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This afternoon the joint pain and some exhaustion just took over, and I stopped and rested. I wanted to clean the house and all of that, but instead, I just took it easy.

The day started with me rushing Sunday morning to finish the story of Saturday before 9ish, so I could pick up Susie by 10AM to get to church by 10:30. Saturday is always my longer blog as I seem to fit a whole weekend into Saturday. I was only a few minutes late in a tie and sweater. I was able to lift Susie into Air Volvo without issue. I reached the church without a problem; a speeding motorcycle was weaving through traffic. I lifted her, again without any discomfort (for either of us), and soon she was sitting in church in her wheelchair in the aisle.

The music before the service, God, and God Alone, played by Howard (piano only arranged by Phil McHugh), was lovely, and I would recommend it (Howard played it beautifully). The close was Toccotta in G Minor, with Howard playing the organ and Andrew playing the drums. This is from Mannheim Steamroller. We don’t usually get toe-tapping music for the close of the service–but everyone was stunned and enjoyed the piece.

Andrew, an active Marine, gave the sermon entitled “..it Happens,” covering Matthew 5:33-48, which includes the instructions to take no oaths, turn the cheek, and love your enemies. This is an interesting message for a Veterans Day weekend he recognized. Andrew, in his sermon, focused on the fact that your word should be good enough and oaths should not be needed. He also took up the other points by saying that “..it happens” and that the world will hurt you and people will hurt you. You should not react, but try to be better than them, wait to better understand the situation, and then take appropriate action, if any. Andrew suggests you avoid revenge, fear, or kneejerk reactions when “..it Happens”–always think and do what is right. Those, he believes, are the message in this part of Matthew, recalling Jesus’s words at the ending of the Sermon on the Mount.

It was a good message, Susie leaned over to the right in her wheelchair, and I had to wake her to stop her from tumbling out. It was not Andrew’s caffeinated delivery, but Susie had fallen asleep mid-conversation with her mother and during some movies this week. She woke but leaned to the right again but did sing the hymns.

Susie seems to be falling asleep in mid-action now. This may be new or just something that will fade. I try not to panic when I see these changes; most moderate or disappear in a few days.

To recall the past, Susie’s devastating stroke (a year ago) impacted her control of the right side, swallowing, speech, and the ability to control her hands. When she is feeling weak, she leans far to the right, and you have to be careful not to have her take a tumble, even in a wheelchair. Susie has a crash mat for sleeping if she keeps rolling out of bed. Susie also forgets she is disabled at night and will try to get out of bed. The mat stops her from getting hurt.

Returning to the narrative, Susie and I hung out for a while at church, and Howard sat with us. Howard and I talked about the software he is using for sheet music. It does not listen to the music you play and flow with you. Instead, you set it on a set speed. I was expecting something like some of the guitar software that tracks your playing. Something more for me to consider for artificial intelligence (machine learning) programming–listening programs that can match played music to notes on a sheet (Dr. Ernest, are you out there–here is your big chance). I will try to find some time to look at that during the holiday breaks–I love to write a software project for Christmas (Yes, that is my idea of fun for the holidays).

Soon, it was time to head out, and I got some help loading Susie into Air Volvo. We had no issue getting back to the hummingbird house, and I could unload Susie alone without problems. Susie and I headed to the social activity room and called Leta, her mother was driving home, so it was a short chat. We next did a FaceTime call with Barb, Susie’s sister, and had a nice chat. Barb and I discussed a few plans–Barb is visiting on Friday for Susie’s 60th Birthday on Sunday.

I was tired and left with a kiss. I headed by Popeyes and had fried chicken for lunch. I started some laundry and managed that and the dishes. I watched some more season five of Doctor Who and tried not to be exhausted; joint aches drove me to painkillers, and I just could not get going.

I did connect with Joan at church for a Zoom meeting. It was just the two of us when I joined. We chatted for a bit, and it was good to catch up. We did see each other at church, but we got to talk more.

I opened a can of chili and spooned the heated bean and meat over microwaved potatoes for a late dinner. I felt a bit better after eating. That got me to write the blog, at least.

Well, sorry, I was tired and not able to clean today. I might have to take a day off for that. I am just trying to do too many things with all the challenges.

Thank you for reading!

 

 

Today I was a bit busy, but I did not feel rushed. It was my usual Saturday trying to fit a weekend into one day. While my body seemed to complain that it had been pushed on Thursday and Friday, it seemed fine. No sudden visits to the bathroom. There are pinches in my lower back that could be muscles, colon, or possible kidney issues–So far, this is not serious enough to do more than ignore it. It is easy to imagine much worse things than a pulled muscle.

The day ended, going backward, with me making my bed with clean sheets from the dryer at 1ish Sunday morning. I had put the sheets in the washer at the start of Saturday, knowing this would make for late-night laundry, but I forgot on Friday. So I also put in a load of laundry after that to dry on Sunday morning. While I waited for the sheets, I watched the next episode of Matt Smith’s Doctor Who, the first season (season 5, episode 2). While it is a harsh storyline that I remember not loving when it came out, I liked it better this time and the acting and camera work I thought better than most new shows (considering that the lead actors are in new roles). I had toast with butter and some jam to take with my pills and as my late dinner.

Before getting home in Air Volvo, I dropped Kathleen at her home just out of Portland in the east. I usually take her home for a twenty-minute trip where we discuss our gaming, and I describe my newest Dungeons and Dragons writing and playing while I manage the light traffic in Air Volvo.

Moving back in the day, I was at Richard’s house with Kathleen to play Weather Machine. This is a new board game, Richard’s second play, and a Kickstarter game with all the premium pieces and bright colors–a Kickstarter copy is available with add-ons from The Game Stewards for $189. This is from Vital Lacerda, who made other favorites like Lisboa, and it is his masterpiece. It is enormous and has the usual mass of fiddle parts his games are known for. Kathleen thought it way to fiddle and required the player to pass through most of the game to win instead of the usual worker placement, resource management, and engine building.

It reminded me of Concordia (but far more complex), as you seemed to collect resources then, acquire a place on the map, and then run machines (much more complex ones in Weather Machine). Also, I thought the iconography was tiny and hard to understand, and like the game Lisboa, there is a menu of iconography for each player!

Overall, I like the game, but I agree with Kathleen that it could have been reworked to make it flow better, and some mechanics do not naturally flow. However, the theme worked for me, and it was fun to run the machines. Afterward, we played a strange reverse bidding card game, No Thanks. Cards are numbers 3-35 (or something close to that), and nine are removed randomly. Then you take the card or put a chit on it. If you are out of chits, you must accept the card. A Series of numbers are then counted as the lowest number in the series. That is it–the lowest total of cards wins. A fun and quick reverse auction game.

The Weather Machine game was complex and exciting, but it melts your brain.

My trip to Portland in Air Volvo to play games had no paint-loss incidents. However, on late-night return home, I had cars passing me at breakneck speeds of at least 100 mph. Traffic was light on the way in, with just a bit of stop-and-go. I did have the auto-braking from Air Volvo as I was starting to slam the brakes when cars decided that coming to a complete stop on I-84 was a means of merging. Air Volvo really hit them! I got a message on the dashboard that city-based driving auto-braking had been executed to avoid a wreck.

Before going to Portland to play games with Richard and Kathleen, I was at the tap room, The 649, in Aloha, Oregon. Evan and I tried our hands at another Kickstarter new game, The John Company. This game simulates the families running the East Indian Company and the plundering of India, most of it tongue-in-cheek. I have been trying to learn how to play, playing it against myself a few times. First, I set up the game with Evan’s help for four players. Two-player games require the automaton as a third player, which is a pile of more rules (yikes! There are many rules without it). Instead, we played two families each. This also allowed us to have more experience spreading out the company’s offices. In this odd game, players are randomly assigned offices that run one part of the company, trading, or the military that will start looting India and resisting rebellions caused by the same. Like most Kickstarters, the game is lovingly made and has too much going on. Evan and I had a drink and played four turns, with the turns taking as much as thirty minutes to complete. We did loot Hyderabad and had yet to start the opium trade with China (!). The game is about money and prestige.

It is hard not to like the strange gameplay of The John Company, but the subject matter is dark, and you can win by breaking the company, but all the money is so tempting. So far, as they say, the jury is out, and I am not sure political-economic simulation games of the Empires are a good theme. But, if one reset the theme to the Evil Empire in the Star Wars Universe, this would be an exciting experience of running the Empire, so I think I like this as a new idea for a game. More to come.

Evan and I had lunch at the Tapas Mexican place near The 649. I had my usual with a large beer (a mistake–I asked Richard for a coffee that he gracious made for me–hate to nod off in the rules explanation) of a chili Relleno and pork enchilada with the usual if not ubiquitous rice and refried beans. Our familiar Saturday waiters were there and were very happy to see our return.

Before lunch, we (Evan came a bit later) spent the morning and early afternoon with Susie at the hummingbird house. We went to the social room and watched Mama Mia, the Movie, on my Apple. I forgot the cable to use the larger screen, but I did bring the speaker, and the movie is bright enough to see even on a small screen. Susie was tired and slept through much of the film. Even with her eyes closed, she sang along,  but her voice was more of a growl today. The winter pine pollen is out, and the rains have slowed, letting the trees smoke with pollen! Susie was happy to have some company for a few hours.

Susie and I called her mother, Leta, and they chatted for a bit, but Susie kept falling asleep, so it was a brief call.

Aside: Susie’s birthday (20Nov1962) is next weekend, and her sister, Barb, is coming out to celebrate on Friday. The church will have cake and sing her happy birthday on Sunday. I was planning to have ice cream at hummingbird house too.

Before taking Air Volvo over Coopers Mountain on a lovely sunny, if cold, Saturday morning, I wrote the blog and had toast with 1/2 can of peaches for breakfast with liberal French Press coffee. I managed to sleep into 7ish.

Thanks for reading.

 

My grandfather’s brother was in France when the Great War ended. So today was a working day for me, working from home, but I saw all the flags out today, and there was free beer and meals for vets all over Beaverton.

The extra walking I did yesterday has made my right leg hurt again. I will try to get more walking in to build strength. I think the timing issues on my muscles are stressing my leg muscles.

I enjoyed my colon deciding that last night’s dinner was going to rush through–very rushed. I was waiting at home for the loan funding check, so I missed out on a chance for more excitement. Next time I have pasta and red sauce, I will see if I have the same reaction–I think that is the issue.

The check for the loan, a paper check, arrived in the late afternoon. Yes, in this world of e*everything, I cannot get an electronic transfer. In any other country in the world, it would likely be impossible to get a paper check, but in the USA, we like our legacy technologies. Because it was Veterans Day, I had to deposit the paper check at an ATM which required me to type in the amount after reading it on the bill. Apparently, a large deposit is doubled checked at the ATM.

Starting the narrative in the morning, I got up at about 8 with my first meeting. I did not turn on the camera. I made coffee between morning meetings and had cereal for breakfast, plus milk. I had peaches from a can to go with the cereal with liberal coffee made in a French Press.

I was researching and reading as it is Friday, and I try to learn things on working Fridays. I was also following along; Friday was unusually full of messages and tasks.

Lunch was a large salad as yesterday was too heavy (and the results would prove it soon), so I boiled three eggs and made a salad with mostly veggies. I chopped celery and a carrot and added pickled beets and some olives. A sprinkle of cheddar and store-bought croutons finished it. I put on some Thousand-Island dressing, store-bought, and ate my lunch while watching more battleship videos found on YouTube on water damage to museum ships–It was one I had to fast forward as the speaker goes on in great detail sometimes.

The bug man sprayed chemicals all over the house and ant-slaying powder–Ants are an issue in this part of Oregon. I have tried to use kinder services, but these green services never worked for long. So now I go with industrial power, and still, they come back. I have checked the chemicals, and they are not that powerful (likely why they are less effective) and fade away–Good. They also do spiders which I grow pretty big–seeing a two-inch spider running across the carpet is nothing I like.

Finally, at 3:30ish, the check is delivered, and I drive to see Susie and deposit the check. There is little parking at the bank, which is closed. I am not quite sure why. Traffic is quite heavy for a dark and wet Friday night. In the summer, Friday afternoon traffic is much lighter. It must be the mix of holiday traffic and rush hour colliding.

It takes me twenty minutes to cross Beaverton Old Town, usually ten minutes or less, and I reach the hummingbird house. There was no imaginative driving as the heavy traffic surprised everyone. The weather changed from a sunny but cold day to a dark, rainy, and cold evening. This driving created a kaleidoscope of white, yellow, and mostly red lights on my windshield and the reflection off the wet pavement. The headlights blinded you as the world became all white dots between sweeps of the windshield wipers. Pretty, but it would be nice if Beaverton would repaint those lines on the road soon! Rain, traffic, construction, and faded road paint are not a good joint experience!

Susie was resting in her recliner watching some Hallmark Christmas show–she prefers Blue Bloods or M.A.S.H. I stayed with her a bit longer as my work day ended. We called her mother, and Susie and Leta chatted for a while. Susie was having some pain and the opposite problem I was having. She was uncomfortable.

I left the hummingbird house at 5ish with a kiss and crossed again through slow traffic in Beaverton. I headed to the center of newish Beaverton. I grabbed a waffle sandwich, this time with bacon and maple butter, and walked it and the new board game The John Company to Central Taps.

There I relaxed a bit. I had a dark beer made in Old Turkey bourbon barrels and a strange IPA, both smaller glasses. I set up and played three people in The John Company, trying to run through the rules and be ready to play the game someday. I did not want to play a solo game (it can do that), so I just played all three players. I worked out the basic flow and got a feel for the game. Money is very important for the company and the players (representing a family trying to win its fortune and prestige in India). There is even a prime minister in the game and laws to pass, with the prime minister’s job passing to another player, the opposition, if a law is not passed by the prime minister. The chaos of the times is represented by an elephant figure and a storm die, and I still had trouble understanding how that works.

Still deciding if I like this new Kickstarter game. I finished my second turn and then decided I was tired, and the light was getting dim–a problem at some tap houses for gameplay at night. So I went home, read, and watched the first Matt Smith Doctor Who episode on HBOMAX (the Doctor is moving to Disney+). I went to bed without even doing the dishes. It was a crazy day, and I was tired.

Thanks for reading.

For those who wonder, computers are my favorite thing to work on. Mathematics is what I often dream of. Board games are systems to me; to play them is to run them and interact with them, just like a strange computer. When I win, it means I must have run the game well.

But, turning to today, Susan was sad when I had to leave so soon (It is a work day), but I then stayed another twenty minutes just sitting with her holding her hand–that is what I will remember. I put away the things of this world to sit and hold my wife’s hand. She nodded off a few times, and then her fav, Bluebloods, got most of her attention. Finally, she said she would be fine, and I left with a kiss. Well, two kisses.

Starting the narrative, today was a busy and rushed morning. We were called to a meeting of our (let’s call it) department at Nike’s World Headquarters Tiger Woods Center (TWC). So I managed to do my basic reading of email, personal email, text, and messages on Slack. I caught up on the news.

I had a bagel-like bread product with the last of my cream cheese and some canned peaches with liberal coffee from my French Press. I dressed and headed to the New York City parking garage at Nike WHQ by Air Volvo. This is an excellent place to park, and the third floor is empty at 8ish. The lights on the elevator are little swoosh symbols.

I take the elevator as I am unsteady on stairs, and walking is hard after ten minutes. I have some Physical Therapy to schedule to help me–I have noticed that the infusion chemotherapy has unordered my muscles–they fire out of order. I had to use a cane after one infusion, and some of the issues are returning, or I am now trying to push a bit and noticing the changes.

I took a fifteen-minute walk on the new paths on WHQ that are so lovely–my fav part of the changes. I was a few hours early, so I grabbed a hotel space at TWC and worked from there. Someone else had the window seat, but the cubicles are nice and sound-absorbing. I did my morning meetings there.

I got the window cubicle later.

I was reading some articles on AI while on hold with eTrade. My account at the trading house was locked when I connected my Fidelity to the bank at eTrade. I need a bank account in my name to move any money from my Nike-supplied accounts at Fidelity. My usual account is in Susie’s name. So I created a bank account in my existing eTrade account but somehow triggered them to lock it down. I spoke to a nice person at eTrade. I had to upload my monthly statement from Fidelity to prove that I had a real account; I had already established my identity to eTrade. They finally accepted that what I was doing was legitimate–I said that there was “white smoke,” and I was elected, which at least got a laugh. So now I can use my eTrade account checking account again.

By this time, I have ordered a paper check which I will deposit in my usual checking instead. Unfortunately, it cost me an extra $25, and I will have to enjoy whatever US Bank will do to me when I deposit that check–usually, it will go on hold for a week. All this is to borrow money from my 401K to cover the upcoming medical costs. Ugh.

I was reading AI and its related mathematics while waiting on hold, and they managed to finish the release of my account just as I needed to head to my next meeting, the department meeting. Donuts, coffee, and cookies (shaped like a Nike shoe or Converse logo) were provided.

The meeting was well done but included the dreaded “new way to work” plans that come up every couple of years. My boss, Brad, was honored for thirty years of service and got to say a few words. I had to leave as it ran over by fifteen minutes. I had a meeting I needed to participate in; my meetings were back-to-back, and I jumped into another hotel space. There I had to tell folks that some of their questions could not be answered as the folks were in the department meeting still. Funny. But we got through most of what they needed. I needed to drop halfway.

I met Scott for lunch, this time a Serena William’s building in the cafeteria on the first floor. I had not been there for lunch, so I followed Scott’s lead and had a great salad via the salad bar. Scott gives tours, so he explains some of the features of the new building and even gives me a tour of the new covered bridge done in Phil Knight’s honor. Scott and I talked about work stuff for most of lunch.

I walked back, getting quite tired, to the parking garage and took Air Volvo to the Hummingbird House without incident. It was a frosty sunny morning, and Susie was sleeping in her recliner when I arrived. I woke her, and Jennifer, the nurse aide, got Susie some water. After Susie had a few sips of water, we called Susie’s mother, and they chatted for a while. Leta was home in her chair too. Susie was nodding off again and said goodbye to her mother. As I said, I stayed a bit longer and was rushed to make my next meeting.

Back to Nike WHQ and Victory building for another meeting, we discussed software and some long and short-term plans. After the meeting, I stopped by the team that supports my old system, AFS, and we were happy to see each other. They were busy–there is always something going on in systems that does all inventory, accounting, and fulfillment for Nike (except China which is on the new system from my project), plus Converse and HR. I do miss my old systems and friends that still work on them.

I took Air Volvo to the Volvo Cave and finished my work day from home, reading emails, texts, and messages on Slack.

I had picked up a salad and spaghetti from the Olive Garden on the way home. I ordered on my phone using their app. I just read emails and like stuff while waiting for a few minutes in the parking lot until they brought me my food–still using a Covid no-contact process. I was feeling a bit down and decided I needed pasta and salad.

I ate and watched YouTube videos on the 1930s US Navy Wargames, battleships, and about living in Mexico (daydreaming again). I recommend these three channels: Battleship New Jersey, Drachinifel, and Backpacking Brunette. My favorite history comments today were on Drachinifel’s description of the 1932 US Naval Wargames, where the US Navy simulated launching a sneak attack on Pearl Habor on 7Feb1932 and the defenders thought it unfair as it was done on a Sunday, and the defenders were not prepared. Another exercise a few years later made the same simulated attack, and it worked again. Drachinifel’s creator tried not to comment on that other than to say, “well, some folks were thinking about it.” The Battleship channel talked about how they stopped the battleship by using the rudders as drag to a stop–legend is that it was used only once on the USS Wisconsin, and there was permanent damage from the event. And I enjoyed more interesting thoughts on living in Mexico and mistakes not to make when moving there–just daydreaming.

Next was a short nap, and then Theology Pub’s seventh year started tonight. Today we had about six folks on a Zoom call talking about how the misuse of the Golden Rules allowed folks to do nothing or even worse as long as they thought they were good. We believe that truly good works (thus following the Golden Rule) produce “good fruit.” However, we also think that the Golden Rule requires you to act.

After Pub finished at about eight, I put out the trash and the recycling and wrote the blog.

Thank you for reading.

I forgot to take any pictures today, sorry.

Going backward, I just got home and had toast with cherry jam with my pills and as a treat. I just started writing the blog after playing games with Zophia, Dondrea’s daughter, for a few hours at the church. Zophia played the board game Azul with me, the tile-matching game we love. She won only one of about five games. So I could focus and did not have to teach, just play. We tried the blank side for the first time, and while harder, it was fun to set your own path until you were dropping piles of tiles and starting to lose points. So that was fun.

Before that, we played a rapid game of The Lost Ruins of Arnak; Zophia has those rules down after one learning game. This time we managed to complete the game in about an hour. Zophia was almost six points behind me at the end of the game, very close. Next time we may try the more challenging version or the add-on with special leaders. Zophia and I both like the theme and the flow of Anak, the Hollywood version of archaeology in the 1920s, complete with monsters and treasure.

Both games are maximum of four players and so play well with two players. In addition, the games are newish games, so they flow well. Zophia likes to play fast, and these games enable that.

Before heading to First United Methodist Church to play games with Zophia while choir practice was going on, I had soup for dinner–tortilla soup from a can. I dressed it up with some taco shells I heated (and slightly burned) and some sour cream. I wanted something lighter after having a heavy lunch–An Italian sub sandwich from Jimmy Johns. I made the soup at home while finishing up at work online. I had a few items to review and follow after heading home at about 4PM.

I worked on some items at work and did some research today. In addition, I discussed some design ideas for data transfers. It was a busy afternoon for me after lunch in the car listening to election results. I usually eat alone these last few years (even before the pandemic) and listen to Oregon Public Broadcasting (OPB) while I eat in my car.

Before the pandemic, I would read the magazine and travel sections of the New York Times (NYT) during lunch alone. I have the NYT delivered on Sunday. I could read the various extra Sunday sections at lunch for most of the week. Sometimes I would keep the biz section if I was busy on Sunday. I would spend the week consuming the paper. NYT’s writing is good, and I enjoyed looking at where commas went and their refusal to use the Oxford comma.

I will have to return to those pre-Covid-19 habits.

Before lunch, I visited Susie. She was sitting in her recliner and looked good. She was watching her fav, Bluebloods. Unfortunately, I could only hang out for a short time, and we called Susan’s mother, Leta, and they chatted for a while. Susie was sad when I had to leave for a quick visit, but it was too cold to visit the park, and Susie looked very comfortable in her chair. She told me how happy she was that I came to see her every day. I did have tears in my eyes on the way to Jimmy Johns.

I had meetings in the morning before seeing Susie. I had to run one of the meetings and work with folks to get some work done over the next few months. I got to work at about 8ish without any trouble with school buses blocking my way.

I was up at 6 today, getting some sleep last night and waking before my alarm. I start the day with a bagle-like bread product, toasted and covered in cream cheese. Then, I opened a can of peaches to have some fruit with breakfast and liberal coffee.

Aside: My eTrade account is locked as the linking of the account to my Fidelity account caused “unexpected activity,” and they have thus limited the account now. I tried to call them on the number they supplied, and after waiting forty minutes, I gave up. However, I did borrow against my 401K in my Fidelity account to continue to cover Susie’s expenses and any unexpected year-change expenses (the limits reset, and I will have to pay a few thousand out again out-of-pocket at the start of 2023). I planned to connect that money to eTrade, but I ordered a normal process instead. I picked a loan as it does not increase my taxable income as long as I actively start to pay it back.

More aside: A large amount of money in my medical reimbursement account that I paid back is now available to use again. I have submitted a new bill to expend that money again. Let us hope that this bill will be acceptable and that they don’t decide to rescind the reimbursement later!

Yes, I am busy with work, paperwork, seeing Susie, and playing cool games with Zophia. Thanks for reading!