Dear readers, another day of coughing and trying to make myself better. It is boring. It is frustrating. But it is necessary. I slept in until 8-ish, missing the sunrise, but I did spend a few moments near sunset, hydrating with all the water and tea I have been consuming. Dreams did not stay with me. And I soon rose, but the coughing was quite unpleasant, the wheezing familiar. This is my usual mix of seasonal allergies and a cold that slides in.

Also, from past experience, nothing is in my lungs; they stay clear, and I just have the drip-drip of a head cold mixed with allergies. Unpleasant but not a threat. I also know the supreme court of treatment, steroids, will not finish it. Just something I need to pass through.

I write the blog with freshly made coffee and toast with peanut butter, my current favorite breakfast. Yes, I have no bananas. I do not dress until mid-afternoon, and that keeps me home and going slow. As boring as it is, it is not time to be galavanting through the Greater Portland Area.

I switch my playlist to “Too Fast,” and that helps me focus on writing and doing everything I need to do. Music like “Joy to the World,” “Diablo Rojo,” and “The Time Warp,” plus songs like “You Can Leave Your Hat On” and “She Blinded Me With Science,” pumps me up as I write. I manage to assemble a narrative before the morning ends, do my usual reading of the NY Times, update transactions for my credit cards and cash accounts, and post the blog to Facebook and email it.

Lunch is noodles in broth. I open the too-large Costco slicing ham (I will have to freeze it or give it away), slice off some bits, and heat them in a pan to brown them slightly and reduce the water content. I also select three uneven-sized eggs from 185 Veggie Market and boil them for hard-boiled eggs. The ramen has a matching broth that goes with them (eschewing the flavor pack), and I microwave it for four minutes. I combine a split egg (overcooked for this process) and ham, and then use a peeler to add some carrot peels, more as a garnish to get the two colors than for flavor. It is not as good as what you get at a noodle place, but it worked. I only used some of the broth, and I will have to get more noodles!

I watched more of For All Mankind season 2 and found myself reliving the forgotten Korean Air Lines flight downing by the Soviets. It was awful the first time, and seeing it again was just terrible. I completed the episode and can see where this is going. Not sure I want more.

I am feeling less bad, but I know it is the meds and going slow, and I decided to limit myself to just my chair until the Theology Pub meeting after 6. I read more about quantum computers and QuTiP, an open-source Python simulation library. My frustration is growing because I cannot understand how to code this or how it can produce the incredible results promised by this technology. Not the theory, which I understand (see below), but actually coding. I wander the Internet for more thoughts and code, find something for another version, and discover programming languages with how-to blogs and public access to run your program on their hardware.

With more digging, I learned that QuTip has an extension that installs separately to do the programming or circuits for quantum computer simulations. The AIs that provide the answer — the AIs are impossible to avoid now —are based on out-of-date material, and I found the updated versions, read that I need a separate install for QuTip quantum circuits, installed them, and started running code closer to what I expected. My notebook (my Jupyter Notebook) disconnects, and I lose my updates and references. I redo the work and save it this time. Yikes!

I also learned that the code in the documentation example is out of date and throws a deprecation warning. I made an adjustment, and it now runs without a warning. Yes, moving closer to the leading (bleeding?) edge. As a responsible coder, I may flag the documentation for an update. I need to check that I am reading the correct version before doing that.

Aside: All conventional computers use a clock, and that is one of those selling points of a processor: how fast its clock is. To run digital processes, we need a pulse that says, “do the next thing”: the clock. And while we can add more parallel processors and hardware, we cannot escape the space and heat limits and, oddly, the speed-of-light issues. Synchronizing this pulse across long wires and laser pulses becomes problematic even across a country. A quantum computer (QC) operates without this pulse and sort of works outside of time and space, running a probabilistic circuit, as these programs are called, not a strict 0-or-1 process of pulse-driven digital circuits. The theory is that they can solve problems without the restraints of time and space. Some believe 2030 is the year we will have the first working QC.

More aside: I am thinking of learning to code them and building a decision-tree process so they can instantly do AI calculations, then expanding it to a random forest of decision trees.

With that, I decided it was best to shower and let the steam help; I did the usual, got dressed, shaved, and so on, then went back to my chair in the living room. I rented Conan the Barbarian from Apple for $3.99 and enjoyed the insane movie that I loved back in 1982, my last summer before college. I cannot remember seeing it, but it was likely with Eric and either Rusty or Tyler. It inspired many catchphrases later in Dungeons & Dragons play. The ending is senseless and more about running out of money and accidentally setting the set on fire, which I learned later in a making-of video.

With that over, the clock was soon closing in on 6, and I took Air VW the Gray to Beaverton and McMenamins Cedar Hills. Soon, Dondrea and Z showed up, along with about eight more (plus one online). The topic was 9/11 and how we remember it and how it changed us and the country. One person had a family member there, and that person escaped a tower before it fell. Everyone was concerned that this was when the surveillance state started and has since expanded. We let it happen after 9/11; security for freedom was the offer we took. We now make the same exchange for schools after all the shootings. The expansion of surveillance and its misuse is now a concern. When is it no longer about safety but about repression and fear, and thus, conversely, making us less safe?

I had the electric tacos again and could still taste and enjoy the wickedly spiced beef, even with my cough and cold. I had one drink: an Old Fashioned. We broke up, and I headed home. I read, did the dishes, and soon was in bed. More cough meds. I fell asleep and didn’t wake until sunrise.

Thanks for reading.

 

 

The caughing and sore throat are worse on Wednesday. This puts a drowsiness on the day, like an extra scratchy blanket while trying to stay warm, that makes it run with little joy, and it seems to drag instead of the usual passing quickly. My days usually disappear in a burst of repeated tasks, learning, and cooking. As I wrote in the previous blog, I was up at 3:30, wrote the blog, and published it before sunrise.

A sudden sleepiness overcame my burst of energy, even with a cup of reheated coffee leftover from the day before. I crawled back into bed and soon, to my surprise, I was out again. Thankfully, I didn’t repeat or enter the nightmare that drove sleep away, and this time I embraced the waking dreams that filled the morning. While the dreams have left my memory, they were about traveling and visiting people. Maybe this time it was a dream of Morocco, and I bought a dream carpet. I do not remember well, just flashes, but the idea of installing a dream carpet in the dreaming house appeals to me. I often swim in my dream pool in my dream backyard.

I woke after 9 and tried to restart my day. The coughing was, as I said, worse, and I dragged myself through the day. I need supplies! I found the mail and got a note reminding me that my membership in the National Civil War Naval Museum had expired. I spent the tax-deductible $30 to re-up. I cannot recommend a better naval history experience in the US. Please consider, dear reader, a $30 membership and a visit if you can make it there in Columbus, Georgia: here. The museum covers the US Navy’s role in breaking the Confederacy’s economy and the local final battles of the war well. The museum has two shipwrecks and unique items I didn’t know existed.

Lunch was at Panera Bread: chicken soup and a 1/2 sandwich of chicken salad was my first excursion. I got some cold pills and liquid for my battle, staying with the Civil War theme, with the cough. I know from years of experience that, despite me feeling sure, the cough stays clear of my lungs, and it is just the drip-drip from my nose that is the issue. A skirmish, not even a battle. I just have to get sleep and not spiral into exhaustion.

I already got my flu shots, and it doesn’t feel like anything more than drip-drip. I drink hot tea with honey with my soup, and that helps. I stop by Walgreens, get shocked by the cost of cold remedies (which haven’t changed in years), and buy only the Walgreens brand for 1/2 the price. Wow, over-the-counter remedies cost as much as a prescription now. I get the no-sugar, high-blood-pressure versions (with less stuff, so it costs more!). I take two gel caps, then head home for more tea.

Another nap happens, and I edit more of my Dungeons & Dragons, Finding a Broken Sword, adventure I wrote in 2009 for the newer version (bringing it up to version 5 to 5.5). I published this one on Amazon in the 4E format, sold maybe four copies, and earned about $20. Someone out there is still playing the old version of D&D and bought one.

I connected with Emma, and it seemed that the day dragged on again until 5ish. I picked up Emma, the cold meds holding back the worst of the coughing issues, and headed to beers and appetizers for dinner at The 649. Crystal and then Matthew were our bartenders, and we stuck to beers this time.

The game is an old 2009 favorite (in the days before Kickstarter) that started on tiles that were English on one side and German on the other. Older versions have rulebooks in both languages. My Big Box version is in English, uses cardboard not card stock) for the tiles, and is in English. I replace the Fountain card with the Kebab Store instead, with the special rules that let you send your “uncle” to another location for a fee.

Emma enjoyed learning a new game, and we ate nachos while setting up and then played our first game. I had Emma advise as she moved. She soon had it down cold. It is a deceptively easy game to play, but you need to plan two or three turns ahead to get ahead and win. These plans need to be flexible when your opponents move into the same areas. I won the first game by one gem.

Istanbul is a race to collect gems. When the last gem is put in a cart, the other players get to finish their turns. If there is a tie, money makes the difference. It uses some unique movement rules, and the cards, shops, and mosques you visit give you more options and resources. It is easy to learn and play, but hard to beat someone who’s learned the game and understands the Grand Bazaar. I won the second time by two gems; I focused on showing an excellent game to Emma. Emma wants to play again, seeing all the little tricks I used, and is ready to add coffee to the game. More to come.

It is a cheapish game, and I have plastic overlays for that that sort of work for your wheelbarrow. This game’s wheelbarrow needs a two-layer cardboard solution, but when it was published, those things were not used. The two-layer solution had warping issues, and they were costly in the early Kickstarter campaigns, often offered at a premium. Now it is just standard. I also changed to pictures that include women by printing off a file I found on BoardGameGeek. I have stuck with the paper coins and left the game mostly unchanged. Most of it is now in plastic bags, so you can easily add or remove expansions. I enjoy it every time and marvel at its low buy-in price. The Kebab add-on is hard to find, but one could just make a card for it from an online picture. I recommend the game as it is my favorite type: a race with easy turns but hard strategy.

With the game done, I am fading as time is finally running normally and my 3:30 start is impacting me.  I pay Mathew, and the bill surprises me; the prices are higher than I remember. I take Emma home and soon am reading in bed, more modern versions of Sherlock Holmes, and despite using modern usage, the story is excellent and one I could imagine Doyle thinking up. I fall asleep after turning off the light.

But the night is not done for me. I am up every two hours to show where the tea goes when it is used. Wow, I am superhydrated! I also wake up coughing, which is unpleasant. Sleep comes between breaks, and I sleep until 8ish, waking at one point every ten minutes as, once again, the clock runs slow for me.

 

The blog will not tell another person’s story. There are events from yesterday that I cannot share, but they deeply affected me.

I rose before my alarm at 6:30 on Tuesday. I had to head to Richard’s to play board games. And I hoped, though it was a forlorn hope, that I could finish the blog before I needed to head out. I started, but didn’t finish. I did get 2/3 of it done. I finished the last banana and made coffee that I enjoyed while I wrote.

Chaos is coming to Portland because Highway 5 will be closed for about six weeks to repair some ramps. Traffic is expected to spill everywhere with the closure of the main North-South highway, slowing Portland driving to a crawl. Many folks are returning to work-from-home models for this period. I did not run into this mess; it starts Friday, but I was looking at my trip and trying to guess what I need to do differently. I think I will get off after the river, cross Portland, and avoid the possible backups.

I arrived at Richard’s, brought in some games, and learned that I missed Richard’s selection of Anachrony as our game. Something I never win at, but I find it interesting to play. Robin joined me with Richard again (she has joined the Tuesday morning gaming group), and she owns a copy of Anachrony and watched some videos. I was back to relearning at the moment. And while I scored at the bottom (Robin is a skilled gamer), it was my highest score. I was less than ten points away from her, with Richard smoking us.

This is one of the more expensive and complex games, with endless add-ons and an extra-large box sold to hold all the parts. Richard has all the expensive component upgrades, and I painted the figures for him. His copy of the game is maximum bling.

The board game is a worker-placement game that blocks others and involves resource management. A race to the top. What makes it different is a time track and time travel. Players borrow resources from the future and must pay them back or face penalties. There are also risks, and Richard had to remove three anomalies to avoid more negative points from using future resources. I played conservatively because I had to remember the rules, which caused me to miss some scoring opportunities at the end. I did enjoy the game. Next time!

Because of the huge cost and giant unpainted minis, I cannot recommend the game as a purchase. I do not own a copy. But if you have a friend with it, or find the basic game at your local gaming store to borrow or play there, I do recommend it. Playing with a time machine makes for a fun game.

I headed out and stopped by Broadway Grill for a late lunch; we had finished after 1. There, I finished the blog. I also worked out with Jeff how to get him paid and get receipts for the new light bulbs for the church. Emmaus, the other church that uses our space, and others want to cover the cost of the bulbs. I had their salad and chili special. I also had a Mr. Toad’s Wild Red beer.

After that, I headed home and got stuck in slow traffic on the bridge. Finally home after 3, I took the afternoon off and watched more For All Mankind, talked to Deborah and friends, and nursed my sore throat. I read more newly published Sherlock Holmes, and later edited one of my Dungeons and Dragons adventures, 20,000+ words, which I hope to use in October. I wrote it for 4E D&D in 2009 (we are now on the 5.5e version). I miss the 4E skill challenge, which, when done well, could move a story forward and allowed for some fun cinematic devices. A concept now abandoned by the new version, but adopted in Lord of the Rings and other role-playing games. My adventure will bring some of that back as skill tests and some directed storytelling, but without 4E’s artificial mechanisms. A compromise that I think works.

I stop with the introduction edited. I will start on the encounters next. I change into PJs and read.

I soon sleep. My sleep is disturbed by nightmares. Thanks for reading!

I rose at 6:30 to see the 6:45 sunrise at Jot’s Resort on the Rogue River at the entrance to the Pacific. I closed the sliding glass door around 3 because I was getting cold, and the horn went off forever for reasons I don’t know, invading my dreams. I later learned it is a foghorn, but it runs all the time because fog comes without warning. Locals don’t hear it anymore.

I later learned the low growl I heard was whale song from humpbacks off the coast. Mostly, I heard loud boats. It was a lovely, if cold, sleep.

There were no mosquitoes up yet, and the breeze was likely keeping them low, and I could see the seas were breaking higher on the breakers and beaches. The sun rose behind the hills. I had written the blog the night before and was free to enjoy the morning. I made coffee in the coffee machine using the cup that it would fill to measure, and not any measuring mark on the coffee machine, a lesson from previous use at many hotels (and soon, I understand, to be learned by Mariah).

I enjoyed the coffee, watched the morning start, saw a few boats board and start out to fish (I would always start while it is dark when I start to drown-my-worm to catch), and saw a few seals eyeing the boats for an easy meal. Soon, a slow patrol of folks trolling for salmon passed by. One guy, alone, with a lot of smoke, started fishing with bait, I think, and then spent a few minutes trying to start his outboard again when it was time to move on. He was having trouble starting it! I would never go out on our rivers and the Pacific without two ways to get safe, usually two outboards. I could not watch (he was OK; I saw later); I took my shower, dressed, packed, and loaded the EV.

Aside: On some trip, Dad took a smaller boat and me and Linda fishing. Mostly for a boat trip. I was driving and hit a sandbar, snapping the safety pin on the motor. We learned then why Dad always put the oars in the boat. He bent to the oars and got us to the dock. I felt bad (but Dad said he could have done it just as easily, since it was getting dark), but we stopped by the local bait and tackle shop and got a replacement pin. No harm, and I learned you always need a way back — two ways. A few years later, I remember pulling out the centerboard and paddling, to Dad’s surprise, when all the wind died as the sun set on Lake Victoria, and the sailboat becalmed. “Always two ways to get to the dock,” I reminded him.

I put my shells in an ice bag and put them on the Biz-Class seats. I put my laptop in my pocket and my red bag, now reloaded with my stuff, on the floor. I was still wearing boots in case we had time for a beach.

The “Buffalo Gals,” as they called themselves, were still getting organized, and I walked the dock and said good morning to the later boaters still getting organized. The number of cool boating fishfinders and comfy seats suggested these were vacation-investment fishing boats. One sported a 200-horsepower engine on a 24-foot boat, with a lesser engine for more mundane things, I imagine. That one was perfectly clean, startlingly white with white seats, and even had a windshield for a standing captain with a wheel. I thought it needed a harpoon gun or a mermaid on the front.

I met the gals, and they were ready for breakfast. I had learned since it was Labor Day that breakfast was “across the bridge,” and that Indian Creek Cafe was open and not the one across the street. We took separate cars and soon were sitting and having an American breakfast of pancakes and other griddle items at the Indian Creek Cafe. I had corned beef hash, clearly cut from a canned version and fried into a perfectly round patty. Just like Dad used to make. They did take five minutes or more to notice more customers, as they had a load of food to deliver to tables. Later, we noticed the line was nearly out the door. We timed our arrival perfectly just before 9 and headed the crowd instead of following it. Even when we finished, there was a line.

Emma and Mariah headed in her car North to Honeyman Park on the dunes near Florence, Oregon. For me, this is the holy ground where Frank Herbert thought up Dune and the planet Arrakis. I stopped in North Bend for a thirty-minute charge so I could return home without another charge. I met the Buffalo Gals on the Dunes. I managed to climb higher, but my balance made the steep last section better to admire than to experience. We all paid a $10 parking and day-use charge, but I suspect that turned into 50 cents a minute for me, since I didn’t stay long. We didn’t bring swimming gear or paddling stuff, but maybe on another trip. Still, it was worth it, and I dreamed of Arrakis and maybe writing a fan piece about a spy on Arrakis sending in a report. I have only read the first book and seen the movies, plus the made-for-TV versions (surprisingly good). I find the other books unapproachable and ignore the statements that they get better after the third one. And I only like the first half of the book. I love Empires and space opera.

With “Arrakis” in the rear-view mirror, we head towards Newport and the Oregon Aquarium. We get there around 3, and it closes at 6, but I find two to three hours is a lot of standing and looking. We rush first to the otters, the Californian ones, as it is their last feeding. They are cute and look cuddly. We then did the smaller pavilions first, with the tidal pools ready to touch a few things and marvel at little crabs and other animals that we saw in various forms of disassembly. I did try to reassemble one crab, and that became a sort of altar on the sand that we left for others to marvel at or fear.

My lighter shoes were full of dune leftovers, but I decided to leave it there to avoid filling the car with “Spice.” We enjoyed the displays, countless aquariums, and many jellies also in various forms of disassembly in the displays. The sharks are around you in a tunnel through their tank and other tanks. The halibut looked quite different than the usual breaded or baked versions I usually see. I also saw lots of large shrimp, scallops, lobsters, and other items that I usually see on a plate. They looked happy and undercooked.

We did witness one grab and reach into a hole and pull out what we believe were the remains of a former tankmate and eat it as a meal. We just watched in disbelief. The circle of life is a bit close in a tank!

We circled back and ended our visit hanging out with the otters, who were still swimming even after feeding time. We thought it was time for us to eat. We had skipped lunch. I only sang a few bars of “Under the Sea” about fish in the bowl are lucky they’re not on the plate or something like that.

To that end, we first tried Tidal Raves after driving north for thirty minutes, but there were no seats for 45 minutes; then we drove to Debot Bay and got immediate seating at the Pelican Brewery. There, I ordered fish and chips (hot enough to burn me). Emma had a steak and Mariah a burger. Beers were added to this. Key lime pie finished the meal. It was an excellent meal. No crustaceans were harmed (but the fish and cow were delicious).

That was followed by Emma joining me for a drive back home, over two hours. The EV was charged and would not require a stop. We took the Salmon Highway and then switched to crossing Chehalem Mountain. We did this in the dark, and it was full of curves; it is more interesting (and scary) during the day. We then crossed a lower Coopers Mountain to reach Beaverton. I dropped Emma off and returned home.

I had forgotten to run the dishwasher before I headed out and to take out the trash. The house smelled a bit funny when I arrived, but wtih those corrections, it was back to normal. I headed to bed soon. It was a great Holiday.

Thanks for reading.

 

I do not usually mix two days, but with Saturday being a six-hour drive (one way), it was over with before I got to writing a blog for Saturday.

Saturday

Starting with Saturday and going from end to start, I finished the night about 11, climbing into my bed wtih a pastiche or fanwork of Sherlock Holmes and Watson. The original characters and works have entered the public domain, and I have even published a story based on them. I later discussed with Deborah that I prefer the writing to echo the original in word usage and word choice. We disagreed on this, but as we agreed, it is a matter of taste, expectations, and clarity. Still, I like a good story, and I like where this author, Tim Major, is taking the stories.

Before this, I was, despite a sore throat, at the theater for a screening of the 1944 film Double Indemnity, which set the standard for film noir. I enjoyed the film and found myself at first cheering the murders and then cheering their defeat. It is, as one would expect, a dark film. I read that the original ending had the protagonist’s last view from the gas chamber! That was removed. Still, I recommend it, with a box of popcorn.

Before this, returning home, I wrote Python code, drank Sleepy Time tea with sugar and lemon, and tried to capture and apply some of my learning in quantum computing. I have installed JupyterLab and use it to mix Python and markup to make a demo of what I have learned. In this tool, you can save a notebook that has markup and code. You can run both, and the run is in a container controlled from the notebook. I have, as I have covered in previous days, installed QuTiP to simulate Qubits and other related Matrix operations. I have also learned that Python uses a ‘j’ and not an ‘i’ for complex numbers. It can use them. Slowly learning all of this.

As I suggested, I was at the Washington Square Mall in the late afternoon and early evening. I felt I needed to move and be with people. I was feeling off, and I wanted to walk. It was good to see people and look at things. I did not buy any new cooking items or machines, but I was tempted. But the high prices drove me off. Yikes!

Dinner was their Chinese-style salad and a cheesecake. I ordered coconut cream cheese cake, but I meant banana. Still, it was good, but I will stick to the absolutely mind-blowingly good banana cream cheese cake next time. I had a pleasant bartender and staff, and I orchestrated that young couple got a seat when we moved folks around to make two in a row available. I took one on the absolute end, sort of the last not-so-good seat that looks into a glass wall, but I managed. Women’s tennis was on, and I could lean to see it. I watched some amazing shots. Tennis scoring is still a mystery to me (I do not know how many times Susie explained it to me).

The early afternoon included a nap. I was feeling off, watched some For All Mankind, and reached the third episode of season 2. It is improving. I was on the edge of my seat for some of it. I then went to get a haircut and then to the mall.

Earlier, lunch was reheated pizza again. I packed for my trip on Sunday morning and folded and put away my laundry. I remembered to charge the EV overnight so I would start with a 100% charge. I have to override the charge to 100%. It is more polite to do 80%, as the last 20% takes as much power as the first 80%. It is a feature of these batteries (and capacitors too).

I learned from Richard that we lost our crew for a 3-person game over the holiday, and we canceled. No game on Saturday. With me traveling on Sunday, I thought it best to take the break to rest and organize.

I spent the morning writing the blog and organizing my digital life with Quicken, the NY Times, and email. The day started damp, but the sun showed a few times. By the end, there was some hope of a less damp day on Sunday.

And that takes me to Sunday.

Sunday

Sunday began with me waking at 4:30 after a few awakenings at night; I seldom sleep through the night, but I am retired and don’t care. Really. Returning to the alarm, I did wonder at first why I was starting so early. I then remembered I was taking the EV to Jot’s Resort on the southern Oregon Coast (closer to California than Portland). I showered and grabbed the rest of my gear (forgetting a hat, but I have two different hooded coats). I was showered, shaved, and so on. Next, I had everything ready in Air VW the Gray (forgetting a notepad to write down places I might want to return to and my Oregon Geology book) and headed out.

Soon, navigation had me charging once and arriving in Gold Beach with a low charge. I prefer to have more charge, as there is no fast charging in Gold Beach. I updated the path to include two charges and changed them to Circle J and Safeway in North Bend (the one on the Coast, not in Eastern Oregon) to ensure a good level. I have to use the built-in Nav instead of Apple’s, which I trust more, because it connects to charging stations and my EV’s charge levels.

I also bought the audiobook Lincoln Lawyer, which I have always wanted to read. This is Unabridged and 14 hours. I have two six-hour drives and thought it would be great. Also, I can listen to it on the bus and train for my next trip. Motion sickness can thus be avoided by using small screens. I listen to five hours of the audio while driving. Emma responds to my text; she is up early and waiting for Mariah, who is picking her up. They will drive down together. Mariah has some doggie drama.

The drive is long and starts in the dark. The audiobook makes the time fly by. I also spend some time chatting with Deborah. I call her three or four times. The rain pelts the car, and I have to pause the book as the EV anti-slip takes over on the water-filled roads. The VW handles well, and soon the slipping stops. I listen some more.

I charge 29-100 at the Circle J but am surprised at the $40 charge. This is the highest I have ever paid. If I traveled in the EV, I might have to find a lower-priced charger or buy a discount program. Later, in North Bend, I pay less per unit. Hmmm.

I park at Coos Bay, but Mariah and Emma miss my plan to have lunch there. Bandan is next, and I meet them there, and we have beers and lunch at a local brewery. It works. We then travel the 90 minutes to Jot’s Resort near Gold Beach, check in, and then drive over to the beach.

We walk the jetty on the Rogue River to the point where it meets the Pacific. It is full of small fishing boats, a boring parade of folks trolling with small electric motors, poles out, trying to harvest salmon. It looks crowded and boring. I am glad I did not pay for a fishing trip. I see nothing getting caught. I would fish in the wee hours of the morning or near sundown (the biggest fish I ever caught was in the dark after sundown). But folks are busy at it. We see many flashes of fish, but we did not see one take the bait from a boat. Hmmm. Later, I saw an eagle flying off with a fish in its talons and was glad someone caught one (I also suggested to Emma that her dinner might be late when pointing that out from the restaurant).

We walked the beach, having climbed down off the jetty, and collected some shells and seaweed, with the mussels and barnacles still alive and attached. It was relaxing and fun to just walk the beach. I had switched to boots and was steadier on the rocks and sand with them. We walked until the jetty looked small and then walked back, still searching for shells and other items. We found a fierce-looking fish jaw of cartilage full of wicked teeth. We kept that and a few shells. Emma collected smooth stones too.

We returned to the hotel. I set a timer and napped. I woke, picked up Emma and Mariah in the Air VW the Gray, and we headed to a high-end local steak and seafood place, Spinners Seafood and Steak. It was expensive. I had the local salmon, as did Emma. It was fresh (caught over the weekend as the salmon are running now). Mariah had a steak. We also split a bottle of wine, Bonanza (like the show) Cabernet. It was good (made by the same people who make Cadmus). Brian, our waiter, was helpful and friendly as we worked our way through the menu.

We did not make it to the beach for sunset. But we did watch it from our table, and we all let out that little gasp as that last bit of sun disappeared. Sunsets on the West Coast are a must-see.

With that and dessert done, we had a shared tiramisu that had a ladyfinger sticking out of a pile of fresh whipped cream. We tried not to giggle (after all that wine) as it looked wrong. Inside was more traditional and delicious tiramisu.

Stuffed and with the sundown finished, and while I stopped my wine for coffee, we were getting a bit happy. It was a great day, but we took the EV back to the hotel. We headed to our rooms.

I watched the seals in the river from my second-floor balcony. It appeared that the seals were hoping to steal fish from the returning boats and the dock anglers. They were cute and enjoying the salmon run and the human presence.

Here is Emma’s photo of one.

I changed into my PJs and wrote this blog.

Thanks for reading.