Today 30May2023

I managed to get through until 5PM at work, with my coughing mainly controlled. I spent the day in the Clubhouse office building, not part of Nike WHQ (WHQ is about a mile away or so) in Beaverton. I left work, took Air Volvo home, and arrived thirty minutes early for the China-hosted All-Employee Meeting. I then watched the 1:15 presentation and show. It was better this time, and I was interested the whole time; it was nicely done. I cannot here comment on the content, but the virtual content, including transitions, worked well.

After that, I headed to The Rock Woodfired Pizza–the best pizza I have had in the local area. I have been told there is better pizza in Portland, but I have found none in my immediate area better. Their red ale is good too. I sit in the bar on tall tables and tall chairs and order an average Caesar salad to go with the pizza. I order the all-meat pizza, but their other pizzas are good too.

Returning to the story, starting on Tuesday night, the coughing would not stop, so I took my mind-numbing no-coughing pill and slept until my overactive kidneys needed me to wake up just after 4AM. They repeated the trick at 5:30 too. I did my best Dracula rising interpretation at 6AM, but instead of exploding in flames from the morning sun, I had to appreciate my kidney’s overworking again.

I had a bagel with cream cheese, an NYC one, and liberal coffee (via my French Press), and then I enjoyed my emails, company emails, and various updates on Slack channels. I also read the news (the budget deal is exciting in Washington), and a drone left a burn mark on a building in Moscow. Putin looked like he was trying not to say that Ukraine should contract with Iran to acquire a better class of remote death machines. Seeing that the world was not going to end (the US trying to tell Ukraine that if you do that again, at least scare someone, and then denied the attack), I put on my slippers and watered my roses in my robe. I was a bit damp when done, as the hose sometimes finds my slippers and the sleeves on my robe droop, covering the hose and getting soaked. Next (slightly damp), I quickly showered, dressed, and headed out in Air Volvo.

I arrived at Clubhouse before 8AM and saw that breakfast was served downstairs. I missed the start of my first meeting, but I acquired scrambled eggs, with the usual potatoes with cooked onions and betters, bacon, and a refill with Starbucks generic coffee–second breakfast (so hobbit-like). I then spent the morning in status and update meetings. Content can not be shared here, but I could read my email, Slack updates, and even review a technical design document while this was happening or during the short times between the meetings when they ended early. Not exciting stuff (which is a good sign, by the way). The morning did go by fast.

Soon I was back in Air Volvo headed to see Susie at the hummingbird house in Portland (Tigard) at Allegiance Senior Care LLC, 9925 SW 82nd. Ave. Portland (Tigard), OR 97223; phone (503) 246-4116. I was there after 11:15, and Susie was just finishing her breakfast. Susie’s stroke means she cannot eat food that is not been through a blender. She uses a small spoon to help her eat and feeds herself unless tired or not feeling well, and she can mostly get the food in her. She is now a messy eater. She has a light plastic cup with ridges that lets her easily handle the cup. She drinks water and Ensures from the cup. Always strawberry Ensures. She is carefully watched as she can easily choke, but that is not the worst. Susie can aspirate, damaging her lungs, and we will then be facing a life-threatening infection like the one that nearly took her life last year. We are all, including Susie, cautious.

But no tragedies today; Susie was done and ready to head out. On Jennifer’s (the weekday nursing aide) advice, I put a blanket on Susie and headed for a short visit in the overcast Oregon May morning. It felt normal–all we needed was some Oregon mist–with the lack of sun and 62F (17C). Susie said it was chilly, meaning, “Go faster, Wild.” So I quickly found a bench not in the cold shade and called Leta, Susie’s mother, on my iPhone using FaceTime. Leta was uncomfortable in 90F+ (32C) heat. We talked briefly, and Susie wanted the chat to go fast (“chilly”). So soon, we rang off and quickly finished a short loop with us, skipping the cold shady section (we will enjoy that more later in the year). I had to return to work and find lunch, so I kissed Susie goodbye, and she headed to her recliner in the shared living room. I promised to return on Wednesday morning.

Lunch was local at Chipotle near Susie. I had the bowl with chicken and guacamole and skipped eating the rice at the bottom. Instead, I get a bag of chips and eat the top with the chips. I read stories on my iPhone from BBC, CNN, and The New York Times (I have a subscription and a paper delivered on Sundays) while eating my chips with dip.

Next, I returned to work and followed along. The day was soon over, with a few crises of the moment handled.

That completes the circle. I am drinking hot tea after the pizza and beer. Eating makes my nose run and starts me coughing and sneezing. It is a Wild thing; we all do it. The tea helps.

Thanks for reading.