My wife and I had our first date on February 8th, so it’s become a tradition to celebrate the 8th of each month. It’s one of many anniversaries that we recognize each year in honoring our love. The 19th is her monthly birthday anniversary, and the 20th our wedding day – all part of an elaborate scheme to get more gifts, poems, and recognition than a normal couple. Today, is also Columbus Day, that many people feel should be replaced with Indigenous Peoples Day. After all, Columbus could not have “discovered” a land that was already inhabited by millions and never really actually landed on the mainland. Anymore, for many it’s just a day to celebrate not working. For retirees like me, it’s just another day.

We’re officially done with entertaining any house guests for awhile, and will make our way to Napa later this week for gluttonous purposes. It will be a celebration of life together, as we enjoy a bucket list dining experience. We’ll fly into San Francisco in the morning, rent a car, and make some stops downtown. My wife has some business to tend to, and I’ll get-together with a college friend for a quick lunch before our romantic evening together in tiny Yountville. Most of the town, is the historic Veterans Home of California, perhaps a harsh look into the future.

We’ll spend the next few days winetasting, and then get back to Portland in time for my wife to go back to work on Monday. My older self will undoubtedly need to rest-up after this rigorous away-from-home venture. For me, it will start another glorious stretch of “Homebody Heaven,” with 38 straight days of home office “work.” This stint will be the longest of my 20 months of retirement, before we travel to nearby Bend for the Thanksgiving holiday. It will be filled with supervisory responsibilities for interior painting and cabinet refinishing, so I will rarely be alone during the day. It should all be done by the time we leave for another Indiana Christmas.

So what’s special about today- the 8th? The house is quiet, but I’m scheduled for a flu shot. I’ll soon meet my wife for a “Meatless Monday” lunch, after exposing the dogs to the first truly rainy day in a long while. Fortunately, their damp fur will be trimmed tomorrow. I will also escape my obligation to cook dinner this week in lieu of our fancy dinner plans. Today marks our 236th 8th together, so I’m working in a rare lunch to honor the occasion in anticipation of dining nirvana at the French Laundry in just a few days. Cheers.