Today 6Dec2023: Wednesday

Going backward, this was a usual day, and likely this will be a story today. It is 8ish, and I am writing the blog. Before this, I took a short nap and fell into a deep sleep while reading about the Battle of Jutland. I had made dinner: fettuccini pasta from a box, cooked al dente, a red sauce from a bottle from Whole Foods, and a pound of sweet Italian-style sauce fried just before turning crunchy and broken up into bits. My fav. I had a few small bowls, but most of it went into a glass storage dish (thanks, Glenda and Gene) for another day. This also helped me sleep, I am sure.

I watched the fourth season of The Magicians–I bought the last two seasons when the show was running. I used to watch them a second time after seeing them on cable with Susie. This was before you could replay episodes on cable. I forgot how much I liked the later seasons of the show.

The rains have slowed and stopped, with the stars showing tonight. The backyard at the Volvo Cave is flooded about five inches. There are many puddles around the house. There is light flooding all over the Beaverton Area. There are reports that coastal cities suffered more damage and serious flooding. Here, it is just damp, and the waters are receding.

I cried a few times today. The grief slides into the quiet moments. For example, I was sitting near all the Christmas decorations at work, and soon, I was teared up about missing Susie. She would have loved the look and loved attending parties at Nike. The holiday party is next week. The worst is when you see something you would buy or share with the person you lost, only to remember again that they are passed. Grief then slams into you.

I have decided to make no significant or life-changing decisions until six months after Susie’s death. April 13th, to be specific. This is just before my 60th birthday, and I may, at least, go on holiday for my birthday.

I was at the office early in the afternoon, did some status meetings, and talked to my boss about new work. It was a usual day, and lunch was provided for the software testing folks and their support (us). It was a Mediterranean-style food with falafel and chicken as protein options. I passed on the pita bread (remembering my A1C), but the spicy garlic sauce was excellent. I had too much coffee and will be more careful now–I was shaky in the morning and early afternoon.

Before this, I started my day at 6AM after a disturbed sleep. I made coffee (I drank all of this and more from an urn at work–mistake) and sliced some baked goods (a smaller slice) to go with my banana. I read the emails, Slack channel updates, and the news to prepare for my day.

As the sun rose, I saw the flooded backyard deep in water. The gutters by my office window were blocked and were more waterfall than gutter. After showering, dressing, and putting on my new electric blue Air Zoom shoes, I went outside. The wetness in the grass filled my shoes. As I walked on the lawn, the water ran through the grass, into my shoes, and then accumulated in the low corner of my backyard. I went to work in wet shoes, my new coat, and my spare brown hat that Corwin often used. My new waterproof coat was covered in shiny drops, and my wool hat was spotted with wetness.

My coat hung over my chair at work and dripped onto the floor. I ignored my wet feet. I spent the morning in status meetings.

I called The Willows and talked to the social worker, and they are now checking on Leta, Susie’s mother. I spoke to Leta, and she was feeling better but was frustrated with the paperwork issues. The Willow’s evaluation of her status was far from correct, and she will have to appeal it. This is familiar to me with my adventures with Susie and I hope we can get things better without more frustration.

Well, that is about it for today. I am off to a late night with Dondrea and Z in Portland tomorrow. We are going to the Center Stage: The Armory for their version of Dracula. More on that tomorrow.

Thanks for reading.