Settling Into 2026

Written on 2-13-26.

       It’s the day before Valentine’s, and it’s a Friday afternoon.  It’s foggy and cool outside (think cool using both meanings), and I can see some rain on the sidewalks outside my computer room window.  We need the moisture, for sure.  We just haven’t had the big winter storms this year, and it may be a long, dry summer with water restrictions.  

Belinda just came home after being at the cabin with Amanda.  Eric and Amanda came home this past week after a long cruise to Spain, Italy, and France, among other places.  Sounds like they had an incredible time!  Belinda and I are planning to go to Bluff, Utah to stay at the Bluff Dwellings Resort and Spa during spring break as our Valentine’s gift to each other.  That will be sublime.

James and Casey came here last weekend, and it was...

just oh, so…wonderful.  We relaxed, stopped everything, and enjoyed our time together.  Of course, Belinda and I loved on Rowan as much as we could.  That little guy is so close to walking; he is pulling himself up everywhere he can.  

James and I continued our trading card project.  I have declared 2026 as the year of the Star Wars trading card project, since next year will be the the 50-year anniversary of A New Hope.  I can picture Michael Scott from The Office shouting, “I declare…bankruptcy!”  

“I declare…2026 the year of Star Wars trading cards!”

It’s been fun breaking out my vintage cards from 1977 to admire and take special and better care of them.  I bought huge binders to display and protect them.  I have also spent some money to add newer cards to add to my collection, and they are in much better condition than the ones I owned from my childhood.  James is interested in them, too, but he has his own Magic-The Gathering cards.  I submitted eleven of my cards to PSA for grading.  Most are “rookie” cards.  It will take a while to get those back, though.  James is thinking about submitting some of his, too.

Danielle is continuing her probationary year 2.0.  She has a third date with a guy from Santa Fe.  A third date is a small miracle.  We will see if this continues.  They are hiking in Santa Fe, and then he is making her dinner afterwards.

I just finished replying to all of the people who replied to our Prezi.  That Prezi project takes more time than I think it will every year, but it always feels so good when it’s all done.  

B and I are working on our taxes now.  We might get them done tonight.  Our accountant raised his prices, so we are trying to do it online again.  We are using TurboTax.  It’s been a while, but I feel confident we will get it done, and get it done right.

On to golf…

Not a lot to report here.  The only thing that comes to mind is that I might play at Hillcrest more often this coming season due to my job.  I drive there Monday through Thursday, so I might as well stay and play a round after work sometimes.  Makes sense to me.  It’s not even open yet, though.  That would also mean less time playing at Pinon Hills.

I started working out with Matthew again.  I got another round of ten workouts for my birthday, and I had my first one this past week.  I was sore a couple of days, but I had done some workouts at home before, so that helped.  It’s not not working out that’s the problem; it’s the eating.  I will double my efforts to get that back under control now that I am healthier.  It was a bad January!  Stomach flu.  Tweaked back.  Long cold (or, Covid?).  Those took up one week each.

Until next time…