Plans

[coffeedaiv]

This time, next week, I will be in Kentucky. More precisly, I will have been in Kentucky for a full day and some (flying in to Nashville on Thursday, driving the Hopkinsville with Brother J (who arrives somewhat later than i do) that night). J and I are staying together in an AirBnB, which is the cause of some friction (after I made flight and car arrangements, and as researching where to stay, J told me that we should drive from Nashville and stay together; So, after having contacted one of the Cousins, I got the AirBNB, at a discounted friend of the family rate. J objected, saying he thought it was too much money. I rejected his objection, saying he never set parameters for the how much he wanted to pay or what he expected, and ... further stuff. All via email, so I could maintain a degree of self control. J replied that i was over reacting. So, that is awesome (Never, in the history of anything ever, has being told that someone is over reacting gone well). 

We are doing a family thing with the cousins... Right, let me unpack that a bit. This is Moms family. Granny, AKA, Moms mother, had 6 siblings. Grandaddy (her father) had seven. Many of them had children, and grand children. So... LOTS of cousins, throughout Western Kentucky. I have not been there since i was about 10, though I have had some contact with a few of them through Facebook. So, yah. Cousins. Techincally second and third cousins? Anyway. On Friday evening, there is a dinner. Saturday, we four brothers are going to do a memorial service thing at a family farm (apparently, there is at least one farm in the family), and then the big Family Reunion BBQ. Cousin Jimmy is a devout grill guy. Sunday, Family brunch. Monday, drive J back to Nashville, and the two of us fly back to the West Coast (Oakland and Seattle). 

My only agenda that extends outside that is to visit a Distillery. I asked a cousin if there was one in town, and it turns out, one of there is, and one of kids married into the family that owns it. I feel there is nothing more fitting to acknowledge and remember and honor my personal relationship with my mother and my legacy and inheritance than to not get shitfaced. But also, to sample some local whiskey, and try, at least, to have a bottle or two shipped home, and not drink very much very often. Both embracing my heritage, and ... to a degree, also rejecting it. At least, rejecting the destructive parts of it, as best as I can. 

This is not my actual first vacation thing.C and M are splitting cat care duties (mostly involving feeding Aglaia, but also, time and spoons permitting, spending some time with her (she is a very social cat, for all that her definition of play frequently involves claws and teeth, which can be an unattractive trait in a creature sitting scenario(. 

And, when i get back, it is on to Project Waterfowl Alignment. 

Side note. We completed the sale of Mom's house. I got my portion of the funds wired to me. One thing and another, I knew how much it was going to be, and I had outlined a plan for what to do with it (bills to pay, savings to set aside, investments to make). Mostly, I was considering how much to put into my brokerage account (I have one of those, now?), how much to set aside and earmark for possible house (condo) purchase, and how much to invest in a 12 month CD. 

And the Fed lowered interest rates. Which, I mean, yay, probably better mortgage rates. And, also, wah, probably not as attractive CD rates. But mostly, I have a ... I am paying attention to the impact of the Feds interest rate decisions, and how it directly impacts my life and decisions. This is a thing Adults do!! What the F?! 

And, in an act of Actual Adulting, I did nothing at all with that money (Other than paying off one last debt), until i talked to my financial advisor. Because, like an "Adult", I have one of those, now. Likewise, I am also going to talk to a Mortgage advisor, to see about putting that whole house buying process in motion. Being an Adult means, among other things, that I don't have to know everything; I can and should and will ask for help when I need it.