Author: Jerry

Another year gone

Today is the last day of year number 40 for me. I celebrated 40 at my favorite tap room, and that was basically the last time I was there. A few weeks later is when everything went to hell and COVID-19 forced everything to change. It was quite a shitty year (which I think I posted about earlier). This year hasn’t started off as great as I’d hoped either. I remain hopeful, but I struggle to stay positive.

We had planned to send the kids to their cousins for the evening tomorrow (who are basically they only people they have seen in a year besides the occasional grandparent drop-by) so that we could have the first night alone in nearly a year. Then one of my wife’s “friends” decided to be incredibly selfish and potentially expose her to COVID Wednesday night. When you live with a family that is symptomatic and has already been tested and waiting for results, why wouldn’t you mention that prior to having someone get in a car with you for longer than 20 minutes? And then text the next morning describing said family situation and that their results came back positive and she was going to go get tested. “Friend,” indeed. So, if she did have it (probable) and passed it on to my wife, today would be one of the last days where she wouldn’t be contagious. Her “friend’s” test results won’t come back until tomorrow at the earliest, but most likely Sunday, but my wife would potentially be contagious sometime tomorrow. The earliest she could get tested would be Monday. So we have to figure out if she should quarantine herself away from us or not. Of course the CDC says that until her “friend” actually tests positive, there is nothing we have to do, but in reality, that’s probably why this continues to run rampant. It’s probable that I will spend my 41st birthday separated from my wife as much as possible, rather than the quiet alone time we had planned for the first time in a year. All because someone decided to be inconceivably selfish. Fuck them.

Cheers.

Time to be a loser

Well, I started off my 3 week holiday break back in December with the hopes of dropping ten pounds. Instead, here I sit on January 19th UP 16 more pounds. Not what I wanted, but it is what it is at this point. I had started a wager with a friend back in November that is supposed to end March 1st. He’s down a few pounds, so I have my work cut out for me.

Rather than the usual, I figured I’d give this Apple Fitness+ thing a shot. We’ve been meaning to get a new stationary bike (our old recumbent bike needs to go) and perhaps a cheap(ish) rowing machine, so what better to spend our Christmas money on?

I started today doing one of the 20 minute treadmill runs. I’ve been running, just not consistently, and this run was still pretty rough. I would have preferred less talk and more music, but it was still enjoyable. My wife did a walk next to me on our other treadmill using her iPhone, and she really liked that as well. After our run/walk, we decided to try a 10 minute core exercise together. Since you can’t pair two Apple watches simultaneously to the AppleTV, she simply started the same workout at the same time and sat her phone down so we could do it together using the big screen. It, too, was quite enjoyable. I haven’t sweat this much in a long time (even after longer runs). I’m super excited to try out the bike and rowing machines when they get here, which is supposed to be yet this week. The 16 pound swing will be tough to overcome, but if I can get down below where I started the competition back in November, I’ll call it a win (even when I have to pay up).

Still better than 2020

Grandma passed, unfortunately on Christmas Day. We had a small family-only graveside funeral for her. It was quite difficult, and I didn’t make it as far as I thought I would before I couldn’t hold back the tears. I’m glad she is no longer suffering, but I already miss her greatly.

Then, on the first day back to work, I didn’t even make it 2 miles before a deer decides to run into my truck doing nearly $3K work of damage. Then the cyst I have on the back of my neck decides its time to get infected. So I have it looked at, and now I have to have surgery next month.

So far this year has not started off like I’d hoped, but its still better than 2020.

The happiest place on Earth!

Fall of 2019 you hopped a plane to join me on a long weekend in Orlando. We found some legit taquerias, mini-golfed, got stuck in the hotel during a tropical storm & watched Big Mouth. We also got the bartender at Rock & Brews on our pro All 80’s rock team. We went to Universal Studios and you probably blacked out on a roller coaster and yelled FUCK…. oh Shit… and made some weird noises. We drank and ate with Ethan at Epcot Center Food Fest and more Rock & Brews. We went to Dave & Busters and I’m sure I put my foot in my mouth more times than I remember. All in all a good little weekend just hanging out like the old days. Here’s to those memories and the many more I may have omitted.

[Jerry’s additions]

First of all, you totally tricked me with getting in line for that first roller coaster. Getting off, some old lady asked if I needed help walking down the stairs, so I obviously didn’t look well. I did, however, very much enjoy Space Mountain. Probably because it was dark. I’m also not sure everyone outside of the bartender at Rock & Brews cared for our spontaneous and then persistent karaoke, but they were probably just jealous of our mad skills.

Thanksgiving & Christmas 2018

Not a super different time from most other visits. Just came to visit during & after my maintenance course and we got to hang out after a Eurotrip. We did more of the same except I went to Twittergiving with you, and got to hang out with Adam & Tommy & many more. We also got to hang out and play board games and trivia, Rock Band, and more. I think at this point our shenanigans have finally slightly chilled out. Although there were discussions of TP’ing Brandon, I don’t think we ever got actually close to it.

The Alps, The castles, & Home

We left Venice area the next morning for the long drive over the Neuschwanstein area. The Alps had some beautiful views and we may have stopped for a beer in Switzerland, I’m not 100%. We made it to our little hotel a border town, grabbed some good grub and some good beer and called it a night. The next morning we went to Neuschwanstein and Hohenschwangau castles. After the castles we drove back to my house and you guys got ready for your return flight. ALSO, you denied ever having been on that bridge, despite evident the contrary. Anyway, the next morning we bid you adieu at the airport and returned to normalcy. Boring and not fancy as it is.

[Jerry’s additions]

You totally forgot about Liechtenstein! We wanted to stop and have a quick beer in that country for Lacey, but being a Sunday afternoon, nothing was open. Nothing except an American Route 66 diner. So we sat outside and watched soccer (football) on the huge TVs and enjoyed a few beers. And yes, we absolutely did stop in Switzerland for lunch and a beer. I believe that was the one that had that awesome view from the top of the restaurant where we sat outside under the umbrella.

Ljubljana and then Croatia and Venice

Ah, Ljubljana, one of my favorite little cities. Dragons everywhere, good beer, good food, and always friendly. We went to Lake Bled as well, and the castle in the cliff on the way out of the country. We ate cream cake, and then took a long detour to get Croatian pizza, which was excellent, and a beer. Then on to Venice. We had the most terrifying taxi ride that night, and you got wine drunk super early while we had food. The next day we spent most of the day in Venice proper. St. Marks Square and Basilica, the tower, canal rides & the bridges. Then that night I’m pretty sure we had the bad bus ride, but we made the best of it. Venice is a beautiful place and one of my favorite cities, and seeing it with you two was all the better.

[Jerry’s additions]

I don’t know what was wrong with that cab driver, but even after driving around with you the entire trip, I was scared. I really thought he was going to run over the people in that crosswalk! I, too, loved Ljubljana. Was probably one of my favorite locations we visited. Not to mention the upgraded Air BnB location we got because the original one flooded or something and so the lady put us super close to that bar we loved.

Prague, Bratislava, & Vienna

our adventures continue, albeit at a much more rapid pace. In hindsight, the second half of this trip was way too ambitious, but we worked it into multiple places. Old town, the bridge in Prague, the beer spa with the ice water bucket and the beer and bread. The Air BnB with the roof balcony. The next day a quick to pin Bratislava for a beer and I think a walk up the palace steps. Then on the Vienna, for a visit to Schonbrunn palace, more beers, and a trip to the operas, with beer and dinner and then on to the hotel. Some more sights in the morning and then to Ljubljana.

[Jerry’s additions]

That opera was something else. I felt a little underdressed, though I was surprised on how well I was following along with the story given I don’t know German. Very fun, though. That roof balcony, while a little sketchy getting up there, definitely had some beautiful views… until it started pouring rain. That beer spa was fantastic! The sessions need to be longer in my opinion, but I had a blast! That ice water bucket shower was something else. I’d go back there again in a heartbeat! Don’t forget about the Apple Museum I made everyone visit. I think I enjoyed that more than everyone else.

Our house in a farm field

This was our rest/recovery night, to do laundry, hang out and reset. We played some games, sampled some scotch and got packed to start the mad-dash second half of the trip. Much more compact and hectic, but still fun. We called it a night not too early, and hit the road early the next day. Also on one of the preceeding days we had stopped in Luxembourg and walked the Casemates and had a beer.

[Jerry’s additions]

It was still later than we should have stayed up for as early as you had us leaving. The Rock Band was epic, though. And our pairing of whatever cheeses you had with all those different scotches was quite fancy. Also, we had one of each of the Westvleteren beers either before or after all the scotch. Can’t recall which, for obvious reasons.

AMSTER – Dam its a fun time

We find ourselves back in Amsterdam. We visited the oldest sailors bar in Amsterdam, the Konigs Museum, Rijksmuseum for the dutch masters collection. We hit up the Van Gough museum (which we ordered tickets on line while standing outside of it) walked the flower market, and found a couple little hole in the wall bars. We also hit the Heineken Experience again. We made some good videos, and some ice cold beer and proceeded to the Red Light district with everyone in tow, and it was PACKED! We made it in to a couple of bars and had more beers including a return to the Red Lion, but all in all there were too many tourists so we stayed in more low key ventures. Also, at one point I got yelled at for being a “fucking tourist” for crossing at what I thought was a crosswalk.

[Jerry’s additions]

I’m pretty certain it was at Cafe De Doktor that we found the “murder stairs” and nearly died trying to go to the bathroom. I believe it was also the first night where we all had snoring battles, and I ended up having to wear my noise cancelling headphones to sleep. The Delirium Cafe in Amsterdam was cool since it was right on the water, but nowhere near the same as in Brussels. And the Heineken tour was different than when we visited the first time. I’m hoping that means it will be different next time we go as well. I miss Amsterdam…