Story 17Feb2023: Friday

As our old director used to say at Nike, “Thank God it is Friday; there are only two more working days to this week.” Yes working the weekend for the second one in a row. Data conversions are running on 7/24, and our team has been loading the critical path master data from the project for weeks. This is our last practice (it is followed by a Dress Rehearsal where production support starts to take over for us). I am doing the 8-4 shift, covering the status meetings, and approving things.

I was thus busy all day as various approvals, emergencies, and some crises of the moment arose. This all started for me; Friday is a sleep-in and a work-from-home day, at 7:30ish, with my first meeting at 8 on Zoom. This is followed by an hour more of various status and update meetings on Zoom.

I made breakfast sausages in the oven, nearly forgetting them, and I forgot to put them, cooked, into the frig and had to toss the rest later (oops). I got coffee made and had only a cup in the morning. I was approving and reading things. There were a lot of questions today. Odd for a Friday.

I got to my stretches and exercises, today the basic ones, around 10ish and finally showered and dressed after 11 when things settled for a bit. Next, I boarded Air Volvo and headed to Susie’s place. I stopped by McDonald’s and got dad Wild’s fav (two cheeseburgers meal with fries and a drink, $7.50–no sales tax here)–It reminds me of Bob WIld. From there, I headed into the slightly heavy Beaverton Traffic, taking twenty-five minutes to reach the hummingbird house. I witnessed no imaginative driving, but construction was shutting down lanes randomly; at least, it seemed random, so there was always something to watch out for.

I arrived safely to find Susie still in her recliner in the living room. Jennifer was playing oldies on a portable radio, and the vast TV showed ocean scenes–slightly surreal, but I liked it. Jennifer, to the Bee Gees, got Susie ready (no disco moves) for a trip to the park. While it was only in the low 50Fs (10C), there was no rain or wind. Yes, time to rush outside and enjoy it. Also, today is the warmest day in the forecast for ten days!

Susie also handed me, very happily, a Valentine she helped make. She wrote our names on it. I am sure they helped her assemble it. I treasure it.

Susie was in her heavy leather coat, hat, and scarf and wrapped in a blanket in her wheelchair. She was comfy for the trip. Metzger Park was dry, and we crossed onto the sidewalk with only a slight bump. The park manager put in extra gravel for us last year; it was very kind to make it an easy transition. The gravel has washed away, but it is still only a tiny bump.

The park was full of kids and people with their dogs. One gal was on a bench and threw the ball, and her dog brought it back. We learned as we laughed (the dog held all the balls and was trying to get her pet human to come and get the balls). The human had knee issues, and soon the dog relented. It was fun to watch.

Also, Homeless folks who live in their cars come to the bathroom at the park and clean up a bit. Everyone is friendly and happy to see each other. The pandemic has made nearly everyone glad to see other folks!

We called Leta, as usual, and soon connected with her (Leta is Susie’s mother). We talked about her day, and Susie was more responsive today, and I have noticed her voice is more substantial. St. V Day seems to have been good for her. But it is cold, and time is flying away from me. Time to get Susie back and head back to the house.

I leave with a kiss this time; Covid-19 be d**n’d. The cross-Beaverton traffic is not as bad; it is still before the end-of-school traffic jams. Back to the online stuff, and more crazy starts to surface–surprising on a Friday. I take a short rest and then pick up the last meetings, discuss a few crises of the moment, and help here and there. Finally, I stopped at 5ish.

I started on the paperwork for my 2022 Taxes. I managed to get a total of the medical expenses for 2022 (over $123,000) and assembled the information for my new CPA. I reheated the Tagine-styled chicken and had that for dinner with reheated coffee while working on my info. Despite President Trump’s tax changes to the SALT (State and Local Taxes) deduction (reduced it), I may be able to breach the standard deduction and get a pile back. Hoping for that. All the 1099s are in, and I have totaled everything I need. I have letters to Forest Grove Rehab and Care Center (Susie’s home Nov-April last year) for better documentation, just in case. Everything is ready, I think, for the CPA.

Got a surprise bill from last year, over $900, that I thought I paid, but it looks like they lost the check (it was never presented). This was in the middle of the mess that was chemo, and I was not paying attention very well then. I paid it today, again. I got a refund of $170 or so bucks from NYC’s Mount Sinia West with little explanation. All very strange.

So I am thrilled to reach the next milestone, Taxes 2022: Ready for CPA, so I went to Wildwood Taphpouse to write the blog. I also picked up the big table in the house some more. So I am slowly returning things back to order. I plan to get things back in order and start painting figures and building models again soon. And then there is that coding for the AI stuff. So many cool things to do. Despite the crap, like $123,000 in medical bills, life is still exciting and fun.

Tonight, I am still following along at work too. Always Available.

Thanks for reading and for all the help and good wishes you send.