The Saga Continues

I’ve been keeping busy—mostly in good ways! Lately, I’ve been deep into programming, setting up the food bank server, configuring it, and getting MS-SQL up and running with the latest data backup. Yesterday, I tackled PDF report processing for all the workstations, and today has been about cleaning up various odds and ends.

On the personal side, I’ve been sorting out insurance issues related to transitioning from standard health insurance to Medicare, rounding up all my info for 2024 taxes, and creating a new spreadsheet to streamline things for my tax preparer. I also tackled the overgrown bushes and trees in my side yard and have been making time for Disc Golf, dinners with friends, parties, and coffee meetups.

I did have a slight health scare—my chiropractor discovered some calcium buildup in my left carotid artery. Thankfully, an ultrasound confirmed my blood flow is fine, so I got a clean bill of health. Now that my neck and back are feeling better, I’m excited to get back to lifting weights, playing Pickleball, and more Disc Golf.

After taking a short break from painting, I jumped back in today. The colors I picked are coming together nicely! The paint in the picture below is still wet, so it’ll dry slightly darker, but so far, the harmony between the colors is pleasing to my eye. Nothing is clashing—I may be onto something here!

I'm going to see if Jola is interested in this painting. I spent yesterday refining several details that caught my eye, making sure everything felt just right. After chatting with Rosaria about "Blue Sky" colors, I decided to incorporate that shade into the piece, and interestingly, I realized the toned canvas already had a similar hue—completely by accident!

To me, this painting feels more intricate, with a real sense of movement. No matter how I adjust the camera or edit the image, the green tones never quite translate the way they appear in person. Up close, the depth and richness are much more vivid.

*Update from Jola: Good evening! I have to say, you truly surprised me. I’m so happy with this gift! No matter where life takes me, this artwork will always remind me of you. Maybe we can meet for coffee next week, and I can pick it up then?

What a sweetheart she is!