We’re not really in Texas; we’re in Colorado. Lindsay arranged a surprise 40th birthday party for Matt and we want to be part of it, so we came to Colorado early. We’re not supposed to be here until next month. In last night’s trip report I may have “suggested” that we’re still in Texas, but I didn’t actually say it. Matt can track us by our trip reports, so please forgive the misdirection. (I didn’t put Matt on this report.) Judy and Lindsay have been talking on the phone about this for weeks. Lindsay has a neighborhood facility reserved, all the friends and family invited, and the decorations and cake ordered. Judy provided moral support from far away, and arranged the food. Lindsay’s mom is right here in the middle of it. Lindsay’s dad is out distracting Matt this morning. It’s a great group effort. Becky and family will be there. Christie and Andy are here. Friends of Matt from way back will be there. And here Judy and I are, camped a few miles away from Matt’s house, counting down to when we can actually just go see him.
South Llano River State Park
We’re working our way through our favorite State Parks. Here is South Llano River State Park. What a great campsite! One of our favorites.
It was a rough night last night
I had to get up twice during the night to “go”. I only got up once. I had it in my head that if I ever have to get up at all, I never have to get up more than once. I spent the second half of the night fighting the pain of a full bladder, irrationally rationalizing with my sleep fogged reasoning, why I didn’t need to get up again. The mind can be a terrible thing.
A Universe from Nothing
I’m reading the book, “A Universe from Nothing”. It’s written by a physicist (cosmologist) explaining where all the energy and matter come from, and how they can all seemingly spontaneously arise without actually creating any additional energy or matter in the universe (or multiverse if there are more than one). On page 202 the author sums up everything he has said so far with: “…the observation that the universe is flat and that the local Newtonian gravitational energy is essentially zero today is strongly suggestive that our universe arose through a process like that of inflation, a process whereby the energy of empty space (nothing) gets converted into the energy of something, during a time when the universe is driven closer and closer to being essentially exactly flat on all observable scales.” Glad he cleared that up for me; I was starting to lose the thread.
A new world’s record!
The world’s fastest kidney stone. Sitting outside with Jeff and Carol, it was time to get up for dinner. I just had time to say “Ouch. That’s quite a gas bubble” as I stood up, before the waves of searing pain hit my right kidney. Five minutes later, to my surprise and great delight, the pain shifted to a burning in my bladder. The stone had already moved that far. That has to be some kind of record! It was at least a personal best. From the first moment I could drink, I pounded fluids nonstop to make sure everything kept moving. An hour later I was eating dinner. Some cranberry juice the next day helped soothe the last of the discomfort. If a person has to have a kidney stone, that is surely the way to do it.