Monday Laundry, Chores, and Dinner

I rose around 7, warmed up yesterday’s coffee, sliced a bagel, toasted it, smeared it with cream cheese, and added some green olives (I did not have capers) and took both to the office. I decided to avoid the crash for no food and just coffee (no sugar). The coffee, while reheated, is fair trade (the last of it until the next order arrives, hopefully before I am traveling), is bitter, and reminds me how far we have to go before Justice with Compassion becomes the mission of humanity.

I do the usual and add my new Platinum Delta Amex to everything after it is delivered. I am removing the Gold version from my wallet (both electronic and physical) and will cancel it in the future (once it spends a month without a charge). I had meant to upgrade the gold version, but I messed that up.

Next, I read some of the news and find it depressing as President Chaos-Battleship continues to spin news stories with obnoxious behavior to cover both his failures and the various nefarious schemes (Elon giving him options on the IPO, for instance, though this is not in the press; a guess on my part). I try not to get angry; it is a game with the White House, and I refuse to play.

I get the blog going and complete it. I spent some time trying to remember the day. It is always strange, the jumble that memory forms after twenty-four hours. I assembled the story and decorated it with pictures.

I started the laundry and got the towels done. I started the small mixed load of accumulated laundry from the weekend. While it was running, I headed off to lunch. I headed to Happy Panda, and when Air VW the Gray got me there without any issues, though the City of Beaverton and Washington County are installing holes all over the roads, and any lane choice is speculative, at best. It is hole season on our streets again.

My investments are doing well after recovering from the chaos of war. I am in a moderately aggressive mix, but still with bonds and cash to keep everything safe. US Bank Wealth Management is handling it.

Lunch was cashew chicken with extra veggies, with more water chestnuts and bamboo shoots requested by me. It was a good mix. The waiter at Happy Panda (sorry, I have forgotten her name) asked about my trips and remembered that my girlfriend is from the Detroit area, and was happy to hear I was headed to California in my EV. She was at first concerned about the price of gas, but then learned it was an electric-only vehicle and smiled.

I read more American Civil War stories as the battle is starting to wind up, what is known as the Last Hurrah of the Confederate Army (Nashville 1864). General Lee’s army was already locked in a siege at Petersburg (1864), having been cornered by Grant; the Army of Northern Virginia was slowly bludgeoned and reduced, and would ultimately surrender.

I paid the bill with my new AMEX, which was working, yay. I headed to Costco to get some supplies for the trip. I found a few things at Costco, and air filters for the house on special. Having escaped Costco, I next risked Safeway for some treats and other items. I filled another bag of items to take south. Aws was checking and was happy to see me. He has been checking for years, and we talk about life when there is nobody waiting. It was fun to quickly catch up (there was a line), a handshake, and a promise to update him on California when I am back.

With all breakfast stuff acquired (bowl, plates, plasticware still on the list), I was back at the house. I finished the laundry, forgetting to pull out a dress shirt, but it was only sort of wrinkled. I watched another Star Trek: Strange New Worlds episode. Time was disappearing, and soon it was time to head to the Golden Valley Brewery.

Dondrea and Z were waiting for me when I arrived a few minutes late. We got a table outside and drinks: Old Fashioned for Dondrea, their special Black Walnut Old Fashioned for me, and a Sherry Temple for Z. Dondrea and I both went for the meatloaf (It was lovely with mash and brochili) while Z tried the new item on the menu (that started today), Shrimp Boil. Z faced her first experience peeling shrimp, and it was fun to watch her learn to master this skill on slippery Cajun-style cooked crustaceans. There was spicy sausage, corn on the cob, and potatoes, too. All our food and drinks were great (though Z wanted cherries in her drink, we suspect the homemade cherries at the bar were not for kids). Dondrea and I switched to coffee while just enjoying the warm, dry June evening, something that did not exist for my first twenty years in Oregon. We enjoyed some decaf, but then we headed out in separate directions.

At the house, I was tired, and soon in bed, and quickly fell asleep.

Dear reader, please consider attending if you are in the area. From the press release:

BEAVERTON, Ore. — [May 18, 2026] — A new public forum dedicated to ideas, culture, and civic dialogue is coming to Beaverton with the launch of the Beaverton Lecture Series, a community-centered initiative designed to spark thoughtful conversation and deeper connection across the region. The series opens on Thursday, June 4, 2026, at 7:00 PM with the inaugural lecture, “Indigenous Place Keeping: Learning from the Land,” featuring cultural leader David Harrelson. The event will be held at The Historic Downtown Methodist Church, located next to the Beaverton City Library at 12555 SW 4th Street, Beaverton, OR 97005. Admission is free and open to the public. Harrelson, an enrolled member of the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde and the tribe’s Cultural Resources Department Manager, will explore the Indigenous practice of “keeping place” — understanding land not merely as physical space, but as a living network of relationships connecting people, plants, history, and community. “No matter where you live, you are on Indigenous land,” Harrelson says, underscoring the continuing relevance of Indigenous knowledge and stewardship.

With more than 16 years of experience in cultural resources and heritage preservation, Harrelson’s work spans ethnobotany, Indigenous foods, contact-era Pacific Northwest history, and Western Oregon Indigenous art. In addition to his leadership with the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, he currently serves on the Oregon Arts Commission and previously served on the Oregon State Advisory Committee for Historic Preservation.

ABOUT BEAVERTON LECTURE SERIES
The Beaverton Lecture Series was created to provide an accessible and welcoming gathering space where residents can engage with important ideas shaping culture, history, identity, and civic life. Our hope is that this series becomes a trusted gathering point in Beaverton for learning, dialogue, and shared reflection.

HERE
What: Indigenous Place Keeping: Learning from the Land
Speaker: David Harrelson Date: Thursday, June 4, 2026
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Historic Downtown Methodist Church 12555 SW 4th Street, Beaverton, OR 97005
Admission: Free and open to the public

Here is more information: David Harrelson Press Release.docx – Google Docs

Thanks for reading and considering attending (if you are in the local area).