Day 99: Friday with Funeral

It is a misty Saturday morning when I write this. I managed to sleep until 6:30 and rise with my 7:00 alarm. Yesterday, I was exhausted from preparing for Susie’s Concert today and attending a funeral for a friend. My emotions were all confused, and the day was hard on me.

Starting with the waking, I slept the night, woke at 6:30, and rushed to find my slippers and robe, prove hydration, and make coffee. My first Zoom meeting of a work-from-home Friday (Nike has required attendance in offices on Monday-Thursday) was at 7:00. This is the weekly staff meeting for our team and was run by my newly minted boss, Rajani. The meeting filled the hour, and I finished a banana with the liberal coffee made in my French Press.

The morning was short, and I attended more Zoom meetings on status and change control. Next, I dressed in a dress shirt and tie with a sweater over that. I boarded Air Volvo and headed to the area near my building, Swift, at Nike WHQ. I stopped by Fred Myers and purchased two sympathy cards. I signed one. Scott met me after 11 at Swift parking lot, and I boarded his jeep. I gave him a card to sign, and we headed to the funeral.

I had an early lunch of chicken nuggets at McDonald’s. It was something I could easily eat in Air Volvo and not get on my shirt. It was OK, and the upset tummy settled.

It is not my place to tell the story of another family and their loss. My emotions rose for Susie’s Concert the next day and for the family and their loss. Scott and I left after the service. Scott, following NAV, returned to the Swift Parking lot. After boarding Air Volvo, I returned to the Volvo Cave.

Aside: My colon was not happy with the morning, and I did struggle a bit during the funeral. I nearly ran to the bathroom but managed to resist. This, too, made it an exhausting day.

There were a few meetings left. The project was going on hiatus for a week after today and was wrapping up. It was a quiet day, the usual for Fridays.

I needed some frames for pictures, so I headed to Beaverton in Air Volvo and the Blick store. The traffic was light as Spring Break seemed to have started early. There I found what I needed. I next headed to McMenamins for dinner. It was happy hour, and I ordered a Ruby and a happy hour cheeseburger. Susie and I did not have much money left when we first moved here in 1996 and would splurge on a burger and beer at McMenamins once a week. So I decided to remember that and blew my calorie count.

I brought my Apple laptop with me, but I did not write. I just ate and tried to relax. I have not had a cheeseburger in months, but it was excellent. The side salad with blue cheese dressing was also a treat.

Aside: Yes, I come from a family of people who deal with stress by eating.

I paid the check, more than it used to be in 1996, and boarded Air Volvo. On returning to the Volvo Cave, I stopped by Guardian Games (previously, Rainy Day Games). They were clearing old stock with up to 25% off. The board game Stroganoff (named for the family, not the dish) was at a reduced price. I had thought about buying it before–it has good reviews, and now it is reduced, so I had to get it. I spent the rest of the evening reading and punching the game. The game is a resource-gathering game with some worker placement and rewarded actions. Much simpler than many I play and without the deck building or complex player board that has become the de rigor of Kickstarter games (I learned it was a Kickstarter). It looks like it would play fast. I am glad to have it and look forward to playing.

The theme of Stroganoff is to gather furs on the Russian steps. These become the currency to buy other resources and to achieve awards. The deeper you travel, the more options you will likely have. In Winter, you return, gather your riches, and compose new songs. There are songs to purchase with your experiences that are recorded as song points. It looks like fun, and the strategies will be complex.

The game uses lots of cardboard, and I think it could have been upgraded to include more wood and real coins. There is also no player’s aid. All of this is likely available online (it is, and even a rules update). I did look up the upgraded version (with all the extras), which is over $100 plus shipping. I like my$50+ copy!

After reading that and punching the game, I showered and went to bed early. I soon was asleep, the coughing slowing from the cough suppressant. My allergies are still enjoying all the Spring pollen.

Thanks for reading.