Today 26Nov2023: Sunday Back to PDX

The morning came at 3 and then 4AM, and I could not sleep. It was my flying day, and I could not sleep. So by 4:30, I was showered, dressed, packed, and waiting in the lobby of the US Grant Hotel in San Diego, where I spent an hour on my laptop reading news and emails. Boarding was as at 6:15AM for my non-stop flight on Alaska Airlines to PDX. I took a taxi for $35 (including a tip) to reach the airport. There was traffic from construction, and my driver bypassed the normal entrance and reached the terminal, Terminal 2 for Alaska Airlines, from behind and avoided a long construction traffic mess. Excellent!

The long walks started, and the pain and stiff muscles made any walk a chore. I tried to print a boarding pass, but nope, that does not happen now for Alaska. I would have to use the one on my iPhone. I joined the security queues and soon was through without an interesting story to tell or attacks of irony to expose. My gate was a few steps from security, so I spent an hour waiting. Susie would be laughing as I managed to be too early again.

I was slightly dizzy and slightly nauseated, or in more simple terms, lightly hung over from the bar-hopping not that many hours ago. A gentleman with poor English skills asked about his flight to Washington, D.C., while sitting at the Portland gate. I got a gate agent to look, and he was on the next flight at the same gate. When I went to board First Class, I waved for him to sit down. I asked the gate agent to care for him as I boarded. I got a reassuring smile that she would see him on his flight.

The plane to PDX was an old 737-800 with a faded interior of twenty or more years ago that I hate so much, and it was cold. It shuttered and made strange sounds as it took off. But the coffee was good, and I had a flavorful chicken sausage hot breakfast sandwich. I switched to ginger ale, my usual flying drink, as my hangover and lack of sleep were threatening to reshow me my breakfast. I nodded off a few times, and the ginger ale, often replenished by a smiling and yet knowing look from the stewardess, helped to get me settled.

I cried hard once. I missed Susie and telling her about my trip and to come home to her. All of my memories of Susie’s passing crashed down on me while looking out the window. All day I was sad.

We landed flying after overflying Nike WHQ and Beaverton (which I did recognize from the air; the bright orange on the NYC parking garage caught my eye, and even spotted Swift, my current home building), making a turn over the Columbia River and flying lower than I like over the hills. I was quickly off the plane and surprised to meet others from my church in the terminal, Ashley and Andrew, and we all were headed to church service at 10:30!

I had to walk what seemed like forever, and then I had to walk the tunnel to the extreme end to reach Air Volvo in long-term parking. I found the vehicle without an issue, and it started in the 32F (0C) air. I drove across Portland and reached First United Methodist Church without incident. I did see some folks change three lanes in one move, but that seemed more of a “welcome back” than a threat. Yes, we drive crazy and slow here, but it is home.

Church was the usual, but Pastor Ken’s sermon reached the same point many times but came from a different view each time. He also had the liturgist read three pages of Acts! Ken was concerned that we, Christians, were focusing on sin and hell and not the beauty and kindness found in the gospel. That we were trying to purchase heaven by avoiding hell instead of serving God and living well. He claimed that we often have it backward, often. Pastor Ken showed this, as I said, in many ways, and I was surprised by the length of the sermon, but as I was just off a plane, hungover, and sleepy did not make me more tolerant today. So it was a good sermon, I think.

After church, I drove home, and opened a can of chili, heated it, added cheese, cut some bread from my homemade bread, and ate lunch. I also got the mail. My new passport arrived so now I can travel to Europe again. Soon!

While I washed my clothing, I rested and then put them away. Soon it was time to play Dungeons and Dragons at Matt V’s house. I drove across Beaverton to the hills near Portland. The long day and the pain in my legs and feet were getting harsh, but D&D was still fun. We are playing the reworking of the game to play in space. Matt also supplied cheeseburgers, and they were good. So a great way to finish the day.

Thanks for reading. Sorry, I am getting tired, so I will stop there.