Hey There!
It's 8:01 AM EDT, 66°F, Humidity 80%, Wind 4 mph S, partly sunny, AQI 46
Yesterday was something of a recovery day. Son2's visits are always such a whirlwind that the next day we have to stop and take our breaths.
I had left the kitchen a mess overnight, and so the first thing I had to do was clean up. It was mostly the pans used to make the chicken parm dinner. I also emptied the dishwasher so it would take the small load of dishes left. It's a messy job in the morning. Following that task, I launched into my morning routine.
DW joined me on the porch while I was having coffee, and we discussed future plans. I think this weekend made us realize we have a completely different lifestyle that Son2, and if we intend to move in with him someday, we will have to make sure there is plenty of space and separation. He likes stimulation all the time, while we like quiet and a slow pace. It's probably going to mean a clear conversation. I think it will be fine in the end.
After breakfast and getting cleaned up, DW and I went down the luggage rabbit hole I created. The second travel bag came in the morning, and so I broke out the two bags I've bought to see their comparison. Both have options that are not on the other one, and it's hard to choose, because I'd like a bag that has everything. DW prefers one bag, while I prefer the other. I think the plan is going to be that I take them both on this upcoming trip, use one on the way out, and one on the way back. Putting them to that test may perhaps let me know which is better in the long term.
Then of course I went on the hunt for videos comparing the two. There are some, but reviewers tend not to make firm decisions. They tend to say "This is the one if you like this" kinds of evaluations. I tend to believe that one bag is better for airplane travel and the other bag is better for car travel, but I can't keep them both. I have too many bags as it is already. one will go at the end of this trip.
I then went upstairs to start the packing. I wanted to see what the clothes looked like in each bag, and I even took out my weekend roller bag as well. The roller bag is the best choice, I think, because it fits the most clothes, and I can take my CPAP and put it on the handle. Neither of the backpacks can do this. I really have to have a clear understanding of how much travel I am actually going to do in the next few years. No choice I make will be a make-or-break decision. So we'll see over the weekend.
I also did an inventory of tech items I have that I can put in a pouch. I need a tech pouch that I can just grab and go. I have so much excess tech gear floating around that this should be no issue. It's just a question of which pouch. I can't bring myself to buy another bag at this point. I also found some gear from AZ that I had stowed in a bag and had dumped in the basement. Things are just scattered around, and everything sometimes feels like a scavenger hunt.
Around 5PM I stopped the process and killed some time with YouTube before dinner. DW made me the last piece of mahi mahi, while she had some dal, and we split the leftover rice. I also had an ear of corn. With no ball game to watch, the evening turned into a podcast evening. I needed a change. I listened to a podcast from CBC Radio as well as a part of The Gray Area. I have resurrected my iPad Mini, but I really don't have a clear vision of what to do with it yet. It seems limited. I imagine it would make a good content consuming item, but I am not a big media person. I could listen to podcasts, watch YouTube (although my computer is better at ad blocking), listen to SiriusXM, but it all seems a bit passive. I tried out a podcast recording program called Wavelength, but I would need better earphones to get a decent recording.
When all my evening futzing was done, I cleaned the kitchen and went to bed around 11:15 PM.
That's it for now. 'Til We Meet Again!