The day started with another run in the rain, as Portland continues to give me reason to leave the city for warmer weather.  We continue to explore options in the Tampa area before our apartment lease expires 14 months from now. It’s hard to believe that we’ve now survived in this much smaller space for four months. My wife and I are enjoying the convenience of public transportation and nearby retail. The last couple of days I’ve used my car but typically it sits in the underground garage. The trunk has become a cool supplemental storage facility for wine. I’ve stuck pretty close to my January resolution of less wine and beer, so wine club shipments continue to stack-up.

We broke from “Matinee Monday” tradition since I helped friends yesterday haul grapevine trimmings to the dump. We will do a make-good today and probably see Bombshell. I would also like to see Just Mercy but my wife wants to finish seeing all the Academy Award nominees. We’ll be in Las Vegas when the winners are announced. Maybe she’ll place a few bets on the outcome? This may make up for the fact that we’ll be at the Michael Jackson ONE performance that she inadvertently scheduled during the broadcast. We also booked a day at the Grand Canyon, several restaurant reservations, a visit to the Neon Graveyard, and a Barry Manilow concert during our week-long stay. Hopefully, these planned diversions will keep me out of the casino. 

We were married in Las Vegas going-on 18 years, so it will always be a romantic trip for us. We’ll probably go back again in 2 years and stay at the Bellagio where the ceremonies took place. This particular visit ends on Valentine’s Day, so Joe’s Stone Crab will be the official celebration dinner two days prior. 76-year old Barry will serenade us the evening before – it doesn’t get any more romantic than that! Wink…Wink. “Could It Be Magic?”

“Spirits move me, every time I’m near you
Whirling like a cyclone in my mind
You’re my life line, angel of my lifetime
Answer to all answers I can find.”

“Baby I want you come, come, come into my arms
Let me feel the wonder of all of you
Could it be magic now, now, now and hold on fast
Could this be the magic at last?”