Last week was interesting. Dr appt on Monday, and then an ‘a-fib’ episode for the rest of the day (after visiting the doctor, go figure). That lasted longer than usual (six hours), which must have messed up my digestion, which was Tuesday’s problem. (Don’t you hate it when you can’t decide if you should sit or kneel at the porcelain alter?). So I took things easy on Tuesday/Wednesday after that digestive episode, using Rice Chex and water to keep things settled down and get back to normal.

I was feeling better by Thursday, so Pam and I took a drive up to Midway (UT) to see my two sisters who were staying in my older brother’s other house. It’s an historical house belonging to his wife’s grandfather (I think). They have restored it quite nicely; a two-story cottage with period furnishings (mostly) plus a few modern conveniences (like bathrooms inside the house, rather than outside). It’s in a nice area of Midway, which is near Heber City (along US highway 40). It was a nice drive (about an hour) from our house to there, and we had a nice visit.

We watched all the grandkids on Saturday afternoon for a while. They had way too much fun with some large moving boxes. I cut a door and window in the sides, and they got some crayons and markers to decorate their ‘house’. All five of them had fun doing that for quite some time. It was a nice day (in the 80s F with a light breeze), so it was fun to watch them play in their cardboard houses.

We also had a water softener put in last week. The water hardness around here is about “16 grains”, which makes the dishes a bit spotty (when the dishwasher works; it has a problem at the moment, but the builder is very responsive in getting things fixed).

Although our retirement finances are comfortable, I am inclined to find another job just to keep me from turning into a full-time couch potato. I have a second interview this afternoon for a job that looks interesting, although it would be about a 50-minute commute. Not sure how that would work during winter and snowy roads, but the snow pack is usually under six inches and they keep the roads pretty clear. The commute is freeways and main roads, so could be manageable.

We had a landscaper come over last night to discuss what to do with the back yard (currently a weed patch). We’ll probably keep it pretty simple: mostly grass with a small garden area for vegetables, and a few trees. Sprinkler system, of course; around here you get a separate landscape water source during the growing season between May and October. It will be different living in a somewhat colder climate. But the house is very comfortable, and since it is new, well-insulated.