I rose late, after 8, and found the kitchen. I have been tired these last couple of days. The shorter days may be affecting me or the cold. We have had three unusual days of clear skies, which means cold nights with frost and some ice each morning. December is the month we often get snow, and I have failed to make a couple flights when it snowed and stayed at the airport overnight in the snow once in January 2024. Let us hope for a good day on the 19th when I return to Michigan with a noon flight to Detroit, which is at least non-stop on Delta.
I decided to try to finish the pumpkin spice with pecans oatmeal from Trader Joe’s. That went well with liberal coffee, but I was out of bananas and decided to save my other veggies, pumpkin pie, for later. The coffee is an Equal Exchange brand and was purchased at fair prices from distant farmers. Every taste makes the world a little better with my favorite flavors of Justice, Compassion, and love of Community. At the bottom of the cup, I find Hope ready to jump into the world. I never criticize other coffee drinkers, but I just remind you, dear readers, that we can do better by finding some liberal coffee and enjoying it. It makes the world better for you and the growers. No pressure, dear readers; just know I love my coffee, which helps me start my day with joy, and I will say it liberally.
Deborah is always a joy to chat with in the morning, but it is a work day for her; instead, I try for joy from Volvo. Maybe I dreamed, or perhaps I was just delusional, that the technician discovered a loose wire (it has happened before) or a bad battery (also a previous experience). I could get the car for a minor, for a Volvo, charge, and pick up Air Volvo. My hopes were dashed as I reached Zak, my agent of Volvo purgatory, on the phone, and he told me that Air Volvo, being an unexpected repair and unscheduled, is assigned as in-between work and will not be worked on except with spare resources. He implies it is my fault that I have disturbed their schedule, but I recounted this yesterday…and no reason to raise my blood pressure.
Zak suggested I get a rental as the car will not be ready, possibly for weeks. I am sure I will not return to the local dealership again, nor will a new Volvo be in my future. Mariah suggested that my next car should be a $71K new EV Dodge Charger. I did look at it. My mind returns to that excellent Ford I drove in Michigan. I am done with Volvo. I could buy a late-model gas-powered Charger for the bill I will likely get from Volvo, and likely a six-pack of them for the cost of a new Volvo, and have money left over for the repairs. I may ask the dealership if they want to buy Air Volvo from me. I am trying to be rational–but…
I sent various texts to friends describing the irony I was facing and expecting to be told that there were now rentals and that I only reserved one week ago, but no. I finished and published the blog, recalling Monday’s events more quickly than the previous day. I also wrote with some flare (likely trying to forget the frustration, and I got a sense of control by writing).
Today’s writing is more of a retelling and has fewer author fireworks.
Enterprise, within walking distance, surprised me by offering me Air Enterprise for under $200 a week. That got my inner Finance nerd working: At $200 a week, $800 a month, or $9,600 a year, it might be cheaper than buying one when you include no repairs or maintenance and a new one when you want one. I wonder if they have a reduced monthly rate! F**k!
I walked to the local rental place but had not done this walk in years; I always went the other way. It was nice, but the number of angry large dogs slamming into the fences did not make me feel safe. But still, most of the dogs were just barking and small, and I suspect they would bark, be friendly, and want pets. I like dogs, but folks use them here to guard, and their dogs are often poorly trained and vicious.
I walk around the former parking lot with a lovely tree that is now a storage place, and the tree is gone. I soon find the one sign for Enterprise. A young gal, Sienna, looks at her computer after taking my ID, and I am worried that my expectations will be reached and told there are no cars for the next two weeks. My mind goes on a little movie:
I should have planned my emergency better. Sienna will tell me there are no cars in Oregon, but there are cars in Spokane. “Can you get there?”
But, I am told that your reservation starts tomorrow with a knowing look, “I will correct that,” she says as I make excuses. Retired people often get the day mixed up, I offer. I am surprised as she smiles, grabs a computer screen device, and offers me a jeep, but then I tell her I liked the Ford I drove last month, and she smiles and points at the Ford Escape out front. We checked it out, and there were only a few minor scratches. Soon, I will be on my way. Irony was done with me, and it headed this morning to Korea (the President of South Korea declared Martial Law and then undeclared it hours later), which left me alone.
ApplePlay and my iPhone connected without issue to the Air Ford (Escape), and I thought the model name was apropos. I escaped. I can drive again. It drives better than the Volvo, has all the same safety equipment, and is well rated for safety. Hmmm.
But irony had one less gift for me. Sienna warned me the car was almost out of gas. Air Ford (Escape) traveled to the (soon-to-be renamed) Volvo Cave. I put games in the cargo hold. It is a smaller SUV but drives like a Ford truck. I then headed to the gas station, planning to use my reduced price of a dollar using Chevron’s app. I arrived and had to reverse it as the gas access was on the driver’s side. And then irony has one more laugh.
I cannot open the gas access. This explains why there was no gas. F**k. I look through the car to unlock it. There is nothing. The gas people are flummoxed. I explained that it was a rental and did not know how to fuel it. I looked it up online, and it says the gas door opens when pressed. I try and then pull it open. Someone had slammed it too hard. The gas attendant tries not to laugh. By now, the app has expired for my discount, and I pay the full rate as I want to get this over now. I will use up that non-discounted gas, I promise myself! F**k, U Irony, and the four horses you rode in on!
Next, I stopped by the house, found the extra flag pole and my spare Pride Celebration flag (more are on order), assembled them, rolled them up, and put them in the cargo hold of Air Ford (Escape). I crossed Beaverton and got back to one-foot driving. At First United Methodist Church near Old Town Beaverton and across from the fountain and the library, I found the flag post holder intact but jammed with a bit of broken pole. Someone grabbed it and broke it out of the holder (there is a small screw to hold the flag in so weather events don’t suck the flag out and then drop it somewhere else–yes, that has happened too). Instead of politely undoing the screw, the people just pulled on it until it broke and left it on the grass. This might be someone trying to do a pull-up on the pole instead of actual violence. The poles are white pine, not fur or hard oak, and will break. Jack recovered the flag.
I just replaced it after getting the screw loose and releasing the broken bit. I will tighten the screw later. It looked good. I then met with Jack and Wendy in the church and helped Jack try to find a breaker for the sign. The electrical panels and wiring in the church are a mystery that was not solved Tuesday. I then reboarded Air Ford (Escape), looking for lunch.
Pastrini in Cedar Hills Crossing, next to Office Depot and Powell’s, seemed like a good place to wind down after the shock-and-awe moments about the vehicle once known as Air Volvo. I had their lunch special, spaghetti piccata, and a large glass of excellent wine that cost as much as the meal; I did not f**king care. The piccata sauce was more industrial than good, but I was willing to cut some slack after my day. The wine helped.
Next, I stopped at Office Depot and got some paper for my printer ($8 a ream, but you have to buy two), a set of padded envelopes, and some wrapping paper for Christmas (with Disney princesses). That was added to the cargo hold, and then I headed to Powell’s. This is not Powell’s City of Books but the Beaverton location. Yes, we have our own, which is not far from our Salt and Straw. Beaverton is slowly becoming trendy, like Portland.
In the cheap used book section, I rediscovered a discounted copy of Hillary Clinton’s fictional story written with my favorite crime/mystery writer, Lousie Penny. I get that with some chocolate and read it in Air Ford (Escape). The story appears to be drawn from Ms. Clinton’s experiences in Washington and enclosed in Louise Penny’s excellent writing; I read almost twenty pages and found it an excellent book. A brain cookie! Recommended.
I finally did the dishes after chatting with Deborah until after her bedtime and letting her sleep. Deborah works for a living and starts early. The pile was deeper, and the dishwasher was full of dirty items. Yikes. The house elves are falling behind! I made a small stir fry of frozen chicken fried rice from Trader Joe’s. It was more of a snack than dinner. I almost burned it, but that seemed to make it better.
I downloaded the old game Masters of Orion, the last version that runs on my Apple, into my local Steam and played a few turns. I bought it for about $25. I played it, but the controls were confusing, and I could not do much. I survived an attack from pirates on my homeworld. Still, it reminded me of the old PC version, and I liked it. I watched an eight-year-old video that explained the setup and the right click I am missing (this is hard to do with a trackpad Apple). I will try again when I need a brake. I am resisting picking up my writing or other hobbies and just trying to enjoy being retired. I also like the model of the game and have seen this turn-based 4X system in board games and other shared computer games. It appeals to my AI and coding mind.
My pants kept trying to fall off today. I was surprised to lose four pounds, dropping to 220. It looks like size 38 is next. I have one pair of pants ready for that size, which I bought years ago by mistake. I am hopeful.
I had issues with hives, but I got out the Benadryl cream after my shower, which stopped it. I read in bed. I soon slept with the music covering the creaks of the house.
Sleep was interrupted by dreams of pain that ended with leg and foot pain and cramps. I regretted the glass of wine and the lack of water. I planned an early start on Wednesday, but that failed as I slept in.
Thanks for reading!
Alohawild (Michael Wild's) Website 