Today 22Aug2023: Tuesday

Before I start with Tuesday, I should add a few items to Monday.

After I wrote the blog, I stopped by Barnes and Noble–their magazine department is better than Powell’s in Beaverton. There I found the current Fine Modeller issue with an article about the build of a vast (five-foot-long) IJN Yamato 1/200 model. Something I only dream of building (and the matching scale versions of KMS Bismarck and USS Arizona). I also found a copy of Strand, a mystery writer magazine, and a travel book on New Orleans. Depending on events, I plan to make my first visit to the Crescent City in 2024. I also got a fan magazine for Doctor Who as it came with the Doom Comic book I have been buying (#2 is sold out).

Air Volvo took me home with the magazines, travel book, and 1/2 of a pizza from The Rock Wood Fired Pizza. I then returned to my radio project and tried to hot glue the new power board on the inside of the left side of the antique radio box. This failed as the glue bound to the dirty wood was not strong. Eye rolling occurred. I used the matching prototyping board, I had two, and drilled small shallow holes through the stand-off holes. I then counter-sank those with my small drill just fitting in the radio box. Next, I mixed up yet more epoxy (15 min hobby stuff) and glued the brass stand-offs into the holes; and they fell over. More eye-rolling. I then put them in the board holes, and that then held them in place.

I then started to code the new board, M4 Grand Central (from AdaFruit in NYC). And then the serial communication was not available. Well, puke. It seems the incredible and powerful board does not have easy-to-use serial ports. My code will not work, and I will have to configure the ports to make UART connections; oh my, how to do that? It was 11PM, and it was time to head to bed.

Which takes me to Tuesday. I woke before 6AM with it still dark–summer is nearly gone. My arm hurts, and I am enjoying a random pain in my arms (but not my legs) and hands–not cool. I try to roll over and go to sleep. Nope. Have to prove hydration, and then my colon wanted attention–F**k. I pretended to sleep and fell asleep until the next pain woke me. D**n. I rise like an old man and stumble to the kitchen, make hot water with the electric kettle, and work out how to turn on the ABC streaming news on cable, which is about 50% commercials. I then board Immobile Schwinn and go nowhere for thirty minutes and six miles of non-travel. Twice now, I have reached a thirty-minute workout–a personal best, I suspect.

This leaves me with just enough time to make a bagel with cream cheese (again, thanks, Joyce, for the Zabar NYC authentic bagels) paired with some canned peaches in a bowl. Coffee too.

Aside: Grammarly wants all those commas there. I think it is crazy. A bit too staccato for me.

Work begins, and I spend hours in status meetings. As I am working from home these next two weeks (our new Nike WHQ building is not ready for us), I am sleeping in until 7 (at least I try to), exercising, and just making the first meeting at 8:05 AM PDT after making breakfast. I have meetings all morning. I shower and dress at 9:45ish and have some more communications until just before 11AM. I board Air Volvo and head to Susie’s place at Allegiance Senior Care LLC, 9925 SW 82nd. Ave. Portland (Tigard), OR 97223; phone (503) 246-4116.

The trip across Beaverton was eventless, and there were no entanglements with Beaverton’s finest. Susie was excited to see me, and Jennifer popped Susie with envious nonchalance into the wheelchair from her recliner in the shared living room. We headed over to Metzger Park, next door, and found my favorite bench was available, the shady one in the cedars and redwoods. Sitting there and Susie in a wheelchair, we called Leta and Barb (Susie’s mother and sister, respectively) on my iPhone using FaceTime to do a three-way call. Soon everyone was talking, and we had an excellent call. Leta had finished lunch at Panera, and Barb had a late lunch at home.

I could not talk long or stay long. I had a hard stop as I had important work meetings at 1 and 2. So I took Susie for the complete circle and looked at the magnolia tree (no flowers). Jennifer took over as I rolled Susie inside and kissed her goodbye–a usual working day visit. My travel back to the Volvo Cave was also without events, and the traffic was still light.

Another M4 Grand Central from NYC arrived today (a spare, just in case), and some more tools (my small files are aging, so I replaced them). The mail was junk and catalogs. I returned to work online with just a few minutes to spare. I did two more hours of Zoom meetings. I rested for thirty minutes and then moved my Nike laptop to the kitchen.

While making dinner, I listened for the last long status meeting, the 4:35 end-of-shift meeting. I grabbed a frozen broccoli beef from Trader Joe’s and followed instructions while making some rice (only 14 months expired, but it is rice). Rice is not suitable for folks with diabetes, but I am hoping it will not be too bad. The food was spicy, almost too spicy, and the rice created a fire extinguisher effect that I appreciated. The meeting finally ended just as I finished cooking–good timing. I ate the meal while watching The Swedish version of The Girl Who Played With Fire (Extended Edition). This version is far from the Hollywood version (The Girl in the Spider’s Web), and I like it. Recommended. After an extra bowl, or may two, I put away the food for another dinner or lunch.

I made a pot of tea (Sticky Rice Tea which comes in little blocks) and headed into the office to write and work.

While writing, I looked at the alternative to the M4 Grand Central called a Tensey, a more usual Arduino but insanely fast–180 MHz. There is a new version, and I went to their website to order two new ones, 600 Mhz. I am sure I can find a use for them.

Well, I am now caught up on today and Monday; thanks for reading.