Our Lifestyle Adventures: Taking a break from Writing I

at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport with Dave Eck, Bill's financial adviser, who flew in to finalize my investment

Carol @ tennis

With the book project ongoing, I am now able to take a break and also give you a break from the boring reports and tell you more about our adventures!  Anyway, all work and no play makes one a dull girl! First, tennis: Bill accuses me of wanting to play tennis only to get a new wardrobe! Although he is partially right, I was devoting some 4.5 hours/week getting the ball to the other side of the court and another four hours at the Fitness Center.  I have managed to keep my weight at 125 lbs., although a far cry from the 101 lbs. I brought into the US.

Bill with the giant golf ball at PGA Superstore

Bill @ tennis potluck

Unfortunately, on my third tennis clinic, just as I had completed my new wardrobe of two tank tops, two bottoms, a tennis racket, and tennis shoes, all in my favorite yellow and black motif, the calf muscle on my right leg got torn! I was out of active tennis for a whole two weeks!  The sweet guy Bill is, he just kept me practicing hitting the ball without moving my legs! And we were both able to attend a tennis club general meeting and contribute to a tennis potluck social! Athletic Bill has golf in addition!

Niall, our guru

Then I found this free course of ten sessions, An Introduction to Practical Philosophy, every Saturday morning at the West Community Center of Mesa. It is offered by the School of Practical Philosophy as a prelude to all its other courses, philosophy and economics, et al, leading all the way to a meditating life. The School was founded in England in 1932, was introduced to New York (now its headquarters) in 1964, and brought to the Phoenix area in 2009. It is now in seventy countries (but not yet in the Philippines). I consider finding it as one of the benefits of living in a big city!

Next thing we knew, we had a visit from David Eck, Bill’s financial adviser, who flew in from Washington, had a layover of three hours in the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport, giving us enough time to finalize our discussions about my own investments. I had sold one of my houses in Quezon City and, with interest rates in the Philippines almost the same as here, I have opted to have more passive income in an annuity fund that is closer to home, here in the US. We signed the documents at the airport and he flew back to Washington!

wine and truffle tasting @ Vino in Scottsdale, Arizona

movie and dinner @ Studio Movie Grille

January is also the time to enjoy the stocking stuffers! One of those I gave Bill was a wine and truffle tasting event in Scottsdale. We enjoyed ourselves immensely at Vino and even brought home a bottle of exceptional wine blend and gifts for Trisha and April, both wine lovers, who are celebrating their birthdays soon. Another stocking stuffer I gave Bill was a ticket to the Studio Movie Grill, also in Scottsdale, a luxury theater with reclining chairs serving dinner to boot. He got another ticket for me and we had fun watching The Lone Survivor, downing nachos and salsa for appetizers, tenderloin tips pasta and pasta pomodoro for dinner. Sadly, although the movie was ok, the dinner wasn’t.

huge breakfast @ Denny's

Good news is that I have stabilized not only my eyes’ health, but overall health! Although the bone density exam showed early osteoporosis on my left hip and general osteopina, Dr. Crawford said it is to be expected at my age. Hives have not recurred since October. Although GERD is still there, it is largely controlled. Besides I now have my regular supply of alkaline water (another benefit of being in a big city.  And the ultrasound of my upper abdomen revealed just the same old gallbladder polyp that has not grown any bigger. In other words, he pronounced me in general good health, now that the thyroid hormone is stabilized (which could have been the root of all my problems). I am to come back and see him in six months, after our European sojourn! We celebrated with a huge Denny’s pancake breakfast!

The other good news: Bill has completed his CASA training and will soon work on his first case! Bill and I are both pretty much on track, living balanced lives: part-time business, payback time, and  play time!