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Wednesday night, the plane boarded at 10:35. I was on the plane before 11 and discovered that seat 25F was indeed a window seat, and the center seat was empty. Also, this row adjoins the toilet, and for the whole trip, the bathroom light would light the area, and there would be traffic all trip. The guy, who fell right asleep, was all but the bathroom attendant. This row also adjoins the emergency row, and the seats cannot be declined. I am unsure if the plane had worse seats than these cheap seats, but I put in my earbuds (cheaper but working ones I have used for years) and set up the in-plane entertainment.

The plane was warm when it took off. The initial leap into the sky included the plane suddenly drifting and the pilot slamming the plane back to the runway. The aircraft bounced and swerved the whole trip, with the pilot working hard for this flight. I got a cup of ginger ale and ice, and later, coffee was offered to all of us still awake. Later, with over an hour left, I put on my sweater as it was cold; I took it off earlier. My bag was under my feet, and my heavy coat squished into the space between the chair and the wall. My hat and sweater were set in the spare seat. The flight was under five hours.

I found “A Gentleman in Moscow” as an option with the first three episodes available and had read that this was a great show. I put on CC now with my reduced hearing, as I find my earaches if I turn up the sound loud enough to hear everything and drown out the background noise. I also do this now at the house and discovered I could use CC at the movies (it is not available). I hope Google Glasses will provide this feature someday and let me follow conversations better. Like most people with reduced hearing, I miss some things, especially on my left side, and just nod and smile.

The show is a fictional story, originally a novel by Amor Towles, set in the chaos of the Russian Communist takeover in Moscow. The tale is about a fictional prince ordered to remain in a hotel or be shot. The prince is given a servant’s room (not his opulent one), but some items are moved to his room. During this time, Liam McGregor plays the count perfectly, calmly, and believableally. “His Excellency” becomes a fixture at the hotel and soon becomes a problem that the communists try to hammer down this nail that will not align. However, Liam plays a calm gentleman and seems to take each affront as a chance to show he is a gentleman again. More importantly, he will never let them feel satisfied seeing him react, a lesson he learned from his grandmother; we know this from flashbacks and the stories he tells. I enjoyed the first three episodes, and it is clearly a reason to try Paramount+ for a month or so.

I had an hour left of the flight, so I put on the start of the latest, not terrible, Marvel comic book movie, Deadpool and Wolverine. I had seen it in theaters and thought it entertaining and irreverent. It was perfect for the highly rough ride we experienced as we crossed storms to reach Detroit. I put the seat arm back down and held on a few times. This matched the action on the film playing; local special effects to go with the movie!

It was pouring rain in Detroit, and we arrived intact, “shaken and not stirred. ” Soon, I was off the plane and enjoyed walking from A77 to the luggage claim, stopping once to send some water from Oregon and the plane’s service for Michigan’s reclamation.  I walked straight through, but my luggage was no longer spinning, but sitting upside down on a belt, the indestructible luggage tag more crumpled but still surviving.

I wheeled the bag with my Nike gym bag on top and found the path to the rental car pick-up. I did transverse two escalators, one up and one down, to reach the bus stop, but I did take a sky bridge. Likely, this transit made some sense to the airport designer (though I think I could have walked outside, crossed the street, and been in the same place). I slowly became alarmed as I watched three buses pass for other car rental companies, but finally, an Avis bus showed.

I boarded it and again marveled at how far away the car rental place was and the enormous fields of cars once we arrived, at least a fifteen-minute trip once you were on the bus! It was like Michigan grew instead of rows of corn, acres of Avis, Hertz, and other brands of rental cars now. I was dropped off and took my bags, telling the driver to relax.

Now, at Avis, a kind and wide-awake gentleman took my driver’s license, scanned it, and soon, I was offered a minivan. I declined with the genuine excuse that I had never driven one and would be uncomfortable driving it. Instead, I was offered a small Ford SUV Edge. Initially, I had paid for Navigation, but I was assured that my phone would work, and soon, that was removed from my bill. The gentleman could not find a working one, anyway. With the minimum of paper, I headed out in the pouring rain, my coat and hat making us comfortable and the puddles small, so my shoes stayed dry, and I soon found my SUV. A nice-looking vehicle, a bit smaller than an Air Volvo, say, six inches narrower. I christened it Air Ford because my luggage was loaded in the cargo hold and boarded. With some adjustments, the black leather seats were comfortable, and my Apple iPhone was soon connected to ApplePlay. My friend Deborah, a former Apple employee, told me it all would work, and it did. I did not know how to start a directed trip, but I got directions and headed out.

I missed my turn, but as I got used to the ApplePlay screens, I found my way to 94W and headed out. It was dark, raining hard, and I had no sleep—not perfect for driving, and I had not done this drive in thirty years. Soon, the red on the map, I learned, met traffic, and I crawled and missed the connection to the usual way to Lansing, I being oblivious of this at the time. I realized I was headed directly west, and NW should be my direction. I was headed across the state to Jackson, Michigan. I stopped in Ann Arbor, not usually on the way to Lansing, Michigan.

I called my sister instead of texting, still learning The Way of ApplePlay, and she told me I was right that Ann Arbor and I was right to stop at Nick’s Original Pancake House for coffee and food. The sun has risen, meaning the black was replaced with wet grey. Linda texted me a trip link on my iPhone that automatically connected to ApplePlay, which was my best option. I was proud that I had figured it out, too.

I had some strange mix of hash browns and corned beef hash, toast, poached eggs (cold, but still excellent), and coffee. I could tell from the attitude and frankness that this is a low-wage state for waiters (the internet shows Michigan has a $3.93 an-hour rate plus tip as opposed to $12.50 for non-tipped workers). I paid a 25% tip to help and thank them for their friendliness to a lost stranger.

With my ApplyPlay now following a script and directed to East Lansing and my hotel, I strived with confidence and was powered by good coffee. I followed the roads and tried to get used to 70+ driving in Michigan in the pouring rain. My footwork was not the best, even for the automatic, but I tried to be a one-foot driver.

Michigan drivers are fast and talented, certainly more so than folks from Oregon, and I was making a slow transition back to crazy-fast driving. I also remembered changing lanes and letting other folks have the whole lane to merge, a Michigan law and one not seen in use for Oregon (everyone in Oregon is going so slow and letting people in as we are overly polite in Oregon). This allows folks to enter traffic at 70+ mph without requiring braking and other disruptive actions from too slow driving.

I arrived in East Lansing in just over an hour and found my hotel following my memory and the ApplePlay navigation. I parked in the mess of cars by the hotel, and a valet soon took my keys, name, and SUV. I went to the desk with low expectations, as it was not noon. I was thrilled to learn that my room was ready and that I could head there. Soon, I was unpacked and out of my clothing for the trip, showered, lying down, and luxuriated in my room.

Sleep did not find me, so I dressed in a T-shirt, sweater, LL Bean pants, and so on, with a sweater over my shirt. The benches on the sidewalks were gone, but Curious Books was still there and open. The same shopkeeper (name forgotten, sorry) as last time I was there (in May 2024), and soon, I found two books (a first-hand account of whaling in the nautical section and an omnibus of three small novels with Victorian villain stories) I had not seen before. Instead of schlepping them in my luggage, I had them posted to my home address. I found two more exciting books in the basement but decided that a 1964 book on Confederate Currency was unneeded and the 1924 story magazine could be passed on. I am trying to economize now that I am on a no-income except for interest and investments.

With my purchase inbound to Oregon, I headed to my next book-related visit. The MSU bookstore’s mathematics and computer textbooks always interest me, and often, I find something unique that I want. I resisted the $19 used book of computational mathematics filled with basic estimating formulas and practices. I also nodded to the graduate/doctorate-level books on ellipse calculations, which I know are a big topic in high mathematics. Many elliptical calculations can be mapped to AI and computer issues, including the traveling salesman problem. In another lifetime, I would be a mathematician/computer researcher. But I resist acquiring either book and head out (I still have an excellent book on codes from my last trip that needs more attention). I walk around the area and finally stop for a beer and a snack at Harper’s. This is a college bar I have never been to. On entry, I discover it is just that, and I will not likely return. My half-hearted waiter (name forgotten, sorry) gets me a beer in a plastic cup and a plate of good battered and fried cheese sticks. I read and enjoy my food and beer. I have a stout thinking of Tyler and Eric (who we will say goodbye to on Saturday). Slightly stumbling from the beer and near exhaustion, I reach my hotel and my room and manage a few hours of napping.

I sent out an update on my visit schedule (if you want one, send me a note and your email).

I rise, assemble myself, head to the nearby Beggar’s Banquet, and meet my waiter, Parker. Soon, Linda, my sister, Jesse (Linda’s husband), and Barb, my mom, arrive. We have a nice dinner together, and with the nap, I am able to function. I do have two Old Fashions and am soon quite happy and relaxed. I have the chicken piccata, which is better than passable but could have used some extra pounding. Jesse has the salmon, and Mom and Linda match me. Mom and I finished with chocolate mousse. Linda had the Crème brûlée. I treated to dinner, and Parker got a 22% tip on a high ticket.

We had an excellent time, but as often happens with good meals and friendly company, it seemed over before it started, and soon, we were headed out. I returned to the hotel, a block away, and soon rested and talked on the phone with a friend.

I called into the Zoom meeting in Oregon, Theology Pub, and followed along as I started to fade from lack of sleep, food, and drinks, and trying to connect to the topic of nature and Christian theology. The group was at a pub in Oregon, and the discussion was often slowed by orders for food and more beer in Oregon. My kind of Christian theology!

According to many Christian beliefs, the fundamental question was whether people held dominance over nature and that nature was separate from humankind. Was this in conflict with caring for nature and other religions and beliefs that considered humankind to be part of nature? The words from Chef Redcloud were remembered, and I found some of them (see here). We also considered the statement: God created humankind in God’s image, and then humanity created God in their image. The words bounced around with many opinions, and even Z joined tonight’s group with her grandmother. It looked like an excellent party.

I left at 11, as I was going to sleep either on Zoom or in a more comfortable position. I selected comfort. As I had showered in the late morning, I opted for just bed and soon was asleep, rising only once at 4ish to prove hydration (I had three glasses of water during the time on Zoom, and they undoubtedly helped me avoid leg cramps that night).

Thanks for reading.

Dear readers, especially my daily readers, I may combine Friday and Saturday into a single story on Sunday due to my complex schedule and the fact that some personal information is not included in the blog.

 

I rose after my alarm was set for reasons I could not remember in the morning so early. I rose leisurely and was making coffee when my phone rang at 8:45, a bad omen and a harbinger that I had forgotten something. “Michael, you have an 8:30 cleaning appointment,” I am reminded by a friendly voice, and I agree, saying, “Yes, I will be there in a few minutes.” I dressed without shaving and was happy that I brushed my teeth before sleeping. I skipped everything, put on socks and shoes, and was soon at the dentist, only a few minutes away.

The cleaning was fast, and I had only one time when I could not breathe and caught my breath with a break. This is new, but I had no chance this morning to take my usual allergy and asthma meds (next time, I will include them even when rushed). The process had the dentist, Dr. Packam, discover my other filling was failing on the same tooth but on the other side. We will fix them in a few weeks. All good.

My hygienist shared with me she is retiring soon. I shook her hand; it is unlikely I will have her again. She hopes to travel. I wish her well and hope her plans and retirement will be fun. Mine are.

With that task done, I returned via Air Volvo to the Volvo Cave. I started the laundry. I wash the sheets, make the bed, clean the floors, and wash all the dishes so the house is nice when I return. I can then crash, wash all the clothing I brought back, and rest and quiet for a day. Next, the mail will be delivered (including everything I put on hold), and I have sorted that. I use Quicken to track everything while I travel for banking, credit cards, etc. There is nothing to catch up on about money when I return. I now watch, over the following days after the trip, the last credit card transactions finally hit from the trip. I try to invest in cleaning now before the trip so the return is easier.

I read in the Costco information that I needed to present my Costco card for my rental in Detroit. I boarded Air Volvo and traveled to Costco near Hillsboro Airport for a new card. I asked the agent to make me look younger and thinner in the picture. He stood in for me (funny), but I relented and let him use me instead for the official photo.

With my updated Costco card, I am granted access and will soon have a cart walking through the wonders that is Costco in 2024. I want to walk a few extra steps today, and this works. I grab just a few frozen products and some separately packaged snacks. It will still just fit in my already packed freezer and frig.

I met Jenny there, and we were happy to see each other (we worked together for years). Jenny and I shared numbers, and she asked to join Scott and me for the weekly Thursday lunch. I sent out a text, and that is now the plan.

I spun around Costco and returned Air Volvo with items to the Volvo Cave. I unloaded the goodies and moved all the board games out of Air Volvo. I don’t like to park Air Volvo loaded with games for an extended time. I am unsure how I would claim the loss if something happened to them. The Scythe Game is an original with hand-painted figures, upgrade meeples, and other extras. I cannot begin to imagine the price of replacing it. I removed the game and loaded my luggage in one piece.

Previously, I packed and, at one point, sat on the luggage to get it to close. I have different shirts for each day and a few spares. I have a suit (black), black shoes, a tie, and other items for Eric’s Celebration of life. I have my laptop, cables, pills, paper copies of plans, and my boarding pass on my phone. I am ready.

I will not recount the vacuuming, mopping, laundry, and cleaning I did. I was a sweaty mess by 2ish. I took a shower, shaved, and caught up on my usual routines. I finished packing and got my cables, laptop, and other items in my carry-on.

I read for a while, boarded Air Volvo, and crawled through traffic, finally arriving near PDX at 6ish. IKEA was not serving, so I returned to Famous Dave’s and had the fried chicken platter. Too much food!

I then wrote the blog.

And that takes me to 8ish and to now. My flight leaves at 11. I will either update this or include that in the next blog (more likely).

Thanks for reading.

Tuesday morning started with me raising my iPhone alarm at around 8. I had a game at Richard’s at 9:30, a new weekly game on Tuesday morning (though I will miss the next one). James, a retired doctor I had not seen for more than a year, had acquired a copy of Mansion of Madness, Second Edition, with the figures painted and organizers. This version uses an app to control the game and is best on an iPad, and it is far better than the terrible slog that was the first card-based version. I wanted to try it again; I tried it at a convention, and the game was not fun. I hoped it would be better.

I wrote the blog the evening before, meaning now all I had to do was clean up, shave, dress, and head out. By 8:20, Air Volvo was headed down TV Highway. I stopped by McDonald’s and got a coffee with cream, two breakfast burritos, and a hashbrown. I was surprised that the coffee was good, the hashbrown was excellent, and the burritos were fair to poor. Next time, I will get something else!

I crossed Beaverton in Tuesday rush hour traffic and experienced a few strange lanes slowing. I was in the right lane going fast and saw the left stall at various traffic lights—the difference was twenty car lengths at one light! I was soon on the highway.

The total travel time was about forty-five minutes, about fifteen minutes longer than a quick trip. I was soon waiting with Richard.  Jim, facing difficult traffic from the other direction (Washington State), finally arrived late. Jim explained the rules, and I could remember some of the game.

We started to play, and I was in trouble finding a horror right off. Richard later identified that I picked a weaker character, but this is a horror role-playing game, and I seldom play them for min-max-ing for the best character. My character constantly failed her dice rolls (lousy luck and few good options combined to make it a disaster–but still fun for me), collecting madness and injuries, but it was fun to see what that meant. I managed to cast one spell six times with only one success! I went insane but managed to avoid the fatal version. My madness has no effect (but I could not tell the other players), who thought I was looking somewhat sane for someone insane–perfect.

We had some puzzles to solve, including two “Master Mind” puzzles. I was tired today, so Richard jumped on them. Soon, the built-in timer in the scenario sped up the game, and the mansion was blasted by the eldritch powers the cultists had unleashed. We rushed to the gate and finally closed it and saved mankind. We won.

The game was slow, but the app helped. I would like to play it a few more times to decide if I like it. The simple game took three players four hours to complete.

The base game is no longer in print, but the app is still available. The base game sells for $99, but I have seen $500+ for unopened copies with all the expansions. My first edition copy was scrapped, with me keeping just the figures and the room boards.

After the game, I returned to the Volvo Cave in light traffic from Portland. Planning to reheat leftovers, I then accidentally dumped the Jambalaya on the floor. Disappointed that one delicious lunch and dinner were lost, I cleaned up the mess. I then made Trader Joe’s Kung Po Chicken from the frozen pack. It was not very good and I don’t recommend it, adding to my failures that afternoon. Poo.

I put away the dishes and dropped my Zabar Coffee mug (A gift from Cat Smith), and it shattered. F**k. I clean up yet-another-fail (YAF) and rest a bit. I nod off.

A call wakes me, and soon, it is after 5. I head out in Air Volvo in the pitch dark of winter, with the wind and rain of a Pacific Northwest winter night. All I am missing are the Christmas lights, I think, while Air Volvo finds its way in the parking lot. Next, I sit at a table at Shack Shack, which has surprisingly good burgers and fries, and wait for Dondrea and Z. Soon, they show, and we have food. We had a nice, relatively easy, and cheap meal together.

We hugged, said goodbye, and headed to our separate homes. Soon, Air Volvo arrived at the Volvo Cave through the wet and dark of PNW November. My hat, retrieved from Richard, protected me from the rain, and I felt comfortable in the wet. I must return to The Portland Running Store or REI for waterproof shoes soon!

I cleaned a bathroom, started the laundry, and began to pack. I decided to take a break and watched the last episode of Season 1 of Silo. I was impressed that I had missed something from every episode and the show’s first minutes. A most excellent plot twist, and the chase and resolution were interesting. While the show is dark, having seen the completion of the first season, I can recommend it and look forward to the next season.

I read for a while, starting the next book in a series I have been reading for more than a year: A Great Reckoning: A Novel (Chief Inspector Gamache Novel Book 12). This is the next in the series and follows a sorrowful novel that made me cry. But after reading many other books, I missed Inspector Gamache and decided to return to his stories as I travel again. I cannot recommend this series enough. 

After hearing too much noise during drying, I discovered my car keys and inhaler in The Machine. I had failed to empty my pockets and ran them through the wash cycle. Poo. Both still work, but it is more YAF today.

I loaded the dishwasher carefully to avoid more YAF. I ran it and completed the first load of clothing, my shirts, and pants (plus keys and inhaler). Underwear and other items that I don’t care if they are wrinkled are put in The Machine for the next load to be retrieved and put away on Wednesday morning. I will wash sheets and towels as I clean and pack on Wednesday morning.

I started the blog around 8ish and finished it before bed.

And that takes us to now. Thanks for reading!

I find Mondays to be my new Saturday. Like most folks on Saturday or Sunday morning, I just want to sleep in and go slow. Why, I believe, brunch was invented. I have no plans for Monday, but Wednesday is my travel day to Michigan, and I will arrive in Detroit on Thursday morning. I only have a few days to clean and pack, but my flight on Wednesday is at 11:15PM, so I have all of Wednesday packed and cleaned. Still, I wrote the blog slowly and even looked up some things to include in the blog. I was not done until the afternoon. Going slow.

I filled out the form for my healthcare selection for COBRA at Nike. I get a year more coverage, but I have to cover the monthly cost of just under $800. This process will continue my existing coverage, including vision, and I will upgrade my dental. Nike offers improved dental care this year for $10 more monthly. Yes.

I filled out the form and discovered a website option, which was a mystery as it did not recognize my user. Hmmm. I put the form in a large letter envelope. I also wrote my usual memo to hold and then deliver the mail in mass when I return. I put the memo in the mailbox. There was no mail on Veterans Day, off to the closed Post Office.

There, I saw many folks leaving disappointed—many seemed to have forgotten it was the eleventh day of the month. I went to the machine, got my letter accepted, and paid the cost to send it to the healthcare vendor in Kentucky. I also bought some stamps that the machine just printed. They were boring US flags. I would have liked some more colorful.

I returned home, but earlier, I had a liberal cup of coffee to get me started. I also had cereal with milk. I consumed the other walk of my tuna fish sandwich from Subway while surfing the email and not getting anything done. I was distracted most of the early afternoon and was looking at other travel options for 2025, including a possible trip to the UK. Flights are cheap in the winter, but hotels are high in London, especially nice ones by the sights.

I decided to make beef stew today following a recipe from the NYT, but adding a few items. I found my Netflix account on my Apple and put on a murder mystery TV movie, Glass Onion, which was fun to watch again while cooking and chopping. The stew was better than average, but I couldn’t get that strong stew flavor I sought. I enjoyed the show and would recommend it as it is a fun murder mystery. It was also made during the pandemic, and seeing folks in masks and keeping their distance is fascinating. Questions like, “Can we hug?” are flashbacks to darker times.

I had three bowls and added salt to the last two, improving the flavor. My lack of salt while cooking may be the issue. While cooking, I opened a nice bottle of wine I got when Linda and Jesse visited. It went into the stew and into my glass. I was pretty relaxed by the time the stew was ready.

While enjoying the stew, I watched more of the post-apocalyptic episodes of Silo. What a surprise that the evil is in IT. I am nearing the end of the first season and enjoying the show, but it is dark and hard to recommend. The acting, story, and camera work make it all seem real. I will likely finish season one just in time for season 2, which is starting to be released this week!

I washed all the dishes, pans, and everything in the sink or loaded them into the dishwasher and started it. Next, I swooshed the toilets and brushed them. I would either keep cleaning…or head somewhere…

I am writing this at Wildwood on my second beer, all small ones. The La Maison Du Bang!, a barrel-aged blend of barleywine and stout cuvee, is an excellent finish for my day. I have been writing tonight (I have a 9:30 board game on Tuesday morning in Portland). The folks were happy to see me, and I updated them on all my travels.

Thanks for reading. I am closing the bar at 10.

 

A few typos from Grammarly are being fixed…they are crazy today.

Sunday is often another day of me squeezing in a whole weekend in a single day. While I am retired now, this habit is hard to break, and many working folks are doing the same thing, and I just follow that. It was Veterans Day weekend, but I celebrated it by remembering my Grandfather’s brother, “Billy” Wild, who was in France when the war ended in 1918 under “Blackjack” Pershing and fought, according to some records I have seen, in many significant battles for the American forces. It was then the “Great War” and was the death knell of the old European system and the end of royal control of Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungry. It was unsuccessfully known as “the War to End All Wars,” sadly, countries would have to call up their young people for more wars. It is good to remember all those who served.

An aside: The Wilds were the children of the immigrant Willhelm “William” Wild, a farmer in Cannonsburg’s Michigan. They were William “Billy” Wild, George, Edward (my great-grandfather), and Lilly. A young daughter, Alice, died young, likely from the Spanish Flu. Only “Billy” was a soldier.

Returning to our story for Sunday, I rose and finished the block in time to dress and still be early for church. The liberal coffee pumped me up with joy and caffeine. Nothing like fair-traded coffee to make you feel you are helping the world while getting your jolt. The words and events of Saturday spilled on the virtual page in WordPress, and with help from Grammarly and my re-reading (often of the ‘fixed’ text), they were assembled into readable work. I published it and headed to the next step on Sunday.

I washed up, shaved, and brushed my hair (which looked like I had been electrocuted while sleeping) into something that would not draw comment. I found a white dress shirt, blue sweater vest, and pride tie. To finish the church look, I added grey-blue LL Bean pants, black shoes, and dark grey socks. My brown wool hat (forgotten at Richard’s) is missing. I wore the black Humburg hat this time.

I arrived soon for church, First United Methodist Church in Beaverton, and was twenty minutes early. Coffee was ready and most welcomed. Soon, the church service started, and the music was easy to sing today. The choir was reduced by some folks traveling, and we even sang with them. I kept hearing this excellent singing, but I looked right and could not find the singer. I sat next to Eric, but he was on my left side. My loss of hearing on the left side means I misidentify the direction of sound. I was hearing Eric on my left through my only working right ear. Somedays,  after a brain tumor, this new life of mine is fascinating!

Pastor Ken started a new series of sermons on a minor prophet book, Micah. Ken repeatedly pointed out that Micah is about terrible things happening to believers. Tragedy is part of life, and the “prosperity gospel” often taught in the USA is false. Just because you were lucky or successful does not mean you are blessed and righteous. Micah argues that the prosperity of Jerusalem in his time was what was wrong. Instead of focusing on justice, compassion, and community (my words here translate from Ken), their leaders built glory in the capital and a monument to their righteousness. Nothing would survive from this temple (though a few dubious claims exist). Falling into Doctor Who’s words (my words again):

Never be cruel, never be cowardly….hate is always foolish…and love, is always wise. 12th Doctor

Ken also talked about prophetic words and prophecy and how they must be included in our experiences to have a complete experience—something I had not heard before. Looking back, I see that it was built into some of the Sci-Fi I watch with the 12th Doctor, which often falls into prophetic speech styles. I also find Martin Luther King’s speeches, especially his last one, powerful. Ken identified them as prophetic.

Ken has me now looking for prophetic words and language. He offers that these words are not said by the elite but by the minority and those working for justice. This is a new way for me to think and consider prophetic speech and what it means to me and the world.

After church, I stayed until they locked the doors, catching up with people before heading home. Air Volvo stopped, on a whim, to get a tuna fish sub at Subways. They offered to cut it in half and wrap each so I could have the second half on Monday, which is perfect. I paid the 20% tip and thanked them.

Which reminds me of Susie’s worst joke:

What is the main difference between a carp and a piano? You can tune a piano, but you can never tune a fish.

I always say the punchline when I have tuna fish. Reaching the Volvo Cave, I removed the tie but kept the rest of the outfit. I ate and watched more videos on YouTube: ShipHappens, Battleship New Jersey, and the always-impressive Drachinifel. I rested and read some more vegan cooking suggestions. Their meat replacements have my attention, and I will try to get the ingredients and make some of them. While not vegan in my choices for food, it is an exciting idea to produce food that anyone can eat, and less meat is likely good for me. The piccata recipe with a non-meat focus was exciting. I also like their stuffed peppers and may make them soon.

Next, I did the dishes and left early. I headed to the former Rainy Day Games, now Guardian Games (Aloha), and checked if they had Enigma: Beyond Code for sale. No. Mike, a long-term employee and expert gamer, checked and agreed with me that the game’s rating was low, and it was only available now through Amazon (assuming the original publisher actually has copies). I checked for a friend to see if the game was worthy of exploration. No. They do have Duel Middle Earth on display. After playing Richard’s copy, I told Mike I liked the game better than the original version. I also described that I enjoyed Unconcious Mind. I commented that some of the older games are still for sale, and Mike told me that many folks are still playing them, which surprised me. I understand now with Richard’s and my jumping to new games, we are not playing old favorites. Hmmm.

I have canceled my Kickstarters and will resist purchasing games, role-playing, and models as I got my insurance quote of $782.34 monthly for COBRA coverage. I will try to reduce my et cetera expenses and focus on being retired. I plan to travel and enjoy many places next year but must live more frugally between trips!

I managed to escape the local gaming store with no losses.

(my figure has the blue shield raised in the air)

I boarded Air Volvo and soon arrived at M@’s place, where we played more Dungeons and Dragons with our group of five. We are 17th level and powerful, and the traps and monsters we faced in play were also deadly and powerful. Within a few moments of the game, my character was blasted and failed every roll. A process that would continue most of the night. We have a simple goal, recover an item.  We reuse a few traps to eliminate some risk and ignore more of the tomb we are raiding. M@ announces that we succeeded and will rise to another level. Also, due to M@’s and my travel, we will meet again on 19 Jan 2025!

(Scott and Matt, with the beard, in the back. Mackers and Karyn in the front with me holding the iPhone)

It was fun, but the details cannot be covered here. I headed home, read for a bit more vegan recipes, and prepared for bed. I soon slept and did not wake until the morning at 4 to prove hydration.

Thanks for reading.