Wednesday Often Lunch/Dinner

I rose late again, to Deborah’s bemusement. I rose, reheated some coffee from yesterday, after I located the kitchen, and while it had not moved, it seemed further this morning. I soon focused on the usual morning tasks of updating Quicken, reading email (mostly deleting), and getting news updates. I use Semafor for some of that and the New York Times. I like the way the NYT writes its stories, and its copy editing is world-class. I find I think better and write better reading the NYT. I understand the Atlantic is also good, and I used to buy it and read it before.

My IRA balance is headed up after the various restarts of the USA-Iran-Israel war. I called US Bank, and they have cashed out of tech and moved more into bonds, expecting an interest rate cut, which will make existing bonds more valuable. I had noticed that the rubber-band-like balance of my IRA account had improved and was heading higher (the lows no longer reverse the highs).

I wrote the blog for much of the morning. Having a banana for breakfast and the rest of my sandwich, a Monte Cristo, for breakfast while I wrote. I also chatted wth Deborah throughout the morning. She finished the plans for our trip next week, and I collected hotel options for each. She checked them and agreed to most of them. I prefer IHG Express for the price and quality. As it is tourist season, I will have to pay a premium for some nights (I booked them all on Thursday morning).

I heard from my niece Emma that they were on their way to Oregon today (they missed the time zone change and arrived sooner than they expected). I talked to Dondrea and Z. She had a cold, and it would be best, with Emma inbound and me flying soon, to skip it and avoid the chance of catching their colds.

(A clear day on TV Highway)

Mariah surprised me by connecting to meet for an early dinner at 3:30, and Emma suggested 6. Two dinners for me! I headed, just to move around, to Powell’s in Air VW the Gray. I found a Brain Puzzle Dungeon book at the bookstore that you play with a pencil and a candy bar. Next door, at City Home, I found a “Beaverton” light that I got for Emma as a welcoming gift. With my purchases, I took the EV back home and grabbed the magnets, President Reagan, and the image of Emperor Vespasian from a reproduction coin from the Reagan Presidential Museum and the Getty Villa, respectively. I headed then to BJ’s Brewhouse and was there around 3:30 and soon Eric, my usual server in the bar area, appeared (he was just starting his day).

Eric and I both mused about the lovely day, the appearance of Mt Hood out of the clouds and now dominating our skies, and maybe we both should have picked something else besides a bar today. But, instead of planning an escape, I ordered an Old Fashioned, and soon Mariah joined me. We talked work (hers), finances, and possible travel dates to meet (Early Nov in Atlanta and possibly Mariah finding her way to NOLA for a weekend in September).

We parted with Mariah, deciding to wait out the traffic with another drink, and I headed to meet Emma, Greg, and Ashley. I found Emma’s apartment just off TV Highway, a short walk from MAX. The U-Haul trailer was nearly empty. My days of carrying things are gone, especially up steps (my balance is difficult after the brain surgery), and I watched and waited. It is a great one-bedroom apartment, not new, but updated with a nice balcony. A large living room, a galley kitchen, and a nice bathroom. No clothing machines, but mine are available to Emma. Parking spots are numbered, and I sinned by using one, then had to move my car. I then illegally parked in front of a trash bin because I knew it would not be emptied today, and I would be there for less than an hour.

Greg’s car developed a brake problem today, and he had an appointment with a nearby Firestone to have it corrected. Greg and Ashley start their return on Friday. I collected the Michigan people into the EV and, looking a bit worn, decided that Cedar Hills McMennans, and soon we had a table half in and half outside, enjoying various items. Nobody had a fail, McMennans has improved of late, and the drinks were good. We enjoyed the time together, and Greg got a bottle of gin to take home, the McMennans brand.

We did a short driving tour of the area. A bit of Nike WHQ (mostly closed for the night) and Beaverton. We covered a few places, and then I dropped them off. They will spend Thursday wandering the area by public transit, and we will likely have breakfast together on Friday.

I returned home, read more role-playing games material, and worked on some travel information for Brazil. Time slipped away, and soon I was to bed early. I woke with leg pain and seemed unsettled most of the night. Dreams, all forgotten, also filled the night.

Thanks for reading!