Story 16Jan2023: MLK 2023

The morning started with me sleeping into 8:15ish and trying not to rush anything. It is my day off and MLK Day in the USA. MLK weekend includes the first days I get off in a yearend go-live–we did not have one for this year. In previous years I often worked through the holidays (Thanksgiving-Christmas-New Year) and sometimes all the weekends too. In those hard-charging years, I would work with the team to deliver for the new calendar year.

I did not have to write the blog Monday morning; I wrote it Sunday night. I work on my model for Dungeons and Dragons and paperwork. Laundry and dishes are quickly started, and soon I am ready to travel to see Susie. Breakfast was toast with peanut butter and liberal coffee made in my French press. I run Quicken and update all my transactions. I check, and none of the documents for taxes are yet ready from the trading houses (growl).

After boarding Air Volvo, I cross Beaverton and stop at Basics, the new supermarket, and get some bananas, a croissant for my second breakfast, and flowers for Susie. They have only winter bunches, and I pick one with thistles as that is different. The flowers at Basic are not as lovely as Safeway’s.

I reach Susie, and it is sunny with even some blue skies, so Jennifer, the live-in nurse aide that works the weekdays, gets Susie in the wheelchair, and we bundle Susie up, there is little wind, but it is still 50F (10C). I take her to the park next door, Metzger Park, and it is actually busy with little kids with their parents taking them to a damp park. One little girl tries to climb the wet and slippery ladder, and dad catches her as she falls–he is ready. There are lots of folks walking their dogs. The dogs seem very interested in new folks, as if the isolation of the rainy winters has caused them to want more contact.

We call Susie’s mother, Leta, from a sunny spot off the trails (the dogs pass by and even whine when Susie does not pet them); we have a friendly, quick chat as Susie gets cold. I quickly push Susie through the park and then up the road. We are both cold when we arrive at the hummingbird house.

We set up in Susie’s room. Susie is in her rocking chair, and I am in a chair from the social room. We watch The Rock’s newest movie, Black Adam. Susie likes it, and it is my second time watching it; I liked it better this time. It is an action film, and while it has the usual DC Comic darkness and dystopian, this one works better, I think. I thought it was an entertaining movie.

Susie falls asleep a few times. This is a new state for Susie. Susie will sleep after sitting for twenty minutes or so. Susie becomes exhausted from just traveling. I am concerned, but Susie is safe, stable, and well cared for (loved, actually) at the hummingbird house.

After the big finish in the movie (no spoilers), Susie is looking for lunch (as I am), and I leave with a kiss. Traffic is heavy even without the school buses. I stop at the Aloha strip mall within walking distance of the house and have lunch at Stir Crazy. I have a cup of hot and sour soup that requires me to drink a glass of water to finish–very hot and spicy (perfect). I order Orange Chicken, and as it is no longer lunch, I get a huge plate. I put more than 1/2 in a box to take home. While not exactly authentic, and their version is more than corn syrup, oranges, and soy sauce you find in some places, I like it. They have dried orange peel and a more smoky flavored sauce–better.

Soon I am back home and working on my ship model. I managed to install the mast after drilling an even larger hole for the mast, only to discover I had the wrong mast and made the hole too large now. I managed to make a wood holder for the mast that looks nice and looks like I planned it that way. I mixed the epoxy glue (the mast is transparent plastic) and nearly made a worse mess than the drilling did. I installed metal loops for the mast and discovered I had put two in the wrong place and filled those holes, and moved the loops. Better. I did drill into the mast correctly, and the brass loops look good mounted in the mast.

Mariah wants a late dinner, so I read while the glue dries and then make the masts that hold the sail. Those are from smaller rods, and I make rope loops to hold them to the main mast. They look great (something finally goes to plan). I make a sail from transparent report holders, and that looks good. I repaired a bit more of the drilling damage (not too bad) and am ready to finish. Of course, then it is time to head to Portland.

It is a wet and dark night. The drive into Portland’s Hopwork Taphouse is uneventful. Unfortunately, Hopworks is only open for another hour. We managed to have a beer, food (a bacon jam and grilled cheese sandwich for me), and chat for a bit. We both have much more to share; another dinner, maybe Thursday, is planned.

Back to the Volvo Cave, India, Nike has some work for me tonight. An early afternoon meeting in India is 10PM for us in Pacific Northwest. I spend an hour helping out after Air Volvo gets me home safe (accidentally enjoying 75 mph with the light fast moving traffic on Highway 26).

Finally, I get to this blog. Sorry if it feels rushed; it is. I am getting tired, despite the coffee I had at Hopworks to help me pilot Air Volvo in the dark and rain. Thanks for reading.

My fav of MLK’s writings: Letters from a Birmingham Jail.