Shpilkes (18)

July 2nd
Half a month at home and I have shpilkes. I enjoy a bit of downtime as much as the next retiree, but lounging at the beach, sitting poolside in Stanley's backyard, or even relaxing on the couch in my own house does not sit well with my mental state. I have shpilkes. I can't sit.

Yesterday, we began our day's itinerary with a tennis game for Norman and a Penzu rant for me. We followed those fun activities visiting the South Gate Manor with our happily engaged couple and Michele's mom, Tobi. Michele is an excited and happy bride-to-be, which makes my son happy, which ultimately makes us happy parents. Fill the pretty venue with friends and family dressed up to celebrate their day and it will be perfect. They are getting a very good deal thanks to her dad's connections. It always comes down to who you know in this world. They will need a good deal. None of us are lottery winners here. But I know that Zach considers his engagement to this lovely girl, who thinks my son is just as perfect, as the biggest win of his life. She is and I adore Michele. I look forward to not only next summer but to a lifetime of happy moments and the start of many celebrations for Zach and Michele.

I told Andrea all about Zach's wedding plans as we sat poolside in Stanley's backyard. Norman can do some serious lounging and relaxing. I was ready to be productive somewhere else after about an hour of kibbitzing; my husband could have enjoyed sitting in the water for an entire day. We compromised and stayed an extra half hour. My afternoon was completed with a frustrating bout of "Who writes these instructions, anyway?" I plugged in my new art projector and tried to project the image for my next painting. That goal is what life is all about, getting started on a new project and feeling like I am someone worth being me. After fiddling around with the buttons on the unit, the buttons on the remote, various plugs, flash drives, and Youtube videos to better explain the instruction sheet, I realized that my projector will not project an image. It will focus an image which is important to my work, but it won't display an image. Huh?

To make me feel like I am in control, I wrote a long email to the customer service department of the projector company this morning. Then I wrote an even longer email to the customer service/finance person at Ranney to ask why a person retiring (me) does not get the same bonus for a job well done as everyone else this past year. Thank you, Penzu, for getting me warmed up to write. I may not be able to start a painting, but I can write. Oy. I have shpilkes. I think I will go shopping today.