When I write the blog, my audience in my mind has been myself. What do I want to remember about this day next week, a year later? But of late, I have thought, “What would my reader want me to cover?” I have dropped some of the fun boilplates and maybe written less about coffee, but I still write to myself, and I am trying to cover what is important for both me to remember and what I think a reader would find interesting.
To that end, last Monday night, I managed to complete a Brazil visa for my trip in November. I was surprised, but not that much, that Dubai is actually running the process, and I paid my $80 fee and ninety cents in service charge. I updated my profession to NONE and then to RETIRED. I am hopeful that the e-visa will be approved soon. And I checked, and Brazil says to take a printed copy with you. Yes, I always do.
Vestige, the board game I picked up on Thursday, is set up, and I played it myself with two players. I had to refer back to the rules a few times to grasp it. It is a remake of the favorite board game Vindication, also from Orange Nebula. I found the reworking of the same system with new cards and new ways to score interesting. I do miss the larger cards and easy-to-see art, but the box’s tiny footprint and layout are better suited for using rolled-up two neoprene playing surfaces. Not a large box for a folded traditional board. I bought the wretched version, retail for $49 (and sold out, as are all the add-ons), with wood parts, no organizing content, and no purchased add-ons (though I got a few extras from the Kickstarter). I am quite happy with it. I did not do the Nemesis play (sort of an evil player running a sort of solo mode bot) as it is optional. I think I could teach it and play it. I hope to get a play in soon.
I rose closer to 8 than 7, and the sky was clear, but the smell of smoke was already there. The air would turn gray and soon taste of burned forest. The sun turned orange and the light yellow as the day went on. We were under 100 all day for air quality—unhealthy—but I started to wear a mask when outside. By sunset, it was difficult to see the hills, and the mountains disappeared in gray. I got out a chair, turned off the furnace, and replaced the air filter with a four-inch-thick (I usually use in winter a lesser 1″ one), higher-value version. The old one was gray and needed to go. I had found the better ones cheaper at Costco and had them in the garage ready for fire season.
I picked up a key box (mechanical) and a push-button pad to open the garage to allow an alternative means into the house (the new lock uses a battery). I will try to install them this week. It means a ladder, but I will be careful.
I talked to Deborah, but I got busy with all the tasks and missed her call. We miss each other and also just having the time to watch a show together. It seems that since my return to Michigan, it has been a rushed and chaotic few weeks. We will meet again in October for her Birthday.
I am replanning my trip to the South in September to use less rental cars driving. After my Michigan issues getting a car, tire issues, and paying to park the rental, I was thinking of working out a plan with less use of rentals. My new thoughts are to enjoy Nashville for longer, see some sights, and then get a car to Birmingham, Alabama, catch the Civil Rights Institute there, and then connect with Amtrak to New Orleans after returning the car. It is eight hours to NOLA from there and $36 for a basic ticket. More to come, but I think I like this idea better.
My trip to NYC is next week. I purchased a ticket for too much money to Oh Mary! on Broadway. It is only an hour long, but it is supposed to be good (good news, I read they are starting a traveling show). I looked to follow that with another visit to Death & Company, but the NYC location seems to be shut down. I will try to find a new place to go. Double Chicken Please, or another famous booze place like Attaboy, comes to mind.
Lunch was reheating the swordfish I baked the day before. I carefully reheated it in the microwave and then slid it into the non-stick fry pan (thanks, Steve, DOR), where I wilted beans reheated from a bag from Trader Joe’s. I added a spray of oil, almond slices, good salt, and garlic powder. I added toast, buttered and sliced into quarters, but squares, not triangles.
I risked the air to visit Rune & Board and saw that they indeed had a sign for my game, and Nick, the owner, was happy to host. They charge $10 for play, and I gave that to the store (usually they split it as in-store credit to the host). I called M@ and texted Emma, and they will join the game, meaning I have enough people to start. And while I would enjoy five or six, I can make two work. The game is Tuesday 6-9.
Dinner was a chance for me to use all the food I have stacked up in the house but haven’t used yet. I defrosted some chicken breasts, two pounds worth, in the freezer. I ran them under cold water to mostly defrost, split them with a sharp knife, with the remaining frost making them easier to split, I salted and peppered them, and retrieved my fry pan, swooshed it, and used it again to brown the chicken on both sides (and added some sprayed oil, avocado, and more salt and pepper). I also found morels (mushrooms!) still dried in a bag I bought a few trips ago to Deborah’s city. I added water to them to restore them, and added them to a jar of sauce I heated on the stove. Some nests of flat thin pasta from Italy found their way into boiling water with a toss (which splashed the boiling water on me and reminded me once again to stay more serious while cooking; no wine was consumed this time, giving me no excuse for being stupid). I baked the chicken, finished it with some cheese, and overcooked it slightly (170+°F), but it was still good on a pile of pasta, sauce with lovely mushrooms, sliced, and then covered with even more sauce. I had two split chicken breasts as I was starving by the time I got this all done after 7.
I did finish my laundry and remade the beds with clean sheets. I spread it over the day to prevent the last load, with shirts and pants, from finishing when I am home. I also returned the kitchen to a status that did not look like an Italian chef blew up at the stove. Extra chicken and sauce are ready for another meal or two.
And while not a narrative today, it has been fun to write about what I did instead of how it assembled into a busy Monday. Thank you, dear reader, and I wish you peace (shalom) and clear skies.
Alohawild (Michael Wild's) Website 