Part of the email I received from Fidelity (where my retirement accts are):

I wanted to reach out to you about the U.S. debt-ceiling issue and its potential impact on your savings and investments.

First, let me assure you that if you're feeling uncertain right now, you're not alone. Until there's resolution, millions of Americans will feel that uncertainty. But especially at times like these, we believe it's important to provide you with timely and relevant insights and information, and to view these events through the lens of a long-term investing perspective.

I want you to know the steps Fidelity is taking to monitor and manage the situation, and how we can help keep you informed so you can make sound decisions.

eep. ita, I'm so sorry about the pain. You've enough pain to deal with already. Hope the scan gives you something definitive.

holy hell. tired.

shrift, your trip sounds AWESOME. Very jealous.

Tom Scola, if you can get a cabin at Deetjen's I'd stay there. I've had dinner there and it's good and it's one of few places to easily stay in Big Sur. We also did the Esalen midnight nude soak which is a pain in the ass, but sort of a right of passage. I did it in a swimsuit.

If you can afford Post Ranch and they have rooms, I've heard it's awesome. Never been, but everyone who goes loves.

Near Provo actually. I wish we could be there longer and I could meet up with you, but the timing is hard for me. Wedding is on a Saturday and I teach on the following Tuesday, so we need to leave Sunday right after the wedding.

Ah! Someone actually in the same town as me, and it can't be done! I work early Sunday mornings, so it's all out. Ah well, we can wave in each other's general directions.

Seriously, though, check this website [link] for information on the highway hell going on around town. For the next week most of the major northwest arteries will have some sort of construction, and a few of the east-west ones will be closed. I suspect there's some sort of bingo setup at the Utah Dept of Transportation on where the next driver loses it.

Mom and Dad conspired to make sure the weekend wasn't dull tonight. Mom left a skillet on the stove and set off their fire alarm; meanwhile, Dad misplaced the phone receiver so neither the fire department nor I could get a call through to see if they were all right. And of course Mom wasn't answering her cell phone in all the ruckus.

I suppose it's comforting to know that potentially life-and-death emergencies still send me into an icy state of calm. (Unlike moderate ones like work emergencies, missed flights, and such, which send me into Daffy Duck-esque hysteria.)

There have been some hard truths uncovered having my 73 year old uncle visit. I've heard several stories several times. I've learned how to divert his conversation with new people when he's getting longwinded (really, he was always anyway.) I've had to get all militant about certain things, and repeat myself a lot. I don't like that part. But really? It's been a joy.He thankfully has changed his plans to just ride 400 miles to Ohio and borrow his BIL's car and return for his cycle later, cause the rest of the trip would be brutal, nasty highs. I offered to let him store it here and fly home, coming back to get it when it is cooler, but he wants to drive the midlifecrisis pontiac sportscar his BIL has. Alrighty then.

Fantastic brunch at Clementine with him and my cousin, her husband and 3 kids. Then we came back to my house and the kids played about, and freaked out..Loki. MK was fine, no surprise. Loki wanted their attention but they were too much for him. He finally hid in my shoe closet. Devi... slept the whole time in the foam cube in the room with us. Freaky!

When my favorite mexican place had no parking and a line, I fished about madly and ended us up at and uzbeki-"europian" place. Had soup, kebab and uzbeki naan. Which is puffy. Anyway, think it was eh, but also think the trick is to do the whole banquet thing. I wasn't too hungry, so. Spices were good.

Also, my summertime neighbor met him as we were belatedly to market (he gets distracted easily.) ANYWAY, long after we got home, I got the loveliest email: " Just wanted to say that your uncle frank. Is. Awesome." Yeah, yeah, he is. He's getting a huge hug in the morning.

ita, so sorry to hear about the pain. Definitely agree that it sounds like gallstones based on my mom's experience. Let me know if I can help out with rides and whatnot tomorrow.

Ah! Someone actually in the same town as me, and it can't be done! I work early Sunday mornings, so it's all out. Ah well, we can wave in each other's general directions.

Well dang, tell you what. It's not for a couple of weeks so I don't have exact arrival and departure dates, but when I do I'll send you an email and we'll see if we can make something happen. Because I don't get to Utah very often.

but when I do I'll send you an email and we'll see if we can make something happen

That would be lovely!

If you can afford Post Ranch and they have rooms, I've heard it's awesome.

That sounds interesting, how expensive could it— HOLY ASS.

You have a spare $5000 laying around, don't you?