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We rose at the Best Western before 7 and were ready for breakfast. Matt V found that the pancake machine needed attention, but soon Matt had four pancakes as they tested the machine once it was refilled with batter. I had links, patty, and scrambled eggs.

We packed up, and after I had completed the blog for Saturday, we headed out. The hotel was perfect, and we enjoyed Redwood City. We did have to make a circle as we first headed south, but soon, we were headed to Santa Rose, Matt’s first break point. We did have some traffic issues on a Sunday morning in San Fransico, and we used Matt’s phone to route us around the issue, but soon, we were excited to be crossing the Golden Gate Bridge and enjoying the parks and tunnels that entails.

Matt V’s driving required constant diligence, as the other drivers included a large dose of passive-aggressive and just-aggressive drivers. Speeding up to slow down seemed the norm, and it reminded me of Oregon. But much of this was at above 60 miles an hour and sometimes at much higher speeds.

After a few hours and passing through San Francisco, Air Volvo arrived at Santa Rosa, and Matt V found parking. We discovered a Sunday market at Santa Rosa opening, mostly jewelry and art. We walked through the square and stopped by a two-floor Barnes and Noble to make a pit stop. On the way back to Oregon, we will focus on beaches and lighthouses with the goal of sleeping in Oregon tonight.

We stopped in a small town, Hopland, on US 101 that seemed a good fit: The Golden Pig. I had a BLT with a Czech beer, while Matt had a small pocket-like savory breakfast sandwich in a perfect golden crust. My BLT, while good, was not as good as the ones at Lucky Labadore in Portland. The bread was likely locally made but not airy like that in Portland. Still, it was good.

Next, we stopped at a winery, Jaxon, which had a distillery component. However, they only made brandies, and we were soon back on our way. We set navigation to Eureka, and Air Volvo, with Matt V in the pilot seat, flew North. We gassed up and soon headed out, trying for our first nice beach. We were also searching for Asian food, but that quest will have to remain for lunch in Oregon on Monday.

We arrived and parked and then spotted the ocean a few miles walk from Air Volvo. Nope. We changed to Moonbeam Beach, which we found was only a dozen safe steps from parking and quite lovely. Matt brought out a few treats that also interested some dogs on the beach. The dog owner finally got the dogs back. It was cold and breezy, but we did see some people in the water. While I was tired from the previous long days, it was excellent to be out walking and seeing the Pacific.

The weather went from sunny to damp and rainy as we headed North.

Trinidad Beach is near the Trinidad lighthouse, and we soon found a miniature one that is a memorial. There was no sign showing how to reach the real one. We later learned it was a hike up the big rock and over to the other side. You cannot see the Trinidad lighthouse from the bay and the town!

The Lighthouse Eatery was right there, and we got on the waiting list. I had a glass of Malbec and Matt a stout while we waited. We were offered the counter, or we could wait longer; we took the counter to the cheers of the other people waiting as they would then get our table soon.

The place was slammed, and it took some time to get our order in and for our food to appear. But we were not in a hurry, and the folks were friendly and helpful. We both had fish and chips as the menu was priced a bit high for more fancy dishes. I tried a cup of the chowder, and while homemade, it was not great but good. My tastes are off from the thrush and treatments, so I don’t count my vote against them. The fish and chips, three pieces, were in a light, perfect batter, with thin fries that were perfectly fried and served with malted vinegar. The little coleslaw on the side was creamy and matched the excellent tartar sauce. An excellent meal. Matt V finished my fries as I am still using steroids. The gal next to me had a slab of local salmon, and she said it was perfect. We also heard some folks from Atlanta praise the cooks. So, our good karma continued with our random choice. Just let the universe pick for us while paying attention to the usual signs and portents (that there was nearly no parking at the place, which was the best karmic influencer for us).

Following the drift of the place’s currents, Matt V found Jot’s Resort online at the Rogue River for much less than other lower-rated places nearby. Matt ordered a room with two beds unseen, and soon, we were back on the road. Two hours later, we arrived, having just crossed the Oregon border. The place is excellent. It is right on the river and has a little balcony and a view of the river.

Soon, we were in bed early, and I was fighting the steroids to find sleep. I managed to sleep after midnight and woke two times for proof of hydration, but I was able to soon fall asleep after each event. So, more sleep tonight.

Thanks for reading.

The morning started with Matt V and me rising at about 6:30 and heading to a wonderful breakfast at the Best Western. The breakfast included chorizo, which Matt declared as good as you can find. Matt also tried out the pancake machine and loved it. I have to reset carbohydrates and anything that might raise my sugar levels. The steroids are already hammering my sugar up.

First, Matt piloted Air Volvo to Stanford, and we saw a nice garden, their Arizona garden. However, there was no parking, so we just looked from Air Volvo. After that, Air Volvo delivered us to Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden, which is a couple of acres of flower and shade plants. We walked through it, and the hummingbirds enjoyed some morning lectures and were not scared of us. It was an excellent place to help center yourself.  Recommended for a short visit.

Next, we headed to the Intel Museum only to learn that their website had not been updated and the place was open only during work days. We then drove the shore drive in Mountain View just to see it and found, without a plan, part of Google’s WHQ and a section open to visitors. Matt parked Air Volvo, and we walked up to a friendly person with a booth. They explained that the cafe, store, and art were open to visitors. There was a small crowd already, and enjoy the excellent baked goods for sale with coffee at a reduced price. The aesthetics were wonderful and seemed friendly, and you could buy real products at a good price and various tchotchkes, including a Google basketball. I managed to resist both.

We were there to open the Computer Museum, which I think could be best described as a Hardware Computer Museum. It focused on the creation of the computer and its development into what we have now. Less on software but a focus on transformation, including the creation of the modern web browser and the long-forgotten Web 2.0 drive (which now is just called the Internet). The SAGE military items from the Cold War have moved from the Smithsonian (the last place I saw them) to this place, and Matt was fascinated by the 32 mm scale clear model.

A lot of the guts of long-dead systems were presented, and I was excited to see the components and the incredible handwork involved in making these things. The old core memory frames were there, too. I saw an IBM 32 that I had forgotten about (and used). The IBM 1401 was running as a demo, and I once again got to smell that IBM mix of ions and oil in the cold, raised floor room. I had not been in a computer room with IBM equipment and had forgotten the smell, but I recognized it the minute I was in the demo room.

I found my original computer model, a Sinclair ZX-80, the assembled kit version. Dad thought I would find it interesting and maybe something I could get into, so he filled out the Popular Mechanic ad and bought it. We set it up when it showed up, and I wrote my first BASIS program from the book that came with the machine. After hours, we noticed our version did not have the ‘;’ on the line. When we added it, the program worked as expected. My first successful code and debugging adventure; I think I was 14. Dad had only worked in machine language, so this was all new to him. I spent much of my time learning and playing on the machine. I sold it and got a VIC-20 next. I was happy to see one again; it was in fine shape, but mine had cracks and heavy wear when I sold it.

We saw many things and went through the software area, too, which was a bit weak. I would recommend the place to any computer geek.

We returned to the hotel and walked over to the local Mexican place, where I tried the chili relleno, taco, and enchilada. They were not great, but they were good. I rested and then dressed for the wedding, my grey suit with a pocket watch, French blue button-down shirt, and a 1980s Structures tie (Structures, long gone, was one of The Gap company’s attempts to break into Men’s clothing) that seemed to fit the colors. Matt got his hiking stuff, and Air Volvo climbed into the local high hills and twisting roads. I was fifteen minutes early, and the wedding started forty-five minutes late. Jason, the groom, welcomed me. I found David, the father of the bride, and distracted him from talking about anything while we waited for the guests to arrive. Michelle, mother of the bride and David’s wife, also chatted until photos and other wedding items drew her away.

David with his camera.

The view was typical California-lovely, and the day was slightly cool, which was perfect. The pastor was from Canada, and Jason and their family (also present) had known him for years. Soon, a long, Christian-faith-based service started, intermixed with Bible passages and music. Jason and Natasha wrote their own vows, with Jason going on for a while and Natasha to the point and beautiful. Jason took some ribbing for his lengthy speaking habits and being a Harvard-educated lawyer.

Aside: I will not cover what was said as that is Natasha and Jason’s story to tell. They listed Susie Wild as one of the people they remembered on the wedding program.

We moved to drinks and finger food while pictures and other wedding business were being conducted by the wedding party. I tried the chardonnay from the winery, Thomas Fogarty Winery. It was not too sweet. I liked the red better, which I had after finding some cheese and crackers to not have a second glass of wine without some food! I talked to some folks I did not know, going with my usual checklist of subjects at a non-Nike party (an acquired skill after being promoted to mid-level manager while retaining single contributor status). The wine helped, and the steroids pushed me a bit, too. Also, weeks of being homebound made me very interested in talking and listening to people.

Michelle and Cat with a suspicious character.

After an hour, the wedding party joined us. Natasha was a knock-out in her wedding dress, and Cat (the first time I had seen her in make-up) was amazing, with her eyes darkened and now standing out. Michelle was also in a tight, short, colorful dress that made her stand out even with all the young gals in flowing dresses. Excellent.

Soon, dinner started, and I had a seat in front of Jason and Natasha, who were on a balcony one step above me. I had a filet mignon with a peppercorn sauce and grilled Brussels sprouts. I got my third glass of the other red, and it was the best. It was very drinkable, Lexington something. The traditional toasts and first dances were done. Natasha and Jason did a dance routine that included lifts and moves you would see in a dance show. The floor had a raised nail, and Jason fell with Natasha, landing on him. Nobody was hurt, and I was happy they fell inward, as it is a three-story fall over the railing! No more mishaps occurred except for a stopped song, to the embarrassment of the DJ. He told me that never happens, and he was mortified. I told him he was doing a great job.

The sunset and the heaters were lit, and men’s jackets covered most of the shoulders of the bridesmaids and the bride. With the cake cut, we all headed inside for the dancing and distribution of cake (and coffee!), I started to lose my balance and sat with Michelle, David, Barton (David’s brother), and David’s mother (her name was forgotten this morning). I had some cake (breaking the carbohydrate and sugar rule–wedding cake should not be refused). I said my goodbyes to Jason and Natasha. I connected with Matt and David. David, who was dancing through the dance floor with Cat, walked me out. Matt soon found me, and we were whisked back to the hotel without incident.

I was soon showered, and in bed, and even with the fresh steroid dose, I was soon asleep. I got more sleep tonight, and I am sure yesterday’s 6,500 steps helped.

Thank you for reading.

The day started with me waking at 5 and finding breakfast, yogurt, and a banana with liberal coffee made in the French press. I then cleaned up, shaved, and dressed in my Jupiter Disco T-shirt and my blue cloth pants. My belt is pulled to the newest holes and barely holds on my pants. I am still losing inches and some weight. I finish, and then my colon decides it needs attention. I finish all of this just as Matt V arrives at 6. We move his red Prius into Air Volvo’s place in my driveway, and Matt takes over the piloting. We set navigation to Redwood City and head south in Air Volvo.

While traveling, we talked about gaming items. We are both DMs, and we play and run games for each other. We talked about the 5E version of Dungeons and Dragons and the upcoming enhancements coming in 5.1 (most known for correcting the once-popular ranger class, which was less well-received in 5E). We also talked about some history. The time seemed to go by fast. Matt V and I have known each other for decades, but we seldom have taken the time to chat. We are busy playing. It was nice.

At noon, we stopped in Redding, California, and we refilled Air Volvo. We stopped at KFC and had the special two chicken legs plus a side and a biscuit for 2.99. I had three legs, and Matt V got all the carbo-loaded mashed potatoes and biscuits. I had a side of coleslaw.

We have no issues and no close calls until we reach California. Some unusually aggressive drivers came close to scraping the paint, but Matt avoided any issues. We arrived in Redwood City about 4 (16:00) and soon found a Best Western with free breakfast and a nice room with two beds. Matt was surprised by how nice the room was. I find Best Western useful on trips like this with their free breakfast, clean rooms, and lack of price grubbing. We got a slight discount for seniors, and Matt is a former military member.

We have a tire warning for Air Volvo. I will reset it when I have a chance. The tires all look good and are solid. The temperature change usually triggers this, so we will just monitor it.

Once that was settled, Matt let me rest for forty minutes while he got some missing items. Across the street, we have a grocery store with a South American vibe and some Mexican food joints, too. It’s an excellent area.

Next, we headed to dinner at Harry’s Hofbrau House, which I had spotted on the way and Matt V had seen in his research. The rotisserie-cooked turkey leg with the usual Thanksgiving fixings for $12 looked like an excellent choice. Matt also wanted to try the Santa Slay stout beer–he loved it. I had a Spaten Lager. Dinner was, and we were told some of the best food in Red Woodcity, excellent and old school. I did not finish the starch-heavy potatoes and stuffing as the steroids are already playing havoc with my sugar levels. I had warm red cabbage and a cold pea salad with my meal. We also spoke to a local guy who looked great and was 68. Matt and I talked about some weight-loss options, and he told us about some memory-helping drugs he is talking about that he feels helped him. I added comments about walking but mostly listened. I had to turn to the right to hear him as he was on my left side, which is now profoundly deaf.

He told us there was a concert at the square in the old town. We all headed out. We moved Air Volvo and found a coin-pay parking spot. Matt V had coins and paid fifty cents to prevent a ticket. It was a few blocks from the party. The local bars and restaurants were busy. The crowd was not overwhelmingly large, but it was well-behaved and enough to fill the streets. We reached the music, and the Reggie band started to play again, and the streets were full of folks sitting in chairs enjoying the evening. We found Ghostwood and got some more drinks, wine for me, and beer for Matt.

We enjoyed the evening and the feeling. It was an excellent ending to our day. We rolled down the windows, killed the AC, and enjoyed the night air as we were Air Volvo brought back us to the Best Western.

I got some Tylenol and broke the ten-minute limit on walking. I was tired, and my feet were sore. I took more than 4,000 steps today!

Soon, I will be showering and getting ready for bed. I have to take steroids and anti-virals to try to stop the Bell’s Pasley and soon reverse it. It is not getting worse.

Thanks for reading!

I rose after 7 with what seemed like endless hydration-proving events. I think I did get enough sleep and continue to read a book. My left eye dries out, and I need some eye drops for it and likely other items. I may have to tape it shut at night (it goes across the top eyelid, not over both). I get going and have a banana and yogurt for breakfast with liberal coffee, of course, made in my French press. I also do the two easy PT exercises I have, Dan sent the rest again (missing?!), and I will now do the six exercises tonight.

Tomorrow at 6AM, Matt and I will take Air Volvo to California, where I will attend Natasha (nee Smith) and Jason Kramer’s wedding at a winery in the San Jose area. The weather will be cool and dry. We will make it there in one day. We both plan to be back on Monday.

This means I started to pack and soon discovered I could just hand the suit in the car and throw the other clothing in a suitcase. I will also take my usual red Nike bag and my laptop in that too. I keep all my cables and pills in that bag when traveling.

I do the dishes and laundry. Lunch is just a can of chicken noodle soup. Rather plain.

I ordered an Uber, and a man appeared in an excellent black Model 3 Tesla. It is comfortable, and all the information on the screens is interesting. It tracks all the other things on the road and traffic lights. It even displays cones for the construction on 209th. I am fascinated. The driver rents it. He says it is cheaper in the long run because he does not have to care for the Tesla, and he always gets a clean, newish one.

While it is work, and I suspect it gets boring after a while, I would love to do this for a while: rent a newish car and drive people around for money all day. We talked about travel, and he suggested that Columbia would be a good choice for me. The flights are cheap. I checked and a week in July including hotel and flight for one person (cheap) is about $1,000. Very inexpensive! So tempting!

My tour of a cool Model 3 Tesla came to an end; I paid, tipped, and gave five stars. I found the doctor’s office and then waited nearly thirty minutes past my appointment time. The NP took out my stitches (not enjoyable but not terrible) and identified I had Bell’s Palsey on the left side of my face. Treatments were identified, and the prescriptions were filled at the hospital pharmacy. I also need some special PT as my flying feeling with my eyes closed is a sign of needing to rework my balance. However, the NP thought I might already be working it out or would soon and that I could pass on special PT if I had worked out the issues by then.

I learned that the impacted nerve for my face was the one that was a challenge in the surgery, and not all of the tumor could be removed from it without destroying the nerve and leaving me without a working left side of my face. Also, they tested all the work, and the nerves were still working when Doc G was done. Thus, it is likely the problems can be addressed with drugs. Excellent.

The pharmacy took some time to understand the Rx, and I waited an hour. It took them three tries for me to get the eye drops and eye gel. The over-the-counter items always seem to do this. Finally, I got everything and called Matt V, who said he would take me home. Traffic was heavy in the Beaverton area as it was Thursday, which is always a busy day. It took Matt V a while to reach me, and the trip home required a few replanning moments to get out of choaked streets. Matt delivered me and then returned with my iPhone, which I left on the floor of his car (oops). Leta called me, and Matt saw that he had my phone. Thanks, Matt V!

Next, I took Air Volvo, driving by myself now, and got it washed and gassed up. I also went to Safeway and bought cookies, pretzels, and other things to munch. I loaded them in the back seat. I had previously unloaded the games, umbrellas, winter traction devices, winter coat, and the extra safety kit.

I next made tacos. I had put out the frozen ground beef earlier, and now it was just cold, not frozen. I fried that in a non-stick pan (thanks, Steve) while putting shredded cheese in the taco shells on a sheet covered with foil and sprayed (you have to spray it). I added the usual pack of reduced-salt taco spices, stirred, and cooked it for a while. I then added half a jar of mild salsa and cooked some more. I spoon the spiced meat into the tacos and bake them. They are wonderfully greasy, spicy, and cheesy. I have too many. Some of the drugs make you hungry, and that part is working. Actually, for the first time in a while, I eat well.

I packed some more and finally got to this blog. Mariah has been updating her blog, so I have read that tonight. Thanks for reading.

Again, I should have taken some photos!

Theme music for today: Over the Rainbow

Wednesday started with me having trouble sleeping, and I am not sure how much sleep I actually got. I was up and down with over-hydration all night. I rose feeling well at 7ish and soon did the dishes and wrote the blog. I had just yogurt for breakfast. The recycling and trash were a large pile now, and I decided it would be a good test to take all that out. I stopped at the trash bag as it was nearly my limit of lifting: no more than ten pounds. I wrote the blog and more coffee. Soon, I was nauseated and showed some unsteadiness. I also broke out in a sweat; I had turned up the heat and still had my heavy robe on.

I cleaned up and dressed and then laid down on my bed and read. It was going to be a dull, slow day. I did sleep some. The day was disappearing. I put on Black Sails to have something to do as I continued to rest. Dondrea and I agreed to pass on gaming at the church for Wednesday night. The cough, while much reduced, was still there, and my inhaler was helping, meaning it was a reaction to pollen and not something from the surgery. My lungs are clear.

The incision on my belly was still red and unhappy but seemed to be calming. I think it is hitting my belt when I sit. I will watch it and try not to aggravate it.

I spent the rest of a lovely day inside, trying to rest and not get worse. I slowly improved, with the nausea first leaving, the cough fading, and finally, the unsteady feeling gone. I did two sets of my PT exercises, and I am waiting for the new set to be delivered. I will stick to laundry and dishes for the next few weeks!

Corwin has agreed to move out at the end of June. Our agreement was for him to stay for a short time to get back on his feet and help me. It is time, especially with him now owning his truck (he is paying me back by making payments of $200 each month—the first one has already been received), and it is working better than ever (change transmission fluid!). It is time for Corwin to find more of his life.

Yesterday (Tuesday’s blog), I forgot to mention that Physical Therapy came. My vitals were my usual, and soon, we did six exercises, and I felt better after doing them. PT is happy with my progress and believes they can help me build strength while being safe. I am still officially homebound and will get PT for some time.

I was still tired and decided not to make something or find a can of soup. Air Volvo, with me as the pilot, took us to the Aloha Food Carts behind Walgreens. There, I had my regular veggie curries at the Bombay Chaat House. Corwin found a burrito. It was excellent to get out. I piloted us back to the Volvo Cave, and that was about my limit on Wednesday.

I missed Z and the church folks as I saw the clock hit the usual time we played on Wednesday. Instead, I binged Black Sails. While the American wording and accents and the constant use of f**k instead of something more imaginative make me want to abandon this show, the story got better. It even included some nautical stuff that was even accurate. The special effects and acting showing a knockdown were impressive and got my attention. I all but shouted when I saw it coming. Quite excellent. It was the first time I could not stop watching.

At 10, I went to my room, showered, and climbed into bed. My left eye does not close properly, and this is part of the healing process, as inflammation causes some control problems. I put a damp towel over the eye for a while, and that helped. Sometimes, the issue changes eyes! I read for a while, but the left eye started to sting. I turned off the light, and when I could clear my mind, I slept.

I will try to remember to take pictures today! Thanks for reading.