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With no plans for the day, I am slow to rise and enjoy luxuriating in the covers of my bed. I had woken a few times and had to prove hydration once. It takes more than a moment for me to recall, reassemble, and replay in words the previous day. Nero Wolf’s Archie can remember word-for-word conversation and recapitulates for Wolf in one of my favorite mysteries. Not a skill I have. Slowly, I connected the previous day’s events and wrote for hours. There were not many asides in this one, and I am happy to complete it before noon.

My leg muscles feel tight after two days of 4,500 steps, which is easy for many, but I am still breaking through. My lower back hurts when I stand or walk for more than a few hours. I hope to strengthen my back by walking and standing more and more. My cancer doctor told me my back, seen in the CT scans, is showing some age-appropriate issues. F**k that.

I assemble coffee using the French Press and locally ground and roasted coffee. I have felt that my weight loss has stalled, so I try to eat less (and often drink less). However, I am still 343 pounds. I am not that interested in breakfast.

The tiny orchids seem happy, enjoying the cold nights and warmish afternoons. They would like 80F (27C) or higher but may accept the cooler (and more livable) 70s we enjoy together. I still resist creating a perfect environment for the vandas and other orchid madness practices. If they want to avoid being mulch, the orchids will have to suck it up. I will also not be here for a week; they must survive that. I will not have an orchid sitter!

I finished the blog and decided that Portland will not be too hot today. Since it is Thursday before the Labor Day Weekend, it should still be a light day at the Portland Art Museum (PAM). I cleaned up and caught the shower rod falling and missing once. I have a replacement on order! I shave and all that and soon look the part of a retired guy.

MAX is not filled with people having a heated conversation with themselves. I use HOP to pay with my phone and have a comfortable ride-in. In the mail, I received my copy of Analog Magazine. To save money, I subscribed for about 40% off as I buy one most months. The editorial at the start of the text is excellent and even comes with footnotes to back its claims. I started to read the first SciFi story; I often read at least 1/2 of an issue. MAX, while not fast, seems to be instantly at my stop. I will have to get used to carrying earbuds again (I discovered I may adjust my iPhone to send all the sound to my working right ear) as the screeching rails are loud near the tunnel.

I walk up Park Street’s moderate hill. The cat models are still out celebrating locally made stop-motion films from LAIKA. PAM is not busy, and I ask the docents, who are trying to look invisible but attentive, what their favorite painting in the French Impressionist show is. Monet and Chagal got high marks in the “Monet to Matisse: French Moderns” show. These are paintings borrowed from the Brooklyn Museum, providing them to other museums as a show. While not the best pieces, it is worth a look. This is my second visit, and I liked it even more.

The docents were happy to chat, and I talked about the paintings. I conclude that one painting depicts a man wearing a 1920s American suit, as the cuff length is US, not European. I explained to the docents that the Gentleman’s Gazette on YouTube covers historical men’s fashions. They were fascinated, and we compared other portraits, and they could now notice the fashion change.

Next, I talked to a gal, Sue, who retired and now travels to various cities to visit their museums and is today in Portland and doing PAM and the Oregon Historical Society Museum across the street. We talk about painting and traveling, sitting on a bench in the gallery of the PAM items. She is excited to find another traveler (I am headed to Chicago next month) who does museums. Apparently, bedside orchid madness, I have discovered another madness, museum visiting. She has my blog website URL.

My back is acting up, and I headed out and decided to try the Oregon Museum. I pay $12 as I live in Washington County (free for locals) and am directed to the model wagon display and the Portland history display. My back is yelling at me now. The wagons are 1/8 hand-built reconstructions of the Oregon wagons from the time of horse-drawn wagons, which were made in 1940-1972 by Ivan Collins. According to the exhibit, he would reconstruct wagons from existing, often ruined, wagons and usually draw plans. Copies of these plans are for sale (that was tempting), and I marveled at the work. Ivan Collin built most models from the original materials and built tooling to match the scale. His goal was to create a preservation of history that was rotting away in his time in fields. His family had come to Oregon in a wagon.

I stopped by the gift store and found they have an order sheet for the plans, the most costly being about $40. I resisted, but I did update the Oregon Modeling Society Facebook with this option for modeling.

I headed down the hill and walked by a street-living gal with a clothing failure; I tried not to look as she was mostly topless. She asked for a dollar, and I found one and went to hand it to her, trying to keep eye contact. She then, nearly topless, pushed her chest together and suggested I should put the buck in her cleavage. I insisted, trying to keep eye contact, that she accept the dollar herself, and after waving her gals at me, she took the money and laughed. Trying to forget that vision, I retreated and headed to a nearby bar.

South Park is literally south of the park on Park Street and has nothing to do with a cartoon. I elected to sit outside and discovered that the police and locals were going for some street drama. The waiters said I got a free show. I saw nothing interesting other than lots of police. I did notice that Portland police have a Taser on their right side, a Glock pistol on the left, and a vest.

I ordered some wine and part of two of their boards of excellent cheeses, smoked trout, and a fish-based dip. This came with lots of sauces and house-made crackers. Their excellent bread and garlic-enriched butter were also served. I enjoyed a moment in their chair that stopped the back pain, and the wine soon blurred my recent retina-burning vision of the gal’s chest and intense face. The food was, while Portland-expensive, excellent, and as good as anywhere, if not better. South Park seldom disappoints if you don’t fight the price–I have been going there for years. Tip is calculated into your bill plus a 2.5% addition for using a credit card. I forgot to use cash.

I returned to the MAX without any new exposures or street drama and had time to visit an antique store before the MAX train pulled in. It is an excellent shop, and I will be back. I talked to the staff. They had turned an old suitcase onto its side and used it as an end table. I liked that and have an old clean suitcase I bought on a whim. I will check if it makes a good end table (I might buy a piece of plastic to cover it).

On the trip back on MAX, I read more Analog Magazine without anyone undressing or having a complex argument with themselves. I boarded Air Volvo and was soon home. My back hurt, but I soon found the recliner comfortable. I finished the last episode of last year’s season of Lord of the Rings, Rings of Power, and then started the new season. It is new season week!

Time was moving slowly for me, and I showered, got in my PJs, and read until 11. I enabled the AC, and soon, the house was cold, and I was under the covers. I soon slept and did not wake up until late.

Thanks for reading.

Tuesday was sunny but cloudless. It started at 48F (9C) as the clear skies froze us. Our summer and early fall climate is more desert than Pacific Northwest clouds and rain. I rose late to 63F (17C) in the house and had to open the doors to get above 70F. I hope the orchids are happy!

Breakfast is forgotten, but it did involve making locally ground and roasted coffee and the other half of the banana I used to add to my oatmeal on Monday. I think I made an NYC bagel (thanks, Joyce), toasted it, and smeared it with cream cheese. It is a bit blurry. I spent the remainder of the morning writing. I finished after 10, and I cleaned up and dressed. The shower rod fell again, and I was so used to it that I caught it. I finally ordered a replacement on Wednesday morning after it fell again; Corwin called this effort to get the last dollar out of the shower rod by constantly putting the failing item back up, pole dancing.

I reheated the chili I made a few days ago. It was still excellent (there is a bag frozen in the freezer for more chili later). I had that while editing my 500-word horror story. I had thought about it and was trying to get the right mix of story and horror with the horror escaping me. After the chili, some writing and editing, and while it was still cool, I did my long 4,500-step walk in the neighborhood. I saw other walkers who smiled, and we often exchanged encouraging words. I walked as fast as I could without running and was done in less than an hour.

I’m off to Big River Coffee to get more serious about writing (and have more coffee and a cookie). There, often distracted by texting, the Internet, and travel planning, I managed to get the story to work. I also vacuum up extra words and build in transitions, avoiding more wastage in the writing. I manage 496 words for a decent story, with most words all worthy of being included. I then searched for the posting option and learned, deeply disappointed, that the deadline was last week, not next week. Still, it is not a wasted effort, and I am prepared for 2025’s contest.

Deborah and I chatted, arranging the last details of her trip to Chicago, which overlaps with my trip. Deborah will be there on Friday, and I am flying all night to arrive early Friday morning. We will both stay at the Palmer House, just a few blocks from the Art Institute and five blocks from the Theater.

Returning to the story, I was still feeling odd, so I decided to head to BJ’s Brewhouse, and there, just after 5, I sat at a tall table in the bar area, which was my usual choice. I have a new, unmemorable waiter who only becomes interested in me when I order the most expensive item, ribeye steak, on the menu. They had raised their prices, and their steaks now were close to steakhouse prices (of a few years ago). I suspect fewer were ordered now, as I could see my waiter’s surprise when I ordered it. Theirs is my favorite beer. I did have trouble finishing the beer and the steak. Also, my tastes have changed from the brain surgery and thrush infection, and while I can now taste the steak, it needed salt (something I never needed to do before). Sadly, I could make a better steak at home (their steak was slightly tough) and have. Still, I enjoyed the place with the other staff waving and saying ‘hello.’ Still one of my favs.

Air Volvo soon had me home, and I checked all my investments. The stock market has pushed my 401K to heights I have not seen in a few years. The highs of 2021 have yet to be reached but are now within sight. I do not plan to start withdrawing from the 401K for a few years. I want to roll it over to IMPAX (the new name for the old PAX fund) or something from eTrade. I am not in a rush. My IRA (inherited from Susie) is in IMPAX and has done well. I want something I can easily withdraw from.

I am full of nervous energy and cannot seem to relax. I decided to try to distract myself by returning to the new season (it is new season week!) of “Murders Only in the Building.” I love this show, but I warn you, dear reader, that it is terrible for the first episodes of season one. While messy, the new season started with another murder, with the episode refusing to begin like any other season; fun!

Next, unable to relax, I watch “Lord of the Rings, Rings of Power” and enjoy some of their best episodes and acting in season one. Near its season closing, the show finally starts to feel Tolkien and worthy of LOTR. I leave the season close for the next day.

I shower, put back the falling shower rod again (‘poll dancing’), find my PJs, and read the last chapter of The Orchid Thief. I like the book’s ending and recommend it, but be warned: After reading it, you might want to try orchid growing, and orchid madness is a real thing.

As I said, I could not sleep until after 1. The books did not help me sleep. After some painkillers (just light stuff), I stopped having foot cramps, fell asleep, and did not wake until after 8.

Thanks for reading.

 

Tuesday started with me sleeping in late and getting to the blog almost after 9. I was tired and had no plans; I just luxuriated in the covers. The house was still warm, and the bed felt like an excellent place to be. I finally rose, with just a hint of guilt, and found the kitchen and my usual work area. I started the usual process of making locally ground and roasted coffee, turned on the light for the orchids who looked scandalized that it was not cold, misted them, and started to write the blog on my AirBook M2 computer. I found instant steel-cut oats and cooked oatmeal. I began to write as oatmeal just simmers and checked on it a few times. I add brown sugar, banana slices, raisins, and walnut pieces to finish the oatmeal. It was a nice change.

Much of the morning was spent writing the blog for Sunday, a busy and well-ordered day. Tuesday was not planned and certainly not ordered. I ran my numbers by having Quicken download and update. The increases in equities these couple of days are primarily due to a Fed rate cut as employment crashes (don’t ask me what I think about raising the interest rate to “help” people). Still, in the weird logic of modern times, I, unemployed and retired, now have more money on the promise of a rate change. The rate cuts will take months to positively affect ordinary working folks. Growl.

I am done before the morning ends. I clean up, dress, and head outside. I walk my long walk to the distant mailboxes on the other side of Rock Road. I have not managed this walk in years for various reasons, but today, I manage it better. I will not get another walk, so the day ended with 4,100 steps, mostly from the one long walk.

For lunch, I reheated some rice and butter chicken leftover from a few days. It is still wonderful and just burns enough to remind me of India. I did not finish the sauce; just chicken and some sauce on my cup of rice seemed enough. After that, I was at a loose end.

I return to my 500-word story, micro-fiction, and revise it. With so few words, transitions must flow naturally from the words as you cannot afford to spend additional words like “for example.” I remove extra words and tighten the flow. I am still working on the start and have only thoughts on bringing the story to a conclusion that will cause the reader to shutter. Gwen, one of the leaders for the H.P. Lovecraft Film, told me to write her stories that make her feel the horror in the story. I am not sure I can reach that, but I will try.

The hours flow by, and I get confirmation from Dondrea that we can meet at The 649 for food, drinks, and a game after 5. I need a break after the 4,000 steps and writing for hours, so I rest and read. I manage to rise and see that Deborah has been texting me from Michigan.

Deborah will meet me in Chicago, and we will start working out the details by text and phone. Hotel rooms are a problem on Saturday; Friday becomes the target, and we replan. No opera, but a show is possible, “The Book of Mormon,” and I find some less than NYC and Portland-priced seats and get tickets. Here is a song from the show. We both will arrive in Chicago on Friday the 13th. I will stay until Wednesday (18th Sept); Deborah will make a quick trip.

After that, I took Air Volvo to The 649 and found a table; it was not that busy. A corporate group that I would guess as sales is visiting. The light jackets and dresses make it clear this is corporate casual and not the usual come-as-you-are Oregon and the accents are Mid-Western USA. Taylor calls me over and puts in my order. Then she pours me a beer while the near-endless line of the group continues to sample and select with Crystal. I order the hummus platter, and soon Dondrea and Z arrive and start in. We ordered more food and a non-alcoholic blueberry drink for Z.

We tried Crisis: 1914, and I tried to explain this utterly anti-intuitive game to Z and Dondrea. I soon realized they had never played a tableau-building card game, and soon, most of my explanations did not connect with them. I walked them slowly through a turn. They slowly saw the flow but had no idea what the strategy was.

Taylor reminds us that minors must leave at 7, so we pack up and head over to Baskin Robins for ice cream. Dondrea wants to try the game again, as she now sees that it is like nothing she has played, and the concept of a brinksmanship board game without combat, engine building, or other usual war game elements fascinates her. Z was OK with it. We head out.

I told Z that not only was today the first day of school but she also got thrown out of her first bar today. Excelsior!

Air Volvo has me home. I am tired and stumble a bit. I am too exhausted to return to writing, model building, and cleaning. I find the recliner comfortable and watch more of The Lord of the Rings, Rings of Power. I shower early, rest, and read. I enjoy more stories from The Orchid Thief, which is more about the history of Florida’s native plants and native people now. While the author is a journalist and tries to report a balanced story, you can tell despite attempts to balance the story, she thinks some people are just nuts and that orchis lovers are a special kind of madness. I find this book a treasure as an orchid lover (with only a light case of orchid madness) and a history lover. Recommended.

Soon, the AC turns the house cold, and I can almost hear the orchids cheer. As usual, when I rest early, I can’t sleep, and various proofs of hydration also keep me awake. I finally sleep sometime after midnight, but I wake twice more to prove hydration, f**k. I finally sleep.

Thanks for reading.

Dinner out has not been working well for me. Sunday, I had the return of the colon dumping from lettuce. Monday, I had just the meatball appetizer and an IPA at the Cheese Cake Factory and was ill once it was dark. Then, once I felt better, I had the key lime cheesecake I took home, which was a mistake. Ugh! I must stick to pizza, burgers, and steaks when going out! F**k!

The morning started late, and I rose after 8. I woke up a few times but then blinked and found it an hour later. Monday felt strange and unorganized. Sunday, with attending church and Dungeons and Dragons, is always a busy and well-ordered day, contrasting harshly with the previous day’s experiences. I find my way nonetheless and get coffee made in my French Press (locally ground and roasted). I toast a NYC bagel (thanks, Joyce) and smear it with cream cheese. I have a banana with this (my potassium levels are still low).

I started on the blog, slowly rewinding and replaying in words the events and my experiences of Sunday. Sunday was busy, and I was at 500 words before I told the story of leaving the house! I was in a writing mood. I added more water to the French Press as the coffee ran out before I was done. I was distracted by texts, emails, and downloading and updating Quicken transactions. It took until the morning was over to get the blog out.

Lunch was an experiment. I found two boxes of bean-only chili in the pantry. I found a pound of ground beef in the freezer, treated to defrosting in the microwave, which manages to defrost without cooking. I ripped it up into bits and fried them on the stovetop. I added chopped onion to the beef. I took out two charred chilis, removed the blackened skin, removed the seeds, chopped them up, and threw them in a large heating pan. I added frozen fire-roasted corn to the pan and waited until everything was hot and sticking to the pan. I then dumped in the two boxes, added just a bit of water, and let that get hot. I let the ground beef and onions get brown and almost crunchy before just dumping (it was extra lean) into the pot. I let that cook for another fifteen minutes. It was excellent. I had a few bowls.

I was at loose ends and decided to drive and find where I would go. After crossing Beaverton, I chose the Washington Square Mall as my target. It was almost 90F (32C), and the AC’d mall was excellent for walking. I like to visit a few stores looking at cooking items and items for Christmas presents. There is no game store or book store, making resisting shopping easier, and it was unlikely to be expensive.

I believe I have taken a photo before, but it is always strange to see Macy’s fitting room with a neon sign reading, “Keep Portland Weird.” I’m never sure what that message is. The rest of the store would match any other Macy’s in the USA, but the dressing room is the only element I find local in the whole mall. It is the same as anywhere else in the USA.

I walked around the mall twice to reach 4,000+ steps before heading to The Cheese Cake Factory. I got a seat at the bar, and Michela, the bartender, got me an IPA and soon the delicious but doomed meatballs. I wanted an appetizer for dinner. I was stuffed and skipped all but one piece of their famous bread and butter. I got cheesecake to go. I did not react to the bill because it was the mall and The Cheese Cake Factory. It was nearly $40.

(Toys R Us still lives in Macy’s)

The walk to Air Volvo was hot. The Greater Portland Area has returned to its usual hot August, with temperatures climbing into the 90s this week. Traffic was heavy, and the trip in Air Volvo to the Volvo Cave was ten minutes longer. School is starting, and the 3PM mess that is Beaverton’s streets is back! The grid-lock-causing parents are out again, moving kids from place to place, and will snarl Beaverton from 3 to 7 Monday through Friday with a particular additional Saturday morning mess from various sports events. First, there is traffic and cooling, and then the rains come to start our fall season of mushy leaves and local flooding.

My roses are happy. The rain, followed by the burning and bleaching California sun, is heaven for a rose. I am getting bloom after bloom.

(Heaven Scent, from Dondrea and Z to remember Susie, is very happy)

Tiny flies are filling our skies. I went for a walk to get more steps. I forgot my eye protection, which I felt was unnecessary, only to have bugs fly into my eyes. These tiny little flies appear to be enjoying the fruit tree bounties, mainly on the ground now. The flies stick to you, and I found a collection on my shirt, hair, and face when I returned to the house. I was brushing them off my face for a few minutes. Ugh!

After my walk, my tummy started to be unsettled. I am now at 7,500+ steps for the day. My day ended with me resting and watching more Lord of the Rings and Rings of Power episodes. As I mentioned, my tummy finally felt better, and I started on the cheesecake, but soon, I started suffering again. Cheesecake, sadly, is off the list.

I soon showered, put on my PJs, and was not under the covers in the 75F house. I woke later, cold, and got under the covers. I hope the orchids are happy! I had to prove hydration three times. I slept past 8AM on Tuesday.

Thanks for reading!

I rose early on Sunday morning to write the blog, dress, and go to church. Today, there is also the funeral of a long-term member of First United Methodist Church, Beaverton, but I do not do funerals unless they are for close friends. They hurt too much now.

Today, I write the blog without the usual transitions and boil plates (like the above), focusing on writing about the main events and telling the story from the end to the start. I am surprised to have completed the blog early and published it.

I clean up and dress. The ritual of wearing a suit complexity increases with the addition of suspenders, a vest, and a pocket watch. My grey suit was tight before, but now the vest and coat fit or even too large. I did not pick the black suit, which is more appropriate for a funeral and church, but it hangs on me now. I have to unwrap the grey suit as it was cleaned, and I have not worn it since picking it up at Beaverton Cleaners. Our hot summer was not good for suits, but it is cooling off now, and it seems to be an excellent choice for today.

I picked a white shirt because the coat and vest, grey on grey, will smother a darker shirt. I think the tie was a gift from Leta (Susie’s mother) in the 1980s or early 1990s. It is red with paisley and grey leaf structures that match the suit color. Like most men in their sixties (and I am always surprised to have entered this group), I have excellent ties—many older than many folks I play games with! When I was in my thirties, older men at church told me they had suits older than me–now I am them! When did that happen! My plain black shoes with dark grey socks, while boring, work.

I am ready too early, as often happens to me, and I spend thirty minutes online reading and surfing the Internet more. Air Volvo is prepared for me; my Dungeons and Dragons books are loaded for the game this evening. I board with my black homburg hat, and soon, in low traffic, I cross Aloha to Beaverton to Old Town to reach the church and park with a view of the Gay Progress flag flying from our church. Z and I put in the new flag (the old one was faded), which looks good.

The church is lightly attended today, but coffee is ready for anyone. Z is in the back, as usual, but today, she is studying school stuff. She leads some activities as school starts next week and has much to memorize and prepare. I sit, and Pastor Ken joins me. I pointed out all the new tissue boxes in the pews and told him that was not a good sign for his sermon. He laughs (he is there for the funeral) and reassures me that it will not be that kind of sermon.

Ken’s sermon focuses on unity, communication, or lack of communication. He tells a story of his growing up–that is his story to tell. Ken acknowledges poorly communicating details about another church using our sanctuary. He ties this into Paul’s letter to the Ephesians. Unity is important, and helping a new church, while not a Methodist church, is essential for both our congregation’s health. It will help us all.

Ken also reviews a list of folks that Paul calls out as blessed. In the past, Ken thought the list should be more inclusive, including accountants and admins, for example. But he now understands that these teachers, preachers, and other religious workers are a promise. God promises they are always there to help everyone. For example, though Ken does not make this connection, a church in Beaverton is blessed with enough room for another church to use its facilities.

After church, we took a picture of everyone at the church near the altar with a Filipino couple that had been visiting the USA for two months. They will take the picture back with them, and we hope to get one from their home church, also Methodist. After that, I chatted with folks and waited for Dondrea and Z, and then we headed to Top Burmese restaurant a few blocks away.

Dondrea and I had their salad, and Z had a fantastic chicken curry with coconut rice to accompany it. I ordered Samaos and supplied us salad eaters with some real food. It was all great. Dondrea and I split the check, and she saw me trying to pay it.

Dondrea and Z head back to church for the funeral. I took an Air Volvo and made it home before events unfolded. My colon reacted to the lettuce and dumped my insides. Yikes, where does all that come from! It has been months since this has happened. Lettuce is off the list again.

I rest, feeling relatively weak after an extended time with my colon. I rise, wrap a copy of Ars Goetia from a Kickstarter and a new translation, a book of demonic symbols likely composed in the late 1500s (and a perfect prop for some of our role-playing games). The book is a numbered limited edition from Europe. I have given Matt a few other books from the same publisher. I took this late birthday gift, which just arrived this week, and boarded an Air Volvo. I am thirty minutes early despite having to turn around and get my phone. Matt makes burgers (which stay inside of me).

We return to our Dungeons and Dragron 5.0E campaign game (version 5.1E release is next month). I play the now good and lawful cleric of light (being now lawful-boring instead of lawful-efficient when evil before). We start where we left off two weeks ago with a nest of undead, which is short work for me as I destroy the undead with my turning and blast any remaining undead with my light. Destroying undead, devils, and demons are something my lawful-boring character is good at.

While I can’t tell our story here as the material is purchased, I did notice our 15th-level characters are powerful now and slamming through things. I am temporarily changed into a T-Rex and bite and chew for a while. We discover a new use for the deep travel well we used to climb as we throw bad guys down it. I also fight some things alone and use my light blast and high armor class to make short work of them. I have a spell duel with the big bad, and he keeps dispelling my blocking spells, but this delays him enough that we escape. Our group, only four players, plays fast, and our goal is to escape with the treasure and goodies and leave the bad guys empty-handed, not necessarily destroyed.

We started the next part of the adventure, which, surprisingly, is set in a familiar D&D story. This is purchased material and seems to be a tour of D&D settings. I wrote a summary but realized I can’t do that as some folks might play this material. I am sorry to delete it. I will write that I enjoyed the start and am happy to do this new setting, as I have never played it before.

Air Volvo brought me home without issue. When I drive home, it is now dark; fall is approaching. I am tired again, but my colon does not wish to ruin my evening. I shower, get into my PJs, and read. I soon fall asleep, wake up, and crawl under the covers. It is cold in the house; I hope the orchids are happy.

Thanks for reading!