Author: alohawild

This will be a quick story, since it was mostly just me sitting on a plane or going to and from airports.

Joan S called me, and she had car trouble. I would have to find my way to the TriMet MAX station by bus. Not a problem. I woke before my alarm and was soon showered, and all that, and ready to roll my bag to the 57 TriMet bus towards Beaverton Transit Center. I put on my new backpack, and it seemed heavy at first, and my walking seemed heavier too. I missed the first bus, and a young woman told me the next bus was 5 minutes late when she saw me scanning the QR code for bus information. The bus was about 75% full, and I took a seat near the front with my bag. I managed to get my backpack off; it was trickier than I expected with the bus moving and the front clip, and I slid its special strap onto the handle of my rolling bag. Perfect.

I talked to a young person on the bus who was wondering if I was headed to the airport and where I was going. He also said that he had broken his leg by slipping in the bathtub and was happy to be on the bus and moving. It was a lot of information, but I smiled and mostly listened.

On the MAX, the cast of characters changed. A woman busy on a laptop and in scrubs shared a bench with me. The seat was covered in something. I stood instead. Later, a person gave up a senior seat for me. While not quite that old, I do respect the sentiment and sit.  A man with a large, friendly dog sat next to the woman in scrubs, and the dog and the man became friendly. At first, I worried the woman was annoyed, but she smiled, and they chatted about dogs and seemed happy.

I was feeling off (I would have issues with my colon later at 3AM Michigan time), and watched the scenery go by. The woman and gentleman with the dog left the train downtown Portland, and the car thinned to just those headed across the river and north.

I reached PDX and left the usual excitement and happiness of starting a trip I have planned for months. PDX always feels like home to me. I followed the usual processes and managed not to forget my iPhone at the bag-tagging terminals. I dropped off my bag and cleared my pockets into my coat. I am wearing a light coat, an open Haunted House shirt, and a T-shirt. Layers for this trip. I no longer felt the backpack had any weight at all. I took it off and carried it into security. I put my ID away after using it. My backpack was flagged, and five other bags were flagged too, and the TSA person tried not to roll her eyes as she cleared my backpack without comment or opening it. The person at the controls for flagging was new, the software was faulty (again), or nervous.

I found Grassa and had breakfast there as usual. My pancakes and coffee were cheaper than I expected. They remembered me, and they gave me a discount. I talked to Ned, their manager, who also remembered me. My plans at PDX usually include breakfast or lunch at Grassa. Grassa, for dear local readers, is behind security on the D gate side. Powell’s new bookstore is behind the C gate side. There is a corridor, rather lengthy, behind security that connects C and D. I often use C gate security as its lines are shorter.

I talk to a self-proclaimed process engineer and, as I learn, a chemical engineer (I have met many physicists and chemists in a second IT or management/process career; hard sciences don’t always pay). We talk about Nike and its plunging stock price, and AI and his belief that it is a threat. I covered that (from my 40+ years in IT): IT faces a new shiny object every six months or so. Often, management is just pleasing someone high up until the next shiny object surfaces in a sea of news and over drinks. AI is shiny. He also told me that IT is where good ideas go to die. I didn’t disagree, but I told him I used to slip them in as part of upgrades and maintenance tickets. I also told him management loved having me produce a list of requirements to revise something shiny and include it in our IT environment, but it often didn’t appear before the next shiny object did. Repeat.

After that, I rushed through the blog; I had only an hour for pancakes. They were lovely. Soon I was on the plane, watching the movie Disclosure Day, which was good until the under-edited ending. A bit of grandstanding at the end, with no real resolution. Hmmm. Emily Blunt and Colin Firth were excellent and held the movie together. Colin Domingo and Elizabeth Marvel were also believable. Overall, more like an overpriced TV series than a movie.

I watched a cooking show after that; it was not that good. More flash and less about the food. The plane landed. I got a note from Hertz to go to the desk and not just grab a car. Annoying. I found my bag without issue, and again, removing my backpack on a bus was complicated, but the Hertz bus got me to the desk quickly. It was a short wait, and soon I had a huge SUV, a Dodge, and headed to Deborah’s area. It was 45 minutes, and I was at my hotel.

Deborah was there soon, and we spent some time together. She headed home, and we will connect on Saturday. As I alluded to, my colon decided to store up everything (it was an amazing amount) and release it all at once at 3AM local time. Please note, dear reader, as a colon cancer survivor, I include these stories as they may help those to understand better; 25 cm of my colon was removed. I read a book for a while until everything settled. Yikes!

And 8AM came too soon. Thanks for reading!

 

I am time-boxed here at PDX. Let’s cover Wednesday with interesting events. Yes, I got up, made coffee, had peanut butter on my toast, and did the usual morning things. I punched out the blog; it was rather short, but still, it was a usual day, and creating a great story out of the weak brew of Tuesdays is nearly impossible. It is best to let it be short.

I found my way and got the mail. A new book, firsthand accounts of Lincoln I saw quoted in Erik Larson’s book, The Demon of Unrest, made me want to read more. Something for later. I also have General Hood’s messy book. The rest of the mail was uninteresting.

I put on Slow Horses on Apple TV+ on my laptop, folded the laundry, and finished the few items from the last load. I hate to have dirty clothing, except for one set, when I return. I packed and put the items away. I stuffed more items into my backpack. I ate the other half of the overpriced East Coast Italian Sub I got from Jersey Mike’s Subs. I sliced it into little sandwiches and loved it more that way. I left it cold as it had lettuce.

I packed more, tried on a suit; the vest could hold me and someone else. I picked out a gold Old West vest that matched the tie better. I packed the suit, some black shoes, and a sweater vest in case it was too much or too wrinkled. I got everything into the small roller and suit bag and rejoiced. All packed. Adjusted the straps on the backpack and tried it out. All good!

Later, I joined Emma and Mariah in Beaverton for more food, having tried McDonald’s for dinner, and helped them reach 5th place, and one of the beers was paid for by our success at one round. It was fun, and the food (I tried 1/2 a square of pizza).

I enjoyed updating the spreadsheet for our travel insurance for an hour of copy-and-paste line-by-line. I sent that on for Dondrea to check.

Time!

Thanks for reading. Off to catch a plane!(Yes, I am wearing my gang-colors)

Tuesday was full of usual things, but a few were the usual mundane things you have to do to live in 2026. I started by rising, not quite vampire-like, to an alarm at 6:30, which I ignored until 6:45. I rose then in the dark and reheated some of yesterday’s coffee, took my pills (the morning pills are by habit, taken before coffee, thus the act of making or reheating coffee now includes taking my pills; discipline and habit are important as you get older–maybe even when young).

The sun rises, but the clouds and mist (no rain) are heavy, and it turns from black to gray to almost white. The birds and squirrels seem rushed. The remains of a spider fall onto the toilet seat in the bathroom. I don’t remember using the fan all the time, and the local pest must have moved into it. I must have used it, and it was a bad day for the spider. Oregon in the fall, where you must push back against migrating pests. I have not seen any large ones yet, but there have been fewer large ones with the killing freezes of the last few years.

I wrote the blog quickly because I was time-boxed and wanted to finish and get it out before my day gets busy. I finished, showered, dressed, and all that, and boarded Air VW the Gray, which is now below 60% charge. I am letting it float down as I am traveling far this week.

The traffic is slow after the Hill and a crawl to the tunnel, and I am ten minutes late. Laura joins us, and I managed to do better, but I still lost at another game of Lost Ruins of Arnak. This time I wasn’t lapped and was only thirty points behind Richard, ten behind Laura, and tied with Robin. I was playing an add-on character I’d never played before, The Explorer, and I spent time learning it and leaning into its unique abilities. I loved it and really enjoyed playing; it’s a favorite game.

I played better and found my way. Richard bought cards, mostly tools, and then stockpiled resources to use towards the end of the game. He then used them to run the more profitable second-level sites. I again ignored the tools and played to my strengths to learn the character. Despite tying for last place, I enjoyed the game.

I returned home after lunchtime, with traffic still reasonable. I talked to Wendy at the church, stopped at the Post Office, which had a long, slow-moving line, and I was to buy 100 Forever stamps ($89) for the church. It is not mismanagement that slows the line; people in line usually have complex items to do. You can buy stamps and use the machine for basic mailings and skip the line. I wanted too many stamps; I joined the line. The clerk was happy to supply me with last year’s leftover Christmas stamps, the 2026 version, and squirrels and chipmunks in the snow for non-denomination stamps.

I carried my new stamps to Wendy using my new access (I have tried to avoid having church entry for years; it always comes with extra work). Doug, a visitor from Virginia who attended on Sunday, stopped by and wrote a check for the offering he missed. He had forgotten his wallet on Sunday and felt he needed to help cover the expenses. He thanked us for Dondrea’s sermon and the great music. He said he travels to Oregon often and will be back.

Next, it was time for more Brazil trip prep (19-29Nov, Manaus, Belo Horizonte, Rio) and a late lunch. REI is next to a Jersey Mike’s Subs, and I got a spicy East Coast Italian Sub there. The price was interesting. I ordered a full one (about two large sandwiches), which, with a soda and a bag of chips, was over $30 with a 20% tip. Wow! I got the extra one for lunch on Wednesday. Still a startling amount.

I found someone at REI who let me interrupt them while they reorganized the ropes to cover the backpacks for me. Cotopaxi seemed to have the right mix: a larger commuter backpack. I thanked them, and they returned to the ropes. I was not anywhere near the giant carry-your-life-on-your-back versions for outdoor enthusiasts. Not black, but blue and a color called abyss, which just called to my Dungeons & Dragons thinking and love for the ocean.

I spotted some bug spray, but I picked the wipes because they are easier to pack and less likely to get eye-balled by security. I added a small notepad of waterproof paper and a space pen, then found a friendly clerk who sold me everything. She said she uses the same bag and thought it an excellent choice for the urban and air traveler. The clerk reminded me I could return the item anytime for any reason (including that it just was not what I wanted after taking it on a trip). It was expensive, but nicer than anything I have had before.

I returned home after that and started packing for Thursday’s flight to Detroit. I did the dishes, watched more For All Mankind, and read more. I sent out some emails about church and Brazil stuff. I talk often to Deborah about my upcoming trip and to Dondrea about church and Brazil items.

I regret losing my passport holder with my yellow card containing all my vaccination history. I dropped it at the Morocco airport, and it was never returned. But I know I never had Yellow Fever (scheduled for 22Oct), and I have had the usual shots, including the shingles shot. I was warned off the newest COVID shot, as folks are getting flu symptoms, and I will get it after I return from Michigan (included in the 22nd enjoyment). I will try to update everything else up to my trip to Brazil: shots and more shots.

I called the Hummingbird House and thanked them for all they did for us. It was the calendar day of Susie’s passing three years ago. They remembered us, my visiting most days, and the flowers. It is good to be remembered.

I head to The 649 and find there is no parking. I managed to navigate out of the parking snarl, with some snarling from other drivers who seemed to think I wasn’t moving fast enough or were just frustrated. I avoided hitting anything or being hit, parked far away, and enjoyed the walk back.

It was an election party at The 649 with Kyle and Matt at the bar. It was loud, busy, and happy. I met (whose name escapes me as I write this) a woman for Nike, and we said a few words, but it was busy, and they were there for the election party. I got a beer and sat outside until the crowd thinned out.

I worked on Brazil paperwork, mostly reading what we need to do for our group’s insurance. I had another beer and a cheese fondue with bread and brats. I was surprised how hungry I was. Managing to spike my sugar with the bread and my cholesterol with the cheese and brats. A salad or hummus would have been a wiser choice. It was sooooo gooood.

I returned home, packed and organized some more. I read and soon slept.

Not an exciting day, but one full of actions and promise for trips soon and next month.

Thanks for reading!

 

 

 

 

I rose slowly on Monday, as Monday is my weekend day. I seldom have plans for Monday, so I do laundry, take it slow, and enjoy the quiet as the world returns to work. I often imagine Saturday mornings in my youth: watching cartoons all morning, then switching to PBS for Doctor Who with Tom Baker as the 4th Doctor on Saturday afternoon. Not a lot got done on those Saturdays.

Now, I write the blog with reheated coffee and peanut-butter toast this weekend-like Monday. I strip the bed and run that through the Costco-purchased laundry. Somehow, I missed a spin cycle on my second load, underwear and clothing, and I manually ran the rinse-spin but removed the rinse. That solved the soaking-wet laundry issue, and the problem hasn’t returned. I must have bumped the controls and removed the spin. I check the setting each load.

Monday is dinner at lunch day. Not knowing I would join Mariah and Corwin for dinner later in Portland, I made a pork chop, hash browns, and green beans on the stovetop. When done, it looks like a short-order cook exploded in the kitchen. Somehow, four pans are dirty; I add multiple plates, knives, and silverware to the dishwasher or hand-wash them. I am happy, since everything was from my food stock. No additional cost!

I watched season 5 of For All Mankind and forgot the date the Soviet Union collapsed in civil war. The story still captures my imagination, and I enjoy it. I also broke the 200-page count in The Demon of Unrest about the beginnings of the American Civil War. The author, Erik Larson, tries to answer what drove Americans to civil war. His answer is that the South could not cotton to (yes, I could not resist that) being cast as the villain, and the North would not allow the expansion of an obviously evil and corrupt practice.

I got out my luggage and placed the first items there, Deborah’s birthday gifts. I am going to try out a backpack on this trip instead of the red bag. It would fit better in Brazil in November. I will check REI and AAA to find a good match for my needs.

I work on some year-end items. I sent a note to my bankers to give a substantial gift to my church. This one is done before taxes. And while paying taxes uses less cash than giving away a matching amount, it is more rewarding. I would also like to spend my money while I am well. I also sent out a note to the Brazil team suggesting that the Yellow Fever vaccine is a good idea in the current chaotic environment of instant policy changes.

I am working through an internal list of church items, but I am starting to think I need to make it more formal. Many things are not getting done and turn into emergencies or are delayed. There is also some free or cheap status and ticket management software I could use. More to come.

Mariah, Corwin, and I have dinner in Portland at a Toma Ramen after a short drive in the Air VW the Gray to Portland. The food is good, but the bill is Portland, $100+ for three. Mariah and I sent back our hot drinks when they were filled with insects, which is not part of the usual drink. They were replaced with excellent substitutes.

We chatted for a while, complained that it was cold (61°F), and headed lower in the evening. It was dark too. Fall nights are here. My heavy coat is in the EV’s cargo hold. The drive back was fine, though the food and drinks made me relaxed. Meaning I was likely driving more like a local, slowly. Corwin and I returned to the house without incident or an expensive selfie for the local courts.

I also had some text from Richard. We are not playing ISS Vanguard because James is out. I suggested some of the heavier board games. There will be three of us once we add Robin, our newest Tuesday-morning gamer.

I finished the laundry but did not fold it or put it away. Much of it will be headed to my luggage and not a closet or drawer. I soon was in bed and reading. I slept most of the night with one proof of hydration.

Thanks for reading about my quiet Saturday-like Monday.

I started the morning later than I expected, as I did not set an alarm and I rose around 8! Not my usual too-early waking and rolling over, but I was back from Seattle by train, and my legs are still stiff from all the stairs and hills, and I must have needed some rest. I had made coffee and started the blog. I had to pick up Bill S early for church. He makes the coffee and sets up the goodies for before and after church. I managed to get the blog started, shower, and all that, call him, and was in the Air VW the Gray, now purchased for an extra $150 a month, and taking Nav to his house.

I crossed Cooper’s Mountain to get to the other side of Beaverton using the back roads, missing most of the photo camera; no need for expensive driving-selfies today!  I drove right past Bill S, turned around, and then he and I headed to First United Methodist Church in Beaverton. I arrived an hour before Emmus Church was done. After letting Bill S out, I parked in the lot (most spaces next to the church were full). I then walked to Ava Coffee with my laptop, ordered a London Fog with an apple strudel, and enjoyed it while I recalled and recorded Saturday’s events.

The line for coffee and goodies was always long, and one church person showed up but abandoned his quest when he saw it. I wrote until 10:40, then packed up, the tea and strudel now comfortably inside me, and marched to the church. It was more of a march with my stiff legs and my leather “preacher shoes”, what a friend from India, Rev. Dr. Yesu, once called them when I replaced his footwear here in the USA.

I ushered at the church service while Dondrea ran the service and even preached. I was drafted to help with the AV that wasn’t working this morning. Calls were made. Pictures taken. I removed and plugged in cables in various orders. No change. After the service started, I even pushed some mic buttons, and Z discovered the HDMI was unplugged from the box that routes out to the projectors. I found the place for it and plugged it in, which made a difference. Soon, Z made other changes, and the projections came back. All was good.

I counted 35 people, and there were 5 online. Not a busy day for church, but not empty either. We also found that there are online views all week. Likely 50 or so watch or attend weekly.

Philippians 4:1-9 is about Paul in jail writing to the faithful. Dondrea picked up this story from last week and reminded us of the Apollo 13 story, when their oxygen tank exploded. Like Paul, and as often happens to us, the future we plan sometimes disappears, and we must learn to accept a harder future, she explained. Dondrea covered that Apollo 13 never reached the moon, and the mission became getting the three men back to Earth alive. Not the future they wanted. She told us that NASA and the astronauts had to live in the moment, accept their new present, and work with their different future. Dondrea then returned to Philippians and got a laugh when she said, “And we return to Paul, who is still in jail.”

Dondrea said that she was not happy with “rejoice…[d]o not be anxious in anything” and said it makes her want to slap Paul. But what it means, she told us, is that while we cannot enjoy suffering and sudden, awful changes that remake our future, we can, with faith, accept them and maybe even rejoice.

Brian, our organist, blew us away with his performance of Vincent Lübeck’s Prelude and Fugue on the church organ. I had coffee and then stayed while Bill S did his serving and clean-up. I finished the blog while waiting and posted it. I then returned Bill S home after adjusting the seat in the EV. They pushed it back when they serviced the VW last week.

I stopped by Taco Bell and had their Mexican Pizza (which is really neither) with some tacos and a drink (number 5 on their menu). I ate it in the shade in the parking lot. I talked to Deborah while I sat in the shade and ate. It was another sunny day, but the nights are cold now, 44°F (7°C).

I rested for a bit, finished my Sherlock Holmes book, watched the end of Season 4 of For All Mankind, and got ready for the evening game. I called Deborah while driving, and we said good night.

I tried not to be too early and was there at 5:15. I also gave away the leftover physical indulgences I made for another game. I played in a group game at Rune & Bone and made some as gifts for the other players. They were well received.

Jack was filling in for Scott, but he and Karyn were a bit late. I was going to recap the adventure, but I cannot cover this material. No spoilers. I will say I talked down a raging knight and got thrown into another player by a huge tentacle. In other words, an excellent time playing D&D at M@’s. He has the best toys!

I returned home and watched some of the next season of For All Mankind. I returned to Erik Larson’s excellent book on the start of the American Civil War, The Demon of Unrest. Again, I like the short chapter structure; this lets me stop at a natural place, instead of marking the page where I nodded off.

I slept through the night. It was 66°F in the house (my usual night setting), but it was the first time I could remember the house reaching this low since the Spring.

Thanks for reading!