There are no status calls this weekend, the first time in about a month. I woke at about 8ish and snuggled in my bed until nearly 9AM. I had written the blog at Wildwood Taphouse the night before, so I was not rushed.
I found my horror story while on my Apple, “Three Steps,” for the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival in Portland. This is the micro-story contest, and you are limited to 500 words for a story that aligns with the cosmic horror that Lovecraft defined in the early 1900s (I agree with Mariah that many writers should write as if they had these limits–many writers pad their writing). When doing these micro-stories, I select words that carry the story forward without, which is funny for Lovecraft stories, repeating descriptive words–I have only space for a word or two. Punctuation is helpful as it does not count towards the limit. I use the first person as that cuts out structures that use many words to direct the story. I love to work on these!
After it took a while, I finished my current editing. I dress and pick up a few times and consign some to be taken, someday, to Goodwill. I board Air Volvo, and the traffic is light to the hummingbird house in Portland (Tigard) at Allegiance Senior Care LLC, 9925 SW 82nd. Ave. Portland (Tigard), OR 97223; phone (503) 246-4116. Anassa, the weekend day nursing aide, updates me when I arrive. Anassa tells me that Susie suffered from confusion this Saturday morning. Susie did not know where she was and asked if she could leave and only ate 1/2 of her breakfast. Anassa had not seen, according to Anassa’s story, Susie this lost.
Susie was happy to see me; she was napping in her recliner in the shared living room. Leta, Susie’s mother, called, and we used iPhone with FaceTime. This brought Susie more focus. Seeing her mother and a short chat, Leta had a concert to attend and was rushed, which seemed to ground Susie in the now.
While overcast, the morning was starting to warm. I got a coat for Susie while Anassa, happy to see Susie remembering again, popped Susie into a wheelchair, and we headed to Metzger Park next door. The familiarity of the park and seeing folks walking and enjoying the outdoors seemed to wake Susie up more.
Max, the dog at the hummingbird house (who believes Michael is for chewing) ball was lost in the park after I threw it too hard; the dog was happy when Susie and I made a cross-country trip to get his ball and throw it back to him. He did not give it back.
Evan, who beat me to the hummingbird house, joined us for a park tour when getting Max his ball. Susie was getting cold and pointed to keep going, and we headed out of the park and headed to the now-blooming magnolia tree on a nearby street. The sun still had not burned the clouds away, so we returned to the hummingbird house’s warmth.
Susie decided to watch a movie in her room, and Anassa set her up in Susie’s rocking chair with a new pillow that seemed to work better. I tried to find Kung-fu Panda, but my Max access seems to have expired (?!), so we went for something easier to find, Disney’s original Sleeping Beauty 1959 animated film. Susie sang all the songs and even talked to the characters on the screen. Susie was back with us (she was better this Sunday morning–I just checked in).
Susie was yawning and looking relaxed now. Susie had managed only thirty minutes in the rocking chair. She looked at me and said, “Terrible,” I queried a few things until we agreed that her butt hurt and she had enough rocking. Anassa moved Susie to her bed, and Susie looked comfortable.
Evan had left 1/2 through the Disney film, and I left with Susie happy and back after the movie finished. Susie was OK with me going today. I headed to Portland and Rogue Taphouse and arrived soon as the traffic was light (the other drivers seemed to be all over the roads, so I was very attentive flying Air Volvo). I had to park a block away as we were there after 2PM, and the area was filling up. I walked by a woodworking place that looked like a DIY called IdeaWorks. While I do not need to add woodworking to my hobbies, this still looked interesting. Resist!
I opened a tab at the 1/2 empty Rogue bar; usually, the place is packed for good weather. I got the special, a huge Ruben with fries, and a beer, Deadguy Ale, and set up the board game Concordia for two players on the large Mediterranean Sea map, the basic setup. This is my favorite game, and I got to go last and start with my best movie, getting a cloth and a brick city on the first play. Soon, I acquired, at a significant cost, the personality cards for Metal/Tools and Farmers. Now I am set for my usual play. Evan is trying to build over my cities and providences as this strategy works if he gets his colonists out, but he has no additional ones. I managed to slip away and build on the edges–my usual trick. I select one-time-use Forum items (we are playing with the Forum add-on) as I remember to burn the one-time use to get a substantial one-time benefit. Ultimately, I built fast and furious, ended the game early, and finished with a significant lead. The Farmer card, building in 11 of 12 providences, and getting all but one colonist out paid me well (and getting the seven points for ending the game).
We had time for the smaller game, Furnace, and to use the new gears I found online for upgrades. I liked them better than the cardboard upgrade versions. Evan managed to beat me by more than ten, a crushing. I could not get my factories to run well.
I paid the bill and headed out. Air Volvo, now hot as the sun was out, was undisturbed. I am unsure if I could park on the streets in this SE area at night! I believe there is a parking garage nearby that I would have to use at night.
Evan, Richard, Kathleen, and I met next in Richard’s basement. Kathleen asked for easy games, so we started with the car racing board game Heat. A new Kickstarter game, and I managed to lead in my racing car, both races until I blew up my engine and ran too hot. It’s a great fun game; I recommend it once you get it. It uses the deck-building mechanic, and you need to slow down for curves (trust me) and not overheat (yes, I know) your engine, simulated by heat cards in your deck to run your car. I might have to buy this one. We did two races.
Next, the request was for Wingspan. Four-person Wingspan is almost a different game than two-person, my usual play, and I missed the early point raising bird cards. I also missed two end-of-round scoring (playing the hard scoring recommended for the add-ons). We were using Europe and Asia add-on that improves this game. Evan was happy to see me in the last place after ninety minutes of play (fast for a four-person game); Richard had a massive score that Kathleen could not catch this time. Kathleen is the expert knowing all the fantastic birds and combinations after hundreds of hours of play online and on physical games. Richard was thrilled to win this time.
I headed home and witnessed more crazy extra-legal driving on the bridges. A car behind me revved its engine and passed me. I was then shocked when Air Volvo had to stop on the bridge. The exact vehicle stalled at the top of the bridge, causing a nasty halt for a long row of cars. The hazard lights turned on, and Air Volvo passed the locked-up lane of cars and cleared. Next, we passed a couple of sets of cars on the shoulder–once off the bridge–that apparently smashed while trying to do an unplanned changing of lanes. Flashing lights were starting everywhere. Air Volvo swiftly and with great care headed into the tunnel finding slow-moving cars, some I recognized as cars I saw on the bridge–nobody was going fast anymore!
I managed to arrive at the Volvo Cave without any more adventures. I opened a can of chili, added cheese, and microwaved. That was a late dinner to go with my pills.
I managed to get to bed at about midnight and had some trouble sleeping. There was a lot on my mind.
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