Saturday Back in PDX

I rose at 7 and started my day by running more laundry and getting more things in process. I logged into my accounts and transferred cash to pay my bills. I have my cash, the dividends, and interest to live on this year. I plan to sign up for Social Security when I turn 62 in April of 2026. I also sent an email to move a donation for the church from my retirement investments. It got out a card to Mom Wild and later collected the mail. I went through it, paid bills, and reviewed investments; it was a busy morning with paperwork and laundry.

I showered and dressed. Only my shorts had been in the first load of laundry; a more Pacific Northwest look today (except for shoes and socks, which were not the de rigueur sandals). I have another wool hat in the closet, and I put that on. I put my coat in the car. It is a rainy and cool Oregon Summer Day (the hot days start in mid-July).

I took Air VW the Gray to Dondrea’s house and dropped off some shirts and a tchotchke from the Nixon Library. They loved the shirt, and Dondrea loved the hotel-style keychain. We might have to get one from the Carter Library if we manage to add that to our church trip in November.

Next, I drove to the cleaners, and they are shortening my rainproof pants, which I got for the Iceland trip, in a few weeks. They will have that done before the trip. Next, I stopped at the Beaverton Food Carts at Beaverton Central. I got some gumbo and a beer for lunch. It was cold and wet, but I found a dry and heated stop under an awning and enjoyed the cool weather. Yes, it is kind of an Oregon thing to drink beer outside in the rain, but under something. The gumbo from one of the carts was excellent, with a sprinkle of filé powder on top. The dark no-okra version.  Excellent!

I had planned to stop by the house, but the rain and the traffic slowed me down. I remembered that it was Free RPG (Role-Playing Games, like Dungeons and Dragons) Day and stopped by the local gaming store, Aloha Guardian Games. The staff remembered me, and I received a free figure (you can always use another unpainted Mind Flayer) and some free rules for various RPGs. I learned that Chaosium renamed D100 to Basic Role-Playing Game (RPG), and a free summary of the revised system was available; I received a complimentary copy.

With my goodies acquired, I headed to Portland and the Lucky Labrador. Traffic was not heavy but slow with the reintroduction of rain to the Oregonians, who seem to have forgotten how to drive in wet weather, but that never stops them from changing three lanes at once and exiting (no matter how slow they are driving).

I parked on the street and used the Parking Kitty app to pay for my parking in front of Lucky Labrador, but it said it was illegal now to park there (!?). I then found free on-street parking around the corner (?!), and just parked there. I then walked inside and found a table, and soon had a beer, opened Scrivener, and started my Fantasy Novel.

I have two chapters in draft, and I went back through the text. It is always shocking when you come back and see all those wooden phrases and typos. Yikes! I noticed the file and book title had a typo! F**k!

I re-read it and liked the story and the first chapter. There were fixes here and there. I improved some wording and felt the story was much better now. The next chapter describes the conflict that defines the story. I did not get far into that chapter, and I am not sure what to explore in the next one.

It was great to write, edit, and rediscover the story. I ordered a BLT with chips, which went well with the beer. It was time to head to Richard’s. I paid the bill and found Air VW the Gray safe on the street.

I drove the fifteen minutes to cross to Richard’s area. We were just three of us and played the newly released board game Peaks (about $89 for the deluxe version). This was an enjoyable game with a neat, partially cooperative mechanism representing climbing mountains. For three players plus a teach for me, we played it all in 90 days. The final scoring was less complex than other games we have played. Richard was surprised that Lauren won (I came in last). The game has you play one of three actions: Rest (and Move), Prepare, and Climb. As I mentioned earlier, Climb allows others to join you (for a small discount to yourself), and acquiring resources never feels like a race (though it can often be challenging); it’s a fast, friendly, and fun game. I may buy this one! I love mountain climbing stories.

Equipment is acquired by improving your Prepare action. Lauren had started there, and I think that gave her an advantage. You need, as you can imagine, dear reader, equipment for the harder (and therefore more rewarding) climbs.

I look forward to playing this game again!

We next played the Cat in the Box card game. This is a highly rated game (72nd best family game on Board Game Geek!) and allows you to play with numbered cards, and you define the suit (by colors). I have not played it before. You bet on the number of tricks you will take, and only if you are right will you get a bonus based on the pattern of the cards you use (this needs a picture to explain). It took me a few plays to understand what I needed to do. It is fun. Recommended.

After that, we chatted for a while, and I got home late. The travel was without issue. I got into my PJs and was soon in bed, where I slept after taking my inhaler. I had some trouble breathing, and that cleared with just one puff. Need to do that puff sooner!

Thanks for reading!

Sorry, this blog is so late. I was tired and ill on Sunday.