The Hale Family Weekly Update (8/2/26)
Daily Journal & Weekly Update
July 27–August 2, 2026My hope is that this email finds you enjoying a beautiful Sunday morning. Jerilyn and I watched an excellent movie on Netflix last night, one we had been putting off for weeks before finally deciding to try it. The title is “Song Sung Blue”, starring Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson, both of whom do their own singing. It’s a long film at 2 hours and 12 minutes, but well worth watching. If you have Netflix, give it a try. .
Monday, July 27, 2026
Today was sunny, with 74° at 8:50 a.m. and a high of 82°. I began the day with a small automotive identity crisis. I ordered new license plates for Sally, our Tesla, and we are retiring “Fuely” in favor of “G8 Sally.” I tried several combinations before finding one that wasn’t already taken. Not exactly the one we wanted, but close enough to make the car feel properly named and properly ours. We walked the Matteson Trail after a stop at Ace Hardware, where we picked up two bags of mulch. Later, we went to Costco and picked up my first bottle of Wegovy at 9mg. I’m still taking two daily of the 4mg pills I have before switching over, which feels like easing into a new chapter with a larger dose and a hopeful attitude that my weight loss will continue.
We enjoyed dinner with Rick and Colly at YROC (York River Oyster Co.) in Gloucester at 4:45 p.m. The food was delicious, and we were home again by about 7:15. A good meal with friends always makes a Monday feel less like Monday.
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Sunny again, 72° at 7:00 a.m., with a high of 87°. Robin and David (granddaughter/bonus grandson)called around 10:55 a.m., and we talked until 1:15 p.m., catching up on each other’s lives. That kind of conversation is one of life’s best gifts, and we need to do it more often.
Yoga class at 1:30 was followed by the gym at 3:15. Later, we watched the film presentation Dean (Jerilyn’s son) made using my drone, and it was excellent. I filed the link away for future use, which is my version of being organized.
Dinner with Joy at 5:00 was pleasant and relaxed. Later that night, we had a bad storm, so before it arrived we put the hail cover on Sally. That car has earned a raincoat. 😊
Wednesday, July 29, 2026
Sunny, 70° at 7:00 a.m., with a high of 88°. We started by taking the hail cover off Sally and leaving it in the driveway to dry, where it could recover from its brush with the weather. The Chesapeake annual sale was at 9:30, and it delivered the usual mix of bargains and surprises. I bought a Bose SoundDock 10, which is heavy enough to qualify as exercise equipment, plus a small flashlight, a picture frame for Mom and Dad’s photo, and a $5 battery tester. Jerilyn found a sweater, necklace, blouse, and socks for $10, which is the kind of shopping success that deserves its own celebration.
We stopped at Food Lion for bananas, then went to Dr. Randolph’s for Jerilyn’s macular degeneration shots in her eyes. I was in the room with her, and she never even flinched. That woman is tougher than a week-old biscuit.
When we got home, we rolled up the hail cover and put it back in its slot in the trunk. After lunch, we walked the Matteson Trail, then I showered and got ready for dinner at 5:30 with Mary Jane and Stephanie: a full day, and a good one.
Thursday, July 30, 2026
Sunny, 69° at 7:05 a.m., with a high of 88°. Juanita cleaned our home today, though she switched from her usual second Wednesday to Thursday so someone else could use Wednesday. That’s the kind of flexibility that keeps a household running smoothly.
I finished my retirement missive, Retirement: A New Weekend of Life, and sent it to Brandon to publish on Sunday, August 2. Jerilyn went up to the Chesapeake room and bought more donated items, which is always a tempting place if you enjoy treasure hunting with a purpose.
Yoga at 1:30 was followed by the gym at 3:30. Dinner with Mary Stuart and Betty made for a pleasant evening, and we watched the movie Sam & Kate on Prime afterward. Some nights are for high drama; some are for soft chairs and a movie.
Friday, July 31, 2026
Sunny, 75° at 7:40 a.m., with a high of 88°. Rachel was off to Nags Head with a friend for the weekend, so we did the KCT walk without her, then headed to Kroger for groceries.
We were home by about 1:00 p.m. and had lunch. My Bluetooth adapter for the newly acquired Bose SoundDock 10 arrived, and it is working fine. I also ordered a Bluetooth device that will let me play electric guitar wirelessly through the speaker, which feels like giving my guitar a passport.
Dinner at 5:00 was with Mary Jane, Mary Stuart, Jane, and Betty. After dinner, we went to the pavilion at 7:45 and socialized with about 18 people for an hour or so. It was one of those nice evenings where conversation seems to take care of itself.
I put Sally on charge because she was down to 27%, then unplugged her and moved her in front of Joe Buck’s place for the night to get away from the water sprinklers. Even electric cars need a bedtime. 😊
Saturday, August 1, 2026
Sunny, 75° at 7:30 a.m., with a high of 91°. I spent part of the morning trying to make a date-tracking app through Perplexity and downloaded Python to make it happen. I worked on it until noon with no success, which is one of the more polite ways technology can remind you who’s in charge.
After that, I sharpened some knives and scissors. Danny came over and helped me put my knife sharpener back together, because apparently the day required both persistence and a second pair of hands.
I took a shower, and then we attended Ann Derby’s funeral at 3:00 p.m. in the Horizon Room. It lasted about 30 minutes. Ann was such a good friend and dinner companion on Monday evenings, and we are missing her terribly.
We walked down to get our mail afterward, then came home. Dinner at 5:30 was with Mary Stuart, Mary Jane, and Peggy. It was a wonderful group to share a meal with at the end of a difficult day.
Sunday, August 2, 2026
Today was sunny. I was up early, working on my PC and writing another missive titled “Scars of Life”. At 85, there’s certainly enough material to keep the pen moving. I took Sally to AutoBell for her weekly bath, and she came out looking like she had just rolled off the showroom floor. I worked on and finished this weekly update, which always feels like tying a bow on the week.
We canceled our usual brunch because our friend Nancy wasn’t eating with us today, so we stayed home and ate leftovers. Those things are really piling up, which is one way to say the refrigerator is doing its job.
I also practiced guitar and sharpened some knives and scissors: a quiet Sunday, but a useful one.
Closing Message
This week had a little of everything: new license plates, storm cover duty, a successful shopping run, a retirement missive, a funeral for a dear friend, and the steady rhythm of dinners, walks, and ordinary chores that hold the week together. Some days were light, some were hard, and some were a bit of both, which is usually how life tells the truth. I am attaching a new missive for you to read (“A Life Measured in Memories”) and I hope you enjoy it.
Here are six quips to put a smile on your face and close things out:
- Retirement is the only time when a trip to Costco feels like both an adventure and a workout.
- Technology is wonderful, right up until it decides to spend the afternoon teaching patience.
- Our car gets a bath every week, while I just try to keep up.
- I’ve learned that “quick project” is usually code for “open-ended relationship with hardware.”
- Good friends, good food, and a decent cup of coffee can rescue almost any day.
- At my age, if I can fix it, sharpen it, or write about it, I count the day as a success.
…….Tommy