Keeping Busy

I've been keeping quite busy in Tucson this fall, and things don't show any signs of letting up. The first phase of the construction project of Jack's cottage is coming close to a finish. He has the skirting and deck done, lighting for the outside, and a massive amount of interior remodeling. And he's moved in! He is enjoying the huge kitchen (huge for a 400 square foot place) and his fireplace. I'm enjoying the convenience of having him right next door!

What remains to be done? We are going to be building him a shed for his tools. Then we'll move his tools out of my #2 shed, tear down my #2 shed and build me a new one. Then my #1 shed will be taken out and sold. Landscaping of our "back 40" and of Jack's front "yard" will be projects for the rest of the winter, and maybe next year too!

We have been involved in the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, associated with the U of A, participating in some interesting discussion groups, and going to dinners and parties. It's a fun group, and we're learning things. Classes we've been in have included "Rethinking Christianity"; "Marijuana: Wicked or Wonderful?"; "Exploring Tucson Theater"; "National Security Concerns"; and a group discussing cybercrime and hackers.

We have kept culturally alive by going to a play at U of A, seeing some performances of Arizona Symphonic Winds, and I'm in two choirs -- our church choir and the Tanque Verde Valley Singers. The latter is a group that convenes once a week to rehearse, and then does two holiday concerts in December.

Healthwise, we're hanging in. Jack was experiencing dizziness, along with a couple of passing-out episodes. Finally we had this diagnosed as an arrhythmia, which he's had corrected with a pacemaker. He had that put in just 2 weeks ago. He is just about up to speed now, although he's had to have a couple of tweaks and had his meds adjusted too.

We are exercising daily, doing walking or Wii Zumba, which we discovered that we both love. I got the latest edition -- Zumba Core, and we alternate between Zumba 2 and Core. It is a really great workout.

My weight has remained constant, which is a real source of pride and joy for me. After all the years of ups and downs, it's great to feel like I have a real handle on it. It's so exciting to finally know the secret to keeping it off. :)

Mary, Jack's Mom, had another bout of pneumonia, another hospitalization, and she got out just in time for the Thanksgiving Champagne Brunch at Broadway Proper. I hate to think of what would have happened to the doctors and nurses, had they decided to keep her another day.

Today Jack is baking his most delicious chocolate chip zucchini bread and I'm taking it easy, doing the puzzles from the AZ Daily Star, catching up on email, and ... this is the biggie: I finally spent my accumulated points from my bank's points program. They have discontinued it, and I had till the end of 2012 to cash them in. I chose gift cards for fun places. :) They will send them to me in a couple of weeks. I'm stoked.