I’m really curious about the weather forecast! I’m not a fan of extreme cold, especially when it comes to riding a bicycle in spring rain and floods. Then there’s the heat of summer. But hey, there are three months between early August and the middle of November when I can really enjoy biking. So, looking at the bright side of winter, at least in the tundra, it can’t flood, right?
Even with the not-so-great weather, I’ve managed to complete 59 rides (28 of which were to work) and racked up 1,006 miles! The mileage is high now because the flood has made the trip 5 miles longer each way, adding 10 miles daily, for a total of 36 miles compared to the shorter 26 miles. A week ago, the river was just low enough. I had hoped to take the shorter route, but after a week of rain, the river is up about 2.5 feet! Check out the chart below, which shows the river levels from the last time I could ride the short route, on March 19, through today.
I await the weather and look forward to the day when I can take a shorter ride.
In terms of my health, I was experiencing significant improvement following the previous iron infusion. However, after a few weeks, I began to experience sleep deprivation once again. I am aware that I was still experiencing gastrointestinal bleeding, which, coupled with other symptoms, led to this realization. Last week, my average sleep duration was approximately four hours. Despite my efforts to address the issue, insomnia is the first symptom I notice when my iron levels are low. I intend to increase my consumption of tofu, sesame seeds, and spinach, which have been beneficial in the past. However, these combinations can become monotonous relatively quickly. I have scheduled tests for June 4th, and another infusion is imminent.
Regarding my work situation, there are still unresolved issues. We are currently operating at approximately 20 percent below the levels achieved in 2006, during the peak of the economic boom. Our workload has increased significantly since then. Consequently, I am required to work almost every weekend, which has resulted in the loss of 32 vacation hours and an average workweek exceeding 50 hours. This figure only accounts for the time spent at the office, which includes a limited number of remote hours. The stress levels have reached an all-time high. If I were not nearing retirement (in a few years), I would consider leaving my current position to prioritize my health.
My son has been traveling a lot for work lately, and it feels like ages since I last saw him. He spent most of the spring in Germany. I’m trying to figure out where he’s headed next. Fingers crossed it’s back in the US so he can catch up on life! His girlfriend works in Alaska, so he’s working remotely from there.
That’s great because he can finally spend some time with his mom. Alaska is a long flight, but he manages to make it work sometimes. I know his schedule is crazy, so for the past year, he’s been in Alaska as much, if not more, than Minnesota. I hope he can keep visiting Alaska more often, especially since he loves the sunshine there, especially when there are 20 hours of it a day!
My girlfriend has been super busy with work, and we’re spending less time together each year. She leaves for work about three hours after I do and gets home two hours later. So, I have breakfast at the office and dinner for about an hour before she gets home. It’s funny how, during the week, we only see each other for about four to five hours, and we live in the same house!
Then, I work every Saturday, and she’s busy with the grandchildren on weekends. That’s just the way it is now with three little ones (nine months, 18 months, and four years old). She’s amazing with kids; if she could, she’d see them as much as possible, but work gets in the way.
So, Porter and I often hang out, which is good. He has a very odd personality, so we get along just fine!
