(-0.8) ❤️61(60-141) 👣 8,456/3.6mi (🧘‍♂️ 🚴 🏋️‍♂️ 🏃‍♂️)

After letting Lucky out, his being fed and returned to the bedroom, I returned to the kitchen planning to put on my shoes and take a morning walk. Sitting with my back to the entry, I heard a hallway door open, and a moment later somebody walked in and said "good morning". It was a girl's voice. For a moment I assumed Tommy had a guest and they were bold and unwilling to climb out the window, which I'd respect. I turned to see Lauren there. Apparently Tommy had gone to Sacramento the day before, they met up and he brought her back down. She said he said we were depressed about Scottie, which is true, but not so much so to necessitate her coming down given that she'll be returning Wednesday. Even so, it was a wonderful heartwarming surprise and way to start the day. We got Jen up and went to Starbucks. Tommy was doing an MCAT test and remains dramatically resigned to be standoffish. We had some breakfast and played cards. I swapped the Chromebook I'd bought with one she's having issues with. We dropped her at the train and returned home. I went solo tonight to see "Greed" at the Stanford and it was simply amazing. It opened a door of awareness and appreciation for the silent era films that I'd never really embraced beforehand. It was epic, sweeping, and wonderfully filmed, and the 2.5hr accompaniment by the organist received a standing ovation at the end. What an experience!

⚖️179.6(2) ❤️63(59-108) 👣 6,409/2.9mi ()

When I went to fill my coffee cup, the carafe was not completely full as it should have been. Jen left to walk with Deann before I got up, and I assumed she took a cup with her. When she returned a bit later, she said she hadn't had any yet, which means Tommy had taken some. That pissed me off because the full carafe is ours and just enough for each of us to have two large cups throughout the morning. He didn't ask, he just took it, as if he somehow had a right to do so. The lack of consideration or respect remains a hot point and this set me off but I wrestled to 'not be anger'. Inconsideration is one thing, while simply being thoughtless means not having given it any thought. This only serves to harden my resolve and recognition of his current core nature. The only unknown falls into the thoughtless determination. I met up with Mark, Clayton and Mark's friend John to walk the neighborhood in LG around Bachman Park, Apricot, Wadsworth, Fairview Plaza, Glenridge and more. The weather was ideal, and Clayton was an inspiration. 92, bright, active, and agile. We will hopefully make this a quarterly routine. I got to meet John/Mark's friend Doug at Andale as the three of us had lunch. I anticipate us regrouping again as well. Mark came by this evening to hang out since his home is empty with Wendy and Johnny in Italy visiting Vinny. The three of us revisited our personal histories and stories.

⚖️177.6 (0) ❤️65 (62-100) 👣 8,865/3.6mi (🧘‍♂️ 🥾)

The street work went all night and into the afternoon. Mom's 2nd appointment went well. Relatively routine, literally. Date night : OJs & Madam Butterfly (ILMW).

⚖️177.6(-1.4) ❤️64(62-122) 👣 6,149/2.8mi (🏋️‍♂️)

Grade: Parent; Average

The efforts going into writing "The Book" have me digging into a lot of my past writings, published and private. I've found an overwhelming amount of "meat on the bone" to chew through. Some cuts are still too raw, and some have spoiled over time, while others have aged well into complex, tender sections.

It feels good to get up and walk to pick up the car, as I did this morning, even if it's raining out, which it was. Light rain, bearable and walkable, not torrential and saturating. I'd charged it fully to 100% so Jennifer could take the car to Sunol to visit Valerie. I took my mom to her routine chemo appointment today and will again tomorrow. In both cases it was the 'sweet spot' of timing, 11.30 AM. there's a narrow windwo of time within which I can get to her from here (my home), get her from there to near here, bring her back home from near here to there, and return back to here (home) without being trapped in the AM or PM commute clog in either direction. At least that's routinely the case, but whether it's the rains or fate, there was a backup on 85 at 10:40. At least we're not living in LA. Things went well, and the return was easy-peasy. I used this relatively low-demand day for a cleansing fast of sorts. Every once in a while, doing so helps kick my metabolism into gear when it stalls or needs to realign. I'm feeling great about the diet change, exercise, weight loss and yoga. This evening, I walked to the front door and found myself blinded by floodlights. There's a broken water main on, along, or under the street. Likely all three. They're still out there doing work. Our water, the entire street, is off. First world problem.

⚖️179(1.6) ❤️61(58-112)🩸123/80 👣 4,529/2.3mi (🧘‍♂️)

the California golden chanterelle

The drive to Jikoji this morning was stunning. I headed up around 7.20 AM to be on-site for the Starlink upgrade. The sky was filled with scattered clouds against the hue of brightening blue. The drive down Saratoga/Sunnyvale between Los Gatos and Saratoga was lined with fall colors, an annual event I witnessed repeatedly when I frequented this route for most of my years working at Apple. Driving up Big Basin Way, the forest was still wet from recent rains. A foggy mist clung to the higher regions, allowing scattered fragments of sunlight to filter through as visible beams. Bright fall colors of yellow and orange were scattered among tree branches, while the burnt orange and burgundy reds of those already fallen thoroughly coated and lined both sides of the roadway. It felt like a scene from a movie. All I could think of was what a gift it is to be able to travel this path and to play a role in the Zen Center. The installation was rescheduled shortly after my arrival, but I had a chance to meet a new guest and have an interesting conversation, and I managed to attend to some board-related tasks and needs as well. It was a great start to my day. Jen and I went to the Stanford Women's Volleyball game against Cal Berkeley. I enjoyed the game almost as much as I enjoyed taking Jennifer, as she really loves to go see them. Tommy was kind enough tonight to break the silence of the past few days by appearing on my walk back from Leigh and offering me a ride. I didn't want it; I wanted the exercise, but I'm also recognizing that such a gesture has more significance to him than to me, in terms of effort. I was happy to have an opportunity to acknowledge that by not hesitating and by accepting the offer. This is a complicated mess with more impulse than ill intention.

⚖️177.4(-1.4) ❤️67(59-117) 👣 7,374/3.3mi (🏋️‍♂️ 🏃‍♂️)

Coffee with Mark @ Starbucks, affording a chance to reconnect after a few weeks of distractions, which are part of the reward of living at all. Distractions are what keep things interesting. It was good to catch up, vent, relate, support, and laugh. We're gonna take HYC on the road soon as a move to, well, move. I picked up Scottie's ashes. It was, and continues to be, hard, and I am, and continue to be, focusing on the positive, the good, and on the fact that there are so many ways it could have played out that'd be worse for all of us.  But man, we do miss that little guy. Tensions remain with Tommy. We're both done and both ok with being done. What comes next depends on him, as all of this has, when you get right down to it. My writing efforts and focus remain strong, and I spent a good deal of time working on structures and foundations. This is a learning experience. I'm metaphorically doing a light pencil sketch, using the eraser as much as the lead. It'll be a lot of rewarding work just to get to the point where I can stand back and know I'm ready to start painting in the colors.

⚖️178.8(-1) ❤️66(63-114) 👣 6,512/2.9mi (🧘‍♂️ 🏃‍♂️)

Highlights: A call from Lauren, striving to help me align expectations with understanding regarding her brother. I love her good intentions. Moms' lab work and follow-up went well, but it took a long time. My book work, that of gathering, outlining and organizing, continues. It's a densely packed effort filled with vastly complicated characters. It's moving along well, though. I am working on it daily and maintaining my focus. We learned today that Scottie's ashes are ready for pickup. I balked at going to get them tonight. It's too soon and too familiar a place to return to at night again.

Insights: My brother once quipped that, after two failed marriages and during a struggle in his third, he realized what the common denominator was. Him. Sometimes I wonder what part I play in the struggles I attribute to others. Right alongside realizing that my opinion never carries the weight for others that I might attribute to it.

⚖️179.8(+1.2) ❤️64(61-113) 👣 7,382/3.3mi (🧘‍♂️ 🏋️‍♂️ 🏃‍♂️)

Passing Thought: In Fluence

As I head into what will be at least 6+ weeks of focused, intentional time working to reorient myself for the next 20+ years, I am consciously looking for tools, not distractions. Inspiration and simple daily reminders to stay on a path I fully experience and explore, not a map whose trail I follow turn by turn. I need time spent connecting my own insights, not following others while being told where to go and what to feel when I get there.

Highlights: Coffee tasting @ Intero. High Noon & Dinner w/the Priests.

Insights: I've spent a good deal of time gathering my drafts into a single workspace. I feel inspired and overwhelmed. But mostly inspired.

⚖️178.6(+0) ❤️61(59-110) 👣 5,046/2.4mi (🧘‍♂️)

Highlights: Jennifer went with Deann to the farmer's market this morning, while I immersed myself in cleaning, clearing, thinning, and reorganizing my closet. It took several hours, and I cleared out about 50% of my clothes, separating them into now, soon, and later sections. T-shirts were even split into long- and short-sleeve sections within each grouping. Jen and I dropped most of it at Savers; there are a few items she might use. I also made the leap and spent $80 on a Chromebook as a dedicated writing tool. I've got it about 80% configured, and I'm using it for blogging AND for writing the book. The idea is to ensure that I can focus 100% without distractions. I'm optimistic about this step. The hard part is giving up the reMarkable's handwriting functionality. I love it, but it's not a practical option when this affords me focus, portability, offline editing, and complete cloud sync and access from any device with minimal complexity. Let's see how this new approach goes.

Insights: I haven't spoken to Tommy since yesterday's fight. I'm livid, yet empathic as to the quagmire of his internal struggles with trauma, loss, and way too many voices drowning out his own experiences. As well as his ingrained sense of entitlement. I don't know where this will go or how it will end. It's really fucking old at this point, and you're likely as sick of reading about it as I am of writing it. It's Linda 2.0.

⚖️178.2(+1.0) ❤️60(58-115) 👣 10,590/4.8mi (🏃‍♂️)

Highlights: Early start getting to Jikoji. Beautiful drive and morning, even without the desired sunrise this time. Did the "alter" role - sorta, froze up at one point. I need more practice. Good time all around. Spent some time with Mike talking tech & precepts. Impromptu meetup with Brian while in LG. The outreach was genuine and appreciated. Jen was tired and likely worn from return to exercise so we punted the volleyball game and gave the tix to Jon and Cheryl who enjoyed the seats and the game.

Insights: Scottie dying and the void following continues to pull at me in a "get used to it" kinda way. It's what the next 10-20 years will consist of. Making the most of the time and expressing gratitude are essential. It can also be quite overwhelming to dwell on that 24/7. Balance matters and I think I need to create some.

⚖️177.2(-3.2) ❤️63(59-114) 👣4,920/2.2mi (🧘‍♂️ 🏋️‍♂️)

I regret that the only highlight today is the resumption of tensions and fighting with Tommy. Within that, there was a gem of a moment that made me tilt my head back against the headboard and feel a rush of success and accomplishment. He not only told Jen how important she was to him and that she was not to blame for all of the anger he holds toward me, but that he viewed her and my relationship as the kind he wants to find for himself.
✋🏻
🎤

⚖️180.4(+1.2) ❤️67(63-124) 👣 5,148/2.3mi (🧘‍♂️ 🏃‍♂️)

Coyote at Scottie's former pee-stop on Pano

Had a wonderful evening and night last night with Tommy gone. Slept with the door open, cool air, and woke in time to follow an impulse, see the sunrise from a local spot that's high up above the valley. It has been a desire for many years, and since yesterday's was spectacular, and it'll be raining tomorrow, this seemed the best option. Driving down the street, though, I caught sight of a coyote, likely "the" coyote reported over the past few weeks. I stopped to observe. and snap a photo. At one point, he caught sight of a squirrel and ran after it. He was at Charlotte's house at the time, and that is where a rabbit happens to live. I was concerned at one point that it was the rabbit he was chasing, which would have sucked. We have ample squirrels to spare but only one rabbit. It got away, and the coyote eventually wandered off. By that point, the Sunrise had passed and not been as noteworthy as yesterday's or the coyote. Jen and I returned to the YMCA for "chair yoga" and circuit training. Both were crowded, both were hard after a week away, and both of us had been caught up in wandering thoughts about Scottie, as we found when we spoke of it afterwards. The squash soup was wonderful. We groomed lucky. Tommy returned from his trip a day earlier than expected, and we had a massive fight. I was furious; he was dismissive, pretty much indicating he didn't give a fuck about anything I said and that I (we) could do nothing about it. Once again, the tolerance I afford him costs me my sanity, and yet I know that tossing him out will derail his possible career options. Only, he has no gratitude at all. None. Just entitlement. He's awful. If I never saw him again, given that this is who he is, I would suffer much less than I do. I feel the binds once more, while being lowered into water.

⚖️179.2(-1.4) ❤️63(58-127)🩸125/79 👣 3,703/1.7mi (🙆‍♂️ 🏋️‍♂️)

Highlights: Jen went on a 7+ mile hike with Deann while I spent the day at Jikoji "center-sitting" to cover due to reduced presence (pun intended). A friend of ours dropped off summer squash soup that tasted amazing. Perfect for a rainy afternoon tomorrow. Took Lucky with me to get the car. The salmon Jen added to him dinner didn't sit well. Bastard had a blow out on the walk. I had to call for backup (wipes and such). Bath time upon return. Lesson: don't fuck with his diet.

Insights: Another day, more collaborative processing of Scottie's absence with Jen and friends. Yes it is ironic that I constantly lamented the constraints on us due to having a dog anchor, yet now I lament his absence. Taking my own recent foreshadowing advice about balance has been a sound reminder. I think I know the answer to that question now.

⚖️180.6(+1.6) ❤️60(50-115) 👣 7,000/3.3mi (🧘‍♂️)

Cardinal’s Zin

A return to routines after a week off. Meditating, working out, ellipticalling (?). Ridge with Matt, Diana and her cousins then Aqui after. Tommy in San Diego = the place to ourselves. Scottie's absence lingers in a surreal state encompassing loss, healing and a fear of forgetting which is something I absolutely do not want to happen. Can one hold on and move on at the same time?

⚖️179(0) ❤️69(67-118)🩸123/79 👣 9,318/4.5mi (🧘‍♂️ 🏋️‍♂️ 🏃‍♂️)

My back feels about 90% recovered. My heart, maybe 50-70% depending on the moment. Writing about Scottie was gut wrenching, cathartic, and thru looking back at 6+ years of photos, validating. It strengthens a broken heart to revisit the experiences that established its fragility. Dinner at Jon & Cheryl's tonight, much like the "Nightfall" outing with Christy and Marc last night, had a similar effect. Supportive friends having had similar experiences are a healing agent unto themselves.

⚖️179(-0.8) ❤️67(56-117) 👣 3,312/1.5mi

Early Mourning Wake

There are millions of people in the USA who are either “dog” people or “cat” people—that is, those who have consistently kept pets throughout their lives with minimal gaps or concurrent overlaps. I’ve never been much of a pet person myself. The last dogs I ‘had' were a pair of twin dogs our family owned when I was in my early teens, just entering high school. I did have a cat or two during my high school years, and I appreciated that they required less time and attention than the dogs did. By the time I was living on my own, pets weren’t of interest.

I was reminded throughout the night, morning and day today how joy can only be measured against sorrow, which in turn defines the median between the two as one's baseline. Although I like to imagine that I reside above the baseline most of the time, something occasionally and unexpectedly knocks me completely off balance to reality check my arrogance and attitude. Thus I topple and plummet to the bottom. It's a dark place the bottom. It's cold, confusing and depressing. It can also be all consuming, at least until you get your bearings back, assuming you do at all. Which I believe I have. l'm slowly climbing my way out. The terrain is steep and the tears made it slippery. Waves of grief still crash from within the void left by Scottie's absence and the trauma of his passing. They land when I awaken without him by our sides and when I go about routines that once included him. Their force causes me to lose my balance and footing again and again. But the tide is receding and the slightest gains in elevation afford me a broader view at a safer distance than remaining in the bottom allows. Jen is right beside me, within an arm's length at all times, holding my extended hand each time we land on a stable plateau, and pointing out the next one along the way. We will get through this. It will take time. We have already started making progress.

⚖️181.4(0) ❤️61(58-99) 👣 5,090/2.2mi (🧘‍♂️)

This day has been one filled with some of the most intense grieving I have ever known, by both Jennifer and me. It's taken me quite by surprise to have it hit me this viscerally. Neither of us slept well at all, both feeling shocked and shaken by the trauma of Scottie's sudden decline and death at the end of an otherwise routine and upbeat day for him yesterday. We are consumed with this massively significant loss. An emptiness has enveloped our home, along with degrees of grief and guilt that are apparently quite common amongst pet owners. What didn't we do? How could we have prevented this? We have sobbed, wept, theorized, and rationalized ourselves in circles of speculative theories that go nowhere but into an inaccessible alternate universe. This is a brutal, grueling process. I have, until now, greatly underestimated and oversimplified the experience of grief. This will change some of my opinions and understanding from now on, hopefully for the better. In the meantime, I need to work through my own and support Jennifer through hers, which runs even deeper.

All of the day's activities mean little in the shadow of the loss of our dog Scottie. His 4th seizure tonight was his last. He took his final breath in Jen's arms, seemingly in a detached and unconscious daze, with us both showing him love and compassion. As expected as this had been, this was not. We must now navigate the inevitable grief and moments of emptiness in routines that have included his presence. I am more devastated than I would have imagined, but then again, I loved him in the same manner... more than I would have imagined.

Highlights: Messed up my back this weekend. Spent the night and all of the day in pain as spasms kept occurring and pushed exercise out a day to allow this to settle. Kicked off a 2-week focused daily meditation effort. I did ok but recognized a lot of distractions. Many self-inflicted. Made salmon & cream cheese egg bites. Not so great that I want them all to myself and not so bad that I'd be embarrassed to share, which I will when I head to Jikoji tomorrow, back permitting. Had to call Eagle Plumbing as the sink was backing up. Not all his doing, but Tommy's recent streak of steak frying and grease getting dumped was likely the final factor. Victor was actually working just two blocks away and was able to squeeze in a quick snaking during a waiting period. Sometimes things align like this.

⚖️182.8(0) ❤️61(54-109) 👣 6,505/2.9mi (🧘‍♂️)



an initial source of inspiration

Highlights: Scottie had what we're calling his "3rd episode". The time change hit, and they woke to their biological clock. Scottie was showing signs of having another seizure – trembling, staring and stumbling. It was a rough start, and we settled into the living room to coddle and keep an eye on him. Our plans to visit Lauren were at risk, so we informed her. After a few hours, he began to improve, eating and walking more easily. A short outdoor walk seemed to validate that he was 'back' for now, so we went ahead with an abbreviated version of our plans to visit Lauren. We just went up for Lunch. It was, as always, wonderful to see her, to be back in Midtown, and to walk about the 'old haunts' a bit: 15L, the rose garden, GOBM, 1821, Old Soul. And, of course, visiting with Lauren, who continually impresses us both with her character and insights. The drive up was clear, but the return had some traffic, and for some odd reason, my lower back was aching. I can think of no apparent reason beyond possibly pushing too hard on the elliptical, but that's just speculation. Back home, my focus on embracing a more Buddhist perspective came into play with a situation where Tommy did a few things that felt passive-aggressive in nature, but I simply navigated the circumstances calmly and avoided getting into an argument. I am striving to recognize this whole dynamic as a test of my abilities to walk the talk while standing firm on principle and expectations.

Insights: Living up to your own moral code means there's no need for rationalizations or justifications.

⚖️182.8(0) ❤️60(58-109) 👣 10,643/4.8mi

Welcome, November. Welcome fall. The season's change is visible and visceral as the sunrise lingers longer beyond the horizon. I attempt to remain ensconced within the cocoon of warmth that is held beneath blankets shared, a barrier protecting us from the lowered temperature. But I rise all the same, out of habit, routine and resignation to the futility of imagining a mind in motion will still. Following a brief run to pick up a few supplies, the day is spent attending to household tasks. At the same time, Jennifer delves into a highly rewarding cook-a-thon: Basil Buratta Tomato wraps, Broccoli-Cheddar soup, and keto shortbread that exceeded all reasonable expectations. My time was spent digging into a range of financial planning details, including more about 401k's and tax changes, among other things. These are things I wish I had known 10 years ago, but I'm glad I didn't wait 10 more years to learn about them.

⚖️182.8(-0.8) ❤️59(56-118)🩸130/82 👣 8,617/4mi (🏃‍♂️)