Today 7Aug2023

Going backward, it is after 9PM, and the sun is now down, showing we are getting shorter days. I have just done the dishes (I took the clean dishes out, put the dirty dishes in the dishwasher, and turned on the dishwasher). I did an 8PM meeting (I was a few minutes late) for work scheduled on India time. Dondrea got the book I sent her, The Making of the Atomic Bomb, the best book, I think, on the subject. I got a cheaper, used copy sent from Ohio. Dondread was happy to have Richard Rhodes’s book. Recommended.

Next, I got the laundry from the dryer and put most away. Before that, I watched the Joker collection of animated Batman shows while eating dinner. The Joker’s is voiced by Mark Hamill of Star Wars fame. They are actually quite good. I was eating Quick Ragu With Ricotta and Lemon. This is a recipe from the NYT, and I made it for the first time today. It uses broken lasagna noodles. The lemon with the roasted and then cracked fennel seeds on the Ricotta is an excellent taste with the ragu. I have to admit I have more than one bowl. My dessert was the Joker episodes and nectarines I bought today at Trader Joe’s–I have a small case of them.

Before cooking dinner, I had to buy it. I was out of almost everything, squeezing the last drop of toothpaste out this morning. So I left Susie at 4PM, the end of my shift, and headed to Safeway off of 185th to buy the basics. I filled five bags! I again have fruit and various meats to make dinner; I also got fixing for salads. Next, I went to Trader Joe’s and got different frozen and snack items. Yesterday I ordered almonds and dried mango for munching from Equal Exchange (plus more liberal coffee). I got three bags from Trader Joe’s. I am set for a month or more.

Moving back in the day, I spent the afternoon sitting beside Susie in her room. Susie binged on M.A.S.H. while I read emails, replied to Slack channel messages, and generally tried to be helpful and work on my new project while online and sitting next to Susie. Susie put up with a meeting at 2PM that I had to attend. Susie was happy to have someone with her today and finished an Ensure with me. Susie is eating her breakfast and often has an Ensure for lunch (instead of the offered blender-processed pizza–I would have picked the Ensure).

When I arrived via Air Volvo at 12:30, Susie was in her recliner in the shared living room. Susie decided that a trip to the park was good. Jeniffer then popped Susie into her wheelchair with ease, and we headed out. It was warm and a bit humid. The skies were dark blue, without air pollution or smoke. The clouds were cotton candy white clouds, and thus no rain today. There is no rain in the ten-day forecast, with us facing 100F+ (38C) temperatures mid-next week if the forecast holds. We often break 100F in mid-August, so it is not a surprise. In PDX, some areas will burn hot as there is too much black paving and no air movement.

We found the shady bench and called Leta and Barb (Susie’s mother and sister, respectively) on FaceTime so everyone could see each other. Leta was home (Lansing, Michigan) and about to head outside as the rain had stopped. Barb is at her house in Grand Blanc, Michigan, and the rains have not quite stopped yet. We talked about various items, including my possible attendance of Linda Wild’s wedding (my sister) in Laingsburg, Michigan, on 11 Sept 2023. I have flights that get me there in Lansing on 9 Sept 2023, but if something happens to Susie, I will cancel everything. Susie and I made the rest of our tour of the parking after the call.

Jennifer set Susie up in her bed while I set up my laptops to work and sit in the overstuffed chair. Susie was happy to have me there today.

Before this, I was at the house rising at 7AM after waking at 5, 6, 6:30, and with my alarm. I kept waking up, trying to remember what day it was; it just did not feel like Monday. I was dead asleep after 6:30 and was blasted awake. It was not a moment to share. I found pizza, cold, for breakfast, and liberal coffee from the French Press seemed to go well together on Monday morning. I did my usual reading of emails, Slack channel updates, and News (less about Trump today). I attended two hours of status meetings.

After dressing, I had lunch with two pieces of pizza, heated this time, and watched some YouTube videos. Battleship New Jersey has announced it is finally going to drydock. ShipHappens did more repairs on their ship. All interesting. After that, I boarded Air Volvo with my laptops and headed to 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.

And that completes the story for today; thanks for reading!