still processing....

 Today is the 3rd day of the 31st week, the 29th day of the 7th month, the 210th day of 2025 [with only 148 shopping days until Christmas], and:

• Army Chaplain Corps Anniversary 
• International Butler Day
• International Tiger Day
• National Cheese Sacrifice Purchase Day - "If you wish to catch some mice, first some cheese you must sacrifice...So purchase the cheese upon this day, and a mouse-free house is here to stay!" [no idea why they picked today tho]
• National Chicken Wing Day
• National Lasagna Day
• National Lipstick Day
• Rain Day
• the moon is at waxing crescent, 23% of full
• and Voyager 1 is ~23h 10m 35s of light travel time from Earth, or 25,013,000,000 km or 15,542,000,000 miles or 167.203 AU

Quote of the day:
“In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.”
~ Eric Hoffer - Author and philosopher 

Giant's Causeway in Northern Ireland
Bing wallpaper of the day

This particular formation has always fascinated me and I would love to see it in person someday 

Made of interlocking basalt columns, there are about 40K polygonal shapes caused by cooling lava some 60 million years ago in the Paleogene period [right after that asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs].  

The Tribe is struggling with the idea that a month has passed already; it just doesn't seem possible that time is just rolling onwards.  The paperwork is continuing to descend upon us even as we are still struggling to process our loss.  The estate is not opened yet - a lot is hanging on whether or not Tommy designated a beneficiary for his 403(b) [that's the same thing as a 401(k) for folks that work for non-profits].  If he did, then it is not part of the estate and in Tennessee we can file a small estate affidavit or Petition for Limited Letters of Administration,  If he didn't, since he passed without a will, things get much more complicated.  My daughter offered to take care of settling the estate, and I gratefully took her up on that offer.  It is hard enough trying to get the small insurance policies that I have for him processed.  We did pay for extra death certificates from the crematorium - the kids were rather surprised when I insisted on 10 copies, but I remember how many it took when Frank died because everyone insisted on getting an original copy.  No idea why they wouldn't accept a digital copy [scanned] or a xeroxed copy, but they wanted originals.  Of course back then the certificates had an embossed seal - they don't do that anymore - so maybe they won't be such PITAs about it.

You know, back in June, on Friday the 13th, we were told Tommy had no more than 90 days.   Selfishly, sometimes I find myself wishing we had at least some of those days instead of the 13 we were given.  And then I remind myself that going quickly was better for him....

And so life goes on

Gem and I celebrated Christmas in July at the Pottery Stop.  I made a large Christmas tree - you know, the kind that all of us had around in our younger days.  The one I had got lost in all the moves, and the one that Frank made I gave to Cheryl, so now I have made my own

Alex and I had a good time working on their birthday present on Saturday - their very own, handsewn Patchwork Bear kit.  The pattern starts you off with doing the face first, which is the most complicated part.  The picture shows the muzzle - afterwards we got the ears sewn, stuffed, and attached, and the back of the head pinned.  I thought we made a lot of progress, especially considering we are doing all the seams by hand.

Work is work - nothing special to talk about.  Next month I lose my support person - Kanika will be going to India on the 8th and will not be back until after Labor Day.  We have four loans and one major modification [increase in proceeds] that are supposed to be settling while she is gone, so I am soaking up all the down time I possible can, trying to store up energy for the big push.  

Triscuit is still overgrooming the area around her tail.  I am assuming it is stress caused by being alone so much during the previous month, but if she keeps it up, a vet visit is in her future.  Meanwhile I will try some over-the-counter remedies to make sure it isn't just allergy itching.  

Still one day at a time....