Today 18Aug2023

I did not feel like sleeping the previous evening, and I did wake every couple of hours–no great sleep. I finally started to accept the day’s existence at 8ish. I rose and completely forgot to ride the bike and do my exercises. I did find the coffee and microwaved the unfinished coffee from yesterday, but it was a poor replacement for freshly made liberal coffee.

I then invested the whole morning in writing the story of the missing days from the blog–I can’t recall any breakfast. My allergies made me sneeze, and I was a bit stuffy, but I was generally comfortable writing the blog in the in-home office. It took nearly three hours to recall the four days and decorate the text with pictures from those days, with me checking the info on some of the photos to ensure they fit the days I was describing in the text. A few days blended together, but I managed to sort some of that out and created a self-consistent narrative. There were typos and wooden writing left after Grammarly had over-edited it–but it will do. I was tired and wanted to get on with my day.

With that done, I found some of the pasta and homemade veggie-thick sauce I made yesterday with shredded sweet Italian sausage and reheated it for lunch. I watched more of the original Swedish movie, the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (Extended Edition), while I ate lunch. I really like this version, and I am used to reading the text now, and the simple dialogue is obvious.

Next, I boarded Air Volvo, added the scarf I bought for Susie to the cargo hold, and then forgot it–Susie will get it on Saturday. I crossed Beaverton without issue and soon reached 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 waiting for me in her recliner in the shared living room. Jeniffer was surprised when I told her I had tickets for the 2:10 showing of Barbie at Bridgeport Regal Theaters. Susie was soon ready to leave and was now sporting a pink plaid shirt. Jennifer placed Susie in the co-pilot seat in Air Volvo, and soon we were flying down Highway 5 and were ten minutes early for the movie.

An overexposed shot in the theater. You can see the belt I use to move Susie–she does not come with handles.

At the parking lot, I unloaded Susie without pain. I had to slide the pillow under her as I forgot it the first time, but everything was fine after fixing it.

Susie and I shared a Diet Pepsi and popcorn (no butter) and soon enjoyed an endless stream of commercials and previews before the previews, which lasted for about ten minutes. The previews took another ten minutes. Finally, the film started, and it was funny, sweet, and ironic. Comedies falter for me, and this one did occasionally, but Margot Robbie, playing Barbie, pulled the film back up when it slipped with a smile, a good line, or acting. Or Kate McKinnon pulled the show back with some gag. Much better than I expected. Recommended.

After that, I wheeled Susie around the Bridgeport Mall but stayed outside. We called Leta (Barb, Susie’s sister, was not available) from Air Volvo and chatted for a while, our daily catch-up with Leta (Susie’s mother).

I managed to load Susie myself and then unload her at the hummingbird house. My shoulder did not get worse or even hurt much from it–excellent. Susie was sad for the day to end, but I was tired and returned to the Volvo Cave crossing Beaverton in moderate Friday traffic.

I stopped at Don Chilitos Mexican Grill for dinner and ordered shrimp and steak, recommended by the order taker, to-go. I stopped by Rainy Day Games, next door to the Mexican place, and found the add-on for Furnace, a new board game in my collection, and purchased it. I finally reached home and unloaded my goodies.

I finished the Swedish murder story while eating my excellent repast. I then took a break and napped after reading my Doctor Who comic, #2, which finally arrived from the UK. The new showrunner has started the storylines for fans with a comic book about the Assassin Doom until the show restarts in November 2023. So far, I like it, but like most comic books, I find them too short. I have the books delivered from the UK on their release date.

I then headed to Wildwood Taps to write the blog today (my third one in 24 hours). I decided I needed a beer to write a third time! JR, a former Nike IT colleague, supplied me with an excellent sample of a dark-brewed product.

Thanks for reading.