Author: alohawild

The day started with me up early and writing the blog. I was not rushed, but we had to be at Susie’s at about 10:30, so I had to be efficient with my time. Barb is staying at the house–Susie’s sister. So I made a pot of liberal coffee for Barb and me and had a banana for breakfast.

I dressed after finishing the story, and then, the irony being what it was, we were running early and decided to stop by Target to get some items, so we took Air Volvo on Saturday morning across Beaverton, skipping Old Town. The traffic was surprisingly heavy. At Target, we got various supplies to decorate Susie’s room and hanging supplies. We discovered small shelves that just stick to the wall, excellent, and remote control for power plugs; perfect, we can use that for Susie’s light tree.

We were only a few minutes from the hummingbird house and only a few minutes late. Susie was ready and in her chair as we got there. She had breakfast and was warmly dressed. It would be nearly freezing in Portland. Barb got to experience me putting Susie in Air Volvo and helped put the wheelchair in the cargo area.

More traffic; I should have taken I-5 and not 26, but we were soon in Portland, and I drove to parking near the Portland Saturday Market, just across from Voodoo Donuts, with a huge line already for weird-themed donuts (we skipped this). Parking was $8 for the day (growl) as I was not using the more fair Parking Kitty I so adore for its ability to automatically increase as needed, but overpriced Parking City that had one option. The app meows at you when you are running out of parking time–you pay thru the app.

The area was full of just-waking street folks, and I had to use a manual pay machine. One gal had to move to let me pay for parking. I did not think, unlike a night parking where Air Volvo windows were smashed by the locals, that it was unsafe. I felt the vehicle would be safe in the bright light across from the donut shop. I would not have parked there at night, however.

I unloaded Susie into the wheelchair I retrieved from Air Volvo Cargo and headed into the reduced market. Covid-19 had not been kind to Portland, and the protesting had set folks on edge; the market was smaller now. The count of food carts was much reduced, and I noticed some stands were gone, the weird kitchen tools and coin cutters being the ones I missed. Nonetheless, it was still busy, and soon I thought I should put on a mask as folks started being packed in. But it was a windy day, and folks are still socially distancing (a habit likely to stay in place long after the pandemic is just a memory). I felt safe the whole time.

Barb bought gloves at almost the first stand. The Coho Wind was colder than the air temperature, but the buildings and stands blocked most of it–the sun was warm. I bought some Portland playing cards for gifts for the holidays. Susie said she was warm, so we continued touring the market.

The market is a mix of artists and crafts. The amount of clothing and t-shirts for sale seemed to be increased from what I remember (being there last time three years ago). The expensive art had increased. Some long-term shops-tents, like the playing card shop, I was happy to see again.

Kathmandu got more of our business: A permanent shop in the Skidmore Area. Barb bought Susie a coat of many colors and some clothing for herself. The cold started seeping in, so we decided to continue with the lunch plans.

Kells Irish Pub is only a block away and was not busy. The place has not changed, well maybe a bit cleaner, and we got a table away from the door. There is a fireplace close to the door that keeps the cold draft away in the winter.

The place was not busy, and we got drinks (Susie having an Irish Coffee) and waited a bit on food. Mariah texted me, and she was coming to join us. Unfortunately, she was much delayed by heavy cross-Portland traffic (she lives in SE Portland; we were in Skidmore just across the river in SW Portland). We ordered after waiting a bit; Susie had her usual sausage roll, which we cut very small and helped her eat, Barb tried the Shepard’s Pie, and I dove into the Corned Beef platter.

Mariah finally parked and arrived as we were finishing lunch, but desserts were ordered. We had a few beers, and Susie finished 1/2 her drink and one slice of her lunch–good for her. We chatted and had a lovely time just hanging out at the Irish Pub.

Once more, we braved the cold as we said goodbye to Mariah, found Air Volvo without incident, and reboarded. Again, Barb got to see me load Susie without incident. I use a belt to move her as I am not as good as the nurse aides and RNs, who seem to levitate Susie into the next location. Susie helps by standing and is no longer like moving a sack of wet noodles.

We returned to the hummingbird house in light traffic and with no incidents, and Barb and Susie began some improvements to Susie’s room. Susie looked tired, but she stayed with it for another couple of hours as we stuck things on Susie’s walls and lightened up the blank walls. As it approached dinner, Susie had an Ensure shake to increase her intake, and we headed out with promises to return for church on Sunday.

Barb and I then collected four pints of ice cream for Sunday at Salt and Straw. We purchased, Barb ordering from her phone, a large collection of balloons for Susie’s Birthday and realized that it would be good to get them to Susie’s place tonight. So one more late visit and we delivered the ice cream and balloons. Anassa took all the interruptions with grace.

We headed home, and soon the hours and food accumulated on Barb and me. Barb went to bed early (but not early on her still East Coast timing), and I read for a while. I had a few colon and medication issues that did not agree with the dessert, but I managed without any nasty surprises. I finally went to bed and had trouble sleeping at first. I finally slept at about 1ish.

Thanks for reading.

 

Today Susie’s sister Barb flew in from Michigan to help celebrate Susie’s 60th birthday this Sunday. Barb arrived with no drama and escaped from the snow in the east.

My day started at 7ish, and I did one work meeting; I was late because I had started the blog and got writing and overlooked the time. It is the weekly and only staff meeting I am invited to, so I hate to miss it even on my day off.

After that, I continued to write the blog, had a breakfast of the last cream cheese danish and a banana with liberal coffee, and then got dressed. While writing, I watched the robins out my window, enjoying the apples on and fallen from my tree. The cats continued to patrol, and I was always surprised when they used their claws to climb the fence. It is another sunny cold morning with a more frigid wind than the air temperature.

The Coho Wind, its official name, is the cold air from the high desert (3,000 feet/914m) in Easter Oregon that runs East to West and originates from air flowing downhill from the high desert through the Columbia River Gorge and slamming into Portland and blasting over the local hills into the valley. The wind is often much colder than the local air and will kill plants exposed to freezing and worse air (20F/-7C is not unheard of for this wind). More exotic and tender plants must be grown near houses and behind wind-blocking fences/walls. The winds are complex and, for years, might not hit hard; often, a well-tended exotic/tender plant will grow out of its protection and then be killed or burned by an extended cold Coho Wind.

Returning to the narrative, once I was ready, I headed a bit early to PDX (we call our airport by its official letters–it has never been named after someone or a place–it is just PDX). Traffic was a bit heavy for a mid-morning and a Friday, but I was twenty minutes early. Now that it is open again, I parked at the top with a view of all the mountains. It was a clear day, unusual in November, and I could see all of Mount St. Hellens (what is left), Hood, and a tiny piece of Rainier showing above a local volcanic ridge. Yes, those hills and cliffs near Portland are ash cones and lava flows. We reside on the Ring of Fire.

Barb arrived without incident, and we took the tunnel to the elevator and were out of the airport (unlike many other airports) in a snap. I remembered using my AMEX instead of taking a paper card, so I used the AMEX to leave–no paper waste. Technology works!

Susie was waiting for us when we got to the hummingbird house. Jennifer, the nurse aide for the week, said Susie could not sleep as she was excited to have her sister visit for her birthday. So we got out Susie’s heavy leather jacket and bundled Susie up, and Barb and I headed into now cold and windy Metzger Park. Barb discovered the Coho Winds–the winds are brutal here and cold. We made a short spin through the park, called Leta (Susie’s mom), did a quick FaceTime, and then headed back to the hummingbird house.

We hung out with Susie for a while. Susie was uncomfortable as she had some cramping. So we headed out with Susie starting with lunch and then a nap. Barb and I took Air Volvo to the Volvo Cave, dropped off Barb’s stuff, and then had lunch at the Reedville Cafe.

Reedville is the area I live in and is an unincorporated area then is mostly a memory. Mr. Reed, as in Reed College, had a farm in the area, and a small village and post office named for him existed until the late twentieth century. The Columbus Day Storm destroyed many of the businesses in Reedville, marking the beginning of the end. Now Reedville is a historical name for an area–just a dot on very detailed maps.

The Cafe by the same name is the old crab shack on the highway, now grown into a local food joint. It is one of the few old and non-chain restaurants in the area. They still service comfort food with a few nods to more recent food directions on the menu. Barb’s French Dip was good, and I had a tuna melt (made with bacon).

We were now fed were sleepy, and we took a rest. Barb arranged the gifts she brought Susie for Susie’s birthday. Then, we headed back to the hummingbird house for a second visit. Susie was still in bed; she was waiting for us to show up before she had dinner. Barb set up a lighted tree for Susie (not just a Christmas tree) and hung out with Susie for a while. We watched 1/2 of a Perry Mason show (in black and white, but someone had perfectly scanned the original film–I have never seen such detail before) with Susie before heading out.

We needed no more food, so we headed back to the Volvo Cave, and Barb arranged some more items before heading to bed (the flight and the time differences had her off to bed early). I watched the last of Doctor Who season five (Matt Smith) with a bagel for a snack (I need to take my pills with food) and went to bed a bit early too.

I woke up a few times and night and had a headache in the early morning.

It was good to have Barb here, and we look forward to a lovely weekend.

Thanks for reading.

Feel free to call or send cards. Susie resides at:

Allegiance Senior Care

Adult Foster Care Home

9925 SW 82nd. Ave.

Portland, Oregon 97223

The house phone number: (503) 246-4116

 

I was on paid time off (PTO) for the shoe company and started my first week off without medical leave (i.e., cancer treatments) in a year. I still visit Susie daily and write the blog, but I will not call into meetings or drive to work for a week.

Yesterday was not that interesting, so I will just cover the highlights instead of telling a narrative that includes me mopping floors, cleaning toilets, and like items.

Breakfast was a cream cheese danish, a banana, and coffee–liberal French Press. After that, I spent most of the morning picking things up in the house and writing the blog. It was a long one.

I decided to make lunch; I boiled pasta, heated sauce from a bottle, and steam-cooked chicken Italian-styled sausage (why would you make this–I got it by mistake). I put these odd sausages in a frying pan, water in the bottom and a tight lid. The steam cooked them. I later put the whole thing in a 350F (177C) oven for fifteen minutes. I threw away the hot mitt that let the burning hot handle of the frying pan heat reach my hand (growl), carefully cut up the sausage, and then mixed it all together.

I ate the mix while watching more of season five (Matt Smith’s) Doctor Who. This was the Van Gough episode (one of the best they have made), and I did cry, as always, when I watched it. Highly Recommended.

I had colon problems within an hour of eating. The experiment was a success. I need to be aware that pasta and tomato sauce are unwise with the medications and new colon design I am sporting (slightly truncated).

After dealing with that, I dressed, got into Air Volvo, and headed to Susie’s place. I arrived there with two of Susie’s better and warmer coats, a few shirts, and a Christmas sweatshirt. Susie was delighted to see me.

I pulled up a chair and stayed with Susie for an hour or more. We called her mother, Leta, and they chatted on my iPhone using FaceTime. I then just stayed and held Susie’s hand for a while. When I moved to leave, she asked if I could stay longer, but I needed to do some more work at the house, and she agreed I could go. Jennifer suggested a nap for Susie, and she agreed to that. I left with a kiss.

Putting aside the boring stuff, I did a lot of cleaning and rested for a bit. I then took Air Volvo to Beaverton Central by City Hall. There I got dinner–a rice bowl with raw tuna and other exotic items (for me). I took that and the solo Board Game Nemo’s War to Central Taps. There I grabbed a table and a few beers.

Nemo’s War is a solo game in its final form after a few reprints and editions. I play the basic solo game. There are ways to play with more players, but the reviews suggest it is not a way to really enjoy the play the game, so I stay with solo. You play Captain Nemo of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea fame and select a general goal (Explorer being the recommended one and the one I usually use), and start destroying commerce, fighting warships, seeking treasures and mysteries, and inciting against the colonial world order. The game uses a timing mechanic of a reducing deck of cards and cascading failures that you find in many solo games. You will make it to the end as everything starts to pile on and break. It is fun, but it does make you think and worry.

I survived this game, but my point score was embarrassingly low. There is a rating at the end for your score, and I got a Failure. This is because I sank too many ships instead of exploring. Next time.

After that, I headed home and rested. I did not get as much as I wanted to be done today, but I tried to relax a bit and not be exhausted this weekend.

Thank you for reading.

Feel free to call or send cards. Susie resides at:

Allegiance Senior Care

Adult Foster Care Home

9925 SW 82nd. Ave.

Portland, Oregon 97223

The house phone number: (503) 246-4116

 

I decided yesterday to take today off. I have Barb, Susie’s sister coming, and the house is not great–so I will take some time to clean. I never seem to be able to prioritize the cleaning with everything I have to do daily. I have a considerable rate of paid time off (PTO) with twenty-six years with Nike, so I should use it. I am worried that I will need it if I need to care for Susie or if I get to enjoy some new health issues.

I have also realized that I can only do some many things a day and have to give something up if I do something. Thus, while I am writing my Dungeons and Dragons adventure (which I need to return to while on vacation from Nike), I cannot also build cool models, paint figures, or do something amazing with electronics. I also have to be watchful to not exhaust myself, so I gave up work today.

I managed to sleep into 7:45 and then logged back into work and put in my timesheets and out-of-office flagging in my email. I had already blocked my shoe company-based calendar and sent out no-blocking meetings to my colleagues, so they would see in their calendars that I am out on PTO. I have today, Friday, and all of next week on PTO for a short vacation.

The morning is windy and bright, unusual for November in western Oregon. I watched from my office window (formally Corwin’s bedroom) in the backyard as the local cats patrolled my backyard. The cats walk into the yard and walk the perimeter and then hop on to the top of the fence, look for a while, and next jump into the adjacent yard. One cat often sleeps in the grass for a time (I suspect the cat is hiding from cats and humans).

The robins are eating the fallen apples from my tree. It fell, but I had the yard service trim it into a smaller tree with one large branch acting as the new trunk. I see that the local woodpeckers like the apples too. Squirrels walk the top of the fence and hide various items in the yard. My Wedgewood roses are still blooming, but the buds are mushy from the frost and rain. Writing and looking out the window is a great day.

The ants are finally gone. The ant folks were here a few days ago, and “I will hose it down good” was the reply to my suggestion that the ants were intense. So the guy took a hose and literally, and as promised, hosed down the windows and base of the house with some water-like insecticide. It was dripping off the windows! I used to use a green service, which seemed like trying to live with the pests and just annoy them for a while. Now iI go industrial, as the ants are legions!

I have noticed that with the pandemic locking folks in their homes, the wasps are more varied, and spiders are missing (dinner). The owls are in the night skies again, and rats and small mammals (voles) are missing. On the other hand, the frogs are back, and the slugs are reduced in numbers (also dinner). While the hummingbirds are still here, the jays are missing–the heat may have moved them to higher altitudes. The bats are in the skies at night, larger (huge) but less in number now.

Yesterday I started at 5:30 and did my usual rush to work before 8. Unfortunately, I had trouble with asthma and was up before my alarm. My allergies are burning, and my eyes, nose, and lungs are all complaining. I had poor sleep for two days, and the start was difficult–I was staggered at first. I made liberal coffee, Equal Exchange, which I had with a locally made cream cheese danish and a banana. I avoided the school buses by leaving on time after a shower, dressing, and all that jazz.

When I dress, I still apply Utterly Smooth with 20% Urea (cow pee) to my hands and feet, reducing the chemo-caused numbness. I still have to be careful as walking and moving are not always going as expected. My muscles and nerves still seem to have a timing problem from the metallic chemotherapy infusion–I am aware of this and keep my hands on counters and walls if I am tired and the timing issue sneaks up on me.

Work was a bit busy as I had some items to get started on. Mostly I helped with a few things and did some research. I did have a meeting at the end of the day with my boss and others that went on until the end of the day. So a bit busy, but the lack of sleep made some dull moments hard. I went and got, unusual for me, another coffee and paid for it. I had also forgotten my coffee this morning, so I drank Starbucks all day.

Being in the office, I did have a chance, something you don’t get working from home, to chat with some folks and may help with some data issues. I also learned that another legacy system is being replaced, and AWS and other cloud solutions will be the replacement. It is interesting to me when computer software does not have an upgrade path, and the only reasonable choice is to reimplement–it happens so often, and it is hugely expensive.

I went out to find lunch, a whopper with cheese at Burger King, and then headed to see Susie. I had no issues reaching the hummingbird house, and Susie was waiting in her recliner with the news playing on the big TV. While I am not a fan of FOX News, the local folks are great.

She was delighted to have me visit, and she looked better today, and her speech was more explicit–no growl from allergies or a cold. We called her mother, Leta, and they chatted happily on my iPhone using FaceTime. After that, I just sat with Susie for a while, and she nodded off, happy to have a visitor and a chat with her mother, I think. Then, with Susie sleeping, I decided to leave, wake her to say goodbye with a kiss, return to work without violating any laws in Beaverton, I hope, and continue my meetings and research.

The coffee worked, and I was intelligible at the last meeting. I then wished folks a happy holiday, shaking a few hands (folks are never sure to fist bump or shake–I like to shake as I wash often). I wear a mask for most things at work (not wanting the RSV, Covid-19, flu, cold, and so on). I need my strength to keep Susie safe, visit daily, and pay the bills. I cannot get sick.

I enjoyed the usual heavy Thursday traffic and made it to the church a bit early, so I could rest in the car for a few minutes. Then, when the lights went on in the sanctuary, I carried in a favorite board game: Concordia.

Wednesday is choir and music practice night for the church. Zophia is there, and I bring board games to play while she waits for the practice. Today we played my favorite, Concordia, and I taught the game to Zophia–it is easy rules, but the choices are hard. The game is a resource management, placement, and deck-building game. It excludes engine building, which my gaming friends so love. The theme is that you are a trading family in Rome and need to expand trade and hire/train (buy cards) folks to help you. The best trading house wins. To build a trading house, you need resources (wooden tokens for cloth, tools, wine, food, and brick) and a colonist in the area (a meeple). Plus money. You need resources to hire (buy a card). You play a card (a personality) to take action for that card. You play one card for your turn. Again, so simple–but so hard to have a plan. I often plan my turns three ahead while other players are going. The conflict is between building trading houses, buying cards, acquiring resources, and getting money. Adding to this is the complexity of getting your colonists in place and more out ( you have six). It is a newer game and so it is pretty and had expansions (none we used tonight) in the form of new boards (maps) and some new rules (the salt expansion I won’t use–but I like the Forum).

Zophia picked up the rules quickly, and soon I did not need to help her much. She likes, as I do, the mix of simple turns and complex strategies. She enjoyed the game and only lost by less than ten points; she had picked up the specialist cards (growl) and tripped the end of the game by building her last trading house (ouch) and gained seven points. I had purchased more cards, was spread out, and had all my colonists on the board (as did Zophia). I just squeaked by her!

My plan on the larger baseboard is to run to the corners and build. Zophia copied this and made Italia her personal province, which, randomly selected, included cloth, food, and brick–a perfect combination. She always had cash and resources while I struggled a few times. I did have four Diplomat cards (these cards duplicate another played card’s effects), so I could duplicate her specialist cards over and over–to her frustrations. Zophia refused to play the powerful Weaver card until she counted all my Diplomat cards were played. She learns fast!

We put the game away and said goodnight. I returned home and had a bagel-like bread product with pickles for a late dinner. I went to bed early and read for a while. I managed, for the first time in days, to sleep better.

Thanks for reading.

Feel free to call or send cards. Susie resides at:

Allegiance Senior Care

Adult Foster Care Home

9925 SW 82nd. Ave.

Portland, Oregon 97223

The house phone number: (503) 246-4116

Susie’s 60th birthday is this Sunday.

 

 

I was busy at work today and went home early to schedule various medical stuff. In addition, I was in a few meetings where I had to make decisions or explain risks. So I was a bit busy.

Going backward, Trump announced he was running again but did not mention me as a running mate so far. Despite rumors, I have not been contacted by the Trump campaign to join the ticket.

I am enjoying dinner alone; Mariah is ill, and I am at BJ’s Brewhouse with my fav waiter Eric. I had their pork chop. I was going to cook, but that would mean I would have to clean that up. So instead, I decided to head out.

My new board game, a Kickstarter with all the premium parts and bright colors arrived: Mind MGMT. This is an excellent hidden movement game with one player having to recruit agents at specific locations, secret locations, and rogue agents trying to capture the recruiter. The game comes with a considerable amount of extra content to add to the game that, after one side loses, they get to select more content and add to the game–and earn some bonuses. The game play is about an hour, so it is possible to play, add content, and try again in one gaming night–cool. I managed to read the training rules twice through and really want to play. Richard in Portland got his copy yesterday and has already played it and liked it.

I also was disappointed to be rejected by the Naval Institute for my fiction story. I will read the winning stories in a few months and see what they like and try next year. But, I am not slowed–I submitted my story to 2600, the hacker publication. Maybe they will like it. Another six-month wait for the rejection–but I have the time, and they might just like it and get back to me sooner.

Before all of this, I was back at the house. I had to make calls and listen to being on hold while reading emails and getting ready for more Zoom meetings. I finally got a 3Jan2022 appointment with my oncologist post my colonoscopy visit–a survivors visit, as they called it. I also managed to schedule next Tuesday’s blood work for Susie and me. Doc had a long list of tests to do–best to get it into this year’s max-ed copayments.

I also received my medical records for my ambulance trip from the parking lot to the ER, for about three minutes, for over $900 in co-pays. I had reacted to the infusion and was choking from the cold back in March2022. If you have been following along, the reimbursement process decided I had not provided enough information and had to pay back the money to my account. Now I have submitted even my EKG while sitting on the garage floor to the process, and this time, I expect to be paid back again.

So yes a medical paperwork-heavy afternoon. I visited Susie after having a sub at Jimmy Johns. I ate it in Air Volvo. After arriving at the hummingbird house, I found Susie watching her favorite, Blue Bloods while sitting in her recliner chair in the shared living room. Susie was delighted to see me and looked awake today.

We called Susie’s mother, Leta, and they chatted for some time; Susie started to look sleepy. Susie then fell asleep while I was sitting with her. She was sad when I left, but she was still falling asleep. I think she waits for me, then is relieved when I show up, and then just relaxes and falls asleep.

I did purchase the movie Paint Your Wagon, a musical starring Clint Eastwood (no, really), on my Apple and will have that ready: Here is my favorite song: Mariah. We might all watch that this weekend when Susie has her birthday 20Nov1962. I need to get some ice cream and a few knickknacks for Sunday.

Before all this, I had meetings on Zoom about every hour at work. So it is strange to drive into the office and have Zoom calls. But I did go see some folks and talk to them about some of the ideas I had on solving some issues. So a bit of human touch today (with a mask most times).

Before taking Air Volvo to work without incident (and Beaverton drivers were tame today), I was up at 6:15, wondering how it could be morning so soon. I woke a few times last night and, in my robe and slippers, went outside and locked the gate, bashing in the wind, making me feel like someone was in the house again. Ugh.

Well, it is 8:30 here in the bar; I have paid and should head back home. I am tempted to head to another bar and play Mind MGMT against myself but instead will get some rest. I did clean the toilets, put away more laundry (where does it all come from), did more dishes, and vacuumed the carpet today. So slowly getting back to running the home.

From a health issues discussion, I seemed to hit bottom last month–I just got exhausted, and slowly I am finding my strength again. I think the adrenalin and just stubbornness have worn through, and now I have to just keep resting and doing a bit, not a lot, more each week to get back. I will continue to push, but not too hard. Beer helps. Painkillers help. Reading funny books and SciFi helps. Writing helps. Games help.

Thanks for reading. I hope you find something that helps you. And, so far, no calls from the Trump campaign…