And off I go.

On Tuesday night, I will depart for Costa Rica to spend some time and have a dental implant done.  I know…it’s the best time to be in Palm Springs, but I have things to do that can’t wait.  Also, it will be good to see some friends.

This time, I’m paying for an international phone plan, so we can make and receive calls as always. I have my MagicJack number, but with all the offices I call, the number recognition comes in helpful.  Also, it took my six months to get my MagicJack number removed from the phones of my family and friends.

As for my apartment here, I will move out before I leave. I’m mostly done, and my storage unit is full. I have another place lined up for my return; it’s in the same complex, whose location I  love, but it’s a downstairs unit. The good news is that I have a lovely front patio facing south for morning coffee.  It will be a crapshoot if the upstairs tenants are quiet.  At least I won’t go stir crazy, which happened here from time to time without a patio.

In the new place, even though I’ll be a renter, I’ll have the right to sublet. This is perfect for when I want to travel for a month or so, since my sublet will subsidize my travel. 

My two consulting projects were great successes:  The loan application was granted, and the accreditation team gave us a top score.  Praise the lord. From this point on, it’ll be back to program implementation and compliance, which I enjoy and can do from anywhere. I enjoyed the projects, but both were evaluative, and their outcomes were not guaranteed. The school and principal are first-rate, and the community is low-income and mostly minority; it’s exactly the type of school which merits special funding and support.

I was planning to see a movie next weekend with a friend in Costa Rica. While reading through the movie schedules, every cinema was showing Winnie the Pooh: Miel y Sangre. Yep. Winnie the Pooh, Honey and Blood.  An actual horror movie about the little bear.  Is nothing sacred?

I read Barbara Kingsolver’s Flight Behavior, which was quite good, but I hadn’t intended to read two climate fiction books in a row. I continue to ponder where I might spend my final years without drowning or burning to death. In the meantime, I downloaded Matt Haig’s The Midnight Library, but I won’t get to it until I finish To Sleep in a Sea of Stars, a lengthy sci-fi book. The place I rented in CR through Airbnb has what looks like a small television, so I’ll probably double my reading time.

I will continue to manage my friend Linda’s healthcare, most of which I handle by phone, email or portal. I’m lucky to have someone near her to take her to most doctors. Her condition is worsening, but she is still good-humored and happy to see friends.

Speaking of healthcare, I recently had a physical with my new primary care. I’m not quite sure about him yet, but he seems OK. However, when he asked if he could check my prostate (which meant he hadn’t read my medical history), I told him he could try, but it had been removed in 2020.  He then said he’d check it anyway. Hmm. Should I be concerned?

Well, if I can bring joy so easily into someone’s life, what the hell.

Ciao for now. Or, as they spell it in Spanish, chao.