Author: alohawild

I find myself mourning the loss of the East Wing of the White House this Friday morning as I write this blog. It is an unexpected reaction, but in all my years living in the Washington, DC, and Baltimore Corridor, I always meant to visit the White House but never managed it. I am surprised by my reaction, as I did not realize how deeply ingrained the image of the existing White House and its wings is in my identity as an American.  Now that White House wing, from Teddy Roosevelt, Truman, Eisenhour, and the Cold War, is gone. Not even, from what I have heard, was a window or door saved. And while I have little hope for this, maybe Trump’s structure will work.

Going deeper, like most hotelers, Trump announced a plan, said the historic building would be protected, then destroyed it and put up a new building before anyone could do anything. It is an old trick. “We have a better appliance and I have a dented one for just a bit more than this basic model?” he says, looking innocent and helpful. Yes, a form of the old bait-and-switch con.

Leaving behind my anger and disappointment (and surprised by how many of us were fooled by the con), I rose early —6ish —having slept well. I made instant coffee and made peanut butter toast from bread I keep in the freezer. I do not eat bread fast enough to finish it before the mold starts. I am time-boxed as the construction company was again meeting at the church with the demolition folks. Sort of a destruction meeting. I wrote the story of the day before, slowly recalling and assembling the day in my mind and in text, and getting it down in a few hours of work. I also drank coffee, read the news (depressing as I said above), and looked at my transactions from the days before as they loaded in Quicken.

The trip for Deborah’s Birthday is officially over, as the last bills have arrived. It was a great time and we miss each other. We do call and text often and try to start and end our days together.

I dress and all of that, and make it just at 10 to discover that Pinepoint was already there. I find them and we talk a while. Blake from Pinepoint suggests they will remove the carpets last, making the areas safer on Sunday. The placement of the trash and other tools was resolved, as Pinepoint, our church, being the Heart of Beaverton, will take the trash containers and tools back with them every night. This will prevent all sorts of issues.

Jack and I moved a table —my first furniture move since the brain surgery (it was fine) —and that gets the point across that nothing can be left in the spaces to be demo’d, as it will be trashed too. I talk to Wendy for a bit. I am her representative for the SPRC Committee (for those who don’t speak Methodist, that means her HR representative): Paperwork and things.

I head to Powell’s and find a used trade paperback of Agatha Christie’s The Murder of Roger Ackroyd, which is getting a special printing because it is considered the greatest detective story. The introduction is by Louise Penny, one of my favorite authors.  I also spotted the first in a series of translated murder mysteries set in pre-WW2 Japan, The Honjin Murders, highly recommended by a note from Powell’s staff, also in a trade paperback. I resist my urge to get it on my Kindle and instead buy a physical copy. I suspect one of these will be on my trips to New Orleans and later to New Hampshire. I also cannot get past the Ritter candies, thinking of “Elric,” who loved them and introduced them to me. I miss you, “Elric.”

With my plunder, I met Scott at our usual Thursday lunch, McMenamins Cedar Hills. We have the “lunch box” and beers; I just have one. We talk about travel, investments, and politics. Scott and I review future plans, and Scott thinks the idea of Portugal in March is an excellent idea for Deborah’s spring break. Scott also suggested I give Miami a check if I head to Florida for a prelude to Christmas and New Year’s. I would meet him and his daughters for some dinners, and I can explore glass-bottom boats and similar activities (I don’t dive).

We had a nice lunch, and we then headed our separate ways. I went home and the travel and time change and beer caught up with me and a nap happened. Rising after an hour, I paid bills, put away some of the accumulated paper blob. And connected with Joan S. She is still facing mobility issues, and I met her at her house. Air VW flew us to BJ’s Brewhouse for appetizers, and she bought (thanks!). We chatted and got caught up. We then did some shopping, and I even bought some coffee and bananas for breakfast. Excellent.

I dropped Joan S off at her home and helped her put away her stuff and do some recycling. I returned home, plugged in the EV, which was down to 47%, and tried to read more of Agatha Christie’s Cat Among the Pigeons. Instead, I slept and woke with a terrible nightmare where I needed to escape from a bed after being hurt by the bad people, who were returning to hurt me more. I was made of lead, and it was difficult. I partially woke, got out of bed a bit, then fell back asleep and found myself still trying to escape. Now I was frightened; my dreams are good at creating something scary! I finally woke, glad I hadn’t fallen out of bed or returned to the nightmare. I had one leg out. I was still safe. I rose. Yikes!

I took my meds, I bought bread earlier, and made toast with peanut butter. I find food helps with the pills. I return to my laptop and start on my new adventure. I need to write an adventure for a Thanksgiving play in New Hampshire. I am revising a 2012 4E story to fit 5E and a one-sitting play, and at a higher level. It is one of my favorites, and I will see if we can bring it back.

It was after midnight when I closed the laptop. I managed to sleep, but I woke between dreams, all vivid, and I remember the one when I agreed to return to IT at Nike or a consulting company working for Nike; it was confusing. A new version of the college dream: learning you have a Final for a class you did not know you were supposed to be in. This was a job I did not really want and apparently had started without me knowing. Yikes!

And with that, I woke early this Friday morning.

Thanks for reading!

 

 

 

 

I managed to sleep, rising around 6:30, despite the time changes. I slept well and started my day with instant coffee from Trader Joe’s, since I have not been to a grocery store.  I collected the remaining protein waffles, popped them in the toaster twice (slightly burned), added butter, and lastly covered them with non-sugar syrup. I was somewhat time-boxed with a 10 AM meeting at the church on the Refresh project. Demolition starts next week. It will be a dusty odyssey for three months for our congregation and others who use the church.

I write about my travels back from Michigan and a busy Tuesday in the blog. The time change, the walking, flying, and endless, so it seems, laundry leave me tired. Just a reminder, dear reader, that this blog is written in WordPress’s ‘Classic Editor,’ and the site and updates are managed by their impressive software. I pay about $150 annually for my site. I use Grammarly to keep the basics correct, since this is often stream-of-consciousness writing and never gets beyond a first draft when posted. More investment would require not delivering this every day. I use my tools to load photos and videos and to manage comments, which must be done with someone with an account, thus preventing bots from ruining mine and your dear reader’s experience.

Returning to my story, I quickly finish the blog. Jeff arrives after I am dressed and finishes up the painting; it looks marvelous. Jeff Ashley is the owner of AllInOne Construction and is licensed, bonded, and insured. Jeff can be reached at (503) 896-8040 here in Oregon if you need some work done. He is not very busy in the winter, so I thought it was good to include his information here.

I left with my laptop and met the PinePoint Construction at the church. We went over the work starting next week and connected with Jack, the trustee for the church property, and covered what we need to complete before the work begins.

With that done, I return to the house, get the mail, which includes ten days of held mail, toss much of it, and open the stuff I need, including some bills to pay. I am exhausted, but I managed to finish the laundry and got Chinese-style lunch to go. I pay Jeff, and we talk about a few possible improvements, but it is hard for me to repaint and remove old wallpaper, as I do not see the changes as adding much to the house compared to removing something I can ignore. I would rather spend the cash on travel with Deborah.

I was tired; I had some tea to wake up. I still napped and tried to complete a few tasks, but I could not focus on them. I watched a recent Doctor Who episode and fell asleep in my chair for half of it. I reheated the leftover gyro meat from yesterday and had some bread and hummus with it, too. I tried to read the rules for a game I thought Z and I could try, but I could not focus. I made more tea.

By 5:45ish, I was awake again and ready. I boarded Air VW the Gray, still mixing up the controls with the rental, and soon reached the church. Z and Dondrea were happy to meet me there around 6. Z was finishing a fast-food dinner, and we started on our favorite version of Concordia using the Roma board with the Forum add-on. Z played an excellent game and used the new ship-based colonist features in the Roma board better than I did. I only gave Z advice a few times, as Z might have missed something. I scored the five-point Forum card and ended the game, getting me 12 points, but Z ship-based colonist landed her 18 points, and the six-point difference I had predicted would give her the game — after a mangled count we corrected — Z won by that many points. A most excellent game. I would also say that Z’s play with her Forum cards and card purchases kept her ahead of me as I slipped in using my usual tricks. Z played a near-perfect game. It was an excellent night!

(This is before we counted the end-of-game points, and Z’s red counter is ahead and would stay the same distance for the final count)

Deborah, tired too, back to work, and even having to do some fill-in for a night class, sent me a good-night text, and we sent back a picture. It is good to start and end our days together.

I shared the Raiders of Scythia (here)with Z, our next game to try. I

I took the EV home and am soon in my PJs. I do read the Raiders‘ rules and now remember how to play. It is another efficiency-based deck-building game like Concordia. It is a reskin of a Viking game, and I love the artwork in this version, though some iconography could be clearer, I think. You build a crew to raid, and I like that role-playing-like structure. There are elements of push-your-luck as dice are rolled, too.

I am looking forward to trying it out again with Z.

After that, I turned off the light and soon fell asleep. I did wake up too early, as is usual on my second day back in this time zone.

Thanks for reading!

It is Wednesday morning, and I am home in Oregon in my office writing this blog. I woke early, but managed to sleep. It is an overcast gray morning with fog and the sunrise being less of an orb and more of a lessening of darkness. In other words, October in Beaverton here in the Pacific Northwest, my home.

Returning to Tuesday, I woke up with my first alarm. I now know to set two on my phone, as I have missed the first one before. Then, I quickly showered, shaved, and got ready. As there is no in-room coffee, I did not first make coffee and then get ready. Not liking this change. A nice cup of coffee while I wake up is just what I do.

I stuffed my last dirty clothes in my bag, found a shirt I had missed packing during my final check, and added it to my carry-on before I was off. Deborah and I are both putting on a brave face today — I will be back for Christmas — as she showed up in her mini. I supplied, using the coffee machines in the lobby (Kieth had to empty the used grounds for one to work), a cup of coffee for both of us.

The trip to Detroit at 5:45 was busier than you would expect for so early in the morning, but only once did it slow down. Detroit people are driving to work like all the car plants are still running (many still are). We make the trip in about an hour, including getting inside the airport and dropping me off at Delta. A quick kiss with sad eyes, and I am off to find my way. Deborah heads off to work.

(The video was muted)

The lines are longer than I would expect for 6ish, but soon my bag is dropped off. A TSA guy sends me to the Weston Hotel (?). I soon find signs to TSA and a tiny one-machine security check that is not too busy. My bag and I, still with the security-questionable chicken salad in a box lunch kit, pass. My suspenders get me checked, but I’m soon finished without any further checks.

This hotel check opens Terminal A already, and I step out and see my gate only a few steps away. There is a PF Chang’s open for breakfast, so I think, “Why not?” and, after some waiting, enjoy a rice scramble. The hostess notices the waiter is busy discussing the weekend with the manager and takes my order. I do not see the waiter until I am ready to pay. I gave a reasonable tip, despite waiting ten minutes for my order. I walked across the terminal to my gate and heard the usual spiel about rollerbag checking and a nearly full plane.

DTW is always good for steps, and I find that I need to walk about ten gates to reach the men’s room. They are upgrading every other one, and that makes it quite a walk to the ‘facilities.’ You need to plan. With that ten gate and ten gate back walk, I was ready to sit for a while. I met a lovely British couple who were meeting friends in Portland. They are traveling all over the USA and send reports back to friends and family about how nice it is here. Excellent!

The flight is only four hours and a fraction, and soon I am in my window seat with my deaf ear pointed at the wall (‘A’ seats are best for me). I have wired noise-reducing earbuds that work on Delta flights. I watched the rest of CIA: The Agency, an excellent American-based (but in London) spy story, available on the screens (I will have to find it at home). Recommended! I watched a high-stress cooking show, and I found it fascinating. I guessed each time who was “chopped” each time. None of the main ingredients I had ever cooked with. Wow!

Soon the plane landed, I made the long trek through the lovely PDX terminals, found my bag, and boarded the MAX. A couple is upset because their cards aren’t working correctly. I agreed with them that TriMet hasn’t done this as well as NYC and other places, but they plan to get this to just “tap” soon. My trip was pleasant, and I mostly read stuff on my phone and relaxed. I sent updates to Deborah and others.

I met a TriMet poll taker, and he gave me his survey once we were on the 57 bus. I soon had that done, and my step showed. A person boarded the bus about halfway through, engaged in an animated discussion with someone we could not see, yet she remained calm and appeared content to be listened to by her invisible friend. I thanked the bus driver (and all the TSA folks who weren’t too busy at the airports) and rolled my now heavy bags to the house.

Jeff, my fix-it guy, had the fans installed in the bedrooms and new lights, too. There was some ‘mud’ work, and that was still drying. He has some painting and other final touches left. I unloaded my bags, separated the laundry, and started the wash. I also retrieved the wine, still intact, and the books from my bag. That was taking up the space and making it hard to roll.

Corwin still had my car, which he needed for work and to get parts to repair his truck. I ordered from Grubhub, but soon, too much gyro arrived from Gyro House, and I couldn’t finish it. I did laundry and announced my return by text to many. The mail still has not restarted.

I watched Slow Horses and reworked a mangled transaction in my Quicken. A transfer was doubled as it was partially loaded on one side and not the other. Generally, Quicken spots the connection, but this time it failed.

Corwin returned my car, and we went to Golden Valley Brewery for dinner. I had a snack from the happy hour menu at the bar, Corwin had a burger, and I enjoyed a beer on my last vacation day, which marked a return to one a week.

I had spaced a church meeting, and Corwin got to hear some of it on Zoom while I drove. I had it just on voice and mostly muted. I returned home and finished the meeting on Zoom in my office. I continued to do laundry and managed to get three large loads done. Another episode of Slow Horses dropped, and I did nod off a few times as the time change, travel, and lack of sleep accumulated for me.

I found my clean PJs, curled up in my own bed, tried to read, and soon fell asleep.

Thanks for reading!

Just a short note before I rest and raise too f**king early to fly back to Oregon on Tuesday…Grammarly is not working tonight either…growl…

My day ended at Deborah’s house eating cake and watching Matlock together after dinner. We have the last part of Season 1 to watch. Deborah then drove me back to my hotel. There I started this blog and some minor packing. Deborah will pick me up at 5:40 to make my 8:40 direct flight to Portland.

Before this Deborah met me at the hotel and we drove Air Nissan Rogue back to Enterprise and gave them back the car. Earlier I risked the mysteries of filling the gas tank (we have full service in Oregon, and I drive an EV) and seemed to top off the tank. The same women who rented me the SUV took it back and saw the tire challenges including a bent tack/nail in one of the tire and the other tire coding that it was too low. No damage and that all done.

I, as usual now that I rent so many, just before I gave it back, I sat in it and thanked it. Kind of Zen, but I do mean it. Thanks Air Nissan Rogue for the good week of driving!

Deborah, now driving me in her mini takes us to Recipes a restaurant she has been meaning to try. We have the brunch menu, and I try the Brussel sprout hash (with bacon) and her the omelet. It was excellent and surprisingly good. After a near perfect lunch, we then spent some time together, our last day, and then headed to Deborah’s house. There we hung out for a while and saw Liam and Donovan, Deborah’s sons, who wished me a safe trip before heading out. Deborah and I then ordered Chinese-style food delivered while we binged on Kathy Bates in Matlock.

Before this I packed and managed to get almost everything into my suitcase except two pairs of paints I will have to carry in my carry on. A bottle of wine, Gorey print, and a few books plus most of my dirty clothing. I took with me about the amount of clothing I will need for the Southern Trip. I wanted to see how it worked out.
Before this I wrote the blog and talked to customer service and learned that the removal of in-room coffee was a local decision and not a corporate one. I am very unhappy to have not in-room coffee available. I do not wish to have to dress to go out in the lobby to get coffee. Ugh!

It was a good trip and seems longer than before with two weekends with Deborah and the break while she worked a few days. The trip to the West and Lake Michigan was wonderful. We are also thinking about a summer trip to Northern Michigan and even Isle Royal that Deborah and I both have always wanted to visit.
Before this I slept the night through again. My eye is mostly healed and the infection in my ear is also mostly gone. I am feeling better.

Thanks for reading!

Oct 19th is Deborah’s Birthday, and we started it in East Lansing with me dressing and getting breakfast at the breakfast bar on the first floor of The Graduate Hotel, East Lansing. Coffee and an egg and cheese bagel sandwich for Deborah in bed, and me a bagel with cream cheese. Coffee, of course. I was feeling off, so Deborah took the pilot seat with me as co-pilot in the Air Nissan Rogue as we headed back to the Greater Detriot area and Deborah’s 60th Birthday Party at the Red Oxe at 6:30.

First, after collecting the car from the valet, and before headed on the highways, we traveled to the other side of Lansing, for the 78th Michigan Antiquites Book & Paper Show at a old convention center in a slightly rundown area in South Lansing. The Causeway Hotel & Convention Center was musty and had seen better days, but was huge and had it been less musty smelling and the place been refreshed would have been nice. The ball room, with no direction signs at the far end held tables and book casees stuffed with treasures.

Deborah and I barely got beyound the check-in ($4 each with the coupon that The Curious Book Store had sent me) before we spotted the Gorey graphic items including a signed print (we were told that for $650 cash we could take it home), but for $75 I got the same print from the Gorey Trust unsigned but numbered (I remember them being reprinted in Signals Catalog and for Public TV auctions after Gorey’s passing).

I later find an Old Cuba cookbook and stories from another table. Deborah found the 1973 American Postage set, and I have one. This one is in remarkablely good condition. Deborah picked up a few gifts for friends too. We enjoyed our time amoung old books and paper, despite some sneezes and runny eyes from the musty books and hotel (mainly the hotel). I managed to pass on the original Scientific American on the salvaging of the USS Maine (the remains of the ‘Battleship’ were scuttled but recently rediscovered). There was lots of good things at the show. I did raid the ATM as cash was apprciated (if the only means to purchase a few times).

Next we had breakfast/lunch at Leo’s. Deborah finds this chain a set above other like sitdown places and I agree. I had the Greek-style salad with gyro meat toss on it. It was excellent. Deborah had a second breakfast for lunch; her go-to for Leo’s.

Next we located Costco and refueled the SUV. I always carry my Costco card. The Costco is where the old golf course was off of Park Lake Road. I had been surprised by it when I noticed on my trip to see Mom Wild and Leta almost a week ago. It was wet and raining sideways. The wind picked up, too. Deborah drove the SUV on our usual path of Highway 69 to 75 to get to Detroit faster. Yes, drive northwest, then head south. It works.

We unloaded the car at Deborah’s house, with her getting all that wine we bought, except I kept one bottle from Veritas. I headed out and checked back into the Holiday Inn Express, only to be surprised that my room didn’t come with a coffee maker now. I went to the front desk and was told that corporate no longer supports in-room coffee. I was aghast (and it was not looking forward to the morning in the room without a cup of in-room coffee. Ugh! I complained and was told that in-room coffee was no longer available, and that the coffee machines in the lobby would be the only source of coffee at the hotel. I was told it was a corporate decision (I filled a complaint and learned it was a local decision this Monday morning). I was frustrated by that and might have to look for a replacement hotel, but this one is very conveniently placed and serves breakfast. Coffee in the morning is a ritual for me. I don’t want to dress up just to get coffee (I would not go into a hotel lobby in my PJs, even for coffee.

I take multiple trips, loading mostly dirty clothing in various bags from the Nissan Rogue. I need to repack on Monday and the wine, Gorey print, and books will make the it an adventure. I packed extra clothing to see what I could fit in my bag this time. I usually have the books mailed, but that service was not available at the book and paper fair in Lansing.

Next, with time moving faster than I expected, I head to Meijer’s to get Deborah’s cake, some numbers for the cake (one 60 and two 30s and two lighters) I figure Deborah’s sons should decide how to handle the cake and lighting. I did supply two lighters. Outside my hat blows off rolls across the parking lot. A gentleman laughs as I chase it and then it stops just out of easy reach under a car. I crawl in the rain filled parking lot to get my hat. There was a lot of smiles as I put the soaked hat on my head.

At the hotel, the cake and supplies were safe in the SUV, and I changed clothing to something less damp. I headed to Deborah’s house and soon we were headed to the Red Oxe.

They had moved us due to the weather to near the fireplace in the dining room. We had pizza party for twenty (we got close to that count). There was a mangled communication with the waiter that I would buy the first drink and I am sorry I missed buying more drinks. Nothing I can do about that as we figure it out after folks paid their bills. But that was all that went wrong, minor.

Deborah had a great time and the staff cut the cake for everyone. I talked to folks I knew and met some new people. Jeanne talk about a possible summer trip in 2026 to Michgan and shipwreck and sights in Mchigan. I talked about gaming and travel. Deborah son’s put a 60 on her cake and lighted them. We all sang and enjoyed cake in Deborah’s honor. Even more wine was supplied to Deborah along with other nice 1965 (her birth year) themed gifts. I provided more earrings from Oregon. These from the Autum Fair in Beaverton.

I dropped off Deborah and her gifts (and some remaining cake) and returned to the hotel. I took my meds, remembered to put in my eye treatment and then soon slept. I slept the night through. I remember no dreams.

Thanks for reading.