I was on paid time off (PTO) for the shoe company and started my first week off without medical leave (i.e., cancer treatments) in a year. I still visit Susie daily and write the blog, but I will not call into meetings or drive to work for a week.
Yesterday was not that interesting, so I will just cover the highlights instead of telling a narrative that includes me mopping floors, cleaning toilets, and like items.
Breakfast was a cream cheese danish, a banana, and coffee–liberal French Press. After that, I spent most of the morning picking things up in the house and writing the blog. It was a long one.
I decided to make lunch; I boiled pasta, heated sauce from a bottle, and steam-cooked chicken Italian-styled sausage (why would you make this–I got it by mistake). I put these odd sausages in a frying pan, water in the bottom and a tight lid. The steam cooked them. I later put the whole thing in a 350F (177C) oven for fifteen minutes. I threw away the hot mitt that let the burning hot handle of the frying pan heat reach my hand (growl), carefully cut up the sausage, and then mixed it all together.
I ate the mix while watching more of season five (Matt Smith’s) Doctor Who. This was the Van Gough episode (one of the best they have made), and I did cry, as always, when I watched it. Highly Recommended.
I had colon problems within an hour of eating. The experiment was a success. I need to be aware that pasta and tomato sauce are unwise with the medications and new colon design I am sporting (slightly truncated).
After dealing with that, I dressed, got into Air Volvo, and headed to Susie’s place. I arrived there with two of Susie’s better and warmer coats, a few shirts, and a Christmas sweatshirt. Susie was delighted to see me.
I pulled up a chair and stayed with Susie for an hour or more. We called her mother, Leta, and they chatted on my iPhone using FaceTime. I then just stayed and held Susie’s hand for a while. When I moved to leave, she asked if I could stay longer, but I needed to do some more work at the house, and she agreed I could go. Jennifer suggested a nap for Susie, and she agreed to that. I left with a kiss.
Putting aside the boring stuff, I did a lot of cleaning and rested for a bit. I then took Air Volvo to Beaverton Central by City Hall. There I got dinner–a rice bowl with raw tuna and other exotic items (for me). I took that and the solo Board Game Nemo’s War to Central Taps. There I grabbed a table and a few beers.
Nemo’s War is a solo game in its final form after a few reprints and editions. I play the basic solo game. There are ways to play with more players, but the reviews suggest it is not a way to really enjoy the play the game, so I stay with solo. You play Captain Nemo of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea fame and select a general goal (Explorer being the recommended one and the one I usually use), and start destroying commerce, fighting warships, seeking treasures and mysteries, and inciting against the colonial world order. The game uses a timing mechanic of a reducing deck of cards and cascading failures that you find in many solo games. You will make it to the end as everything starts to pile on and break. It is fun, but it does make you think and worry.
I survived this game, but my point score was embarrassingly low. There is a rating at the end for your score, and I got a Failure. This is because I sank too many ships instead of exploring. Next time.
After that, I headed home and rested. I did not get as much as I wanted to be done today, but I tried to relax a bit and not be exhausted this weekend.
Thank you for reading.
Feel free to call or send cards. Susie resides at:
Allegiance Senior Care
Adult Foster Care Home
9925 SW 82nd. Ave.
Portland, Oregon 97223
The house phone number: (503) 246-4116
Alohawild (Michael Wild's) Website 