Thursday

Well, the scale says a few more pounds, growl. I will return to the two-beer-a-week plan and back to salads. It was fun while it lasted, but I can feel the extra weight slowing me down.

Thursday ended with me going to bed early because I’m still confused about time. Also, the calzone for dinner was excellent. It was Susie’s birthday, and I bought Susie’s drinks (ginger ale and whiskey/bourbon, or an Old Fashion with two cherries) at Theology Pub at Cedar Mills McMinimens. We had about fifteen. We talked about what brings us joy, as it was our tenth anniversary of holding Theology Pub and had survived online versions during the Pandemic Years. We were always happy to meet in person, and now it gives us particular joy to be together. Pastor Ken was there for this one to celebrate ten years. We did have one person online from Utah.

After this, I went home, wrote one more encounter for my Dungeons & Dragons by copying the 2014 into my new version, and then revising it to match the new 5E version and moving the encounters from third level to ninth/eighth for a large group of seventh-level adventurers I plan to have on the Friday after Thanksgiving in New Hampshire. I am relieved that the 2014 writing is easily fitting (though I have to abandon the 4E items).

I will have to drop the intermediate section of the adventure and move to the ending, as this is planned as a one-sit-down adventure. A challenge for me as a writer and DM. I have all 5E core books next to me while I write, looking for treasure and monsters to use. I only bend a few rules. The new 5E version already has 10,000 words.

I curl up in my blankets and soon sleep. I wake often, think it is late, and discover it has only been 30 minutes; jet lag! I manage to sleep in starts and stops, with now-forgotten dreams of wandering through some fantasy world in my dream space.

Thursday started with me rising at 7:30 and reheating the coffee that had been mistakenly made not at 7 in the morning but at 7 last night. I have now corrected the time on the coffee machine. There is hope for the next morning (no, I forgot to push the timer button after assembling on Thursday night).

I have a banana and toast with peanut butter while I write the blog. I recall in the blog that it is Susie’s birthday. I complete the blog and then head to Cedar Mills McMinimens (yes, again) for my weekly meeting with Scott. I am only a few minutes late. We talk about travel, my trip and experience, and Scott’s new travel plans. We avoid talking about investments as the markets are flailing; Scott and I can live off of interest alone, if required.

I have a burger as I am hungry. I am slightly distracted by an event at the church that cannot be discussed here, as I serve on the SPRC (for those who do not speak Methodist, this is the HR committee). Scott and I will meet again after my return from New Hampshire.

I visit the church and see that the construction work is proceeding according to plan. I then leave and later have more issues related to the SPRC. Frustrated and unhappy (details cannot be shared here), I return home, rest, and try to sleep. I am tempted to stay there, but it is Susie’s birthday and also Theology Pub’s tenth anniversary. I choose to move past the issues as best as I can and head to Cedar Mills McMinimens for the meeting.

Stephani is our waiter, and she handles the task well. We talk about joy, and slowly the discomfort fades, and there are some tears with the first sip of ginger and bourbon, Susie’s favorite, but the night goes by pleasantly.

Thanks for reading.