Happy holidays everyone! I hope you enjoy the holidays as much as your RB40Jr. He loves winter vacation because he doesn’t have to go to school. Life is very simple for a child. This year we will be traveling to California to visit families for a week. Normally, I don’t like to travel during Christmas because the airport is very crowded. But we all get older and want to spend the holidays with our families. It should be great.
I recently heard on the radio that practicing gratitude can increase happiness. This makes sense. 2024 has been full of ups and downs, but we should focus on the positives this holiday season. Most of us are very lucky. We must admit it more often.
Portland Peak!
First, I want to announce that I have reached Peak Portland! check it out.
I collected ginkgo seeds from a street tree, roasted them and served them on a plate I made. Boom! I have finished. There is nothing left to achieve in Portland. hahaha.
Mrs. RB40 and I were walking around the neighborhood when we saw some fruit on a ginkgo tree. I had never looked at the fruits so closely before, but I recognized the crushed seeds on the ground this time. I used to eat these nuts with my grandmother when I was young. Wow, these nuts are a delicacy. I didn’t know they came from ginkgo. We collected some fruits and took them home to try. The ginkgo berries were very smelly and inedible, but the nuts tasted great. I haven’t eaten these nuts since I was a kid. Mmmmm…
Coincidentally, I made a ginkgo dish last month in my ceramics class. Serendipity.
I went back to put the rest of the nuts on the ground the next day. This time I boiled it and put a little sugar on it. They were great. For your information, you can only eat about 10 of these nuts per day. (5 for children.) It contains ginkgotoxin and can cause severe poisoning if you eat too much of it. There are many benefits too. Ginkgo biloba is used in traditional Chinese medicine. Thank goodness for the internet because I would have eaten that entire bowl.
I just checked Amazon and the cost for 10 seeds is $12. This is not cheap.
Health is fine
2024 has not been a great year in terms of health. Mrs. RB40 and I are getting older and having more health issues. However, we are still healthy enough to do whatever we want. We are grateful to have such amazing doctors who care about us. Unfortunately, my primary care doctor is retiring early next year.
RB40Jr underwent surgery to place a cochlear implant in his ear to improve his hearing. The surgery went well and his hearing began to improve. We are grateful for that. However, the insurance company denied our claim because they said the transplant was experimental. We will appeal this rejection, but that can wait until next year. I wouldn’t worry about that too much. They probably deny most of the allegations anyway. The US health care system is a mess.
Money is good
2024 has been a great year for investors. The stock market rose significantly and our net worth reached an amazing new high. My active income keeps going down, but I don’t really mind. I see it as a step towards full retirement. In a few years, I probably won’t have any active income at all. This is good. Our investment will be enough to provide us with a very comfortable retirement. We are very fortunate that many people in our generation still struggle to pay bills. Money isn’t everything, but it sure makes life easier.
New and old hobbies
I took some pottery classes this year and really enjoyed it. My plates and dishes are not good, but they are wonderful and unique. Making a piece of pottery is a very good thing. You make something real and it’s great to get better at something. Gifting my creations to friends and families is great. Everyone appreciates the unique and funny looking bowl. My motto is – embrace imperfection. Pottery is the perfect hobby for me.
I also took ukulele lessons. I used to play a lot in my younger days, but I haven’t touched my headgear lately. It was great to get back to it. The harp is a delightful instrument. Ms RB40 said it was good to hear musical instruments at home again.
Family life is key
Finally, I am so grateful that I have a wonderful family life. Mrs RB40 and I have been married for 25 years. We’ve been through our ups and downs, but we’re great together now. We rarely fight and laugh together almost every day. I feel like 2024 has been our best year yet. Life is good.
I’m also grateful for the RB40Jr. He’s a teenager now, but he never causes any trouble. This is a miracle! He follows the rules, like his mother. it’s great.
Well, that’s all for today. I will be back in two weeks. Happy holidays!
What are you grateful for this year? Please share. It will help everyone feel good.
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