Today 23Oct2023: Another hard day

I woke early and rolled back over. The alarm at 8 went off, and I delayed until before 8:30 but finally climbed out of bed. I had trouble sleeping. I had a two-hour chat with an Internet personality who called me when hearing about Susie, and it was pleasant and distracting. It was hard to sleep after that, and I had made some tea, and that did not help me find rest. I finally was asleep before 2AM, and thus, 8AM seemed early.

In the morning, while I was making coffee, liberal coffee, of course, and found my last banana, I was called by Threadgill, the funeral folks, and they had Susie’s ashes and death certificates. I called them back, and after being rerouted to the office (one of the folks was on her way to burial, so they asked me to call the office), I scheduled an appointment to see them at 1PM. This brought the grief for Susie’s death back, crashing into waves and tides of emotion. I cried about every hour today, maybe more often.

First, I dressed, entered Air Volvo, and traveled to the Portland OHSU cancer clinic at Good Samaritan. The extra-legal driving and fascinating lane changes were a bit amusing. Drive the wrong way on a One Way is usually a disaster, but we Oregonians just smile our passive-aggressive emotion and ignore it. The confused driver turned off before anyone got hurt. Nothing to see here! I arrived safely and with some extra time.

While I waited, I finally made up my mind, and I ordered a new Mac, an Air Mac, all in black, as the one I am using now is having issues, and I am afraid I might lose it. The new Mac ain’t cheap, but I think it will be suitable for a while. Once I complete a transfer, and after a few months to burn in the new one, I will have the older Macbook repaired and erased. I usually find a good home for my used laptops; it was the cutting (bleeding) edge in April 2020.

I have a new Doc; he is very young and did a great job, and I have no cancer detected. I have one wanky blood test result–possible kidney issues–but we will see. I am a bit stressed and was surprised that so many labs were normal. My blood pressure was high again; it had been fine for months–again, stressed out, I think.

Overall, excellent results, no cancer, and a new scan in four months. I headed out and took Air Volvo out of the parking garage using the free pass they give you when you leave–it is essential not to forget that. It is $5 an hour otherwise. I soon reached Beaverton and found Swaggart Indian Food. I had a lovely lunch there–I ordered the chicken lunch tray.

Off to Threadgill’s now. They soon had the paperwork and a plastic container (Susie’s ashes) in a nice bag ready for me. We talked for a while, and Ron likes, from my previous visit, to talk to his customers and make lots of suggestions. So we talked for about twenty minutes. I was impressed by the speed, order, and professionalism while seeming like a hardware merchant or a candy store cleric from another time. Threadgill also gave me the six certificates I paid for (three short and three long). I would recommend Threadgill.

I stopped by Salt and Straw and had an ice cream, which I ate while Air Volvo took me home to the Volvo Cave. The scoop was full of nearly whole peanut butter cups, reducing the amount of ice cream–I would not order that again. Still, it was ice cream, and there was no bad ice cream, and like Ron suggested, I had ice cream with my wife. Tears came often, but I felt a bit better.

Reaching home, I found the mail had arrived. I put Susie’s Ashes on the curio cabinet beside Ben’s flag (Susie’s dad has been gone for a while). Next, I called the insurance to see if a picture of Susie’s death certificate would do (otherwise, it is snail-mail). I sent a picture to Segdwick for my leave request, which will likely be approved after I finish it–growl. I am waiting for Susie’s IRA paperwork to appear in the mail–they need an actual death certificate.

I shaved and then changed into my black suit with a vest and a pocket watch with a chain. I wore the homberg hat and black leather shoes to finish the look. I drove to the cemetery slightly early–I wanted to get the shock over. I cried a lot in the first fifteen minutes seeing pictures of Cory Johnson, often smiling and meeting with his family and friends we shared. It is hard as they try to comfort me, too. There are so many emotions with losing both Cory and Susie in the same week. It was standing room only, with the middle school football team standing along the sides like an honor guard.

While I cried often in the service, it was not long but loving, and there was a reception. We gamers stayed together and chatted. Jennifer, Cory’s wife, visited and gave us all hugs. Everyone liked that I was all dressed up like a 1920s person–Jennifer said Cory would have loved it.

After an hour, we all migrated out and said our goodbyes. I was not as sad as I was, and the tears for Cory are more thanks and missing than grief–Our Dungeons and Dragons Paladin goes ahead of us. He was one of the good guys and will be missed.

Air Volvo got me back to the Volvo  Cave in light traffic, and I soon got some frozen Italian-style meatballs in the oven, heated water for pasta, dumped a jar of premade sauce and heated it in a pan, and soon assembled dinner. I watch an old Fourth Doctor Classic Doctor Who on my Apple while cooking and eating–comforting. I was dragging, and I wanted to rest a bit. I also had enough of talking to people for a while–it was an emotional day. The dinner at home alone was good.

Finally, I sat down and wrote this blog and will watch another episode of Sandman–I liked it even as a repeat.

Thanks for reading!