Thursday started at 4, and despite trying to sleep, I rose at 4. Time zone issues for me. But it was good to have a long day from an early start, as there were naps in the afternoon. I found the coffee, made it, and soon swallowed three cups and had to stop (I was already bouncing from three!).
I checked that the Apple laptop was backed up. Time Capsule is always running, and when I return, it catches up and keeps a current copy. I am also making manual copies of important files, but I learned last time I was using Apple File System, and that is not too useful for Linux; I have reformatted one drive to MS format. Crazy to go so old-school, but it will work on non-OS operating systems. I use solid-state 1- or 2-TB drives with a fast USB-C connection. I cannot copy everything this way; my picture library is too large, but it saves all my writing and gives me a backup to put away for real disasters.
I, drinking coffee, remember yesterday and record what happened on Tuesday, a travel day for me. And while I do not take notes or write the blog text during the day, I do take photos with my phone, and sometimes I even check my expenses on my credit cards to get the story back in my mind. I have looked through the kitchen to remember what I made or had for breakfast. It is not always easy to recall everything. I do drop some items that are too personal or boring. I also still forget some things. When I reread, I often remember and then decide I should include it now that it floats back to my mind. I decide based on the emotion and whether it impacted me or others. Otherwise, it is just words, and a few fewer are OK.
Which takes me to a missing part of yesterday’s story. Yesterday, I was on the mule cart with Chris, our driver, yesterday. We were doing the tourist carriage tour. As we turned a corner, a cop pushed an obvious squatter out of a building across from my hotel. The homeless guy fell onto the street, then jumped up. From his body language, the cop was obviously angry, and it was a full-on confrontation. I was glad to see that the clearly upset squatter wasn’t a threat and that the cop didn’t reach for his gun. The police man was shouting, and Chris quickly got past the street theater. More police were on the way. Again, the police did not draw guns, and we did not see the ending.
The homeless guy was clearly upset and confused. The officer seemed overly aggressive for the situation, but I understand how hard it is to be ignored and dismissed by someone iwhen you are in a position of authority in a street situation. Been there. It is hard to stay calm and talk people down.
Still, it was sad and upsetting for us in the cart. The kids and their parents were very quiet for a while while Chris tried to restart his spiel and get us away from the action. My situational-awareness training acknowledges that police may push you or physically move you when things go wrong. Accept it, don’t react, and run away from the action. Get Safe.
Returning to Thursday, I wrote the blog (missing the detail above) and finished around 10. I opened up my travel bags; I found no search note from TSA (I hate those), and soon was running loads of laundry. I also unpacked a few items for friends and some books purchased from the Frechman Street Bookstore (open late most days).
I took a shower, and my right leg hurts. There is a heat rash, and my feet seem a bit swollen. I wore heavier socks, and I think that, combined with the hot weather and over 20,000 steps over two days, might be the cause. I will rest today and switch to different shoes and lighter socks for a while. It is also cold and wet here in Oregon. The issue is fading now on Friday.
My Skirizi self-injection for psoriasis arrived, as did my held mail. I sorted the week’s mail and found my ticket for running a pink light, but I am surprised that the ticket is for speeding, 15 over, and $165 (plus a small handling fee), and not for running a light. I remember speeding up as the light changed sooner than I expected. Instead of slamming my brakes, I hit the gas, and that was my mistake. I was ticketed for the speed. I went to the website and paid the fine non-contested. Another donation to Beaverton’s courts. We will see if Allstate complains. Subterranean Press was having a remnant sale, and I got a signed book for 1/2 off (and about the same charge in shipping): H’ard Starts: The Early Waldrop. I don’t know this author, but it was cheap, signed, and some of the story titles interested me.
The morning started with the sunrise, and then it turned more and more grey as the storm approached, our first wet one since summer. The winds blew, and leaves were everywhere. Fall is here, but it will stop again. It is still September, and we still get sun breaks. They get shorter and shorter as we enter October, and November and December are dark, with all-grey weeks here in the Pacific Northwest. Later, I will fall asleep to the gurgling of water in the evedrops and the wind blowing.
I met Scott W at McMenamins Cedar Hills; it is a two-beer lunch, and we talked about travel, and Scott W has been following along on the blog. Scott W did a Danube River cruise in Europe (I saw the fun shots on Facebook) with his wife and friends I know. The river was too low in places, and the balconies were less useful than expected, as the boats tie up together, and thus the view is another boat. All interesting, and I will not look for a balcony if I do this, and I will check the river levels too.
We talked about the current administration’s uninspiring fiscal policies and their obvious impact on yields, and the news is already filled with interest-rate-hike expectations. Bond (debt) markets are going to make it easy to keep our fixed income have, well, income. We chatted about upcoming travel and that we are both traveling on and off all month.
We headed out–me for a nap, and Scott W to start catching up on the lawn and plant work. I was home soon after, coughing again, so I decided it was best to rest. I did invite Emma for a game and food in the evening. Corwin also needed something printed on my color printer. All done and nap taken. Laundry was also completed. I felt better, and my cough slowed. I also started season six of Slow Horses on Apple+. I finished half of it before heading out to get Emma. I had the board game Istanbul in the EV and reviewed the Mocha and Baksheesh version.
I picked Emma up in Air VW the Gray, and we headed to decarli restaurant (lowercase). It was happy hour, and they had just opened. I think it’s the best food in Beaverton, and we added almonds and meatballs to the Happy Hour menu. We had their signature drinks and a quick snack, and then took the EV to The 649.
Crystal bartended, and then Kyle did. We got a round table (a party was coming and some tables were reserved) and some beers, picking smaller ones, then set up and played a game of Istanbul with Mocha and Baksheesh. This addition adds many options and a new commodity, coffee, to the game, and an alternative turn action through guild cards. The game is now more complex, and the play area is larger. The choices each turn in the game are no longer simply about race and efficiency.
I managed to explain, and soon Emma was ahead, and I played my usual game of racing, plus using coffee here and there. Emma blocked me and shot ahead. But the easy wins were soon gone, and I kept building up and ended the game. But Emma had one turn to match me, and she did. Unfortunately for me, the tie is money, and Emma still had a pile. She won.
We finished with an OK flight of little cheesecakes. I also had coffee and a shot of Amaretto, which was new to Emma. She loved it. With desserts inside us, I took Emma back and then headed home. I read more Accidental Alchemist and was laughing through it. I got tired and soon slept.
Thanks for reading.
