Today we pack – tomorrow we travel. We’re looking forward to the bright lights of Vegas and maybe some sunshine. Unfortunately, there is some rain in the forecast so we may not get away from the Portland weather after-all. I made our last dinner reservation yesterday for Edge Steakhouse in our hotel after a recommendation from a friend. A big dinner and a couple martinis should set the stage for my predictable nap during Barry Manilow’s performance soon after. It will be our final night of a week-long stay at the Westgate Resort and Casino. I’m sure we’ll be ready to get out of town and home to a more sedate life of retirement. 

My wife has shifted her focus on finding our “forever” home to south of Sarasota from north of Tampa. She still wants to be as close to the beach as possible and prefers the builder in that area. I’ll just be glad when we finally make the decision and start to build. We still plan on moving a year from now with many trips planned in the meantime. Vegas, Phoenix, Dallas, Bali, San Francisco, Florida, Egypt, Kauai, Spain, Norway, and Russia have all been scheduled. My wife also wants to do a girl’s getaway to Savannah and Hilton Head. At that time, I’ll be headed to the Olympic Track & Field trials for a few days with the boys. We’re going all out on worldly adventures our first year of joint retirement. 

On the boring, couch potato side of our lives, we continue to watch Grace and Frankie together, while I just finished both Season 2 of You and the 6th of Vikings. When we get back from Las Vegas, I’ll wrap-up the Season 7 finale of Curse of Oak Island and buy Season 5 of Better Call Saul. Even though both my wife and I were in the network television business for the majority of our careers, the only over-the-air programs we’ve viewed in months was the recent Super Bowl and post-game Masked Singer. Otherwise, it’s been a diet of cable or on-demand, our once-hated competitors. We’re both glad to be out of the business, as viewer ratings continue to diminish and performance demands grow unbearable. 

Last night was Hak for “Date Night,” a welcome opportunity each week to abandon our tiny apartment. We went by streetcar, transferring to the other side of the river, our longest local rail venture yet. I did use the car yesterday to meet-up with a “coffee-group” that my high school friend invited me to join. “Leadership Meetings” are no longer a Friday lunch mainstay, so I’m seeking new friendship and a break from the indoor routine. My wife and I also got out for a Tuesday matinee showing of The Gentlemen via streetcar. All of these convenient, close-to-home activities will be left behind tomorrow once we pack our bags.