Author: Jason

new roomies

made it to LEX. woke up raring to go. Picked up the minivan at 8, hit the road just after 9. Made time for coffee and breakfast tacos. I’m sure I came off like a bad Drill sergeant but I figured I’d have to do all the driving. And in silence. So got my head right and my AirPods on. 6 hours of Conan and Mark Maron here i come.

Fast forward to Steph and Jules now chilling at the hotel. he’s hatching plans with some fraternity later tonight. move in isn’t till 1:30 tmrw. So what’s the big rush I guess you could say? I don’t know. I’m paying out the nose for all this. I want to soak it in as best I can. But truth be told, the money is really secondary. Maybe it’s some unconscious anxiety about my son truly going off to college. a lot of roads have taken us here. I’m excited. For him. For us. But mostly for me I guess. I grabbed the hotel bike just as soon as we got here and went on a ride around town

we head out tmrw. Last meal at little alley was amazing. Not just the food, but mostly the way the staff, managers, even the chef all lavished such genuine praise and pleasure at having working with Julian. It was truly a proud moment for Steph and I. We gave him one final grad gift while we waited for our steak. A pair of AirPods since his vanished earlier this summer. I know first hand how essential these things can be. Paid extra to have them engraved in a rush.

J. Dawg 🛹

anyway, the big dog still has yet to pack. and a handful of thank you cards left to write. 😘

so weird to think I’m winding down this chapter. Probably just a few posts left before I do. Definitely a self imposed bookend but I threw down the gauntlet to myself and the kids a while ago. Wrap it up by the end of summer when Jules goes off to college. Not that it triggered any response from the orange pieces, but, for me at least, I appreciated having a natural culmination point. Just a handful of days before we head out. minivan is rented. hotel is booked. Tuition is paid. (Thank you Dad and Irene!)

final dinner locked and loaded – where else but Little Alley?

Piling up so many things in this, Jules last week at home. Steph has been on a tear getting him all the essentials. thank god because I sure wasn’t running to target 3x to get him the right plate set. Cups and clothes and linens and lamps. Ironing his little alley aprons for the last time. Even with starting the new job she’s made time for it all. They’re making granola tonight. It’s really been a sweet week to watch her. I need to remind myself to be more patient with the process sometimes. Getting your kid ready for college doesn’t happen overnight.

I’m a bit restless and I know Steph has sensed it too. All seems well on the surface but I have been anxious of late. Thankfully my job is fine. More layoffs but I’m still adding value in this AI world of ours. Money is always a concern as we’re spending a ton. And what, with 5 houses, there’s always a project or two that needs attention. Sophia is in between homes. But what else is new. I miss my mom. Makes me sad to think I may never speak to her again. Chai dying. This chapter in my book coming to an end. And yes, Jules heading off to college. I want to end on a high note. But I can’t control it. I thought about it today while swimming. And have some ideas going forward.
So yeah… 🏊‍♂️

Steph’s first day back to work today! After 13 months being “retired”, she’s back sales recruiting again. Like so many of her prior jobs, this too literally fell in her lap with the best possible circumstances. Timing with Jules going off to school is ideal. Good life balance too being just 20 hrs a week. low volume of hires. Plus, she already knows the CHRO back from their Apptio and IBM days.
I’m really happy for her. And truth be told, the sudden bump in household income will be very nice too. Way to go bun!

we have a break in between guests at thompson place. The last couple that stayed left barely a trace. Wonderful guests. Five stars all the way. Anyway, it’s a lazy Sunday so while Steph is doing the sheets, I’m over here picking up sticks. Replaced a few burned out bulbs from the string lights up on the trees. Rains came and finally cooled things down. I’ve got the whole place to myself. chilling to some smooth jazz by Bill Evans. Whiskey drink set down by my side. reminiscing on how grounded my life is around this little ranch of ours. It’s like my identity and my friends and my children have all branched out from the roots of this here homestead Stephanie brought to the table. From moving in here together to our backyard wedding. From the countless renters and guests we’ve hosted to Julian’s epic grad party! 25 years we’ve owned this place. Longer even for Steph. The wonderful book by Shel Silverstein comes to mind. The Giving Tree. With this home being symbolic of the proverbial tree. And here I am now, getting older, wiser, frailer, just sitting here like a bump on a log.

we brought her home today

it’s been so hot 🥵 I don’t know why they call it the dog days of summer but I do feel sorry for our poor weenies. Chai is getting so old. He occasionally has these little seizures or mini strokes. It passes but I fear he may only have another year or so left. Steph and I took them for a dip in the pool this weekend. truth be told, chai was the much better swimmer. more at ease in the water and made his way to the stairs more effortlessly than Remy. Poor guy doesn’t leave the house much now. Steph and I were saying the other day, he really has been the most chill of all the 3 weenies. Hate to think about it, but I’m getting a bit sentimental that his time will soon come.