Story 8Dec2022: Thursday Rushing

I awoke a few minutes before my alarm, and it is my bad habit to fall completely asleep three minutes before it startled me awake. I started to get out of bed but actually fell asleep half out of bed. I managed to get started without getting hurt.

I had no pain, so I did my stretching exercises and managed five minutes on Susie’s stationary bike, which is now adjusted to fit me–the pencil marks are still there for Susie’s settings. I also had some sudden colon exiting but managed to have no spills. I would have a few more of these events without any tragic results.

I had the last bagel-like bread product for breakfast with French Press liberal coffee. I will have to grocery shop soon. It was a rushed morning, but the first meeting was at 8:30, not 8 like the other rushed days, so I got some slack and left at 7:45.

I did manage to play connect the school buses as I was later. I reached the Clubhouse building at the shoe company without issue and soon enjoyed ninety minutes of Zoom meetings. After that, I had a short break and more meetings. I had a lunch meeting WHQ campus, so I headed out after 11 to get parked and walk across from the NYC garage to the Serena Williams building. I had lunch there, a salad from the salad bar.

I sat in the lobby for a bit. It is pretty nice.

Next, I walked again in the light Oregon mist across campus for fifteen minutes to the NYC garage. I park on the third floor by the elevators. I headed to Susie’s place in the early afternoon.

Susie was in her chair in the living room with Blue Bloods, her fav, on the big TV. I got her Advent Calendar, and we had a gummy candy for the day. Susie got just a taste. Susie was doing better today; she was wide awake and talkative. Next, we called Leta, Susie’s mother, and chatted with her for a bit. We discovered she had no spare in her car. For Christmas, we will buy her a spare tire–she will check with the dealership on how to get one and how much. Leta worries about getting flat and having few options without a spare.

I left Susie with a kiss and headed to the Volvo Cave. Along the way, I refueled Air Volvo, a conventional car, noticing another twenty-cent reduction in cost.

I stopped by the pharmacy and got some old-school cards that hold money. I address the cards while listening to meetings and following along on Slack. I got the gifts out in the mailbox tonight. Done!

I ordered more gifts for folks between meetings.

I did a written review of Technical Design which I have not done in years.

The last meeting was a get-to-green meeting to catch up on testing almost a week behind. Our team will likely be working this weekend, dealing with data loading issues.

After that, I made dinner; I made gnocchi with couscous sauce from a bottle but made in Noth African style with lemons, olives, and capers. I made couscous to go with it. I just poured the sauce over it, which was terrific.

I watched more Doctor Who season six with Matt Smith. I enjoy his crazy Doctor, and the storylines are working this season for him and Karen Gillian. Night Terrors, the episode I watched, is quite scary.

And then I got a text from Mariah and headed out to Portland and Hopworks for a beer and a snack with her. I was happy to meet her there and enjoyed a beer and a friendly chat. I gave her a Christmas gift (wrapped).

I headed back at 9ish, and while the traffic was light, folks flew down the highways at 80+ mph speeds in 50 mph posted streets. I managed to not scrape the pain on Air Volvo when passed on both sides.

I returned home, put out the trash, and wrote the blog. I have yet to do my stretching.

For day eight of Advent, I will pick the Grinch song.