WordPress had an outage, and then I traveled; the blog is behind. Let me try to catch up!

Wednesday

Wednesday ended with me at home, bidding on some stamps on Hipstamps.com. Some US cut squares, which I do collect, were selling so cheaply that it was embarrassing. I managed to snag a few excellent 1880s pre-printed envelopes and wrapper postage. I saw the ongoing auction and connected to get a few nice items. I am ready to head to bed, but I need to write the blog tonight and then was distracted by the auction. Earlier today, I also purchased a proof of US Scott 164, which was great as the only known to exist in one stamp. My proof reportedly was in FDR’s collection (broken up and sold after his death) and is the only version of the stamp available. I did not expect to ever see one for auction. It was just under $70. Auction prices are often low (and also insanely high). There was lots of proof from FDR’s collection, and I do not think the 164 was noticed.

I tried to write this blog, but WordPress went offline, and I could not. I wanted to write Wednesday’s story before my travels started, but that was impossible. Instead, I took my pills, put on my PJs, and read for a while. I was soon falling asleep. I would wake at 1ish with a headache and need to prove hydration. I think I was dehydrated. After some painkillers and water, the headache stopped, and I slept until my alarm went off.

Before this, I was at First United Methodist Church (it’s best not to abbreviate that as FUMC on our signage) in Beaverton. It was choir practice, and the church sign was also being updated for Easter services for our church and the church that rents from us. There were many abbreviations, as we used plastic letters for that sign. Thus, the comment above.

I come to play board games with Z while the choir practices. Today, Andrew joined us for another game of Scythe while his wife, Ashley, practiced with the praise band. Z and Andrew were tied, and then Z, playing red (Russia), defeated Andrew playing black (Saxony) in battle (I filled in for him as he was singing in the choir), completing the enlistment goal and ending the game for a win of 8 or more. I was playing green (Albion) and was ten points behind as I was playing a problematic faction (it and purple–Japan can be difficult to play), and I did not quite get my strategy (hold the Factory) and my board values aligned. I will have to try it again.

Scythe is an efficiency race and 4X game. Z was very efficient and repeated the double star earning I did last time we played to win. Z learned and watched. It is a favorite game, and we may play it on a gaming night and try the campaign.

Before this, the day was just a blur of chores to get ready to travel. I mopped the floors, cleaned the toilets, did more laundry, and got the dishes done. A letter to stop the mail and re-deliver on my first full day back, Good Friday, was in the mailbox. I like the house clean when I get back (often I collapse for a few when back). I dusted the house. Where does that come from?

Breakfast was the last of the muffins I made a few days ago, with coffee from the new coffee machine (assembled the night before) and a banana. I would end up with two in my carry-on. I ate one in Salt Lake City, and one made it, beat up, to Michigan. I brought no snacks and swimming trunks (both a mistake). I closed my suitcase and added most of the needed items to my carry-on (cables, spare clothing, and some paper for the trip).

I deposited the check from the City of Portland. I forgot one of the checks yesterday when I went to the bank. I also stopped by Safeway and got more distilled vinegar and cleaning supplies (Swiffer mop things as I Swiffer for mopping). I stopped by King Bento and tried their special for lunch. There, by chance, I met a retired Nike IT person, Regina, whom I had not seen for years. She retired a few years before me and is doing well. The food was good but familiar.

I made more fridge pickles from the last cucumber. Three jars now. They should be great when I get back.

I slept well, I think–it is hard to remember now–and rose at 7ish with my alarm. I also connected with Deborah all day as I progressed through the steps to be ready to travel.

Thursday

I had two alarms in place for 5:30. With my loss of hearing on the left side from the brain tumor (MRI to check my status soon), I may not hear the alarm. I scheduled an Über to take me from home to the nearby MAX station at 6:45. Air VW the Gray was safe in the garage with 90+% charge. I would leave the keys at the house. I popped in the shower, shaved, etc., and was soon ready. I started this blog, but soon, it was time to go.

The Über was early; next, I waited for a train for 11 minutes. I used the Hop app to pay and track my fare; it was just a few dollars and an hour and a quarter trip to PDX. I arrived with 90 minutes to board my first flight to Salt Lake City. I got nervous as I am usually two or more hours early, but it was fine.

I could not get the terminal to print a tag for my bag. I went to the drop-off, and they fixed it and gave me a free bag for my trouble (usually $35). By then, I had booked two bags, and they cleared all of that. I have never had this kind of problem before. I did leave my phone on the machine. It is so easy to forget it as you have so much to do with screens, boarding passes, and bag tags (which failed for me). You place the phone on the screen. Hmmm. I retrieved my phone without issue.

Breakfast and coffee would be welcome. Security was the usual take things off and pass through here. There were no surprises this time. I stopped at Grassa, a few steps from security, and had breakfast there. The food is reasonably priced (all food at PDX must charge the ‘street’ price and not the usual 2x of airports) and excellent. I saw the same folks, and the manager remembered me from Christmas. They also made morning drinks, and I saw some vodka and coffee liqueurs made for breakfast. I just had coffee.

My gate was just a few minutes’ walk away. I found a charging station and plugged in my phone to charge it; it was already half-used. The plane, as usual from Portland, was full, and they were looking for 11 people to volunteer to take another flight. I was soon on the plane and watched an old movie for 3/4 of its length, China Town. We arrived in Salt Lake City without issue.

I had enough time to stop by Panera Bread for soup and a half-sandwich for a quick lunch. I ate only half of the sandwich because it was huge. Another passenger I saw on the MAX was headed to Indiana by many flights and missed food as the take-off times on apps, but boarding is 30 minutes earlier. Something I noticed and thus was rushing.

My seatmate was a young, huge man who was headed to MSU for a football tryout (American version). He was squished into the middle chair, and I was thus squished against the window. I watched the newish movie Conclave again, my first movie, China Town, was unavailable on this plane, and then watched a few episodes of Bobby Flay’s “Beat Bobby Flay ” on the Food Channel. The movie was terrific a second time (I had forgotten some parts), and the food show caused many laughs. Both are recommended (though it is best to stay away from the food channel unless I am ready for more hours in the kitchen).

The rest of the night was a blur as I trained and walked to baggage claim, searched and found nothing, and then the bags arrived. I took a bus to Hertz with my bags and found a hot red car in the gold section. I checked out with the gate (Gold means pick a car, get in, and drive to the gate) and supplied a new credit card (I need to update my online profile with a working card), and then I went, Air Hyundai Red, to the hotel without issue. I got CarPlay working without issue.

When I checked in, Deborah drove the short trip from her house to the hotel to welcome me and then returned home. Despite the time change, the hotel’s strange bed, and the sounds, I managed to sleep.

Thanks for reading the blog for two days.

I am still trying to get used to my Tuesdays. These were busy days at the shoe company. It was the first day back in the office after the pandemic (starting with three-day in-office weeks) and the day nobody took off. All the status meetings were more intense on Tuesdays (I felt). I noticed that deadlines were usually missed on Tuesdays, and emergency moves of software fixes always hit on this day (the testing of the fixes, installed on Thursday, took the weekend and Monday). Traffic was always heavier.

Thus, rising at 6:30, I will soon return to Easter Time. I got some coffee after starting the new coffee maker. Deborah was right; having it set up and running automatically is a great boon to wake to. I load it with liberal coffee every night and spill water to fill it. I clean the counter every evening now. It is becoming a ritual.

With coffee at hand, I started the blog, grabbing banana and lemon poppy muffins I made a few nights ago to munch as I wrote. I managed to pound out 3/4 of the day and resist much of the nonsense that Grammarly tried to insert. I then jumped into the shower, shaved, dressed, and was soon aboard Air VW the Gray. And that is when I hit Tuesday traffic.

Beaverton was crawling, and traffic lights were often two sets of lights to pass. Though the traffic suddenly lightened, I hit Highway 217, which was fast. But then Highway 26 (also known as the Sunset Highway as it points directly at the sunset) was more parking lot than highway. It took me 45 minutes to reach Richard’s place from there. I was thirty minutes late. Richard and James waited, and we soon returned to the board game Mansion of Maddess 2nd edition, playing a mostly cooperative game. ‘Mostly,’ as when you go insane, you get a card that may have you take action to ‘win,’ which includes sacrificing another player’s character!

This was a new, recently purchased scenario. Though the game is older, it is still being supported, and an excellent app runs it for you. I had the original manual version and junked it, keeping the figures and rooms for use in playing the role-playing game (RPG) Call of Cthulhu. While still clunky, and I like the RPG better, Richard and James make this fun. Also, the newer scenarios are better assembled and more immersive. This was a haunted house and Mythos combined, which is a favorite story of mine. I found it quite immersive. I went insane but did not become a crazed killer. When James took the sacrificial dagger from me, Richard (his character still sane) and I (my character was insane but collecting six items to win) ran from James, and soon the Mythos creatures took out James. Richard and I finished in time and won (James technically lost as he did not sacrifice my character). It was fun, and I was out by noon.

The rest of my day was spent with my colon. I had a lot of visits to the restroom as it emptied, and I was amazed by how much could be stuffed in there. Sorry to be graphic, but I would be surprised each time when I returned for another round. Yikes! This finally stopped in the early evening.

The colon cancer surgery removed 25 cm of my colon, the section that connected to the rectum, so most of the hints that I have to go are gone as my deeper colon is now the end-of-the-line. It is best to pick times and keep things regular. But I forget as I get busy, and now that I am retired, I have a less regular schedule. One CT scan got a lot of comments as I was fully loaded (constipated). I’m not sure they get to see that often. It is an educational shot I try not to repeat!

On returning home (the trip was easy in the EV with no traffic), I talked to Deborah and made a taco salad out of the leftovers of my tacos. I had acquired more lettuce at the veggie place at 185th and TV Highway. I cleaned the kitchen, sprayed the shower with cleaner, got more packing done, powered up my Kindle, and started another mystery. I like to have a story to read on planes and in airports. I find it best to start the day before so you are ready to start back in. Kindles use electronic ink and thus do not emit light into your eyes like laptops and phones. This is better for me when travelling and resting. I also ordered an Uber car to take me to the MAX station at 6:45 on Thursday. I will take the MAX to my 10AM flight.

Deborah texted me about the blog. I forgot to finish it! I returned to the laptop, finished it, and got it published late. I have also done more packing and laundry. Deborah calls, and she talks until she starts to fall asleep. It is good to start and end our days together.

I head out, thinking my colon is finished with me, to the local sushi place only five minutes away in Air VW the Gray. I sit there in a space at the track. It is after 7, and the evening rush is over (and the track is sparse), but still, I find my favorites (except for smoked eel). I read on my Kindle and slowly eat and drink hot tea. I have miso soup and then grab my dinner from the track.

I am a regular, and the waiter/cashier remembers me. I tell her about my upcoming trips. She seemed to want to hear about them (I hate to be that guy) and was interested in the California trips and Iceland. I am brief in my descriptions and head out.

I return home, charge the EV, vacuum the carpet, and collect more items to pack. I am tired, put on my PJs, climb into bed, and read more of A Better Man: A Chief Inspector Gamache Novel (A Chief Inspector Gamache Mystery Book 15). I cannot recommend these books more.

I soon am sleepy, and I turn off the light and sleep. I only remember one waking dream when I rose at 1 to prove hydration and again at 4. It was about the EV being stolen and the typical oh-my-God-what-will-I-do dreams I get. I apparently drove to Michigan in this dream. If the rental is stolen, I call and get another one. Not an issue. 

The stock market is back up a bit, but individual stocks (Ford, for example) are still down. It still feels like a trip to see Niagara Falls by barrel!

Thanks for reading!

 

 

I had little sleep the night before, so Monday was unusually challenging; most weeks, it is more like a Saturday, with sleeping in and chores. I rose at 6 and manually started the coffee I had assembled the day before. It is loaded with liberal coffee.

The first apple blossom.

I began to write, but I was time boxed with a medical appointment at 9:45 in Portland. The blog is always a set of competing goals of telling stories using formulas to make transitions effortless, stream of conscious capture, trying to remember what happened the day before, and editing (deleting) unneeded items (other people’s stories, political statements, and repeated items).  I sit in my chair, the same place I sat through the pandemic and worked and wrote. I have worn out two chairs and broken the tile in this space. More than five years now of writing here.

I rush and get 3/4 done when I see that I am at my stopping point. I hop into the shower, shave, etc., and soon board Air VW the Gray. The traffic through Beaverton creeps, but the Monday morning rush hour is light in Portland, and I arrive at the Good Samaritan Campus in Portland, park, and head to the Knight Cancer folks.

Aside: Knight, as in the family that controls Nike. For example, they gave over $100 million for cancer work at OHSU in 2008. The family has given away more than a billion dollars to programs in Oregon.

I park on C level near the place where I once took an ambulance from a reaction from chemo. I remember how hard it was to get help; I had to lie down on the cement to get attention while I could not breathe. The reaction is strange as it feels like you are dying, but you can breathe. I knew this, but I could not stop the reaction, and I had no way to tell if it was real or not. I could not speak. I was trying to get back to the chemo people but could not make it. Eventually, I was taken across the street in the shortest ambulance ride of my life, treated, and released. We skipped the drug next time.

With that memory, I put on my mask and headed to the appointment. They took blood, and I was reading the results before the doctor showed up. He also brought the same doctor-in-training. Everything was normal. I have a slightly enlarged spleen, as shown on my CT scan, but there are no signs of an issue. It’s something to monitor. I covered my travel since we last spoke and that I was headed to Iceland in July. With that, another CT scan and a visit are planned in six months. It is all boring, and that is what you want in oncology: to be a boring patient.

I stopped on my way home from Portland at Elephants Delicatessen, which was nearby. They were between breakfast and lunch; I had a bowl of their freshly made clam chowder (with Pacific Northwest clams) and a breadstick. I sat in their Garden Room with a blazing fire. I wrote more of the blog but did not finish it. I headed home as I had only three days to pack and prepare for a week in Michigan.

I arrived at home in the EV without issue. The traffic inbound to Portland looked messy. I started to pack but felt very tired. I had not gotten much sleep the night before. Soon, I was snuggled up on the bed with the pillows and fell into a deep slumber.

I dreamed pleasant dreams, but I cannot recall the details. I woke a few times but did not rise until after 3. Soon I shook off the sleep and returned to the kitchen. I reheated some coffee.

Somewhere in here, I finished and published the blog.

I drove to US Bank. I received two checks from the City of Portland, including tax refunds. I have found these checks do not easily deposit electronically and carried the checks to the bank office. But I discovered I had only one. F**k. I waited in line and soon deposited the check. I return home by way of the veggie place at the corner of TV Highway and 185th.

I got just a few items as I am traveling soon: lettuce, a small bunch of green beans, asparagus, and some garlic. It was only $12 there. The folks there remember me and ask about my next trip. Michigan on Thursday. I return home, find the missed check, and put away the veggies.

Next, I ate the last of my homemade pickles. I emptied and washed out the jar. I found another jar. I found another cucumber, peeled (waxed skin), cut into spears, added garlic and dill to the jar, and got the cucumber bits to fill the jar. I heated dried garlic from New Orleans, salt, pepper, more dill, salt, and vinegar with some water in a pan to a boil. I poured that into the jar. I had much left. I quickly cut some asparagus to fit in the smaller jar and fill it. I am short, so I had some cider vinegar (all I have left) and hot water to fill the extra jar. Both jars cool and then the lids are replaced and set in the frig. I will get more distilled (clear) vinegar on Tuesday and do the last cucumber.

I read more about the Battle of Jutland 1916 from a book by an American Naval officer in the 1930s. It is frustrating as the author did not footnote the text, even when quoting other sources. Today, I finally hit his analysis of the fleet strengths, war plans, and distribution of forces and the impact of geography. All of this is interesting to me, and I have not read a matching analysis in the ten or more books I have read on the battle, nor have I read this in the various wargame versions of the fight, except in the oldest game, Jutland 2nd Edition(1972) by Avalon Hill. The author states that the Germans are outgunned 2-1, hampered by geography, and will lose an all-out fight. The British fleet is large and split into multiple forces and locations. This could allow the Germans to cut off and damage/destroy a part of the British fleet. Interesting as the Battle of Jutland 1916 provides a version of all these options simultaneously.

Next, I made dinner. I had set out a pork chop to defrost, and it was mostly defrosted when I fried it in a pan on high heat to get it brown. I also heated the contents of a jar of couscous sauce, a North African flavor. I made couscous with spices, almond slices, and raisins. I had a few servings of the couscous with the spicy and lemony sauce. Excellent.

I start packing and organizing for a trip. I talk to Deborah for a while until she rings off sleepy. I head next to Wildwood and have a few beers. It is quiet there and I manage to write more of my story (book) and reach 5,400 words and start to assemble a direction for the story. I had only a vague idea but it is now forming up in my mind.

I close the place at 10PM and take the EV home. There, I assemble the coffee for the next day, decide to leave the dishes for Tuesday, and soon am in bed reading. I am tired and soon sleep. Thanks for reading.

Sunday means church at 11. I am not rushed, but if I rise around 7, I have enough time to finish the blog. No luxuriating in bed, reading the news slowly (or doom scrolling, as we liberal call reading the politics-flooded news), and drinking a comfortable cup of coffee. Instead, I rise, put on my slippers (my feet have some numbness from the chemo and diabetes, and thus it is essential to not slam my toes into things), and find the kitchen. The coffee, assembled the night before, is waiting for me. Excellent, and I add a muffin and a banana to my start.

I enjoy the coffee (three cups!) while I write the blog and update the second chapter of my story (book). I am using Scrivener to capture my work and notes. I believe I will need notes and organizing software to write the 300,000 words I am targeting, and this tool, Scrivener, comes well rated. It also plays well with Grammarly. So far, I have found it helpful and have written my notes and some of the text. I already feel comfortable with the process and have 4,700 words; yes, 1% done.

I have left some of the boilerplates behind of late, but I stick to a narrative of my experience day-by-day, never telling someone’s story (they should tell it) and trying to focus on my emotions and the day’s events rather than politics or other easy but less fulfilling writing.

Pastor Ken’s book, The Myth of Equality: Uncovering the Roots of Injustice and Privilege, was pulled from the US Naval Academy library by order of the Secretary of Defense. Wow! I did not think I was living in the 1930s. Ken was shocked to see his name listed in the NYT as one of the impacted authors. Over 300 books were pulled by order of the Secretary of Defense; the NYT published the list. 

I have seen justification, of a sort, by folks supporting this. “You liberals pulled out religious texts and history books from libraries,” kind of statement. No, we did not (you can check with the Naval Academy–books were not banned by the Secretary of Defense in the previous administration, including the previous Trump and Bush presidencies). Liberals don’t ban books; instead, we don’t buy ’em or read ’em if we don’t like ’em.

While writing the blog, I went on Amazon, pushed a few buttons, and sent Pastor Ken’s book to the President. The gift card message was direct. I will try to get a letter out.

This is not a political statement but a real emotional moment for me. Hurting people I know is terrible. You don’t have to agree with the book, Pastor Ken, or read it, but banning it with fanfare to get headlines. Hard to imagine.

Books (and games) mean a lot to me.

After the blog is done, I shower, shave, and put on a sweater vest over my pride tie. I pick my wool brown hat as it pouring. The sunny, dry weather is gone for the next ten days, with rain most of the week. I took Air VW, the Gray, to church and was there just as the service started. I had talked to Deborah in the morning and cut my time to the limit. It is always nice to start and end my day talking to Deborah.

I sat in the pews and filled in as an usher, helping with communion and the offering. Today was an altar call for new members, and people were shocked when ten people stood up and professed their faith. Ken gave the sermon before that call and pointed out that the letter to Sardis, often used to beat up churchgoers with its “you are dead” text, suggests that anyone can be saved by repenting. As stated in the letter, those white robes will go to all who repent. He offered the altar call to anyone who felt they needed to remake their vows to the church.

After church, I headed to Red Robin for lunch. I had a Blue Moon beer and a chicken breast plater with salad. I did spoil the perfectly healthy meal with a side of French fries. I read the news mostly while eating. The bartender was a young person I did not know. I did my own checkout using the device and wished the bartender the best (with a 20% tip).

At home, I did the dishes and rested a bit. I am tired lately. I read through the new Dungeons and Dragons 2024 rules (5E is now supplanted by the 2024-5 version). I put my 5E 20th level cleric in the EV, thus avoiding leaving it and having to drive back to get it. I read more about Jutland, and I am almost at the battle of 1916. The author from 1930 is explaining his understanding and version of the events, and I did learn some new things, but without footnotes to provide sources, all is speculative. I see he is more and more often referring to another source. I found it online and ordered a copy from Amazon. I will see if I can combine these to create a better account.

Air VW the Gray gets me to M@ across Beaverton and into western Portland without issue. Deborah and I chatted for a while as I was early. Yes, I am one of those folks that sit in their car and talk.

I soon joined M@ and Nicky and had a burger supplied by M@. Matt is wearing his DM shirt, as this was supposed to be the last battle. Instead, we spend considerable time on small quests to get to the final battle. In one, we let our very charismatic bard just talk the vampire into letting us win. We tried to sneak past the guardian monsters, but at least fought them one at a time.

The big bad refused to play fair (M@ playing it) and would not stay in one place to let us finish it. This is the way it should be. As a cleric, it is my job not to bring on the damage but to heal and dispel, and I was very busy. We chased it through its maze until we began smashing the labyrinth, and this is where a super power woke, and we started over by moving back to our starting point. We were also out of time, so we will pick up the battle, likely short now that we know what to do, in May.

We also discussed our plans for the new campaign, starting after this one. Now, back to the new characters. I am leaning (now) toward playing a sorcerer, as I had never done that before. Karen will be playing a warlock. Scott, a monk (2024 Monk class is a major revision). Betsy is going for a rogue. Mackers is back to ranger class.

I put on my PJs and read more rules and some Jutland. Soon, I was falling asleep. A nightmare woke me up at 4ish, and then I remembered I had a doctor’s appointment today (it is now Monday). I texted and called Deborah (she was driving into work). It is 5ish when she rings off, reaching work. I managed to sleep again just before the 6:30 alarm. 

The dream is a jumble of my usual travel visions. I can’t get home, and everything has changed. When I found my car, it was wrecked. I am lost in the same city I often dream about. It is nowhere but a strange mix of Baltimore and Amsterdam. I wake troubled that I can’t get home in time. I am home and safe. 

Thanks for reading.

I find myself sad again. This sadness makes it hard to enjoy a sunny, warm day in April in Oregon, even though the weather would have been unimaginable ten years ago. I look at the blooming flowers, red tulips, planted a few years ago. I bought them with Glenda when we visited the tulip fields when she was helping with Susie. I remember showing Susie a picture of them. I am pleased to see them again. A good memory, though with tears, and, to me, a manifestation of what is good in this world. A wood bee, a huge non-dangerous yellow and black insect, has moved into the backyard. It buzzed by. I remember one at Dad’s house and his concern that we let it alone. While eating my dinner on the deck, I see another small bee, maybe a mason bee, crawling on my new, yet to be planted pomegranted tree. Later, I get a text that Corwin planted the tree (I leave a $20 in the frig, cold cash, for the work). I used a light to see it at 10. Perfect. The sadness fades a little bit at a time. The tears, though, will always be part of me.

I rose with my alarm and a text from Deborah. It is always good to start the morning with a text and later call from Deborah. I had assembled the coffee machine before going to bed, and a pot of coffee was waiting for me. There was a banana and recently baked lemon poppy muffins to add to the coffee for breakfast.

I write the blog and publish it. I know there are protests in Portland, but I am not willing to breathe tear gas today. I am happy to report that my friend that went had a lovely time, and the bad guys and the tear gas stayed away. I think that also created some of my sadness. Maybe next time. I stay home and make tacos for dinner, not wanting to blow another $30+ on lunch today. I cook a green pepper and 1/2 an onion in oil and then add hamburger, but I fail to drain the fat, and the mix is a bit oily for my taste. I make the shells from a box but put the cheese in the shells to melt it. I did not have lettuce, but I felt that it was OK this time. I added a packet of low-salt seasoning. I had too many, but I put some away as leftovers.

I am in the transition part of a chapter in my story (book), taking the characters from bucolic to horror. It is a fantasy world-based story. It is hard for me to make it work, and I will add a few words here and there. I have 1,300 words so far in a 3,000+ chapter.

Deborah called me while I was reading (more Jutland) and resting (still feeling both at loose ends and sad). She picked up on the call that I was not my usual ‘Energizer Bunny’ (her words) but quiet. After talking to her, I realized I was moping. I got going on packing and preparing. I empty my gym bag (Deborah has suggested that I remove the items from my previous trips and lighten my load) and remove various papers and unneeded and repeated items. I am short on a few items, and some need replacing. I also tour the backyard and enjoy the flowers and the roses that are all bush-like, promising great things in May. The dawn redwood, a gift from the park next to the hummingbird house planted while Susie was with us, has returned to green and looks happy in its wet spot (it is actually a cedar). The wood bee flies nearby. It is a good day!

I take Air VW the Gray to the pharmacy and get some travel items and easter chocolate eggs for Richard, Lauren, and Kathleen, a small bag each. I am wearing my straw hat, and everyone is smiling both at the hat and the sunny weather. I stop by the carts, and the India-style place is open. They welcomed me back by name (it has been months), and I ordered a veggie curry, and they added naan for free. It is an excellent day!

I take my order home and eat it on my deck with the bees, the flowers, and the promises of my roses. I make a few more edits on my story, finding my way through some of the darkness. I rush a bit as I need to get to Richard’s at 6 for a board game.

I board the EV and remember that Kathleen has acquired a car; I will not take her home today. We meet and play the game I requested, Wonderland Wars, which incorporates engine building, push-your-luck (draw chips from a bag), and an efficiency race into one mad game based on Alice and Wonderland’s tea party. I ask to play this game each year around April 1st. Richard explains the game, and Lauren and I are soon fifty points behind and remain there. We have spread out too much while Richard and Kathleen focus on a few battles. I am playing the Queen of Hearts and get to say “Off with their heads” often, as that is one of my powers for my character in the game.

I like the game, but I am crushed point-wise. Like many race games, once you start slow, you remain behind. I did land lots of points in the last round, but a few unlucky draws from my bag took away my chance to make up for the lost chances. It is part of the mad theme. It is hard to recommend this game as it is around $200 for a copy, and the figures need to be painted. My copy is out to be played, but I have not started the painting process. Luckily, the game comes with paper standees to fill in for the figures.

I return home, reaching home before 11, and soon am in bed. This time, with no coffee at Richard’s, I am able to sleep after reading more Jutland. I see that the author constantly refers to another book without footnotes. I see that copies of this book are priced from $50 for a single volume to $250 for a set. I have seldom seen this book referred to in later books; I resist buying it. Interesting. I do rise before sleeping and look all this up.

And that is the end, dear reader. I sleep until the sunrise and remember no dreams, no trip to Wonderland that I remember.