I've spent most of today working on getting my new backup camera installed on the truck. I've wanted one for a long time, but always assumed they were really expensive until I actually looked for one. It cost around $30. But I also read that the wired ones were better and more reliable than the wireless ones so that's where I went with it. However, running the wires is no easy task, either. It took 3 rolls of wire conduit and a bit of electrical tape and several zip-ties, but everything's working. I tapped into the reverse light on one side of the rear of the truck for power so the camera only comes on when I put it in reverse, which is also what I wanted, and crawled under the truck a lot to figure out how/where to run the wires; the hardest part was figuring out how/where to get the wire from the outside to the inside. But I was able to find a grommet and cut a little hole in it to pass the wire through, and tuck it in other wire clusters most of the way to the camera mount. It works!.....Yesterday we went out to FW again to pick up the now-framed Charleston cross-stitching. It looks great! And you can hardly see the stain on the fabric, maybe only I can see it.....Nat went to a baby shower for her sister Cara Saturday. We dropped her off before going to FW. She couldn't stay though, as it turned out there was too much noise and commotion and crowding so she got a ride to a friend's house before too long......Beth went to Medstat Friday evening because her back has been hurting from sciatica so much lately. She got some muscle relaxants, hope they help.....

A bit more adulting this week, male over-50 adulting in particular. I went to FW for a referral appointment with a urologist to check out what's going on with the pain & discomfort down there. Got my 3rd prostate check in the last couple months along with it; they didn't see anything really significant but suspect that I wasn't on the antibiotics long enough (usually it takes 30 days). To figure out which antibiotic I should be on, they did the check to 'activate' the prostate and get some bacteria into a specimen. 'Agitate' is more like it, it was an arduous check.....Finally got around to replacing the headlights in the van this week. One has been burned out for quite a while and I keep saying 'I need to replace that really soon' but then forgetting.....We all went to Fort Wayne on Saturday, most particularly to go to a cross-stitch framing store. I've been wanting to get the Charleston stitching I did a long time ago (I started it in 2000, and finished it in 2007) framed, so we found the stitching store online and headed there. Got the mat and frame picked out, should look really good. After getting lost on the way back (it's a part of FW we don;t usually go to!) we hit the mall and Barnes & Noble. Blaze Pizza for dinner.....Missy had an art award presentation this week, that was supposed to be today in FW, but she didn't want to go. Not sure why. She was nominated for the award by a teacher, and I think it's quite an honor for a sophomore to be so nominated, but we never could get anything out of Missy as to what it was for, what kind of award it was, etc. She told us she didn't want to go to the presentation but also couldn't tell us why not. I think she was too nervous about maybe having to get up in front of people but that's only a guess. Anyway, I'm so proud of her for winning an art award! I just wish I knew what it was and what it was for.

Bad news this week, my company had a reorganization and there were several layoffs. Not me thankfully, but I do know several people who were let go. My boss's wife was also let go, wonder what'll happen with them now......Can't think of anything else this week

Super Bowl weekend! The game was pretty good but I was bummed that the 49ers lost. I always had the feeling the Chiefs were going to come back but I was hoping. I think Beth wanted to be a hostess again even though nobody was coming over, because she made a big spread of food for it. Just like Thanksgiving. There was spinach dip, and a veggie tray, and guacamole, and corn crack dip, chicken wings (made in the instant pot, although it didn't seem to make them easier), and lots of chips and crackers and things.....The library changed their minds about Nat's book! I came in to just pay for the book instead of dealing with getting another replacement, and they decided that they would just keep the book and charge me $30 to repair it, since it was 10 years old they decided it wasn't really fair to make me replace it with brand new. Which I appreciated......I got the settlement for Mom's IRA this week. I had to open a Schwab account for them to roll the inheritance into, it came to $109,000. We're planning to pay off some debts, then save the rest for college expenses.....