Modern life: cruising at 36,000 feet above Montana, watching the NBA playoffs live on the seatback TV, and getting an alert on my phone that the washer at home is done and clothes need moved to the dryer.

A year from now it’ll be us with the cross-country move to the PNW. We will blessedly have a corporate relocation specialist to ease that effort, but still, I can now start to better imagine the amount of upheaval it will be.

In the past 10 days I have driven 2,000 miles, 1200 of which were in a large moving truck, attended my daughter’s graduation, moved her apartment’s worth of boxes and furniture, and spent a couple days helping her set up. I am now at PDX about to board my flight back to Iowa. Can’t wait to be home.

Originally planned the Rapid City -> Portland trip to move our daughter as a 3-day drive with the moving truck. Long story short, drove about 14 hours today to get all the way to Portland from Bozeman, MT. Then unloaded the truck. We’re both exhausted, but she’s moved in. Hallelujah.

Day 1 of the road trip to move our college grad to her new home. Rapid City, SD to Bozeman, MT. Not a bad drive… would be more fun driving something smaller than a Penske truck with a Corolla towed behind. Still, thankful for smooth travel.

2026 Reads: Unseen Beings by Erik Jampa Andersson 📚

Packing up the moving truck with the contents of my daughter’s apartment. Think we could’ve managed with a smaller truck. Better too much space than too little, I guess!

At our daughter’s college grad today. Before the ceremony started they welcomed the 50-year alumni from the class of 1976.

Boss move by the band as the alums entered: playing the theme from Jurassic Park. 😂

2026 Reads: When Women Were Dragons A Novel by Kelly Barnhill 📚

And the Cubs walk off the Reds for the third night in a row. Amazing. #FlyTheW