Story 21Aug2022: Sunday

I started Sunday awakened by my alarm on my iPhone at 6:30 from dreaming of work. Always a disappointment to not dream of exotic places or terrible vistas but to dream of working. Monday is my first day back after nine days, and I guess my dream was a complaint that I return to work soon. It was hard to get started as my bed and blankets were like a siren song of comfortable, if not dull, dreams. “Rest here and let the world go on without you,” were the words my pillow was whispering. Finally, I pushed away their illusions and stood and marched like a soldier to the kitchen.

I managed a bread-like un-French croissant with a banana with my liberal coffee made in a French press for breakfast. Today I would regret not making a whole pot! I took my food to my new office space in the back of the house and started to write. While I do not dread writing the Saturday blog on Sunday morning, it would be over 1,800 words and take about two hours to write; it is a longish task. I would have some interruptions, so it would not be finished until 9ish or later.

The coffee and food worked, and so did a few side trips to the websites Board Game Geek and Wikipedia to learn a few things, but mostly I just wrote the long story of my Saturday. I manage to do a whole weekend in one day.

I was in the shower, dressed, and headed out by 10:15ish, having finished the blog and collected all I needed to see Susie today. No church today as I could not fit it in. I reached the hummingbird house before 11. Susie was in her recliner, and Rachel was today’s morning nursing aide. Rachel got Susie moved into the wheelchair, and it was a pleasant day; we headed to the park. The park was not busy as it was still morning on Sunday. Picnics were just starting. The sun was out, and the Oregon Swallowtail butterfly, now named Elrond by Susie, was in the cedars. We had stopped in the shade of the trees at the bench. This was after having to share the road with a little person on a tricycle. The little girl was followed by her dad as she drove into the park. Dad turned her around as she was going to join a tennis match.

We enjoyed the warmth and called Leta, Susie’s mother, on the iPhone, and Susie and she caught up. Leta had not, as I reported yesterday, gone to the DIA Monet show but to a Lecture on the Sistine Chapel at the Ford Presidental Libary in Grand Rapids. While they chatted, Evan appeared on his break. He was happy to see Susie and could only stay a few minutes. Susie was glad to see Evan, and all talked for a bit. As his break was short, Evan had to head out, and I pushed Susie through the park, the road, and back to the hummingbird house.

Susie was up for a movie. So Rachel got Susie comfortable in a recliner in the activity room. I wrapped a present for Natasha’s graduation, Soviet chess set from the 1950-60s that I bought from Ukraine. I decorated the chessboard with a map of Berlin and applied the seal of NATO and the USSR to the chess pieces. Susie approved of the gift and watched me wrap it. I wanted to include Susie in the gift process, so I took wrapping paper, tape, and scissors to the hummingbird house.

Next, we watched a movie, the old musical Singing in the Rain, with Susie and me sometimes singing along. This one is a fav.

After the movie, I had to head home, getting a goodbye kiss–Susie was sorry to miss the wedding celebration, and then to the wedding celebration of Natasha Smith and Jason Kramer at Shadywood Park in Hillsboro. So the stop at the house was just to drop off the Mac and other computer items.

I was soon at the wedding party and had gourmet chicken made by Natasha’s father, David, and her sister Cat. After that, I spent the rest of the day hanging out and eating more food. It was so lovely to see the Smiths plus Jason again. Everyone missed Susie.

I gave Natasha her graduation gift, the chess set. She seemed to like it.

I left after 7:30 as I was getting tired, which meant I was likely more tired than I realized. I said my goodbyes to Natasha and Jason, and the Smiths.

I got home and found my office had been invaded by tiny ants. I decided to commit insecticide and sprayed the baseboards, windows, desk legs, and anything else an ant might use to get to my computer. Warm computers attract ants, and there was a small mass of bugs trying to ruin my Mac!

I had to open the windows and air out the office as I had maybe sprayed too much; I am liberal, after all. I read World War Two while I waited for the air to clear–in the completion of just a few pages I read, the Red Army took 750,000 casualties–it is a truly terrifying history.

I finally got to the blog.

I did miss out on some unexpected excitement at church; a crazed squirrel entered the church and needed to be convinced it did not need to be there. It was evacuated before worship service, I was told.

Thanks for reading. Hope it is not too rushed.