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31 Oct: Cynthia leaves for Texas tomorrow. Boo! I love you! And Hoo! SmoochSmooch, I love you. We sang the birthday song to bro Dean, and he complained that we were off key. What's a key? Ron walked across the dam twice on this cold and windy day. The second walk was no warmer than the first. QQQ was a big disappointment today. Maybe tomorrow will be better. I guess we are prepared for Cynthia's departure tomorrow. We will miss each other terribly unless we stay way too busy.
30 Oct: We both had a great sleep. And it is 33 degrees this morning; Cynthia is aghast. Ron is watching QQQ but realizing that it needs to go up an impossible amount for him to escape without a loss. If it goes up as much tomorrow as it did today, Ron will breathe a big sigh of relief. We tested Ron’s pacemaker and sent the results off to the electrophysiologist. Testing schedule according to doctor: (1/29/2024 4/29/2024 7/29/2024). This morning’s walk didn’t happen until noon and the temperature reached 44 degrees; but, the sun felt warm despite the wind. As we returned to our hotel tonight on the second walk, the temperature was a very cold 35 degrees. 8.08 miles
29 Oct, Sunday: We were very sluggish this morning, but still quite happy to be alive and kicking. After the color radar stopped forecasting rain around 11:30, we walked across the dam in occasional very light drizzle. Carol and Bill drove down from Mt. Olive to join us for a late lunch at Los Amigos. Everyone enjoyed the food and conversation. We spent the remainder of the day on our computers. 4.5 miles
28 Oct: Sorta just like yesterday, Ron awakened at 3:30 am and didn't seem to sleep much after that. Despite a chilly, cloudy day we walked across the dam. Don and Ann joined us for lunch at Los Amigos, a trip to Walmart, and much conversation. The afternoon rain prevented us getting a second walk. Ron believes he might have slept better had we gotten a second walk. 4.0 miles
27 Oct: Just like yesterday although Ron awakened at 3 am and slept little after that, we did exercise, watch QQQ, and ate breakfast before walking across the dam on a beautiful day. We celebrated with lunch of steamed veggies and a baked potato at Los Amigos. Thereafter Ron fell asleep at his computer while transcribing a document and took a nap. QQQ was a severe disappointment today. 80 degrees for the high !!, but we walked again after it cooled off, and this time we walked into a light shower and returned home in dampened clothes. 7.69 miles.
26 Oct: After sleeping well another night and exercising, watching QQQ, and eating breakfast, we walked across the dam in significant winds. Ron spent the day doing things for members of the Swedish Colonial Society and editing Barb's manuscript. His medicines arrived today. He has gotten a lot of open windows closed on his computer, but next up is his text files, all 18 of them. We had to wait for a shower to end before Ron walked alone after dark, and it is still 74 degrees out.
25 Oct: We had a great night of sleep. The day is filled with huge responsibilities. Ron is watching the markets, cleaning before the cleaning crew arrives, making three phone calls, packing Cynthia's box and shipping it to Texas. There are Turvold photos to retake, and it would be great to shop for pretzels in Edwardsville. Cynthia's job is done; she reminded Ron. And we thank God daily for our life together. 4.01 miles
24 Oct: Ron again awakened at 3 am and was mostly unable to get back to sleep. At least this time there was a plausible explanation as he kept obsessing about flushing terrorists out of tunnels. The kids have their remote cars that they drive all around. One could be fitted with lights and a camera and run through tunnels in safety. Tonight, on our second walk, we avoided the stressful topic of terrorists. 8.53 miles
23 Oct: Ron had another sleepless night and is very puzzled about this sleeplessness. The good news is that he doesn't feel wiped out. Thank goodness Cynthia slept well. After exercises we started watching QQQ drop precipitously for the first few minutes, then gain for the rest of the day. Ron was able to sell one of yesterday's three call options for a profit, but the other two need the climb to continue before the end of the month. Two good walks and we achieved 8.0 miles. Jon shipped Ron’s RX.
22 Oct, Sunday: A gorgeous day unfolded, we are rested, temperature is sixty degrees, wind is light at five MPH, skies are blue, and the sun is shining brightly. It is indeed a beautiful day in the neighborhood, and we decided to try a a walk in the park. We hiked through the Haunted Nature Trail set up by the City of Carlyle for last night’s children’s Halloween party that included hay rides. This is sponsored by the Carlyle Lake Fireworks Committee and the Optimists Club. Most of the Halloween decorations were being dismantled by noon, but we did see a couple of coffins, a lot of pumpkins, etc. After a lunch of steamed veggies and baked potato at Los Amigos, Ron worked on James Lea until he was startled to see it was already dark outside. Where does the time go? We walked the dam and celebrated a total of 9.1 miles today.
21 Oct: We are exercised, oatmealed, and likely feeling fatigue and muscle ache side-effects from Covid vaccine. It is a good day to sleep, especially after being awake since three AM, unable to go back to sleep. Recent statistics: We now have 11 grandchildren, the youngest being age nine. And we have 9.8 great-grandchildren with 7.8 of them age 4 and younger. Despite being worn out, Ron decided to walk at six PM after this day of recouperation.
20 Oct: Early morning walk didn’t happen until early noon; but, it was fun to see a trio of white-tailed deer scrambling down the steep side of the dam walkway. Ron bought two calls today when the price of QQQ dropped two or three times. We got our newest Covid booster, mailed a check to the bank, and bought sourdough English muffins, frozen mango, etc. These sourdough muffins might also be helping Ron sleep through the night. Ron had hoped to sell the calls at a profit, but the price of QQQ never went back up sufficiently. Our late afternoon walk didn’t happen until very late; we are thankful for covering 7.81 miles
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| This is the shouting tree. |
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| great grandchild. |
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| T'nother great grandchild |
19 Oct: Ron again spent the day with Barnett's great grandchildren. Perhaps they are now finished. Midway through he placed a limit order to buy a put option if the price rose higher than earlier, and after that transpired, he placed a new limit order to sell that put if the price dropped, which it did, so Ron made money today !! Life is EXCEPTIONALLY GOOD. Cynthia is feeling even better today (less congestion) so we walked twice and covered 8.18 miles
18 Oct: Ron spent the day working on Barnett Lea's great grandchildren. Life is good. Cynthia is feeling better today (less congestion) so we walked twice and covered 7.0 miles
17 Oct: Sistah Carol and hubby Bill joined Ron for another walk across the dam and made it as far as yesterday. While we were walking QQQ dropped enough for Ron's limit order to make a profitable transaction for him. We bid adeau to Carol and Bill after lunch at Los Amigos; they like the place and enjoy the more authentic Mexican food there. Then Ron and Cynthia returned to the hotel, and Cynthia is now snoozing and hopefully recovering from her congestion. Ron took a walk and talk across the dam after dark.
16 Oct: Ron's sister & husband arrived for one delightful, fun-filled day at Mariner's Village on lovely Lake Carlyle. Oops! Because of walking the dam in cold and wind, Cynthia’s annual sinusitis has kicked in, so she sat out the afternoon walk with Carol and Bill. Carol opined that she might nap, so Ron rode to Walmart for frozen mango, etc and returned just in time to walk over to Los Amigos for dinner at Bill's accustomed dinner time: 4:30
15 Oct, Sunday: Again the forecast is too cold to want to ride the motorcycle to church at 8:30 AM. Only two more Sundays in October. We walked the dam and faced heavy winds on our return trip at eleven AM, so we walked straight to Los Amigos, and it felt good to eat steamed veggies and a baked potato. We walked again at 5:30 PM with less wind. 7.0 miles
14 Oct: Ron slept surprisingly well considering the lack of pretzels. Maybe sourdough English muffins are a good substitute. Cynthia returned with a couple of new shades of pink after patronizing Lucky Nails. Ron walked across the dam and up one set of stairs. (The wind was too loud for walking and talking.) Cynthia was too cold to consider walking.
13 Oct: Ron spent another morning glued to his computer watching QQQ with great results today. A few more days like this and he will have recouped his entire "educational expense" for learning the ropes. Also, it appeared at midnight-thirty that he has finished all of Barb's suggested changes to the James Lea manuscript. It did rain in the afternoon, but we were able to walk across the dam about 6 PM. Cynthia said she is watching apples turn brown (hint: she is bored!) 6.0 miles.
12 Oct: Oatmealed and exercised, we are glued to our electronic devices after having wished granddaughter Zoe a happy birthday. She is in York, England studying for her MA in Public History. Amazing that she and Jack successfully moved to England with their two cats. Ron decided to buy a QQQ put at an early high today and sold it near the low for a handsome percentage profit. He is remembering that these options are short term investments, hopefully in and out on the same day. We went to Walmart for groceries and our annual senior flu vaccinations. Ron will likely run out of pretzels tonight, so this may be his last night to sleep uninterrupted until the next trip to Edwardsville. 4.86 miles
11 Oct. Wed: Our big excitement was having the cleaning ladies come in today. Cynthia gets excited about the strangest things. We walked the dam giving us 4.12 miles
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| ggranddaughter Blaire |
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| ggranddaughter Charlotte |
10 Oct: Exercised, oatmealed, and our eyes are glued to Mac screens. It is a gorgeous, colorful fall day at Lake Carlyle. Photos of great granddaughters always stir Cynthia to post photos. These are Jon's granddaughters. He is outnumbered by two daughters and two great granddaughters. Ron continues working on James Lea, finding new things, thanks to Ancestry. 4.5 miles
9 Oct: The weekend events in the Middle East cast a pall over the world and our hearts. Ron is staying focused on James Lea now that he has resumed work on the manuscript. We walked the dam twice, and tried to focus on our projects. 7.49 miles
8 Oct, Sunday: The plan was to attend the 9 AM worship service at the Methodist church in Trenton and then to visit with Don and Ann. When temperature at daybreak was 47°, we were convinced to not ride 20 miles to Trenton. Then Don and Ann decided to not drive over to visit. So we are home alone at high noon, well-fed and exercised with plans to do a huuuuge walk over the dam and over the Kaskaskia River bridge. We sat for a couple of hours after that and went out for a second walk at 5:30 PM. 8.49 miles total
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| Youngest and oldest of us. Cynthia, at 18 again, is the youngest. |
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| The waiter took this photo of everyone. |
7 Oct: After spending the day on our computers getting Cynthia's photos of the Turvold Family OCRed and onto her computer, we met Eric and Denise, Eric's Uncle David, Erika, Trey, Chelsea, and Kyle for dinner at 3:30 PM at the 1818 Chop House in Edwardsville, Illinois. We food was very, very good and everyone enjoyed the meal and conversation. One week down, three to go before Cynthia flies to TX. 4.0 miles
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| Cynthia's sails were refreshed |
5 Oct: A rainy day in Illinois! We walked late day after the sun appeared. 4.0 miles
4 Oct: Ron announced he is as happy as a seagull with a French Fry before heading to Don and Ann’s to spend a day. Cynthia is going walking and is editing a story she wrote for her grandchildren. 4.0 miles
3 Oct: After a great lunch with Carol and Bill at Ruby Tuesday's in Litchfield, we rode south on Illinois 127 through Greenville to Mariners Village at Lake Carlyle where we will walk,and enjoy the lake for the month of October. After dark, we walked partway out on the dam. Our total for the day is 2.7 miles.
2 Oct: Litchfield, Illinois: Cynthia is having a humorless day! Ron is at Sistah Carol’s tree farm. The Storage Company sent a statement charging $17.00 a month for insurance, totaling $204.00 a year, in addition to the cost of the storage unit. Insane, yes! Then a knock on the door and someone speaking in a foreign language, followed by a phone call Cynthia could not understand, so down to the front desk to learn they mistakenly had us checking out today. They had to make a new key. Then the internet keeps logging out. The desk clerk is really rude, saying his internet works fine, so mine should, too? Yes, GRR. Oh, well, life is too short to be grrrrring. It is time to meet Ron, Carol, and Bill for dinner. Unfortunately Ron arrived at the hotel to walk his bride to the restaurant only to find his key didn't work and his bride was gone, so he had to walk alone to find her already at the restaurant. Tomorrow is another day! 2.71 miles
1 Oct, Sunday: Turn the page. October is opening in Litchfield, Illinois. Our plan is to watch Mother Nature dressed in her fall finery using every color in the Crayola box. It is warm this week, but there is hope for cooler temperatures by the end of the week. 3.5 miles
