~Monday, June 13, 2022~
Day 729
Since the whole point of being out here is to spend time with my mom, I told my girlfriends back in Napa, that if we were going to get together, that we’d have to meet somewhere in between Napa and here. So I was thrilled when I learned my dear friend Karena would have time to meet me in Davis, a college town that she is very familiar with since her mom lived there for many years. So Thursday it is for some girlfriend time! Can’t wait to see her.
Asking my mom what might be at the top of her list in terms of needing help, it would be help in the yard. Right up my alley and oh so missed. Though there wasn’t any planting to be done (my favorite part) it was still great being “one” with the plants and the soil. Thank goodness it wasn’t a 100 degree day, especially with my mom’s front yard facing west. I’m hoping we’ll at least get all of the front yard work done before I leave.
Meanwhile, back in Montana, Jeff was taking care of a few items on the to-do list…especially with the thousands of miles we have coming up…….an oil change and tire rotation at the Ford dealership in Bozeman. While they were at it, they also inspected the tires and brakes confirming that we’re in great shape to hit those Alaska highways. The brakes are still slightly above 50% wear, and the tires, even with 60,000 miles on them, have at least another 15,000 to 20,000 miles of life in them. All good news since we’d prefer to get new tires and brake pads when we’re back in California this Fall. Hopefully the supply chain issues won’t be nearly as bad at that point.
After giving up hope of being able to see “Maverick: Top Gun” on the big screen due to our travels, Mom and I were thrilled that it was still playing at her local movie theater. Plus, mom had not been to see a movie since the beginning of the pandemic. It may not have been the preferred IMAX screen, so the “regular” screen would have to do. But I must say, Regal Cinemas does a fantastic job with the sound and overall experience in their smaller theaters. If this movie doesn’t win an Academy Award in at least 1 category (especially for sound), I will be shocked. For fear of giving away the “story”, all I’ll say is, whether you’re a Top Gun fan or not, you MUST SEE THIS MOVIE!! You can tell the crew poured their heart and soul into every aspect of it. There’s even talk that it could hit the billion dollar stratosphere once its cinema run ends (it’s already made over $750 million) and cost $150 million to make. Quite the profit, and an insanely richer Tom Cruise.