Today was a chaotic day, and I knew it would be that way. And as often happens when you face such a mess, you make simple mistakes that work out. I awoke at 6:20, wondering why my alarm on my phone never went off; it was not enabled. Oops.

I managed to read the emails and slack messages and then get dressed and to work a bit late, just after 8. As formal as I get now, I was wearing a white shirt with a tie covered by my sweater. I was invited to a memorial for Felicia Summerfield in the afternoon, a friend at work who passed away from cancer during the pandemic; we could finally meet and say goodbye. Sometimes, Felicia was a bit formal, so I knew she would love the tie and shirt.

Felicia designed Nike’s current purchasing and inventory systems, all of them for the world. Felicia was also an expert on Brazil. I miss her. I would wish to tell her how we converted her purchase orders to the new system using SAP’s Migration Cockpit for China and how we are handling inventory. It would be nice to demo the conversion for her and maybe have her see the fantastic work we did over the last five years to make it work. I miss hearing her voice on the Zoom calls, which I used to hear on the old phone bridges for our previous meetings before she fell ill. Her voice to me is Nike’s purchasing and inventory system, and I still listen to it in my mind when we discuss purchasing.

See Felicia’s obituary here.

I enjoy a few meetings in the morning and a few crises of the moment. I then head out to Forest Grove to see Susie. I have a few bags to carry in to pack away more items. I get there about 10:30 and start packing and talking to Susie about her move. Terry, her roommate, is sad to lose Susie as they have worked well together.

I speak to the folks at the facility in Forest Grove. They are finally getting organized and ready for Susie’s exit to Allegiance Senior Care, Adult Foster Care Home, 9925 SW 82nd. Ave., Portland, Oregon 97223. The house phone there is 503 246-4116. I learn later that the bed and wheelchair have arrived in Portland. Susie can exit on Friday–I select the time of 10:15 to transport Susie. I will have to be there and bring a transfer wheelchair that I got when it was apparent Susie would need one for our trip to New York City last year. I took the day, Friday, off.

With two bags filled and carrying a kite (a butterfly), I head out with a kiss from Susie. I am not headed to work yet. There is much to do. I drive back to Beaverton, stop at the Best Buy, and find a person to help me purchase a most excellent 32″ flat-screen TV for Susie and an Echo Dot.

I then meet Scott for lunch. We met for lunch once a week for years until the pandemic and cancer brought that to a halt for a while. While we caught up a bit, we also are always looking for new innovations to try at Nike, and we spent the lunch talking about opportunities (none I can write about here). It was good to talk.

I then drive, again not to work, but to the Portland address of Allegiance’s Hummingbird House–that is its name. Jennifer is there, and the residents are having soup for lunch. I unload and assemble some of the decorations and the electronics for Susie in her new private room. The cable is not set up in Susie’s room yet, but I unboxed the TV and got it running. I also programmed the Amazon Echo Dot to connect to my account and use the local WiFi. It took me 30-minutes to discover that you renamed Alexa to Echo just asking for the change. We use the word “Echo” at the house to talk to an Echo Dot. So Susie can just say, “Echo! Call Michael,” the device will then walk her through calling me. If asked, it will play music for Susie, and it has a good speaker. I hung up the butterfly kite using nondamaging hooks that Susie’s sister bought on her last trip here and a hung few other knick-knacks. The room is starting to look a bit homier.

I will likely check if I can replace the lights in the room later to be Echo controlled. That way, Susie can just ask Echo to turn on/off the lights or have them at 50%. This prevents Susie from walking in the dark to turn on or off the lights.

I left and finally returned to work. I then took Friday off and checked if I was needed. The build of MDG was moving forward, one of my systems, and they had worked out the sequencing issues from what I could tell.

I next headed to the Rock Creek Country Club for the memorial, and I was one of the early folks. The memorial was a dinner party of sorts with drinks. Sliders and high tea snacks remembered our friend Felicia’s favs. Friends and many retired Nike folks came, and I talked a lot about old systems. It was just a nice party, something Felicia loved, with folks just talking and being happy to see each other (some retired, others in new jobs, and some just separated by the pandemic). Just a tiny bit of sad but primarily happy stories of what folks are doing or memories of Felicia and her “high tea.”

The day’s stress and the standing for a long time, not good for me, had me staggered by 5ish. I tire easily and just had a bit of food and only water. Time to take Air Volvo home. I was soon home. Corwin came in and then let me sleep. I awoke about 7ish and made a simple dinner of potato skins with cheese and bacon and stuffed papers (poppers). All from the freezer (Glenda should be smiling in North Carolina) and easy to make.

I am still staggering, so I will be careful tonight. I just sat down and wrote the blog. Corwin put out the trash and recycling, again following all of Glenda’s updates on recycling.

I wrote a note to Allegiance on Susie’s food options and included a few pictures.

Here is one of the pics. Susie at Adult Nationals in 2008:

The morning started at 6:15, with me ignoring the alarm for 15 minutes. Then, I got going, had some food, and took my pills. I managed to reach my office building at about 8ish. I had a few meetings in the morning.

I then slipped out of the shoe company to Alliegence Senoir Care, LLC, Adult Foster Care Home, found at 9925 SW 82nd. Ave., Portland, dropped off clothing, some stuffed animals, and blankets and put them in Susie’s room there. There still is no bed, but there is a dresser and bed stand. Jennifer was happy to see me (I think that is the correct name), and I said hello to the residents who were still completing breakfast. The trip took less than an hour, and my boss, Brad, was surprised by how soon I was back.

While driving on the messy 217 with construction everywhere, I was surprised on the drive when all the Volvo alarms went off. I was shocked to see other vehicles were diving to the shoulder. Someone had slammed their brakes on 217 and nearly caused a cascading pile-up. Air Volvo spotted the slowing cars and started to brake as I steered the car, now aware of the issue, to the shoulder and then slammed the brakes (with Air Volvo having started it), thus avoiding being rear-ended by diving into the shoulder. I had not seen the initial issue as the pickup in front of me had dim brake lights! However, air Volvo’s constant crash avoidance radar system detected the risk, sent out the polite trolly bell panic sound, and started pressing the brake for me. Air Volvo saved me from an unpleasant accident.

Returning to work without any more incidents, I grabbed the free lunch. Nike is still buying us lunch to celebrate us coming back to the office. I had the German food offered today, a brat with the works. I rationalized that I should have a brat as our software, SAP, is German.

After eating lunch and answering a few crises of the monument, I headed out to Forest Grove. I took the highway and soon was in Forest Grove and picked up some ice cream, getting three cups, one for Susie, Terry, and me. After lunch, Susie and Terry (Susie’s roommate) was still eating her lunch. Susie ate most of her ice cream. We did call Susie’s mother on my iPhone using FaceTime.

While Susie and Leta, Susie’s mother, chatted, I went and talked to Dan, the Administrator for the facility. He apologized for their recent miscues and promised to make the remaining days good and to have Susie ready to move and provide transportation when we have a final move day.

Susie and Leta were surprised by the length of my absence, but I explained that I arranged for Susie’s move with the Administrator. We said goodbye to Leta, and I packed up the loose items from Susie’s room. I will be packing her stuff each day until she leaves. Terry is sorry to see her go.

I kissed Susie goodbye and forgot to take a picture for today.

I returned to the Volvo Cave without any more trolly bells from Air Volvo. I decided to work from home for the rest of the day as  I had enough driving; also, I was on call for the Master Data Governance SAP system upgrade. So I watched for that and followed along on email and Slack for the afternoon at home.

I did rest a bit at 4ish as I still tire easily, and the driving and stress of Susie’s move had me staggered.

I got going again at about 4:45 and started dinner. Frozen meatballs, Glenda should be pleased I used another item in the freezer and used pasta and pasta sauce in the pantry. I baked the meatballs–slicing them up after they were hot and baking them again. I heated the North African style sauce (a fav). I boiled up some good-quality orcchiette pasta. As the flavors are intense, I put the meatball pieces in a bowl, then plain pasta, and then cover with the capers-containing non-Italian red sauce. It is perfect this way.

I got a pleasant text from the NYC Smiths + Jason. They are in a Turkish establishment for dinner and were thinking of me. Very kind.

I sent them a pic of my dinner and my laptop playing the movie The Lost City, Sandra Bullocks’ newest film. I bought it to watch on my Apple. I laughed through it as they made writer jokes; I still write stories and thought the quips were entertaining. At one point, Sandra’s character tries to insult the bad guy and has to yell out, “no, there is a comma,” when Daniel Radcliffe (previously Harry Potter and now playing an evil billionaire) repeats her insult back with a different meaning. I had to stop the movie as I was laughing so hard. Later, Daniel says, “Kill him, imaginatively,” I again had to stop the show as I laughed too hard again. Again, a writer thing, and this line is something I would write for a bad guy to say. Excellent!

I read some more and started the blog.

My roses are starting to bloom in earnest.

Mister Lincoln is almost ready.

David Austin’s Herbalist rose is starting to bloom.

Pink Moss seems to be waiting for a hot day.

Old Blush or the China Rose is just blooming with small flowers. It will soon be covered in blooms. It is always the first and last blooming.

Thank you for reading. I hope to get Susie to her new facility soon and start her next adventure: Adult Foster Care.

The day started with my alarm waking me at 6:15. I got going and had a quick breakfast and read emails for the shoe company and myself. I also read the Slack messages as we are now installing software for the shoe company. I was in the shower and dressed soon. I was out the door at 7:15ish and at my office building by 7:30.

My first meeting was with the Europe group–we try to stay connected to our Europe-based experts by meeting with them every two weeks. It was my first Zoom meeting with them since returning after my medical absence for colon cancer and chemotherapy. They were happy to see and hear me.

After that, I had a few discussions on Machine Learning and some upgrade discussions. And soon, it was 10ish, and I climbed into Air Volvo and headed to Forest Grove.

I take 26 as that seems easier than the busy roads during the end of the rush hour–I am headed to the West, not towards Portland. I manage all the traffic circles by having navigation running on Air Volvo. Unfortunately, I don’t trust my memory as everything is flat and looks the same, so I use navigation.

I was surprised to see cops and flashing lights as I entered Cornelius, the city next to Forest Grove on Pacific Highway. I saw a smiling policeman with a long stick with a noose on it chasing some puppies on the rail tracks (an active lumber railroad). The little dogs thought the loop more of a game, and the lawman was not catching his quarry. I saw a civilian with dog treats, and she was having better luck. I did have to stop as the puppies ran out into the traffic. The folks then chased them back off the road. The police were smiling, and everyone was being careful. Later, when I drove back to work, I saw the animal control truck at the rail crossing with all puppies safe in the truck.

I soon reached Forest Grove Rehab and Care Center and was in room 44A. Susie was asleep. According to Terry, Susie’s roommate, Susie had been up all morning and just had fallen to sleep after returning to rest. I managed to wake Susie, and we called her mother, Leta, who we had just caught unloaded groceries. Susie and Leta chatted for a while, but Susie was sleepy, and her voice was harder to understand as she was tired. Next, we called my mother, Barb Wild, in Michigan, too, and Susie chatted with her for a short time. My time was short today as I had to get back to work, and soon my visit was over. I left with a kiss from Susie.

I managed to return without issue in Air Volvo. No puppies on the road.

I returned to my office building and back to an open desk. We don’t have assigned seats now, but we often settle into a pattern. So got my usual table.

Lunch and coffee are still free–Nike is welcoming us back with free lunch and coffee. I had the pork twisted gyro with pineapple and corn and pork rines. It was delicious.

I spent the rest of the morning reading and replying to questions and ideas for the ongoing software build and practice upgrade. I also covered some Machine Learning and explained my fav Monte Carlo algorithm to some folks.

I then got a call while still at work and an email on my personal account about Susie. Apparently, Susie was done with insurance on Thursday and was back on private pay. Nobody informed me, and this is against my explicated written instructions–yes, I wrote them a letter weeks ago. My instructions were to move Susie to the new place, Allegiance Senor Care, when Susie is done with rehab–we are not to return to private pay at the Forest Grove facility–that would mean I would be paying for two rooms for Susie! This was agreed to by everyone. But not done.

To make things worse, I also learned that the bed and wheelchair for Susie were not ordered and certainly not delivered to Allegiance yet. Thus, at the soonest, Susie could move on Friday. Julie from Forest Grove apologized. I forgave as the world of medical stuff is just a mess in the pandemic, and I know Julie was out ill for a week. But unfortunately, nobody followed up for her even when Susie was done.

I am frustrated not for the failure but about the money. I have sold stock to cover these costs, and I have only so much I can cover at these high rates until I have to sell more stock, but I did not imagine I would pay for two rooms by mistake. Ugly. I will have to sell more assets a few months earlier than planned.

Mariah texted me if today would be a good day for pizza and a beer. H**l, yes. So I left work at about 4:30 and headed to The Rock Wood Fired Pizza. There I had a red ale and waited for Mariah. She appeared after 520ish, and I ordered spicy pasta instead of pizza. Mariah went for pizza. I later had their donut dessert (not that good as the donuts are pizza crust baked and then sprinkled with sugar.

I also texted the Smiths + Jason in New York City. Natasha Smith is graduating from Cornell this week. I miss traveling with them and NYC. So a toast to Natasha, Jason, Kat, Michelle, David, and various cats.

Aside: Mariah has purchased a used Hemi Dodge Charger–an excellent orange one with a racing stripe, and I waited for her to start it in Air Volvo. It makes a loud distinctive sound, and thus I waited for it and gave her a thumbs up when the loud grumble filled the air in the parking lot. Mariah is now thinking about going into racing and is hanging out with car folks. She loves the Charger! I suggest she have a Gay Pride flag painted on the roof and to name the car the General Grant–she liked the idea (we will see).

Let us hope we can get Susie to Tigard soon and start the next adventure with Michelle Nixon and Allegiance Senior Care!

 

 

Today a lot went wrong as the day went on. So let’s go backward in our storytelling…

I am home from Wildwood (no relation) Taphouse. I realized that I had forgotten my wallet as I walked in, and the owner offered to spot me a beer, but I kept enough cash in the car to cover the beer and even a dollar tip. I have a $5 bill, two bucks in quarters, and one Susan B Anthony (the US $1 coin no longer being produced) to cover emergencies; I will have to replace it to be ready for the next crisis. So feeling foolish, I accepted a red ale and sat down at a table.

I had put the solo (yes, just one player) board game, Nemo’s War in Air Volvo, as I meant to stop at a place to play it after voting (see below). So I set it up and even explained it to a few folks (none masked) that asked me about the game (my mask was off as I was drinking a beer). It is a beautiful game and very immersive. I try to find my inner Captain Nemo from Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea while playing the immersive game.

Aside: I like the movie and the Disney Nautilus. I have built a lighted model of a different Nautilus look but still with what we would call now a steam-punk look. Disney was well ahead of their time with the look of Nautilus. My model of the Nautilis I built even plays organ music! So I have some affinity for this theme, you could say.

I played the easy level and the basic game. I had managed to get to within three turns of at least scoring, but a disaster happened. Capt. Nemo (me) forgot that if the ocean fills with ships, he cannot hide anymore and automatically loses the game. Next time! I was an overly peaceful Captain, not realizing that I needed to clear the seas of those who would do me harm. However, I still enjoyed the game and will play it again when I have a free evening.

Before I spent the evening being Nemo, I dropped my ballet for the election in the official box. As I said before, we do only by mail elections in Oregon. I could have mailed it, but it must be postmarked by tomorrow to count–instead, I dropped it off at the election box to ensure it will be counted.

I had to open the car door to reach the voting box and undid my seatbelt. I then shut the door on the seatbelt. The door was jammed, and I could not force it open from inside Air Volvo. I drove Air Volvo over to the parking lot and parked. Next, I had to jump over the stick and the console to the other seat. I managed to jam my foot into the console and was stuck for a moment. I’m glad nobody could see this! I managed to grab my foot and pull it out and could then sit properly in the passenger seat. A bizarre yoga Volvo move! Last, I opened the passenger door, walked to the driver’s door, and managed to pull the driver’s door open from the outside. Problem solved! This was beyond an eye-roll moment!

Continuing with the story, I voted this evening after making dinner. Again, as we vote only by mail in Oregon–no voting booths, I had to fill out the ballet with a pen. I looked up the candidates I did not know, read what they wrote in the voter pamphlet, and read about some online. I vote democratic, so this is the primary, and also, the election fills some local positions (including the auditor–we vote in the auditor?!). I only had one difficult choice (the auditor) as everyone running for auditor read about the same and competent. I will not list my votes here–politics is not what this blog is for.

I seal and sign the envelope. Done!

For dinner, Glenda would be happy; all the food came from the freezer and Schwann’s. I had a Chicken Cordon Blu with corn and mashed potatoes. As always, I did manage to burn the mashed potatoes a bit on the bottom of the pan as the frozen mashed stuff heats too slow. It was still good.

Going further back, I spent the afternoon watching and reading a bit; I was tired and took a break. After that, I helped with a few items on a practice upgrade for the shoe company.

Again from frozen food, lunch was salmon and fire-roasted veggies (Schwann’s again). I defrosted the previously cooked salmon in the microwave and then added it to the veggies baking in the oven for the last five minutes. The food was great.

I was following along at work while doing all of this. I also did laundry for Susie. I washed some smallish blankets for her to use in the new place. Plus, I did a large load of towels and put them away.

Before lunch and finishing the laundry, I slipped out for 90 minutes to see Susie at the Forest Grove Rehab and Care Center found at 3900 Pacific Highway. Susie was not in her room, 44A, but was instead by the tables near the nursing station. She had just finished breakfast and was a bit grumpy. So I took her for a spin inside the facility–it was too cold for a trip to see the flowers outside.

We managed to reach Leta on the second try on my iPhone. Susie and Leta talked next to the fish aquarium in the lobby for a while. Three are tiny starfish-like creatures now stuck on the glass inside the aquarium. It did make me remember the last Suicide Squad movie when I looked at them. But these are not moving and not trying, yet, to eat my face.

Soon Susie was getting tired, so we stopped with just one call and one tour. I took Susie to her room; Terry, Susie’s roommate, was not there as she was getting a workout in the gym. I asked the nurses to help Susie get back to bed to rest.

The trip there and back in AIr Volvo was without incident.

I started the morning at about 7ish; I was lollygagging in bed for 45 minutes. Before that, I slept well, but I did not get to bed again until after midnight. So tonight, I hope to sleep soon!

Thank you for reading.

 

I am sorry, but it has been a busy weekend, and I am just now free to write. But, unfortunately, I had to rest a few times and could not just write.

Saturday 14May2022

So Saturday started at 7ish with me getting ready to have a movie day for Susie. So I quickly took my pills, read my emails, and then packed up my computer, a C-to-C USB cable, my portable 16″ Screen, and some popcorn.

I purchased a four-movie set on Apple that morning. This included Sing In The Rain and today’s movie Gigi from 1958. This is Susie’s favorite, and she knows all the words and all the songs. I have lost track of the number of times I have seen it–primarily bits and pieces while I sat with Susie for some of the good parts.

So on Saturday, I headed to the Forest Grove Rehab and Care Center found at 3900 Pacific Highway, but this time I had to turn around in the parking lot. I took the back entrance, and an ambulance was parked in the driveway, blocking my parking lot access. I was relieved after re-entering the parking lot via Pacific Highway and discovering Susie in room 44A.

I got out the laptop and connected the larger screen. I connected to the Bluetooth-accessible speakers I brought and set them in Susie’s bed. I got popcorn and got some for Susie and her roommate, Terry. We spent the next few hours watching the movie. Gigi was fun, and Susie sang along and once or twice explained the story to me.

We called Leta, Susie’s mother, at the halfway point on my iPhone using FaceTime. Susie was pleased to chat with her mother and had a friendly chat, then we returned to the movie.

Susie also had some popcorn, one kernel at a time. Susie loved the popcorn but was careful and had only a few bites. It is a bit risky, but it added to the special moment.

The movie finished just as lunch was ready, and I headed out. I had sat on a hard chair for almost three hours. I needed a break and my own lunch.

I returned home and had a roast beef and cheese sandwich, and started on my balloon model. I managed to finish some of the riggings and start the basket. I also ordered some clear acrylic rods as I decided that it would look better support from below and not hung from a string. This is for Dungeons and Dragons, and I hope it is finished in time to be of some use.

I also started a new book; yes, I am reading three books simultaneously–this happens when I get tired of one book or, in this case, I get some new, well-written book. I am reading a newly published book on the shipwreck of the American Civil War (I learned from the Brits that I need to put the American as there were other civil wars), the Sultana. The book is, for me, a page-turner as there is so little known or published on the Sultana, and the book is a real treat from the US Naval Institute Press (I am a member of USNI). Sadly, we have only a few pictures and no detailed drawings of the ship. While a terrible story, I enjoy learning so much from this book. Excellent.

While I was reading, Mariah texted me, and I agreed to have a rushed early dinner with her at BJ’s Brewhouse. I was there at 4:20 and ordered a beer and food. Mariah got there about 4:45, and we had a nice quick dinner and drinks. The bar staff asked me about Susie. They remembered her, even after the pandemic, and I told the bartender that Susie was in a facility, and they asked me to take Susie their best wishes (I told her about that on Sunday, and she smiled that BJ’s folks still ask about her).

I had just the California bread appetizer and some chips with cheese with a red ale.

Next, I was almost late to Richard’s house in Portland to play board games at 6PM. James was there to play on Saturday night. It was Arc Nova again. This is an engine-building resource management game with cards driving the play. The theme is that you are building the most fantastic zoo by creating interest and doing real work to help animals and the world. Each gets a score, and when the scores of one player cross on the board, the game ends. Arc Nova is complex but fun to play, and I like it.

I started in the first place and finished last. My score was minus 20, which was worse than my first game. Next time!

Next, we played, James having to leave, my copy of Unsettled. Another board game, but a different style. This is a “dude on a board” with cooperative exploration. And, like all good cooperative games, the game builds fast, and soon, you are immersed and trying to make it to the last task and survive.

Richard and I got lucky and got all the insight that gave us the advantages we needed to win and escape. It was nice to beat the game.

I returned home after that. It was so nice to play games until late, but that meant the blog would have to wait. I was soon reading and falling asleep. I dream I was trapped in a cooperative game, and I am not sure I won.

Sunday 15May2022 (Today)

The morning started today at 7ish, and I was tired and moving slowly. I decided that the blog would wait, and I would head to church at 10ish. I just went slow reading and having breakfast. I made it to church, and we had a guest speaker from the Hillsboro Fire Department chaplains. It was a good talk. We also got to sing a Hank Williams song.

Yes, that is a banjo!

Next, I headed home and had another sandwich and some leftovers for lunch. Next, I went to see Susie by taking Air Volvo to Forest Grove. She was resting in bed. Terry sold me that Susie had been up all morning and was just now resting in bed.

We called Susie’s mom and then Susie’s sister, Barb, on my iPhone. We did FaceTime so everyone could see each other. Barb and I chatted too for a bit. I had a short visit and left with a kiss.

I returned home only for a short time. I head out in Air Volvo to Cory’s house to play Dungeons and Dragons. We finally got a chance to try out our characters in a significant heist. We raided a small base. Our characters are not built for combat but for hidden movement and a grab and run. This time we got to use this to our full capability. Matt was surprised by our tactics (or lack of them) and how we stole everything we could get and escaped with our goal fulfilled and even more loot. This fits the older model of D&D, where you avoid the battle but grab the loot.

Our characters are two monks (I play the drunken style while Scott plays the mysterious shadow monk), a ranger, a bard, and a rogue (and hobbit and arcane trickers–filling in for being our wizard too). Every player character has stealth as a skill!

That is where I will stop the story. I am tired, but it was a lovely weekend.

My china rose, Old Blush, flowers are out now.

The bloom is beaten down by the heavy rains. Yes, it has been a damp spring–even by Oregon standards!