Blog

About a year ago, we were on our way to New York City to see a show as Broadway was reopening and the art museums opened.

Going backward, I am having trouble breathing as the air is poor in the valley. The conditions are not as bad according to the readings, but my throat is sore, and my lungs are locked-up. Something in the air is irritating my respiratory system. I am staggering a bit. I am being cautious and just writing, reading, and resting.

I took some Benadryl to reduce the reaction–it is helping but makes me tired.

Before this, I had an early dinner with Mariah at BJ’s. To celebrate her new home, she is closing on a house in Portland; I ordered steak, as did she. I had mine with a salad and baked potato–old school. Eric, my usual waiter, Eric, handled everything. I had no breathing issues in the bar. I am only having problems when exposed to the outside air–something in the air is causing me to react.

I was online for work before dinner and helping here and there. I also rested a bit as I was feeling off today.

Before this, I stopped by and got some bread from Paris Baguette and had an ice cream cone from Salt and Straw in Beaverton. The ice cream helped; I was not feeling well, and the bread was for breakfast and dinner on Wednesday.

I had traveled from hummingbird house through Beaverton to the shops off Cedar Hills Street without issue. I had come to see Susie and took her for a spin in the wheelchair in Metzger Park. It was another extra summer day in October (with lousy air). It is a work day; I could only stay for a short time. We did manage to call Susan’s mother, Leta, and do a FaceTime call with her in the park.

Before this, I traveled over Coopers Mountain, all the hills filled with mist or smoke. No wind was clearing out the air in the valley. Construction also delayed me more than ten minutes when some signal lights were out.

Lunch was leftover chili, and it was not that good reheated. So the rest will have to be tossed–too bad, it usually is better.

I started at 7ish today as I did not have to travel to the office. I was tired when I woke at 6:15. I spent the morning working on a few crises of the moment.

My colonoscopy, I have a make-up one after the last discovered cancer, is scheduled for 22Dec2022. It will be the same miserable process and drinks. Still, they have ignored my request for Margarita flavored bowl prep. I was on hold for twenty minutes to schedule it. The gal who schedules was so relieved when I was not angry about the long wait and pleasantly finished the process with her. I try to be nice on appointments.

Feel free to call or send cards. Susie resides at:

Allegiance Senior Care
Adult Foster Care Home
9925 SW 82nd. Ave.
Portland, Oregon 97223

The house phone number: (503) 246-4116

Thank you for reading. Sorry if today’s is brief.

The day started with me rushing and then being early. Not unusual for me. I could not be late today. So I started at about 7AM, discovered I had never published the previous day’s blog, and corrected that. I then wrote the story for Saturday for the blog. I posted everything and got it out.

Next, I dressed for church with a white shirt, tie (Mandelbrot), and sweater. I was ready early and read for a few moments. I then took Air Volvo and crossed Coopers Mountain: The hills were full of mist, and the mountains could not be seen. Traffic was light on Sunday, and I was soon at hummingbird house a bit early.

Susie was happy to see me and was dressed in bright colors for today’s church directory pictures. We called her mother to say hello, as we were early enough to get that done. Susie used my iPhone to FaceTime with Leta. Anasa put Susie in the wheelchair and followed us to the car. I put Susie in the car, with Anasa watching and making suggestions. I again did not lift Susie high enough, and she nearly hit her head. I think Susie was not standing as strong as she did before, so we will need more practice. Nonetheless, Susie was safe and in the car.

We made it to the church, a short drive without any adventures with Beaverton’s Finest or warm yellow lights. I loaded Susie from Air Volvo to her wheelchair, and Susie was welcomed back to First United Methodist Church. Pastor Ken, who Susie had not met, was happy to meet Susie.

Susie sat in her chair for the service, and I supplied hymnals, and she sang the songs. The guy who does hospitality, Bill, has an upcoming birthday, so there was a brownie cake for him. So Susie had a tiny bit of that and a sip of coffee after the nuclear hot coffee–a Methodist thing–cooled down.

I loaded up Susie with folks watching and helping to load the heavy wheelchair for me. I got her back, and Susie was a bit tired. I unloaded her and the wheelchair without issue. Susie was better at helping at that time.

I changed shirts in the bathroom to an H.P. Lovecraft Festival shirt and took Air Volvo to the Hollywood Theater. The traffic, for a Sunday, was more than I expected, and I was late for the movies, but as usual, the festival was running twenty minutes late.

I was in the little upstairs theater (once the balcony) and watched the Lovecraft Under-the-gun films. These are films made in a few days with specific elements included, and most were good and, considering the ad hoc nature of their creation, quite good. I had met some creators during the various parties, so I wanted to see their films. It was worth the rush to get there.

After that, I was hungry, but I decided to end my festival and not sit and watch for another couple of hours with pizza and beer. So instead, I headed to Olympic Provisions near OMSI. But first, I did get a book by Mark Teppo, who I met at the festival, and he signed it for me. Mark’s game-related writing is for sale at Guardian Games, and I have one of his pamphlets. I also thanked Gwen, one of the directors, again while buying another t-shirt with the image of this year’s poster printed in light brown.

Next lunch/dinner. While expensive, my food and gin and tonic at Olympic Provisions were some of the best food (all meat) I have had in a long time. I was last there with Susie in the pandemic, with the Proud Boys rioting in their trucks all over Portland. I had the ham board (they make great ham) with steak tartar. It is a beautiful product.

I headed home, well-fed, in Air Volvo. I stopped by the local gaming store (only a few miles from home), Rainy Day Games, and chatted with a few folks there and looked to see if there was something I needed. I found a $10 card game, solo, “Can you save Ichabod from the Headless Horseman?” That I thought would be something I should try out. More on that later.

I got home and took a nap. My leg was hurting again. It is better now; I have all these horror books to read alone in the house. Yes, weird poetry about unearthly creatures coming for us. I am sure I will be fine.

I will, Eric, try not to mumble the words while readying to myself.

I am reading Mark Teppo’s recommended series, starting with Solitaire. It is a Weird Wild West story.

The H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival is said to be the only festival made up of people who understand. Yes, we do.

The weekend work was completed on the software upgrade. I was able to help a bit here and there.

Thank you for reading.

I discovered that the Friday blog was not published (?!), but I was crazy busy and did not just finish it. It is not published. That is corrected. This Saturday blog is rushed this Sunday morning and will be brief.

I spent the whole day at the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival at the Hollywood Theater in Portland. Yes, we have a Hollywood district in Portland that is a bit run down and so far has failed at gentrifying like the Pearl district. I can always find parking there, which shows that it is not attracting customers.

I was out of the house early, and apparently failed to finish the Friday blog, and rushed to the readings at the public library. The drive was fast, with more traffic than expected for Saturday morning. The traffic signs suggested slow speeds and congestion, but none of that was true. I wonder if they just put that up every morning. I made a mistake and went over a different bridge, using the Fremont instead of the Marquam, and had to reconnect to northbound i-84. Still, it seemed faster as there was no traffic (bridge info here for the interesting bridges of Portland, some more than 100 years old and reinstalled here: Info).

I arrived with Adam Bolivar already reading–it had started early. I managed to hear most of his works. I met him last year and got his book–I loved it. I was happy to hear more of his stuff. Next, Wade German’s poems were read (he let some read them for him). Again, this is all weird and Mythos-based writing, but Adam and Wade are excellent, and while the subjects are dark, the work is old school in its structure, making it sound arcane.

There were Voodoo Donuts and coffee in the cramped room. It is a public room in the Hollywood Public library–a pleasant public space. I enjoyed the first hour but then headed back to the theater.

I spent most of the day watching films with the usual late start. When it was open, I got my usual seat, left-side aisle row three, with a perfect view. I then bought books of weird poetry and got them signed during the Festival by Wade and Adam. My usual purchase at the Festival.

Lunch was pizza from the pie hole. In a unique system, Hollywood Theater sells you pizza, then you pick it up at the little gateway to Sizzle Pizza. Today they were behind, reportedly due to staffing issues, and thus I bought my slice and then waited until 2PM to get it. I found a break in the first hours of short films and quickly acquired my veggie pizza–it was recommended and great.

The long film, Freeze, in the main hall, was about a failed trip to the artic in the 1880s that was attacked by fish creatures. I saw Dustin and Jessika Oxford, gaming friends, join in that film. It could have been edited to be shorter, which is the case with most of the movies at the Festival. For a special effect, a picture of an HMS Victory model was painted black and gray and put in snow. Not exactly the model I would have picked for a steamer and research ship. A kit of Cutty Sark or anything closer to the time would have worked! There are also many pictures of the Endeavor locked in the ice that is in the public space, but I still enjoyed the movie.

Dinner was by myself at Laughing Planet Cafe. I had their couscous bowl, which was perfect and surprisingly came with chicken. I had an IPA to go with it. It was a good break, and I decided to watch the Re-animator and Bride of Re-animator. There are old horror films loosely based on H.P. Lovecraft.

The film’s star introduced the film, who is much older now. The movies were just old and terrible and beyond R-rated. Just a crazy romp of a film. I can’t recommend them, but I have now seen them and know why they are banned. Even now, you don’t see that much flesh and violence in horror films.

I drove home without issue and watched the newest Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power episode, and I really enjoyed it. The story is starting to move, and I liked how the actors seem to have become their characters. I then went to bed.

Thanks for reading, and sorry for the rushed writing.

 

Going backward, it was a long film, a Covid film, and weird and slightly disturbing. As a Covid-19 impact film, it usually had not more than one person in the frame. As it passed 11PM, I found myself nodding off–I think it could be edited shorter, but I was tired (I liked it). It finished, and I headed back to the car. Air Volvo was parked on the rooftop parking across the street from the Hollywood Theater in Portland.

The drive home was difficult as I was tired, and my right leg complained. It had a couple workouts today. I arrived after having to circle around in Portland when the on-ramp was closed for highway 26. I always have navigation running when returning home late from Portland in case a bridge is closed, a ramp is closed for repairs, another naked bike ride that I accidentally join in Air Volvo (with clothing on), or other Portland-centric events that block my trip back to home in Aloha (Reedville) through Portland and Beaverton. The navigation helps in the dark and when I am tired.

I was in bed soon, before 1AM, and trying to sleep before the morning came too soon. Light painkillers were taken.

Before this, I was sitting in the third row on the left aisle seat that is at an angle, so it has nobody sitting in front of it. I was sitting in the main theater at the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival. Brian and Gwen are the directors, and they got the Festival going only about an hour late. No complaints from anyone as we all got food, beer, pizza, and popcorn, read the schedule, enjoyed our food, and waited.

After a few words, an actor dramatically read H.P. Lovecraft’s What The Moon Brings poem. This reading is done with a night sky projected behind the reader and a giant moon slowly crossing the back. It is one of Lovecraft’s early pieces and shows his strengths. It was great.

This was followed by a block of short horror and/or Mythos films. This is ‘block 1’ of great works only shown once at the Festival. I always plan to see it on Friday. The Colouring Book Out of Space was really funny. It is vital to stay in the lines! None of the shorts creeped me out light last time. All were great.

In one of the discussions, it was said that you must mix some comedy to make the scares deeper. All of the best and scariest shorts had laughs between the scares and creepiness.

Before joining the folks at the Hollywood Thearter, I walked to and back, about 1/2 mile with my right leg complaining, to a pre-show party with the filmmakers. I ordered food that never appeared after two hours–they were slammed. That was forgiven by two excellently made gin and tonics (made with locally made gin). I did not know it then, but I was hanging out with the makers of the funny Colouring book short.

I arrived before that in Air Volvo, parked in my usual spot. Then I discovered the party was 1/2 a mile walk and decided to risk it. It was a painful but wonderful walk. The early evening in Portland was warm and dry. I had arrived from Guardian Games, which I stopped by on the way and then made a wrong turn and did a driving tour of Portland. I managed to survive the gaming store without discovering anything I must have.

Before this, I had a snack and a drink at BJ’s Brewhouse in Beaverton with Susie. It was Susie’s first outing in a year and trip in Air Volvo. She had just a sip of a Southern Comfort Manhattan with two cherries (on a stick for safety) on the rocks. I cut one cherry into a small safe bit, and Susie had that, too (a fav). I ordered a cheese dip and bread on the side, and Susie had a tiny bit of bread dipped in the cheese–cheese is a fav with Susie and is better hot and on chips (or more safely on some soft bread).

I saw my usual waiter, Eric, was on (later, I apologized to Mo for not picking her as our waiter when she met us on the way out), got a booth, and had Susie at the end. It was not that comfortable, but it worked well. Unfortunately, their booths are not made for XL folks.

Before getting to BJ’s, I parked the car in the parking lot, unloaded the heavy wheelchair and moved Susie, just myself and Susie doing the work, and got Susie safe and comfortable in the chair. I put her back in when we left BJs (bring the leftover bread for Jennifer and her family’s dinner–hot crescent rolls) without issue (my right leg, I think, was amazed that it could do this and that I was willing to piss it off again–but to me, pain is just a warning, not a definition).

Before taking off with Susie, Jennifer, the nurse aide on for today, watched and advised me on my placing Susie in the car (this time, I landed Susie sideways in the chair in Air Volvo, next time, I need to do a final push that I missed). Jennifer was worried for the two hours we were out, but we returned to the hummingbird house intact.

Before heading off to BJ’s, Rick came for the final physical therapy checkout. I think he was hiding how pleased he was that we had all reached the goal of Susie transferring into the car with me doing the transfer. With our sessions ending on Friday, I will need a new prescription for Occupational Therapy–new goals for Susie to be able to sign her name, handle a spoon better, hold a book, use a pencil, and generally improve arm movements. I discussed the following options, all OT, with Rick. This is on the list for the next doctor appointment, which is upcoming.

Before getting to the hummingbird house, I was busy reading and writing the blog. I was up late at the party on Thursday night, so writing was left for the morning. I left just in time to see Rick and Susie at 11 on Friday

Aside: My stories, 500-word micro fiction, was not selected. Next year! I read the winning story, and Gwen is obviously looking for direction mention of the Mythos and chills and creepiness. Also, to be successful, a 500-word story needs to focus on just a single experience–my stories had problems with this. Last year, my story had these features and left the reader spooked. Again, next year!

I had to call into work several times and write back some instructions and advice on a few issues. I had promised to be available and was.

It was a busy Friday. I had a blast.

 

 

Working backward, I was home at about 9ish and was tired out. I had just arrived in Air Volvo from Portland’s Overlook House; I had never been there before. It was built in the late 1920s, later given to the city, and has been a community center ever since. It looks like it is used for small parties and weddings.

I had driven to Portland at about 4ish, and it took forty-five minutes to reach the house, with the traffic building the whole time and threatening to make it a much longer trip. I then read the Analog SciFi magazine while I waited for the start time.

As usual with H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival events (the VIP party was at Overlook House this year), it started thirty minutes late. Nobody cared. We got our out badges (there are three more days to go) and entered the pleasant roaring twenties party. Many folks sported vintage wear or at least fancy dress. I had just a tie, a white button-down Oxford cloth shirt, under a sweater. The best I can do these days.

I spoke to many guests and had finger foods, a bachelor’s dinner–as we called this back in the 1990s, with beer and wine for the taking. I stuck to beer and had two glasses. The VIP party includes travelers and locals who have been doing the festival for years. Many folks from California and Phoenix and the usual bunch from Seattle. One from Idaho surprised me; Idaho is a pretty straight-laced state which usually ignores Oregon. I told all the new visitors to remember to tell anyone that asks them that it rained the whole time and that the stories that Portland is a burning wreck are true. I told them there was no reason to move to the greater Portland area with a wink and a nod. It is an open conspiracy that all the bad news and apparent disaster recordings are sent to the national news chains by our local media. The message is, “It is bad, don’t move here.” Also, it is better in Seattle; go there.

A cement spiral staircase is used by brides to descend to the wedding. I managed it in the dark just because.

The party was fun, and I learned I did not win the writing contest this time. Next year!

We had a gal singing with a great voice some 1920s-styled songs. There was a tarot card reading for a minor charge that I did not have a chance to try–maybe fate had a hand in me not learning my future. I passed on the H.P. Lovecraft horror story-based Pictionary game.

Before this, I was home and rushing through the chores I needed to complete on Thursday. Garbage was collected and put out. The recycling was assembled, sorted, and stuffed. Glass was put in the correct container. The board games are unloaded from the car, except Scythe is always in the car. Will, a fear years ago, told me to always carry that game, and I do–always ready to play another game. I also left chess in the car. I then changed clothes and shaved (not wanting to play a hardened detective with a five-o-clock shadow at the party).

While this was happening, I called and talked to shoe company folks. Unfortunately, we are still working on a few crises at the moment. I did respond once at the party too.

I also found that OcCre had sent me my special order wooden ship kit. Yes, I have committed to an expensive kit and will have to find the time and energy to build it. I could not resist a fictional ship on the same scale as Dungeons and Dragons (1/50 or so) with a cutaway hull and lighting and brass stand with tentacles: The ghost ship The Flying Dutchman. It was so expensive that the shipping from Spain was free and fast. It fits me so well I have to try it.

Before leaving work, I visited Susie at the hummingbird house. Unfortunately, I could only stay for a few minutes, but we took a quick spin in Metzger Park. It was a warm day, and the clouds had burned off by then. We called Susie’s mother, Leta, and chatted with her for a few minutes in the park.

Susie, with more flowers, reads a letter from her Aunt Glenda and Uncle Gene.

Aside: Susie is using a manual recliner now. It works fine.

Before this, I had grabbed lunch at a Mexican place. It was expensive as I meant to drive-thru the burger place next door and did not know what to order. I had a burrito that could have fed two folks and a taco that could have been lunch on its own. I was shocked by the $18 price until I realized how much food I had ordered. It was all good, but I could not finish.

Aside: The clerk at the drive-thru saw my Nike badge; he was wearing a lot of Nike stuff and was happy to hear, while they made my huge food order, my story of saying hello to Michael Jordan a few times and Tiger Woods hitting golf balls into the Nike WHQ windows and being surprised by the windows not breaking. It was nice to meet a fan of Nike and tell them some stories.

Before leaving work to see Susie and get lunch, I worked on issues and listened to status reports all morning. Again, spending more than two hours on Zoom calls on Thursday morning in the office.

I was only a few minutes late for the first 8AM status meeting in Air Volvo. I had heavy morning traffic again as I was running late this morning. My body decided to empty for a while, and I have found it best not to resist! My oncologist strongly suggested I should be ready for new habits and accept them. Also, all the nerves in my colon are cut, and things moved around, so I am not sure what is happening down there and just need to let it flow, ahem. Resistance is futile (and unpleasant).

I started as usual at 6:15 and was rushed in the morning. I was disappointed that Gwen (Gwen and Brian run the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival and other events) had not sent out the 500-word micro story contest winners, but I was happy to see the instructions for the VIP part (sent at 2AM by Gwen!) in my email.

It was a busy day and a good start for the festival. Thanks for reading.