Author: alohawild

The day has been a challenge as my colon decided to empty with little warning multiple times. This left me feeling a bit tired and likely dehydrated. I finally seemed better and headed to Wildwood Taphouse after reheating the tagine-style chicken with potatoes and carrots for dinner. I ate it while watching ShipHappen’s latest update (repair) on their ship. I also enjoyed Drachinifel’s new video on the design of the HMS Hood while eating. I also consumed many glasses of water.

I collected the recycling and the trash and put them out for Friday (garage day for our street). After that, as I said, I headed to Wildwood.

Before this, I was rushing all day, sometimes to the restroom! Susie was napping when I reached her at the hummingbird house in Portland (Tigard) at Allegiance Senior Care LLC, 9925 SW 82nd. Ave. Portland (Tigard), OR 97223; phone (503) 246-4116. I was there about 1:20, running late, and bookended with a meeting at 2:00. I also had to rush to use Susie’s room’s toilet, ugh! Before reaching Susie’s place, I decided to have a small lunch pizza and salad at Old Chicago Pizza–the thick crust I miss from the USA Midwest. That was not settled well–I had hoped some food would improve my condition. Susie saw me stagger a few times–she was looking worried.

I managed to get Susie to Metzger Park and found that the picnic tables were not in use today. There was a wonderful breeze and shade there. Despite the burning heat (83F with a desert-like 45% humidity–28C), we were almost cold in the shade. I did have to wave away a yellow jacket that nearly spoiled our visit to the park. We called Leta, Susie’s mother, who was hanging out with Barb (Susie’s sister). Leta is buying her leased car to the great disappointment of the dealership, who likely could sell the vehicle at 2x the buyout (perfect condition and very low mileage). Also, the car could go to the grandchildren if Leta stops driving. Perfect.

I could not stay long as I was already late for my meeting. I gave Susie a quick kiss goodbye after I returned Susie to the hummingbird house. I promised Friday would be a more extended visit (I work from Susie’s room on Friday afternoons). I did my call while Air Volvo took me home. I then did another meeting and helped with some more crises of the moment after arriving at the Volvo Cave.

I am working the weekend as our project requires 7/24 coverage for six weeks (puke). I will miss out on gaming on Saturday night again with Richard, and my afternoon will be truncated, so I will not get much chance to play with Evan either. I am also looking at working Sunday afternoon. It seems like Dungeons and Dragons on Sunday night is still possible.

The day started with me simulating Dracula facing the sun when the alarm went off. Yes, I think I actually turned to dust. Returning from the dead, I found the kitchen (it had not moved) and decided on just yogurt for dinner, as my colon was already sending warning signals. Liberal coffee was assembled and consumed (extra put in the thermal cup and taken to work). I read all the emails, Slack channel updates, and some news before popping in the shower, dressing, and boarding Air Volvo.

School buses have reappeared, suggesting that summer school or summer camps are in progress. I still arrived early and attended the usual hours of status meetings while reading and approving various documents. As the project is heating up, I got many requests for approvals, and my time on the change control board no longer has me fighting to stay awake. I have stuff to approve and to think about.

And that takes me full circle. I did talk to some directors and engineers about my new project. I have plenty to keep me busy now–it is always good to find and solve an impossible problem.

Aside: Leadership is passing around the copy of the 2600 magazine I supplied with the article I wrote. So far, I have not been invited to a meeting with HR or, far worse, Corporate Communications. HR confirmed one of my retirement questions. Plans are starting to become apparent. No details here, sorry.

Thanks for reading.

Today I am running very late; it is already 10:40PM, so I will just cover the interesting stuff, skipping my usual boilerplates, and cover the good stuff. Think of tonight’s blog as a chocolate chip cookie without the cookie–just the chocolate.

Susie was having a good day when I saw her after leaving work near noon. Her eyes were full of light, and she was fully present–not true of all days. Susie was happy to travel to Metzger Park, and I only had to wave away one yellow jacket. The park was busy and loud, and we had to use the shady bench again. We called Leta, Susan’s mother, and Barb, Susie’s sister, on my iPhone using a 3-way FaceTime call. Everyone was happy to see each other; Thunder storms were passing thru the area in Michigan, with Leta finishing the storm that Barb was starting. Susie was more responsive on the call, but the strokes greatly affected her speech, and it was hard for her to get the words out.

We will check Susie’s weight every Friday and hope it is stable at 68 pounds and maybe increasing. Susie had a great short meeting with me.

Moving to the next bit of goodness, Dondrea and Z met me at Powell’s in Beaverton, and from there, we had dinner at Panera Bread for dinner. After we all had soup and some got sandwiches, we headed to the Cinemark Theater for Akhnaten, a Philip Glass Opera, an encore Live HD Met event. This is the 2019 recording I saw live with Susie, and it is great to see it again with Dondrea and Z, who have never done an opera before, let alone one at a movie theater. The Met’s version of Akhnaten is a fantasy and spectacle, and they have found the perfect match to the highly repetitive Glass music, juggling. This is a modern work, but I think approachable. We all loved it.

I rushed home and did a Zoom with Archana in India. I am starting up a new work set for the shoe company, and she and her team may get involved. It was great to see her and start to start new work.

I paid the August bill for Susie’s care. Her total care runs over $8000 a month after insurance (OTC items are not covered by insurance or included in IRS write-offs). I can still cover this with the money I borrowed from my 401K. I am thrilled with the care Susie is getting and honored to work with such good people. I only report it here so folks understand what the actual costs are.

The Beaverton anthology organizer finally contacted me. I sent him my Howard story, but he said I was the only person to reply to the note. I have sent the connection information to others (Here it is hackett.notonicpress@gmail.com).

Well, that was all the good chucks I can share. I hope you enjoyed these good bits!

Tuesdays are back-to-the-office days, meaning waking at 6:30 and rushing out the door by 7:30 to make the 8AM status meeting. I woke before my alarm and then rewoke when it went off, and I said, “And that is what it is for,” when I discovered I had fallen asleep sitting up in bed! I am still dragging and only felt better after sucking down my emergency inhaler as I drove home at 4PM. I was a walking asthma attack all day.

Breakfast was rushed with two scones I made a few days ago (kept in ant-proof containers) with liberal coffee. I read my emails and Slack updates and reviewed the news. Next, I popped into the shower, managed to be out of the house (dressed and shaved), and boarded Air Volvo with my Nike computer. The summer has no traffic other than folks trying to cross the roads; I am careful. Today the auto-braking in the insanely good Volvo safety systems fired twice. Folks are slamming the brakes in light traffic without warning–but no paint was lost today, as Air Volvo stopped.

Work was the usual series of status meetings that ran all morning, and I am now getting half a dozen design documents to read and approve each day. Today I did review with the developer, after approving his design, a better parallel process on SAP ABAP systems that is more resistant (we have been using it for twenty years on Nike’s legendary systems). His code was thoughtfully designed but could not handle a constrained system–Michael G once said I should write a How-to book. We will take another shot at the code when the next improvement appears. I would hate to retest it again this late in the game. Next time!

After giving coding lessons and approving changes in meetings and then in Technical Design documents, it was time to get more coffee. I had carried the rest of the coffee from home in a thermal cup–all gone; I got a free refill from our baristas on the first floor (Starbucks coffee, of course)–Leadership buys coffee for anyone before 10AM. Yes, we are a caffeinated bunch!

I started back on my new project, but soon it was time to head out. It was slightly overcast; it was a sticky 70F (21C) day in Oregon. I boarded Air Volvo and was soon delivered, without issue, to Susie’s place at the hummingbird house in Portland (Tigard) at Allegiance Senior Care LLC, 9925 SW 82nd. Ave. Portland (Tigard), OR 97223; phone (503) 246-4116. Susie was just finishing breakfast, and Jennifer, the weekday nurse aide, produced a blanket for Susie. I then took Susie out to Metzger Park in her wheelchair. The yellow jackets, for the most part, left us alone.

The park was full of people, and only one bench, the shady one in the redwoods and cedars, was open. Once seated, Susie and I called Leta and Barb, Susie’s mother and sister, respectively, on my iPhone. We used FaceTime and finally connected to a three-way call. Leta looked better; the bruises on her face are fading–she fell a few days ago. We had a friendly chat.

I had to return to work, so it was a short visit, and I quickly had Susie back at the hummingbird house. I was also getting tired. I kissed Susie goodbye while Jennifer took Susie back to her recliner in the living room.

I next stopped at Happy Panada and had Orange Chicken for lunch. I used to eat here often with friends. I was thinking of them while I had lots of tea to help me wake up.

After lunch, I returned to the office and worked on various status meetings and items until I headed out at the end of my shift at 4PM. Air Volvo managed to be almost on autopilot to get home. I then rested for a while. Reading and napping.

I got up, defrosted some chicken, and made Tagine-style chicken for four–I will save it for later dinners. I make it with potatoes and carrots instead of rice. I never put enough salt in it. With high blood pressure, I have no habit of using salt. I add the preserved lemon and olives with Tagine spice (lots of it) to get that Tagine flavor.

I ate dinner while watching YouTube videos from Battleship New Jersey and on the wreck of USS Lexington CV-2 (aka Lady Lex, the Queen of Flat Tops). After that, I started on this blog.

Thanks for reading!

Susie, if she was here, would tell you it looks like the kitchen blew up. I will clean up tonight. I miss her.

This evening I feel all the accumulated exhaustion from the week off, working the weekend, and starting another week of data conversions. It has been hard to push through today. I got an iced tea with my dinner in the bar of The Old Spaghetti Factory. Wine or beer would have put me out. I was having dinner there as it is close to the Men’s Warehouse. I had stopped by the Men’s Warehouse store for them to redo my measurements on the alteration for the three suits; just the coats needed to be done again. Lenny, a 40-something gal, and their tailor, another thirty-something gal, retook the measurements. The suits should be ready next week.

At the pasta place, I sat at the bar and watched Brazil crush Panama’s women’s team, 4-0, in the World Cup while eating my spaghetti and meatballs. I cheered on Pananma to make at least one goal–nope. The strong teams are moving forward; no surprises this time.

I love areas that serve salads and bread. I was feeling too tired to cook. Mariah was busy, so she did not join me. With the meatballs and other food safely inside me, I drove home and started on laundry and dishes.

The ants, which I pay people to exterminate, filled the kitchen sink, and I then had to fight back the hoard with bleach spray; I had not cleaned the sink after making lunch. The dishwasher did not start last night, and I had to run that. Thus I read more WW2 Spy stuff in the next book of the series, Silesian Station, by David Downing. Recommended. I hate ants.

I finally started back on the blog and will cover a few items today.

This is Monday, so I do not work from the office on Mondays and Fridays. I rested until after 7AM and had scones I made a few nights ago with French Press-made liberal coffee. The scones are in an air-tight container.

The day was the usual status meeting. A significant break or missed requirement (depending on who you are) was discovered, and my colleagues enjoyed hours of meetings in that. I could clean up and dress between meetings and just follow along.

I had onions, celery, and other items to let me make a tuna fish salad bagel in the broiler today–an NYC bagel to boot (thanks, Joyce). I finished that and then rushed out (leaving a bonanza of tuna stuff for the ants), believing I would finish the dishes in the early evening. Air Volvo delivered me to Susie’s place at the hummingbird house in Portland (Tigard) at Allegiance Senior Care LLC, 9925 SW 82nd. Ave. Portland (Tigard), OR 97223; phone (503) 246-4116. There was light traffic.

It was cloudy, and some raindrops here and there. With a blanket, I headed outside with Susie. We stopped by another bench as it was not hot today and called Barb, Susie’s sister, and Leta, Susie’s mother, on FaceTime. Leta connected for the third time. While chatting, a yellow jacket wasp came, and then another. I could not get them to leave, so we rolled across the grass to escape, but they followed us for over 100 feet. They finally left us alone, and we headed back. I spoke to the park manager and shared our experience. The nest is a hazard (according to the manager), and the manager will search for it–a child could unknowingly stand on the nest and get seriously stung. We have crossed over the part of summer to when the yellow jackets are aggressive.

We returned to the hummingbird house, and Susie was comfortable in her bed while I worked. I put on the old Disney Alice in Wonderland animated movie, which neither of us remembered–it is not very good. I worked while that was happening and did one status call. I was sleepy now and did nod off once. I rallied after that and did one more design call. Susie was then watching M.A.S.H. and had a whole Ensure as a snack.

At 4:45 or so, I headed out with a kiss after rearranging Susie, so she was safe. Rosari, the night nursing aide, was making dinner, and she will check on Susie for me. From there, I drove in some traffic to the Men’s Warehouse, deciding that I could treat myself to dinner if I would do the refitting.

And that is all for today. Thanks for reading!

I have a headache, so I will not be re-reading; please forgive any misses from Grammarly improving the text or if I miss wording something. I often use a word that sounds the same.

Somedays, the hours just run away from you. Getting up late, after 8AM, made the morning disappear from me. I also wrote Saturday’s blog today after doing the first Zoom meeting. Rajani asked me to take the day off, Sunday, and enjoy the sun after working late on Saturday. But the Zoom meeting, too, seemed to drink the shallow waters of the morning until nothing remained. I did manage to do some work on the radio project with the hot glue gun. But I nearly burned myself by discovering that I best let everything cool down before I start back on the radio. The faceplate needs only to be glued in place now (and some wires cut and replaced with longer wires) to start the final assembly. It is always strange to reach the final steps.  You want it over, but also, you want to add just a few more touches here and there and not have the project ever end.

I dressed and headed out in Air Volvo. Paris Baguette was my target to get more tiramisu for Susie. I also found lunch at the Shake Shack and had a Smoked Shack Burger and fries. It burger was smallish and greasy but in a wonderful way for cheeseburgers; excellent. After getting lunch, having had to park in the reserve, I walked to the Bakery (the same one I used in NYC) and acquired two cup versions of tiramisu for Susie to take to the hummingbird house. Air Volvo then took highways 26 and then 217 to reach Susie, found at the hummingbird house in Portland (Tigard) at Allegiance Senior Care LLC, 9925 SW 82nd. Ave. Portland (Tigard), OR 97223; phone (503) 246-4116. The Sunday traffic was light.

Susie was happy to see me, and Jennifer, filling in for Anassa, who is the usual weekend nursing aide, popped Susie into the wheelchair. We just stayed on the porch today as it was already hot. There we made a three-way FaceTime call to Leta, Susie’s mother, and Barb, Susie’s sister, and us. Leta’s bruises from her fall have spread, pouring down her face, but she said she is fine. We also saw Caleb, Barb’s son, and had a nice chat. Next, the Smiths contacted us on another three-way call. Cat was calling in from NYC for a short while, and then we chatted with Michelle and David from their beach house on the Oregon Coast. Susie, while getting a bit sleepy from the warm air, was happy to have so many people to chat with.

Next, We retired to Susie’s room and watched M.A.S.H. for a few hours. I did nod off a few times, as did Susie, I am sure. But it was good for both of us to slow down for a while. Some of the episodes I barely remember as we are in year three before the changes of characters. Today included the episode with the nutty General Steele, which first introduces Harry Morgan (later, Col. Potter) to the show.

At 5:15, waking up in the over-stuffed chair, I woke up, kissed Susie goodbye, and headed out after talking about the special dessert for Susie for tonight. Louis, the evening nursing aide (and Jennifer’s husband), wanted to clarify my expectations–Susie should get some tonight.

Air Volvo took me to El Senior’s to meet Dondrea and Z for dinner. We had a nice dinner planning our Opera adventure this coming Wednesday. We are going to catch the Philip Glass Akhnaten replay of the Met version at theaters. The Met reshows its best opera recording in the summer. Z and Dondrea have not seen this or any Met shows, so this should be fun. The lavish presentation matched the crazy repeating nature of the score and the use of singing ancient Egyptian words in some places. I am happy to see it again and share it with Dondrea and Z.

The food was good, and I had a large beer. We all decided on soups. It was a nice break for all of us. Dondrea had me explain Akhenaten’s history and how he potentially fits into the bible (not likely). I also covered a bit of Moses and the Twelve Ceasars. It was a nice time.

I returned after dinner to the Volvo Cave via Air Volvo. It was still bright outside, but I wanted to relax a bit more and read the book I picked up at Powell’s–a physical book. Zoo Station by David Downing started sad and slow, but now it is a boiling spy novel set in Hitler’s Berlin. Hard to put down, and I had to finish it to learn what happened to everyone and if the main character John Russel makes it all work. It is a Soho Crime novel, and those are usually good, and this one, after a sad start, manages to be great. Recommended. I will get the next ones on my Kindle I think.

After that, I finally started on this blog. Somehow Monday is tomorrow. I just had to sign back into work and approve another design document. The weekend, just one day for me, was very short.

Thanks for reading!