Today 30June2023: Friday

Another day on Paid-Time-Off (PTO), and today I managed to sleep in, rolling over a few times, to 8ish and did not get going until 9PM. I had written the blog the night before, so I could just go slow for a while.

I had a yogurt cup with fruit of some sort and liberal coffee, using hot water in my French Press after breaking open the next case of Equal Exchange Breakfast Blend to create liberalness and a decent cup of coffee. As I was reading the news, I could see that the US Supreme Court is still going with a mix-and-match approach, with some judges changing sides on the same issues and neither pleasing the far right nor us liberals on every vital point. I have not yet found the strength to read the court opinions and dissents.

My next big to-do was to schedule a trip to Michigan in September to enjoy my sister’s wedding on the 10th of the same month. I planned to go first class, and refundable in case Susie gets ill and I have to return unexpectedly or forgo the plans altogether. I usually do Expedia being a member since it was created on a lark by Microsoft an eternity ago on the Internet. But, today, Expedia could not handle the refundable air flights as it now focuses on hotels. United is not flying to Portland anymore, I discovered. So I headed back to Delta (I have over 100K miles with them as they are my usual choice for International since Luftansa left Portland) and soon managed to schedule an expensive but refundable and changeable flight to Michigan. How Atlanta is on the way is one of the plane mysteries I try not to question, and why flying to Atlanta to Detroit to Lansing is cheaper is another mystery best left not explored (I can already hear Rod Sterling says, “It was a routine flight”).

But then Delta’s website said, want a hotel? Poof, it was done. And then, would you like a car to go with this? Poof, that is done. All refundable. Sorry Expedia, I have a new friend! Trip done.

Next, I entered the master bedroom and started to do an archeological dig on the top of the dresser. Nobody has seen stuff under there for years. Clouds of dust and hats, lots of hats, flew into the air. Well, I carried the caps to the closet. I emptied all the boxes and tossed empty boxes, and consolidated Susie’s various jewelry, mostly inexpensive stuff, into fewer boxes. I tossed medical stuff (expired). Soon I could see the surface. I then repeated the process on the next dresser. My plan for my break is to clear the mess in the master bedroom. There were, of course, more interesting plans for PTO, but this must be done.

I was dusty, and more stuff was headed to the trash and the recycling bin. I also have a good-sized pile for Goodwill. I will load up Air Volvo on Saturday and make a deposit.

I finished the Chinese food from a few nights ago for lunch and then, dusty, popped into the shower. I was ready to head out in Air Volvo in Friday traffic, usually quite heavy.

I have not found Susie’s diamond studs yet; it might be something for Linda to borrow if I find them. I picked them out, and they are quite sparkly. I will keep looking for them. Susie agrees to loan them if I discover them–more digging.

I arrived at Susie’s place at the hummingbird house in Portland (Tigard) at Allegiance Senior Care LLC, 9925 SW 82nd. Ave. Portland (Tigard), OR 97223; phone (503) 246-4116. Susie was in her recliner in the shared living room waiting for me. Susie decided to enjoy Metzger Park next door, and Jennifer, the weekday nursing aide, popped Susie into the wheelchair, and we were soon outside.

It is a dry, warm, but not hot day. There was a cool breeze, and the park was bright as no smoke had yet come to turn our skies grey. It is still early for us for fires. We start in July and peek in August.

We saw multiple Oregon Swallowtail butterflies doing circles around each other. The dragonflies were zipping around. I saw a hummingbird in the corner of my eye zip (it is hard to catch them as the dragonflies catch your attention now). Many dogs were out, and the parkkeeper moved things on his tractor. It was busy, and we found an unused bench in the sun. We called Leta, Susie’s mother, in Lansing, Michigan, and chatted for a while on my iPhone using FaceTime. Leta was unhappy as her rent-a-car had a flat tire, and the service to get it replaced was going sideways. They also still have grey skies for the smoke from the forest fires in Canada. After ringing off, we finished a park tour and returned to the hummingbird house. Jennifer sat Susie in her bed, and I put on the movie John Wick (1), and Susie and I enjoyed the show. I don’t know how many times I have seen it. After that, I put on M.A.S.H. (season 2) and headed home with a kiss.

Traffic was heavy, and it took me longer to get Air Volvo to the Volvo Cave. I had a package waiting for me. Another 1920s item, a 1927 Atlas in excellent condition, with maps of all the major (and less significant cities like Portland, Oregon) from the 20s. I found it for $50 on eBay and added it to my collection of resources for 1920s horror writing. When I have time (an interesting question), I will start back on the 1920s again.

I reheated the overpriced pizza and salad from MOD Pizza and some Chinese food for dinner. I found the floor in the master bedroom (my friend Mariah was whale watching after a hard day–she pops out and back from the coast–I think that was a better idea than cleaning/finding the bedroom’s flat surfaces). I have a more enormous pile of things to send to Goodwill and put seven (!) pairs of shoes for Susie (including Susie-sized Air Force Ones–when did she get those!?) in the closet (which needs cleaning, too–but for another day).

With my reaching my goal, the tops of the dressers explored, and the floor found, it was time to write and Ait Volvo popped off to Wildwood Taphouse. Here I am writing and having a beer product. I have the board game Furnace with me and plenty of time now. I am tired and dusty.

Thanks for reading.