Year 1 Day 9: Sleeping and Ill

Today I started just after 6ish and made coffee and said to myself, “Nope, this is not happening.” I then wrote an email that I was too ill to continue and performed all the rituals of being out suddenly for a day.

I got breakfast and made coffee, and got breakfast ready for Susie. She had her spa appointment with Zerida today. She was ready and was happy that I was still able to keep going to get her out. Her driver picked her up.

I spent most of the day sleeping and reading.

Today I finished and believed I would have to say goodbye to my favorite Inspector: The Cook of the Halcyon (An Inspector Montalbano Mystery Book 27). The author passed away last year, Andrea Camilleri. I believe I have read all 27 books. If you need a crime novel to relax, you could try Voice of the Violin (#4). There is one more being published after the author’s death; one more story with Montalbano.

I heard an interview of Charles M. Blow on the radio. He wrote a book that the Great Migration needs to be reversed. He wants black people to move back to the south. His book, The Devil You Know: A Black Manifesto, is now on my kindle, and I like his writing, he writes for the New York Times, and I like his directness. The book makes me want to move to Atlanta and help even as an old white guy! I recommend this book for its excellent writing and message.

I managed to get going again at 4ish in the afternoon. I am still tired, and the pain in all my limbs is something. I made bratwursts for dinner, baked for 50 minutes in a 350F oven. Set a timer for 35 minutes and flip and bake for 15 mins. These are from Whole Foods and are wonderful.

I made mac and cheese from a box to go with it.

I then played Roll20 Dungeons and Dragons and managed to stay focused on the game. I will not describe it as content for a purchased game, and spoilers would be required. Instead, I will say that the players were surprised and their plans went side-ways. We spent 45 minutes in one battle, and it felt close to the players. Their paladin took all the damage and knocked-out. They managed to finally defeat the boss just in time.

This part of the adventure used one of my favorite techniques, suspend some rules. This allows for a temporary increase in tension and requires the players to suddenly change tactics; hack-and-slash might not work and find another way to win. You cannot use this technique often in an adventure, but it can create some interesting possibilities when used with care. I once put everyone in a dream world in which I suspended death. I created a monster that was near impossible to kill. They kept dying but finally noticed certain behaviors and overcame it. Monsters as puzzles was now possible.

I am tired again, so I think I will stop there.

Mrs. Wild (mom) got her Covid-19 shot today!

14,422 people were vaccinated in Oregon yesterday.

Six hundred sixty-six people died today in the USA from the virus.

I picked Psalm 104 as we are nearing Passover.