The heat has arrived. Houston, Las Vegas, Phoenix. It’s just HOT. Chicago, Los Angeles, and Seattle are seeing pleasant temperatures. BUT… I’M NOT THERE. It’s HOT here!

Do you know what else is hot?

National Parks continue to be a hot spot. So much so, rangers are turning folks away to abide by capacity limit requirements—and it’s always a good time to get outside and enjoy nature. While I agree, I bet the fourth of July will be crazy in those open places. Speaking of open spaces… I tell ya, it sure is great to forget about those masks in Arizona, Florida, Nevada, and Texas.

The markets are still HOT as well. S&P is moving along nicely.

Have you looked at the cost of an American Silver Eagle coin? HOT. They are selling at prices so inflated it’s crazy. Note, spot silver is up, but the premiums (up as much as 10-fold) folks are paying for the US minted coins, HOT

Oh yeah, inflation is fired up as well. Gasoline prices are UP, UP, UP.

Used automobile prices for certain cars are surging! That global semiconductor shortage impacted many automakers to slow or pause production, making new cars more scarce and used cars more popular.

I am not the grocery shopper in the family, but I know the cost of coffee is on its way back up to 2016 highs. Up 100% since January 2020.

Economic ebbs and flows. It’s just the way it goes. The last time we saw 12% interest rates in our checking accounts and 18% mortgage rates was a long, long time ago—the difference between now and then? Today we seem just to add more money into the economy. Eventually, it all must catch
up. But for now? We watch and see.

In the meantime, I’m going north for a weekend. See what it’s like in the great state of Minnesota. Perhaps a cool (75 is fine by me) afternoon on a lake, with partly cloudy skies and a cold one.