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Today I was surprised as I went through the day that the news published opinions that the charges against the former president were weak or strong. As this blog is about my feeling and experience, I will cover this a bit. I read the charges, and I have followed along for the past year or so; even as a liberal and someone who is against Trump, I was hoping that there would be no charges. I believe that the country does not need this. I read in the press that the charges are so weak that the charges will be dismissed–that is a pipe dream. The charges are specific (there is no such thing in the USA as a non-specific crime) and based on the evidence we have already seen in Cohen’s convictions. These are neither weak nor strong charges–just alleged crimes that must be vetted and passed through the jury process. I am sorry for President Trump and the country; a distraction but one that must legally resolve. I am sad and proud at the same time.

Moving to the more important events, Susie was happy to see me around 11:15, and I stayed until she fell deeply asleep in her chair. Before that, she was excited to see me and was happy to talk to Leta, her mother. Leta was angry at Best Buy. She had purchased a new stove, but Leta’s gas connection in her kitchen is older, and they would not install her new stove. Leta has to upgrade the gas connection for the new stove, which will not be cheap–she is very unhappy. Now she has no working stove and two in her house. She was beside herself; I have been there. I had to upgrade the electrical plugs for my electric stove (the upgrade cost more than the stove). Susie nodded off a few times when we chatted about appliances.

Susie was sleepy today, and, as I said, I stayed until she was deep asleep–she was happy to rest with me there holding her hand. I kissed her goodbye as she fell back to sleep again. Susie was not sad today. I understand, as I used to like when I would fall asleep reading next to Susie–there is something special about just slipping away to a dream with your loved one next to you.

I stopped by Red Robin on the way back to work. They had Fox News on their big screen editorializing in the bar (usually, they have sports on the big screen), so I sat behind the beer handles so I could not see the screen. I had my usual chicken breasts and salad with a side of fries. I drink Diet Coke. The bartender at Red Robin asked everyone else in the bar if they needed anything and skipped me. Obviously, I was unwanted. I ignored the rudeness, and the bartender relented, refilled my drink, and asked me if I needed anything a few minutes later. I finished my lunch, it was good, and I paid through the terminal and gave a 20% tip to the bartender.

Moving to the evening, again staying with important events, I drove to the church at 4ish. Parked Air Volvo. I walked to the coffee shop and got a turkey sandwich on a bagel instead of bread. I ate it outside near their gas fire under a tent. Nice to eat outside. I believe the 1930s WPA built the streets in downtown Beaverton; I saw the curb still showing the marking while walking to get a sandwich.

After I ate my lunch, I waited for Z and Dondrea at First United Methodist Church. Wednesday is choir practice, and Z and I play board games while Z’s mother rehearses with the church band or choir. Today Z asked for my hardest game, Lisboa, and I had spent quite a few hours before re-reading the rules and remembering how to play. I have played Lisboa only a few times and never my copy. Lisboa was the masterwork of a game designer known for his complex games and was created through a Kickstart campaign. This means it is a premium game with excellent components and graphics and is physically huge. The game is a mess of six or more sets of separate rules and systems that smoothly connect to the other rules and systems. It is a challenge to know what to do each turn, and events drive the game toward its conclusion.

Z and I made a few mistakes, but we generally like the game and will likely play it again now that we have gotten some of the rules and systems down. Z and I just played a learning game, with Z mimicking what I did on my turn to learn the game. I would demonstrate each part of the game with my play, and she would try it then. I had to get out the rules a few times to understand what to do. We ran out of time (the two hours blew by without us evening noticing) as we entered the last half of the game. I have played a few of Vital Lacerda games, and I like his board game Lisboa best (but I am warming to his overly fiddly Weather Machine). Richard, the super-gamer I play in Portland on most Saturdays, loves Vital Lacerda’s games–so I play many of them.

Returning to tonight, Z was excited to try a really hard game. Z still thinks the board game Grand Hotel Austria is the real head-exploding game. Z liked Lisboa. I agree with Z, and we have not gotten to the champagne and waltzing rules for Grand Hotel! Soon!

I will skip the usual narrative of my day. Let’s focus on events (Trump), Susie, and Z. It is already late, and I was tired all day. I want to just sleep. Thank you for reading, and I hope this new focus approach work for you.

I am just covering my experience; I do not wish to upset Pro-Trump folks or criticize them.  I am unrepentingly liberal, and the blog covers my experiences.

 

The evening ended with Corwin joining me for dinner at Nonna Emilia Ristorante Italiano. I had the sausage with peppers, onions, and Corwin, a creamy seafood dish. We finished with a shared piece of Tiramisu. Corwin and I had not had dinner for some time, and it was nice to get caught up. We mostly talked about Dungeons and Dragons. I wrote an adventure for Corwin, and we need to play it someday. Mariah has agreed to play. He wants me to extend it to the original campaign size. I may find the time for that–we will see.

After that, I returned to Air Volvo and rested a bit. I got going again and started on this blog.

Turning to important topics, I visited Susie twice today. Leaving from work and risking Highway 26 to 217 three times today. I left first in the later morning and soon arrived at the hummingbird house in Portland (Tigard) at Allegiance Senior Care LLC, 9925 SW 82nd. Ave. Portland (Tigard), OR 97223; phone (503) 246-4116. Today’s weather was a mix of rain, sleet, and sun–changing randomly and even including local flooding.

Susie was in her recliner in the shared living room. We called Leta, Susie’s mother, and they chatted for a while on my iPhone using FaceTime so they could see each other. Susie was wide awake, had just finished breakfast, and chatted for a while. The TV was on Fox News and former President Trump’s indictment of 34 felony charges. All white-collar crimes related to cooking the books to hide a crime, the usual mobster charges. Of course, the Fox News hosts were editorializing instead of reporting. Something we have seen more of late in the media–the hosts (not just Fox) need to fill the time and keep folks watching. A spectacle sells.

I had to return to work, and Susie was not happy about that, but she grudgingly accepted my leaving and kissed me goodbye. I traveled the short distance, ate a rushed chicken bowl lunch at Chipotle Mexican Grill, and read the charges unsealed for Mr. Trump. The charges are like “check 00798′ and are crazily specific; nothing I expected. The trial was offered in January 2024, but the defense wants more time with a date in Spring 2024 requested. More to follow.

How bizarre. I only include this as we all expected a spectacle, not an accounting lesson.

I returned to the office with the weather changing every few minutes.

After 3:30, I headed back with Air Volvo and, with more traffic, reached Susie again. She was sleeping this time in her room, and I woke her. I brought the flowers that were in the cargo hold for Susie. I had forgotten to bring them in (being distracted, I think, by the events of today), so I returned, and Susie was thrilled to get flowers and more time with me today. Work had been quiet for me, so I thought it best to return today and finish what I started: Flowers for Susie!

Susie was happy to get more flowers, and I stayed with her for another thirty minutes or so. I returned home from there. The traffic was thick. The sleet caused local flooding. Air Volvo was in three inches of slush at some points–I have never seen these roads flood so fast. It was forty minutes to cross Beaverton and reach the Volvo Cave!

I will skip the usual narrative of getting up (ugh!) and enjoying liberal coffee ( yay!), and managing my exercises and stretches today. These things are the same most days.

I did finish the story part of the book Colin J. McRae: Confederate Financial Agent. As I wrote yesterday, McRae is a despicable slaver who used his skills as slave-raised cotton and trading cotton to finance the war in Europe. I learned in the rest of the book that he was shocked by the sudden end of the war; he was still supplying the war effort with supplies when the Confederacy collapsed. McRae was sued in Europe as the USA claimed all the assets of the Confederacy, but the USA refused to pay any of the debts of the CSA. The suits failed as McRae’s books showed he had no monies that belonged to the Confederacy. Later, despite saying he was broke, he found money to support Jefferson Davis (the former CSA president) and moved to Belize and founded a plantation of some sort there, and was buried there. Colin McRae refused to return to the USA.

It reads like a Clive Cussler book, and one imagines the finding of the wreck of a blockade runner with a clue that leads our heroes to find 100,000 sterling pound notes from 1865 in a cave in Belize on an abandoned plantation. Of course, the McRae family is under some new name, like a famous Billionaire (put name here, Soros?), and they also want the money. They cannot do it legally as the USA would seize the money. It is a race.

Just a daydream and fits today’s events (notice, you Trump supporters, I put Soros as the bad guy–just to make you smile). I may read more about McRae, as he seems the perfect villain.

Thanks for reading.

I am rediscovering Barnes and Noble as a place to write tonight, Monday night. I used to write in coffee and bookstores, wear noise-canceling headphones (primarily for dish noise), and listen to my playlists. Now, my hearing is having issues, and headphones are difficult, if not impossible, to use. But with the isolation of the pandemic, I still do social distancing and often wear a mask; I welcome the noises of being with people, especially after Susie’s left for her new care facilities. Also, my hearing issues mean I cannot understand conversations at a distance; it is all reassuring white noise.

I am writing with a cookie with fresh coffee with cream.

The morning started with me waiting until after 7 to get going, but making my first meeting at 8:05 (on Zoom). I discovered I had ample steel-cut oats and made oatmeal from scratch, adding brown sugar, walnuts, and dried cranberries once cooked. I completed that just as the status meeting started. I also made liberal coffee, Equal Exchange brand, in my French Press and had a mug.

I saw snow falling, half-melted, from the sky instead of rain. The sun appeared later, only to be replaced by rain again. It was a grey day, but the sunset with some blue skies and thick clouds was a wonder of colors.

The status meetings went on about every half hour, and a few crises of the moment surfaced. The data conversion did not run over the weekend and thus was now further behind on the calendar. The usual “let’s make it the lost time” suggestion from leadership got silent.

I re-heated the last of the pasta and chicken and had that for lunch. I showered and dressed between meetings. I found the strength and resolve to do all my stretching and exercises. More data issues arose as the data conversion started up. I spent the morning following along.

My last meeting was at 1PM, and I found I had the only action item from the meeting. I then headed to Susie’s place at the hummingbird house in Portland (Tigard) at Allegiance Senior Care LLC, 9925 SW 82nd. Ave. Portland (Tigard), OR 97223; phone (503) 246-4116. As I left my street, flying in Air Volvo, I saw a county motorcycle police with lights on and pulling over a car on 209th. The police were monitoring compliance with the stop signs and school crossing at 209th and Johnson Street. I was careful and did not draw the attention of the Washington County Sheriff’s Deputies.

I noticed various police as I traveled, and Air Volvo was careful not to draw attention to us. I noticed that the police, when making a right turn, took the right lane. The officer changed to the left lane the usual way. I wondered if we had a law for that; I would comply now with that (instead of doing both at the same time).

Susie was delighted to see me. She told me she missed me and that she needed me. I apologized for not being there before (I was there in the afternoon). Susie told me she missed me and needed me. It is hard as she gets lonely some days. We called her mother, and they chatted for a while and I let them go on as I had no meetings now. I handled one item at work while at Susie’s place by sending a note on my phone. Next, we called Susie’s sister, Barb, freshly back from a week’s trip with her hubby in Ireland. We talked about her trip and how she loved Ireland. Susie always wanted to go to Ireland, but we never fit it in. Soon, it was time to leave, and Susie said, “no.”

Susie had tears and said she did not want me to go. She needed me, and she was missing me. Susie wanted more time. We were watching old Golden Girl shows. Susie wanted me to stay, hold her hand, and rest a bit–like this weekend. She finally relented, sad, and let me go.

On the way back, I don’t remember much, as the emotions make it hard to focus. Air Volvo sort of goes on auto-pilot, and I arrive. I stopped at Safeway and quickly shopped for missing items (groceries) and selected flowers for Susie on Tuesday–the main reason for the stop. Aloha Safeway has wonderful fresh-cut flowers, which I have been bringing to Susie for years. There used to be a vase next to Susie in the living room at the Volvo Cave with the latest flower. Now the flowers are with her at the hummingbird house.

I reached the Volvo Cave, unloaded the cargo, and put it away. I logged on again to work and checked; no important messages awaited me, and I followed along for a bit. I read for a bit. I then heard from Mariah that we were not going to dinner, so I made tacos.

I defrosted the ground beef in the freezer for a while and got all the items ready for tacos. Once the microwave had the meat ready, I browned it in a pan, added taco seasoning (less salt version), and dumped a can of Mexican-styled stewed tomatoes into the pan. Sort of a chili-like taco–I like it this way. I cooked that breaking up the meat and the tomatoes. I put shredded Mexican cheese into the corn taco shells from a box. I heated that in the oven so the cheese melts in the shell. I added lettuce, sour cream, and meat to the taco shells. Wonderful, but again more chili than a taco.

I watched the second Batman animated movie, The Long Halloween (Part 2). Highly recommended if you can ignore the strange way it starts. The ending and the solution is mind-blowing (“how did I miss that,” goes through your mind). It was fun to watch it again and catch each misdirection now. Well done, indeed.

Next, I read some more, nodded off, decided I would not sleep through Monday night, and instead headed to Barnes and Noble. I wrote this blog there. I also met a director of security stuff at Nike (details are not appropriate here) I have known for years. He looked well. We were happy to see each other.

I find that living through the pandemic, I am so happy to see folks now; everyone smiles. It is so nice to see another survivor.

Today has been hard, as I am impossibly sad today. I miss Susie too. I tell myself, “day-by-day”; it not enough some days. But, the cookie, bookstore, and good reading material have helped.

On reading, I have been reading more of Elric’s latest book from Michael Moorcock, and I can recommend it. It is a set of short stories aligned with about book three in the original series–before he starts the end-of-the-world battles. I have also been reading the impossible to get Colin J. McRae: Confederate Financial Agent from the Institute of Naval Archaeology (INA). This is the story of the man who ran the finances in Europe for the Confederacy. While there is nothing from him (i.e., no dairy or recorded family stories), the financial records and letters, to some degree, have survived, and the INA (USA group) has found some of the blockade runner shipwrecks, and thus they have republished and re-edited the book.

While Mr. McRae is, as far as I am concerned, a despicable character, a slave owner, and worse (a businessman that would make Scrooge blush), it is he that built a family business in cotton and slavery such that when the Civil War dawned, he had the skills to enable the financing to buy goods and blockade runners in Europe for the Confederacy. His signature is on the old bonds for cotton you can find on eBay; indeed, I bid on one. His financing kept the flow of arms, ships, and cotton to pay for it flowing. McRae kept slavery going and made the war possible by supplying goods to Rebel states.

The book is fascinating, and its footnotes draw me in to learn more. I would love to find the story of the Union in Europe trying to stop the cotton bonds from floating. Also, INA has another book describing the Confederate blockade runner ships–I will buy that one soon from INA!

Aside: The photo of the cotton bond in the book is of a bond currently for sale for signature collectors (they are uniquely numbered). I have found the same type of bond and a far cheaper one on eBay, just three numbers higher. I can see Mr. McRae and other officials from banks and the Confederacy on the document.

Thank you for reading.

Aside: I received an email from HipStamps that they would help me with their Concierge Services. I must buy enough to be noticed. I thanked them but told them I was not organized enough to use their service. Interesting to draw that attention. 

I had just tried to repaint the radio box, and the product did not cover it and left the damage quite visible–not the look I wanted. I will have to re-sand and try again. I have checked on the Internet and ordered a gel stain and a spray-on satin finish. A setback.

The day started with me struggling to enjoy the morning at 6:30ish so I could be ready for church and write the blog. It was not easy because I was not in bed until after midnight. I found the office, started the laptops, and then walked to the kitchen and made coffee. There I decided to make pancakes, found a very expired buckwheat pancake mix, and decided to give it the last use. The pancakes were good but nearly creps thick as the mix would not rise. I like these, and they remind me of days in Laingsbury in the 1980s when the Lions Club and Business Association would make pancakes for the sidewalk sale; they made buckwheat.

I had pancakes with real maple syrup (if I am going to use sugar–only the best) and 1/2 a can of peaches while I wrote the blog this Sunday morning. Saturday was a busy day, so the blog took a few hours to write, and it still sounded rushed. Finally, I called the hummingbird house and checked with Anassa after 9ish. Susie is up and dressed and will be ready for church. That decided, I shower and dress in a dress shirt, tie, and sweater expecting to take Susie to Palm Sunday Service.

Just in case, I pack up the Apple computer and head out and take Air Volvo across a nearly empty Beaverton. I miss all the photo radar set up by Beaverton’s Finest on the main roads–that is why I use a more indirect route.

The morning started with rain and was cold but not cold enough to snow. Susie is uninterested in experiencing it and decides to stay at the hummingbird house today. Anassa gets Susie in her favorite chair, her rocking chair, and I sit next to her in another chair (one I have spent the night in before), and we decide on Frozen on Disney+. Susie sleeps through much of it but stays stable in her chair. I let her sleep and enjoy all the songs–I know most of them.

After the movie, Susie was looking for lunch and a rest. I stepped out for an hour and had an Ensalda Chicken Platter at Red Robin near Susie’s place and close to the Washington Square Mall. I was surprised they had finally replaced the missing door handle, and the place was filling up. I had my usual bartender, and she was happy to see me as I had been missing for a few weeks. As I had nobody to talk to, I ate pretty fast, and while I did not wear a mask, when folks sat next to me, I used the little machine and paid my tab.

Susie was in the living room when Air Volvo returned me to the hummingbird house. A Hallmark romantic movie played (all B or lesser actors), and Susie napped through most of it. I held her hand, sitting in her wheelchair next to her (she was in her recliner) while she fell asleep. She is happiest falling asleep with me holding her hand next to her. I believe it makes her feel like she is home.

I woke her to say goodbye, my back was hurting, and it was approaching the afternoon. Susie was fine with me leaving and kissed me goodbye–I am not sure she woke up all the way. I took Air Volvo home, noticing the photo radar on the other side of TV Highway. I reached home without police exposure.

I worked on the radio as I already described. I also found that Michael Moorcock had published a new Elric story, a prequel to the third book or so from what I can tell, and I read that on my Kindle. I decided to travel to Wildwood and have a few beers to finish the weekend instead of reading alone. I did reheat some of the pasta and chicken from a few days ago for dinner. That was good, and I watched a WW1 history video while eating it.

I then headed to Wildwood and wrote this blog.

Thanks for reading.

 

On starting late for me, 8ish, I was surprised to see so many good April Fool’s items on the Internet. I found a few interesting ones, took screenshots, and sent the image by iPhone, and others I posted on FaceBook. I sent Richard a request to play a mad game today, so we played Wonderland’s War for today’s Saturday Night game.

But, moving to Saturday morning, I made breakfast. I opened a can of hash from the pantry, found the non-stick pan (thanks, Steve), and fried some hash. I also got out the small non-stick pan and fried an egg to go over the hash. I made some toast with some low-sugar jam to go with that, just one slice.

I have decided to cook breakfast on the weekends. Using the food in the house is just a good idea, and taking the time and thought seems to help me focus a bit. It was also delicious.

Trying not to overeat, I placed 1/2 of the hash in a glass container (thanks, Gene and Glenda) for a snack later. It is too easy to finish all the food–trying to not do that. And a snack later is also so good.

I did sign back into work. I did my timesheet and checked that nobody was genuinely looking for our team to work this weekend. Getting a work-free weekend is unusual of late.

I wrote the blog and acquired tickets for the Dungeons and Dragons movie at the IMAX for Susie and myself. A wheelchair spot for her and a companion. Yes, just like Doctor Who, I am Susie’s companion.

Once I had written the blog, drank all of the French Press-produced liberal coffee, showered, and dressed, I boarded Air Volvo and took it to Susie’s place at the hummingbird house in Portland (Tigard) at 9925 SW 82nd. Ave. Portland (Tigard), OR 97223; phone (503) 246-4116.

Anassa, the weekend nursing aide, had Susie ready with her already having finished breakfast and her coat on. Susie was prepared for a movie. I wheeled her out to Air Volvo and followed the usual boarding procedure: I lifted Susie from the wheelchair, landed her on the seat edge, pivoted her in the seat, and then adjusted and belted her in. I then loaded the wheelchair into the cargo hold. It is a short flight to Bridgeport Village (a California-styled outdoor mall now being revised to better fit six months of rain) and Regal’s IMAX. We found our seats; I acquired popcorn and the usual items and waited for the movie. Evan met us at the cinema.

We got the start time, it was dark, and nothing happened. I thought the shadows or other wicked undead would rise any moment. Maybe a trap would take out an unwary person heading out to ask WTF of the staff. Instead, we stayed safe, protected, and fortified by popcorn, Diet Coke, and other items. Finally, ten minutes late, the movie started. Again, no undead arose that I witnessed.

The previous two D&D movies, even with a talented team of actors, could not save the poor script and the sort of random inclusion of D&D gaming content. No spoilers, but it was an excellent adventure sword and sorcery movie, one of the best, and unlike the Tolkien films with the weighty things to complete, this was just fun: More John Wick (or Gray Mouser and Fafhrd) than Narnia or Tolkien (and without the blood splatters). Susie, Evan, and I loved it.

Susie was leaning to the right and fighting to stay awake when I returned her to the hummingbird house after the movie (I had no problem loading her). Louis, one of the live-in nursing aides and Jennifer’s husband, was making dinner when we arrived, and he took over and got Susie comfortable. I called later, and he said she was sleeping soundly, but we agreed she would get up for some dinner.

Next, Evan met me at the Lucky Labrador in Portland, a bar and food joint with large tables and open seating that welcomes gamers. There I had a Czech-styles beer and a BLT sandwich–they make a great one. Evan had a few beers and a salad. There we played the board game Wingspan, the basic version, for two games.

The basic version has some issues with randomness, and Evan got to experience this with me, with me winning by about twenty points in the first game. Wingspan is a worker placement and resource management game with little player interaction from Stonemaier Games, which produces lovely but unique games. Wingspan’s game mechanisms are a bit obscure, but once you get them down, it is a fast and excellent (if a bit random) game. The bartender commented on how beautiful the game looked, and we had a few customers at the Luck Labrador stop-and-watch. We rushed through a second game, which was more even, but I still managed to pull out a win by just a few points. As the game ended, my internal count said I was behind, so I played a bird (card) worth the maximum (nine points) that had just come up, and that play won for me.

My time was out, and I paid the bill, crossed over Portland, leaving behind slightly seedy Hawthorn, and found the nice houses near Broadway, Richard lives in a nice neighborhood. Richard was ready to play Wonderland’s War when I arrived. This mad game is an example of an overbuilt Kickstarter game with bright colors and dudes on a board entirely done in custom figures fitting the Alice in Wonderland look. The game has two phases that are repeated three times. The Tea Party, when resources, goals, and upgrades are acquired in a slightly competitive rush at the party. The resources include getting more figures from Wonderland; I had the dormouse. Next, battles in five territories from the story. When battling, you pull resources from a bag, which can help or be madness. I went mad (I was playing the Hatter, so it seemed normal to me) in the last battle but still won. The game is a strange mix of resources planning and totally mad, pulling random good or bad things from a bag. Fun!

Richard crushed us with a 100+ score, with me lapped with a 62 score (good for me) and our other player struggling to learn the game making a lower but good first-time score.

Next, we played a card-based resource management game: 51st State. I learned the game and played it for an hour. Richard won, as expected, but I liked the game, and now that I understand it, I look forward to another fast game. The theme is post-apocalyptic, which I dislike, but the game did not focus on that.

After that, I drove home, taking the huge on-ramp to the tall bridge that felt like a rocket ship ramp rather than a roadway. I arrived home without incident or much traffic. I had the remaining hash as a snack with my pills, read for a few minutes, and fell asleep.

Thanks for reading.