Tuesday, September 27, 2016

a wild and fun class

Today, Tuesday, was a good day. I did my exercises, weights and yoga, practiced all my piano pieces, and went down to help Eric with cutting the one tree that is threatening to fall. He and his partner did almost all the work and he refused to take any money. I will get him a couple of cases of Bud Light. I drove into Radford, and my first class went well, although my second class was pretty wild and a lot of fun. I then headed off to play golf and shot a 46/47 and it was lovely weather. I then drove to Greens for sushi, and lumosity and my blog. I am going to ride my bike when I finish here. I am all ready to start collecting social security, but my first check will probably be in March, which is okay.

Monday, September 26, 2016

Kayaking and the beginning of week 5

Yesterday was a good day. I did my exercises in the morning then headed off to meet my kayak friend for another trip, the fourth in the last four weeks. It was a very good trip full of humor and conversation even though the water was pretty low. I stayed in my inflatable the whole time and my friend did very well in her Ocean Kayak, hitting the waves in the rapids very well. After our trip we went and had meatball heros at Subway and chatted some more. After that I took a nap in my office and then went for a bike ride. Then I decided to apply for social security and I was able to do it successfully. I realized that the 41500 figure (half my salary) was not going to work (the figure will be closer to 52000). I thought I would lose half my benefits over 41500, so that didn’t help my sleep. Monday was decent. I didn’t sleep well, mainly because of my social security worries, but I took an OTC sleeping pill and got back to bed around 4. I woke around 8 and did my exercises, my weights and yoga, playing most of my piano pieces, got the kayaking stuff out and drying and then headed to pick up Maddie. She was doing fine, as were Claire and Cathy, so that was good news. I drove back to my office for a quick nap, since the weather was pretty iffy. I found out that I will only lose 1/3 of my benefits over 41500 so that is a big plus. Then I taught my class but they seemed so sluggish. It was hard to get them to respond to anything. The weather was still pretty bad so I decided to drive over to Tech to ride inside but I wasn’t feeling up to it so I just stopped at O’Charley’s for cedar plank salmon. I did my lumosity and my blog.

Friday, September 23, 2016

My Knee Passed with Flying Colors

Friday turned out pretty well. I am still having some stomach problems but I feel like things are tightening up and that feels good. I did my exercises and some piano in the morning then headed in to meet Claire for lunch at Red Lobster. I was fun to catch up and her wedding is in two weeks. Luke and she are looking at property, houses and perhaps a modular home. I may see her next Friday. I then went over to see Matt at Dr. Gardner’s and he said the x-rays were fine and that I looked great and that I didn’t have to return. He did suggest taking the antibiotic in December when I go to the dentist. Then I drove back home and waited for Eric and his girlfriend and when they got there I showed them my Geological Survey map and then I drove down with him to look at the trees. He said the only one that really needs to be cut is the one next to the tree he cut awhile back. I looked over the Pedlar Hills and showed him where my boundary is and I think I convinced him that he could make it into the side hollow if he wanted to. I told him to come up whenever if he wanted to walk up the side hollow. I took a nap, then got up and did my weights and yoga and the rest of my piano. Then I watched some golf and headed in for a 40 minute bike ride at Merrimac. Then it was time for shrimp fajitas at El Grande Rodeo and then tea and a bagel at Panera, where I did my lumosity and my blog.

Thursday, September 22, 2016

Fourth Week Done

It is Thursday evening and I am done for the week. My fourth week is finished. I had a good day, starting with my exercises, playing some piano, weights and yoga, then driving to Radford for my 12:30 class. That went pretty well and so did my 3:30 class, then it was off for nine holes of golf (46/47) and then dinner at Olive Garden, then a nap, then a 40 minute bike ride, then off to Macado’s for football, lumosity training and my blog. I may be going kayaking with my kayak friend if she can get enough work done by Sunday. Another ten days and I will be signing up for Social Security and that will be nice. 2K a month for the rest of my life. I won’t start collecting my other retirement money until January 2019 at the earliest.

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Classes going well

It is Wednesday and things are going well. I dried out my kayak this morning, took a walk down to my favorite white pine, did my exercises, played all my piano pieces, did my weights and yoga, washed the dishes and did a load of wash. I got so much done because Maddie didn’t need a ride this morning. I have given up on my fall garden. It’s getting late and I still need to get some soil without seeds in it. I then drove to RU and got some work done on my 5 o’clock class, got most of my book orders for the spring done, and got a decent nap in at 4. My class went very well and the students were pretty talkative. After class I went for a 35 minute bike ride because my knee hurt some and then I drove to Blacksburg to eat at Greens and to go see CafĂ© Society at 9:15 at the Lyric.

Monday, September 19, 2016

More Kayaking

Sunday was a very good day. I got up early and had to head off pretty quickly to go kayaking with my kayak friend. She arrived at 10 at the 114 bridge and we were off by 10:45 from Dudley’s Landing. About 2/3 of the way down we switched boats and she did very well through the rapids and even better surfing in the last set of waves. I was able to do a little surfing with her small Ocean Kayak. We went over to Cook-Out for some food and continued our chatting. Great fun. Then I went biking and ended up watching a little of the Green Bay / Minnesota game at O’Charley’s. Monday was a bit quick in the morning since I had to meet Maddie at 10:45, a lot earlier than I was used to. I did my exercises and my weights and yoga and then it was time to leave. After dropping Maddie off, I went to my office for a nap and then went biking for 40 minutes, then off to my office hours, where I did some work on the rhetoric questions for 200 and 203. I had a pretty good class but only a few speak up and I think I really need to do groups in that one. I went riding again and just beat a pretty severe storm. I got to talk to Cathy Gallo for a bit and she is fine and Claire is looking for a part time job. Cathy doesn’t think she is ready for an apartment but she does think a course in the spring might be good for Claire. I resolved my situation with Rosemary and I just wish her well in dealing with the graduate stuff. I am hoping to see Claire Hall on Friday and chatted with her some today. Her wedding is on the 8th. My money from AXA came through so I will be able to pay all my bills, hopefully until December.

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

busy day but pretty productive

Wednesday was a fine day if a less than fine night. I woke at 1:30 and took an otc sleeping aid then slept until eight, did my exercises, watered the green house, dried out my kayak, did my weights and yoga, practiced almost all my pieces on piano. Then I drove to the bank to pay off my overdraft (which I didn’t even know happened), then picked up Maddie and drove her to Tech. Things are pretty much the same at home. I drove toward my office, then stopped at the River to bike for almost 40 minutes. I got to my office and did some grading, then napped, then went and taught. After that I drove to Tech to ride my bike for 30 minutes and then to Macado’s for tea and ice cream.

Monday, September 12, 2016

a couple of good days

On Sunday my kayak friend and I had a lovely trip. The weather was perfect and we saw lots of flowers and birds. I finally got her to use my kayak and she loved it. She went right up into a rapid and surfed for the first time. We went over to Cook-Out to eat and that was also a lot of fun. My thigh was not a problem and I was able to go biking for 25 minutes and then go see Sully, which was very powerful and well worth seeing. Today I did my exercises, replanted my lettuce tray since the first seeding didn’t come up, did my yoga and weights and prepped for class. I then drove into Radford and drove Maddie to Tech. It was nice to chat with her. I will see her again on Wednesday. The personnel meeting went pretty well and then my class was okay if a little slow. Even though there are only ten people in it, I may break it up into groups. After class I took a nap, then made coffee and went for a 35 minute bike ride. Then it was off to O’Charley’s and cedar plank salmon and pie.

Saturday, September 10, 2016

re-injured my thigh

Saturday has been a good day with a possibly bad ending. I got up early and got the kayak in my truck (my knee felt fine) and then I did a set of exercises, some cleaning up, fixed the bike rack and greased the kickstand. I napped, did a second set of exercises, did my weights and yoga, practiced all my piano pieces, and then headed off. I got a good response from Gabes and offered to visit at Thanksgiving but they are not going to be around so I will probably head south, perhaps to Atlanta. I stopped to chat with Dougie and Angie and it was nice to chat with them both. Then it was off to Auburn Hills to play golf and I played pretty well 48/47 from the red tees. I headed to my office for a nap and I was going to go bike riding before the Tech game but my thigh felt bad (like up in the Big Horns) so I drove over to Macados in Bburg to do my lumosity training and my blog and to watch the Tech game. I hope my thigh will be okay tomorrow for my kayak trip. If it is hurting I may rent a kayak again to make it easier.

Friday, September 9, 2016

A good Friday

Friday turned into a pretty productive day all considered. I couldn’t sleep so I had to take an OTC sleeping pill at 4 and finally got back to sleep around 5:30. I did my exercises, watered my greenhouse tray (which has seedlings coming up), weights and yoga, got the kayak ready for Sunday (although something seems to be gnawing at something up in the cabin but the kayak was still inflated so it seems okay), then headed for lunch with Claire Hall. We ate at Nagoya’s and talked a lot about her buying a house with Luke. I showed her my office then I applied successfully for my free 30 year parking permit, went over to the Tech Help Desk and backed up my computer, and emailed my problem student (I am accepting her apology for lying to me and we will see how she does). I then drove over to East Coasters and got my bike fixed. Ian took off the chain guard and tightened and oiled the chain. Then I headed off to Walker Creek then over to Eggleston, where I caught one small blue gill. Then I went bike riding at Tech and had salad and soup at Panera and did my lumosity training and my blog.

Thursday, September 8, 2016

End of my Second Week of Teaching

The last two days, Wednesday and Thursday, have been busy but they went well. On Wednesday morning, I did my yoga and weights, my exercises, and some practicing piano. Then I drove in to pick up Maddie and found out the news about Claire. Maddie was doing well and I was glad to see her. Later, I taught a good class and then went for a bike ride and dinner at O’Charley’s. Thursday was also a decent day. I slept until 6 and got up and stained the porch which took less than an hour. Nothing much to do right now but I well trim the road and plant a second planter as soon as the seeds from the first one sprout. I did my exercises, weights and yoga and I practiced most of my piano pieces. I drove in and taught a good first class, then taught a second good class before heading off to play golf 44/43 (with some holes from the white tees). I talked to Cathy and things are a little better. My kayak friend emailed me and we are going kayaking on Sunday. I am going to use my boat for the first time since the surgery. I then went for dinner at the Mexican restaurant and then rode my bike for 30 minutes at the Huckleberry trail at Merrimac. Now I am watching the Broncos/Colts game at Macado’s after having done my lumosity training and my blog.

Sunday, September 4, 2016

a wonderful kayak trip

Well, another trip with my kayak friend and this one was exceptional. The temperature was just right, around 80. The sky was a lovely blue with occasional white and puffy clouds. The trees seemed incredibly clear and beautiful. We paddled very slowly and chatted as we usually do and when we finished we went for some food at Cook Out. Earlier I did my exercises and some weights. I also replanted my lettuce tray after something got in. It must have been pretty big since it tore the screen and I found it on the outside of the greenhouse. I can’t imagine a raccoon or even a squirrel going after such small seeds but I doubt it was a mouse or a vole. I also started the generator so now that should be good for another month or so. After a nap in my office I drove to the Huckleberry off Merrimac and rode my bike for 40 minutes. Then I went to O’Charley’s for the ND/Texas game. It’s a close game so I am going to watch at least some of the second half. I did my lumosity training and read more chapters of The Awakening. I also did my blog and I will grade a few more writing samples

Friday, September 2, 2016

lunch with Claire

This Friday turned out pretty well. I got up around 5 and couldn’t go back to sleep and it was too wet to cut the grass so I took an otc sleeping pill and finally got back to sleep, waking up around 9:30. I did a mixed set of exercises, then got ready to go have lunch with Claire. It was fun to catch up with all her plans and after lunch at the Next Door Bakery, we took a nice walk on the Tech campus. I then rode my bike on campus for almost 40 minutes then headed home to take a nap and do a second set of exercises and my weights and yoga. I headed into Bburg around 7:45 and rode my bike over in one of the Perry street lots for 30 minutes. Then it was over to O’Charley’s for cherry pie and milk. I emailed Rosemary about taking an unpaid leave next fall and she is going to find out the rules and we will discuss it next week. I can retire in June if I want to but taking the fall off and working another semester or two would be better. If I take the fall off I will have a nine month break, then teach the spring semester, then have the summer off, then teach one last semester in the fall.

Thursday, September 1, 2016

first week of classes is over

Not a bad Thursday. I got up pretty early and did a mix of old exercises and the new ones I got yesterday. I iced my knee and then got ready to head up to the Social Security agency in Roanoke. Registering for Medicare was pretty easy but I got some interesting news, I could retire in the spring and start collecting Social Security in January with no loss of benefits. That is somewhat tempting but if I do it I will lose 1200 clear a year. In twenty years that would be 24K, a lot of money but I wouldn’t have to teach next fall. I am definitely thinking about it but I am not sure right now. After SS I drove up to my first class and that went pretty well and then a quick nap then office hours and my second class was also pretty good and there were fewer students than the first class. I then drove to the meadows and played 9 holes (43) from the gold. I have been playing very well as of late. Then it was time for dinner at Greens, and biking at Tech for almost 40 minutes. A long but pretty good day.