On July 8 my wife and her friend left on vacation for almost a month. Philly, NYC, France, Germany, Italy, Greece, Austria and Dublin, Ireland.
They spent some time with our grandson in the US Air Force in Italy. He acted as tour guide and took them to Rome, Pisa, Florence, Venice and Milan. Then drove them to Austria for one day and night. What a time they have been having.
They are back on the East coast now and are flying back to Las Vegas on Saturday where I will pick them up and after sending her friend back to Tucson, AZ we will come home on Sunday.
What have I been doing? Why didn't I go? Good questions. I didn't go because I never lost anything in Europe I need to go look for. I swore after the flight back from New Zealand that I would never spend over 3 hours in an airplane again. If I can't get there driving or riding, I ain't going.
The day after they left, our water heater went out. A small flood ensued. I got help and installed a new one. Went fishing at a local lake.
I reupholstered the seat in my grandson's 97 Dodge Dakota and he took me fishing for catfish that night.
My friend Mike and I spent 3 days in the Sierras, fishing.
I have been doing some things around the house that are hard to do when my wife is here. Patched some sheetrock, painted some trim, took care of some neglected areas in my back yard, and took 2 loads of tree trimming, ivy cuttings and some dead plants and other debris to the county landfill. Then took a trip to Big Bear for 2 days of fishing.
My ex sister-in-law passed away last week in New Mexico. I was here for my daughter. I helped rent a car so she could take her children and attend the funeral.
I've been lazy when I want, busy when I want, and done what I want. And went fishing when I felt like it. I am my own man for 3 more days. What a life.
In truth I miss my wife terribly. This has been a vacation of a lifetime for her. I'm looking forward to her homecoming and getting back into the swing of things. She'll have a week to recoup and then she goes back to work.
Well, now I have to go mop the kitchen and clean the bathroom. Got laundry to do and leaves to rake. Oh Boy. Vacation's almost over. Jim