6/23/2022

I am still alive.

After work I went to visit the cats knowing Leah would not be home. I saw, or pet, each one. Kira even came out from under her hiding bush to say hello, be held, petted, then brought inside whereupon she hissed at Handsome Pete for being Handsome Pete. Cats are inscrutible.
I brought in the trash cans and left without turning on the little window lamp to welcome people home nor folding the bathroom towels.
A very long ride later through the Pine Barrens I reached the Cherry Hill Holiday Inn for the real estate meeting. It was supposed to start at 6 p.m. but shit didn't get rolling 'til after 7 p.m. much to my annoyance. The guy who came to talk about dealing with notes had some interesting information, along with the hard money lender. There was a woman there who handles Delaware statutory trusts and she knew a lot about her business but it was all Greek to me. Around 8:30 I decided to pack it in and head up to Dave and Tracey's place. Google Maps told me to head down I-295 and take exit 13, but when I reached exit 16 I saw the directions had fucking changed much to my irritation. Being obstinate I kept on to exit 13 but Google Maps was insistent, so like a good meatbag I turned around and took exit 16 then the long rural route to their place. I think I was getting pretty tired because my mood changed from the somber melancholy earlier in the day to enjoying a drive through rural south Jersey.
At Dave and Tracey's we chatted a bit, talked shop, but went to bed a little after ten because it was a school night for them and I was knackered.

Next morning I was up before them, cleared the guest room so Tracey could start working without having to wait for me. I putzed around on my phone, had another lively conversation with my friend in upstate New Jersey, and faded in and out of naps 'til lunchtime. It was particularly anxious because Tracey was written up for not reviewing enough jobs during the day and Dave was trying to gently advise her how to meet their unrealistic goals. The way Dave spoke with Tracey reminded me a lot of the way Leah would talk to me, albeit more loving and gentle, and in that moment I realized all extroverts are probably like this. What drove the point home is that Dave kept asking if I needed anything, food or water or whatnot, and I let him know I'm good and self-sufficient, that I don't want to be a bother, yet he kept asking because he's a good egg.

A little before one I packed up and headed out. I hope everything works out well for Tracey because being written up sucks big time. I did ask if she knew the situation of other title examiners/reviewers at the company but she didn't know. A shame since when labor organizes, they have more strength than management.

It rained while driving back. My next stop was the podiatrist where I learned my left Achilles tendon was inflamed and was given a heel lifter and a prescription for steroids. The podiatrist let me know any fears about steroids are misplaced since I'm taking them internally, rather than receiving an injection, as injections could cause ruptures.

Now I'm back in the 'hood. WTBZ 96.3 FM tweeted out a bunch of songs. I scanned Tuesday's work and uploaded it to the back office.

Hopefully next week I'll see my friend upstate. Sometime sooner I'll catch up with my real estate associate to talk business and maybe have dinner at the Chinese buffet with my soon-to-be-ex mother-in-law.

I'm feeling better.