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Yes, it is that fateful day: Friday the 13th. But, it is also Summer Hours, so Nike closed at noon today, and we are not in the office on Mondays and Fridays. And, today fit the bill of a fateful day: dark and wet.

I started the day feeling fine at 6:15 and began some laundry for Susie. I wanted to wash stuff that had been hung up for months that she could wear at the new location. I liked the stuff to be clean. I will also wash some blankets and collect some of her fav stuff for her new room.

At Nike, the big project starts the journey of the final implementation this weekend. Thus, it is tranquil at work–quiet before the storm. I slipped out about 10ish to mail the books Glenda wanted to keep when she was here. I got them addressed and then off to the post office, media mail–cheap. I next slipped in a quick purchase of stuff for lunch, some cleaning supplies, and flowers for Susie at Safeway. I was back in time to drive Corwin to work at 11ish.

I made a chef’s salad and Pacific Clam Chowder (made with local pacific clams) that I picked up in Safeway. After that, I took Air Volvo through the rainy roads that reached the Forest Grove Rehab and Care Center at 3900 Pacific Highway. Susie was not in room 44A but was just starting her lunch at 1ish near the Nurses’ station.

I stayed with Susie; I was now off for the afternoon, for her whole lunch. I also replaced her old fading flowers with new flowers. Next, I spoke to Social Services, but they have not done anything about discharging Susie; medical stuff always goes at its own speed.

Soon Susie was done, and I was ready to leave with a kiss. I headed home. I was a bit dizzy and tired. Soon I was facing long evacuations in the bathroom, ugh. I was repeating one of the side effects of colon cancer today. So I canceled any more plans and took a rest.

I finally got up and could stay out of the bathroom by 6ish. I ordered Kentucky Fried Chicken delivered and rented the movie via Amazon, Moonfall. I had read reviews that it was not that terrible. Soon KFC was here and I was watching the disaster-SciFi film and enjoying it. It was really fun and never blinked or made fun of itself. I liked it.

After that, with the bowel problems slowing, I rested some more and then wrote the blog.

I will try to get some rest tonight.

By the end of the day, leaving work at 4ish, I was unsteady and sleepy. So it was time to stop. But that is not where the day started, and the finish was not too bad either, thus:

The morning started with my alarm at 6:15 not waking me as I had left my phone charging and woke myself up. I was disappointed when the alarm did not ring when I woke minutes before it. I was happy when I found the phone, and there were no calls last night.

Starting my day, I read emails, both work and mine, and some news while eating a bagel and a banana. I drink Fair Exchange coffee–liberal coffee every morning. I wanted to be at work before 8ish, which I managed.

I had a few meetings in the morning. I was mostly reading today as it is always quiet before a go-live. The skies were gray, and the rain blowing sideways. My hat was endangered by the wind.

I headed to the Forest Grove Rehab and Care Center found at 3900 Pacific Highway in the rain at 10:30. I needed to be back around noon as we had a visit from our new VP. Another rushed visit, I am afraid, and I was soon walking into room 44A to see Susie after driving on 26 and the back roads without event today.

Today Susie was awake and thrilled to see me. She had her morning workout already with the Rehab team. I was rushed, and we called her mother, Leta, who could not speak for long as she was headed to her car after shopping. I then stepped out and talked to the Administrator, Dan, and he let me know that the head of Social Services was out with Covid. I spoke to another gentleman in Socal Services, and he will call Michelle at Allegiance Senior Care to start the process of transferring Susie to their care.

Rehab is happy with Susie’s progress, and I expect her to get another week of care covered by insurance in Forest Grove. So it would be great if we could transfer her two Fridays from now, but that may be too complex, and medical stuff always takes longer than you want.

After talking to Social Services, I was out of time and left Susie with a kiss and a promise to return on Friday. My plans are to watch a movie together on Saturday, maybe her fav of Giggi. I will try to get there in the morning on Saturday.

Work included a pizza party and a chance to meet our new VP. After that, I read some more and started looking at possible uses of Machine Learning in our existing platforms. I am also interested in getting some users to access the extracted data from our new platforms going live this July.

I was up and down the stairs more than ten times today. Finally, I reached my limits at about 3PM and got one more coffee, a free one from our coffee cart: an Americano with cream. I was fatigued and needed to stop at that time, and I drove home at 4ish.

The mail included a new item for my stamp collection, the famous F**k Off stamp from Ukraine. Why yes, there is a Ukrainian stamp set with a guy flipping off the famous Russian cruiser that is now sunk in the Black Sea. The set comes with a digital version of “F**K Off,” you can play, and other unusual additions.

I rested for an hour and then headed out to get some packing tape and other items at the pharmacy. I was going to have Popeye’s Chicken but remembered that there is a nice Sushi Track next to the pharmacy. Dinner was raw! It was wonderful! It was not chicken.

The food helped.

I returned home and decided to catch up on my stamp collection. During Covid-19, I have been able, from time to time, to purchase in auctions some stamps, mostly old used USA postage, for considerable discounts. I have done this as a distraction from cancer and all the other things. One of my specialties, local carriers, has been unusually cheap and surprisingly available (local carriers’ postage is rare and often expensive and full of forgeries–only experts should be buying anything–while not an expert, I am skilled at detecting forgeries and even collect them). So tonight, I went through all my purchases and put the USA and CSA stamps into my collection.

That is an actual, unused Pony Express stamp (a local carrier). I have another version of the stamp used on the real Pony Express. Used stamps are more valuable as the Pony Express did not run very long, and there is a special cache of surviving items carried by the riders. Also, I have a forgery over 100 years old of that same stamp.

Aside: I don’t like to collect Confederacy stamps–I despise the Confederacy, but I have a collection of many of the stamps. There is a large amount of forgery and reprints for CSA, which keeps me slightly interested. There are also local carriers for CSA too.

After putting out the trash and the lawn waste for Friday’s pick-up, I then wrote the blog.

Thanks for reading again.

I am again tired, but I will try to make a full report for today.

I was rushed this morning as I had an early 7:30 meeting, and I planned to do that one in my office building, called Clubhouse. So I immediately showered and reheated yesterday’s coffee and rushed to eat a bagel with cream cheese and choke down a banana. Soon, I was in Air Volvo, having taken my pills just before leaving. When I arrived at my office building with 15 minutes to spare I discovered that my laptop was still at the house. Crap!

Yes, I drove back and called into the meeting with my iPhone while driving, which was not what I had hoped for. The rest of the morning went better, and I soon had a few meetings completed and free coffee from our coffee bar in Clubhouse (serving Starbucks’ coffee, of course).

I headed out at 10:30 for the Forest Grove Rehab and Care Center with all my morning meetings done and a few hours open for Wednesday. I quickly reached 3900 Pacific Highway and was in room 44A. Susie was sleeping and still in bed when I got there. I woke her up, and soon she was talking to her mom, Leta, via FaceTime on my iPhone.

They talked for a bit, but I was rushed (again) as I had limited time, and soon they finished. I then call Dr. Peter Koper, our college English and Literature professor from Central Michigan University we have kept in contact all these years. Pete and Susie have a friendly chat that I joined a few times. Today, it is all good news as Susie is getting Rehab and responding well.

Susie will soon be moving to Tigard to the Allegiance Senior Care, Adult Foster Care Home, 9925 SW 82nd. Ave., Portland (just inside Tigard), Oregon 97223, and phone number 503-798-6037. The facilities are arranging for her transfer after she completes Rehab. That should be next week, I believe. Medical stuff always takes longer than you hope.

With all the calls done, I left with a kiss, and I drove back to work from Forest Grove. I take 26 and avoid the crazy driving trip through Hillsboro. However, I witnessed today a person driving across Pacific Highway and stopping traffic. This was particularly amazing as the person was riding a pink bicycle. I was unsure if the person would be crossing or soon fatally flying through the air. Still, the passive-aggressive Oregonian drivers, likely just as amazed as I was, stopped and let the bicycle rider pass through the traffic unharmed.

I soon returned to work and then went out for our free lunch. The wait was long, but it was a sunny day, and we all chatted in the crowd. I got my exotic fusion Korean and Mexican burrito and devoured it as I had to get back to my desk. More meetings.

Work went on, and I was not home until 5:45, which was the lastest I stayed at work since returning to work. I was fatigued from the stairs and long walks in the building. You do not realize how much extra walking and stairs are in these buildings. After staying home for two years and surviving surgery and chemotherapy, the daily grind is at my limits and leaves me exhausted each day this week.

I rest for just a few minutes. After that, I got a new book delivered, Learning from Data, which was recommended in one of my meetings today by the Nike VP in charge of Nike’s Artificial Intelligence platforms and services. Amazon delivered the book in less than 12 hours! It must be popular. I started it, but I am too tired for that tonight.

Next, I cut up the sausages we have left from a few meals and heat them in a pan. I then add the pasta and water for mac and cheese. I make meaty mac and cheese and share that with Corwin. That is dinner for me–cheap and easy.

I rest some more and relax. Then, I read a travel book for Europe. It is interesting as it is from 1926 and one of my purchases to better understand the time period for the Call of Cthulhu. Reading old travel books with all their advice is interesting. For example, the US money comparison chart in the travel book specifies gold-backed US currency; most US money was convertible at a fixed rate to gold until 1933.

Before it gets dark, I also visit my roses that are now starting to bloom. Here are some pictures and explanations: This is my China Rose called often Old Blush and is the first rose to bloom each year. It already has a faded blossom. It is ever blooming.

You can see that the rose bush is getting ready to explode in flowers. I did cut my finger on a thorn taking this picture. Old Blush has sharp wicked thorns–gloves to handle.

This is pink moss. It blooms only once and is near the bedroom window so the scent can float into the house. It is a huge bush. The thorns are soft on new growth and are medieval on older growth but generally can be avoided.

My tea rose, Mister Lincoln, is growing to a large bush in its second year with us. It is ready to flower next week. I have Root-Gel to propagate some cuttings once it flowers. I have promised new plants to friends from this one. The rose is not protected by trademark or other legalities. It is an old tea rose.

My rosemary trunk broke from the snow in April but is still in flower, lovely blue flowers.

My other rose bushes are growing and will also soon flower, but these are the first roses for 2022.

Thanks for reading!

I am almost too tired to write today. So please forgive me if I am brief today.

Going backward, I returned from dinner with Mariah at the Golden Valley Brewery (GVB), where we both had steak salad on charred lettuce. We sat outside, and I had left my coat at home as I was rushed to make dinner with Mariah. Dr. Peter Koper called and was looking for an update about Susan and me, which delayed me. I will try to call him this Friday or weekend when with Susie.

We chatted about cars and work. But unfortunately, I was fatigued, and I was not hearing that well after a loud party at Nike this afternoon. So I tried to pay attention but found conversation work tonight and excused myself early.

I did have a Spanish Coffee, which might have made me even more tired, but it warmed me up.

Moving more into the late afternoon, still going backward, I drove home, spacing that Mariah and I had agreed to dinner. I had just laid down and closed my eyes when Mariah called me. Unfortunately, I had to drive back almost to work for dinner, but even though I was tired, I had not seen Mariah for a few weeks, and she is always fun to have dinner with. So Air Volvo returned and took me to the GVB after talking, as I mentioned, to Dr. Koper.

Before this, we had a celebration for reaching the next milestone at work, planning a go-live for our software at Nike. I cannot share details of the software and the project here. However, there was finger food, wine, and beer. My boss, Brad, was good with a game apparently called corn hole. It was a lovely party and my first since returning. Many folks were happy to see me knowing that I was out with cancer.

Michelle, my first boss at Nike, and I had some pictures taken for the event.

Moving backward, I was working in the Beaverton office and, for lunch, walked out to the carts that are free this week as Nike is celebrating our return to work and picked up a to-go lunch. I then drove to see Susie in Forest Grove using 26 and the back roads instead of TV highway and thus avoided enjoying all the extra-legal driving I usually experienced on TV Highway. Susie was in bed and awake when I arrived. I could only make a quick visit (I ate the lunch while driving) as I was trying to use no more than 90-minutes for my visit and travel time. We called Susie’s mother, Leta, and they chatted. I had to head back right after that. It is a rushed visit, but it is what I can manage with Susie still in Forest Grove. When she moves to Tigard, I will have a bit more time.

They were celebrating Hawaii day.

I spoke to the Rehab team, and they are happy with Susie’s progress and expect Susie to remain in their program for another week.

Before this, I took Air Volvo to work and arrived there at about 8AM. I had a few meetings. Before leaving, I was up at 6:15 and had breakfast of a banana, some baked goods, and coffee. I try to read everything personal and work-related before 7AM. This allows me to reply before some folks’ workday and at the end of India’s day.

I slept well.

I woke tired today as the weekend was busy. The alarm at 6:15 came too soon. I had a 7AM All-Employee Meeting Zoom call, so no lollygagging this morning. I was up with breakfast and read my email, and was ready at 7AM for more corporate wisdom infusion. I can’t cover that here, but it was mostly about how the brand connects with people and how Nike is enabling that.

Today is Monday, so we work from home on Monday and Fridays. I was thus able to shower, dress, and read emails, and no commute. Next, I read various information on the release today. There were no meetings in the morning after the first few, so I headed out to see Susie.

The trip to the Forest Grove Rehab and Care Center at 3900 Pacific Highway, Room 44A, was uneventful, but I witnessed a bit of car racing down TV Highway. After passing the touch screen sign-in process, I found Susie still sitting near the Nurse’s station, hanging out with the other residents. She was delighted to see me there so early, and we quickly called Susie’s mom, Leta, on my iPhone using FaceTime. They had a long chat as they had not had a long conversation since Friday.

After Susie was done with the call, I took her for a spin around the facility just to have a change of scenery. We looked at the fish. Then Susie was clear she wanted to return to her room and rest a bit. She had a workout with Rehab and breakfast–time for some rest. I found a nursing aide and told her of Susie’s wishes, and kissed Susie goodbye.

I decided on the way back to get lunch. I drove first to Einstien’s Bagels. Bagels are cheaper on Monday, and I got a dozen and two shmears (plain and chives with onions) for about $14. Unfortunately, they no longer do poppy bagels!

After that, I stopped by one of our old lunching places, Happy Panda. A hot pot of tea was perfect for a tired Monday. Lunch was too many calories but was a familiar flavor. It tasted like pre-Covid-19. I enjoyed Hot and Sour Soup and General’s Chicken, and I felt much more like myself. I missed Michael Giessner and Michelle Smith, who used to eat there with me for years.

After that, I returned to the Volvo Cave and carried in my bagels. Work went on with a few more Zoom meetings and reading lots of emails. The big project I am working on announced that we will get the official week break for WHQ Nike employees in August. A surprise to me 1) I did not know about the week in August, and 2) I did not know our project would decide if we could have it off (previously, we did not get it as the project times lines could not handle the new week holiday).

I had a bagel for dinner and headed out to the taphouse The 649 with Nemo’s War. This solo board game, Nemo’s War, simulates you running the Nautilus as Captain Nemo, and I got my copy of the game from the latest Kickstart. It is a reprint, with all the add-ons now included and updated. For example, the game uses drawing bags (sailcloth) to randomize the experience, and the game escalates as you play.

I am new to it, and it took me an hour or more to set up while having an excellent red ale. I managed to start and play a few turns without making too many mistakes. I was constantly looking up the rules, but I watched many videos and soon had a feel for the mechanics. Soon Captain Nemo had explored a trench (for a pile of victory points) and defeated a cargo ship for salvaging parts. The game felt immersive, and I liked it.

I stopped as the game hit Act 2. It was getting late, I was tired, and I had to lookup more rules to play Act 2. Time to stop. I did order some nachos before that. They were great!

So I headed home and avoided a storm hitting just north of Forest Grove. Not sure that Susie did not get to hear some thunder; she loves thunderstorms.

I ordered a new rose bush today. Souvenir du President Lincoln old rose should be here in a few weeks (released in 1865 as a memorial to the assassinated president), and Corwin promised to install a hole for it. So this, like Mister Lincoln, is a second try for this rose. On the rose front, only two roses are showing stress. All the rest, including new climbers and Mister Lincoln, are growing fast and look happy. So I should have flowers soon.

The April snow and constant wetness have stopped the usual bugs from eating the roses. As a result, the leaves and buds look perfect on the unstressed roses. Also, the roses were fertilized, and fresh potting soil was put around them.

I ordered the rose from Heritage Roses, which once had a friendly farm near Newburg, but the rose garden and farm are gone now. Instead, I now order my David Austin roses from well David Austin USA. I order old roses and cold weather roses (for folks in Michigan) from Heritage–their Viking Queen can handle -30F.

The rose Cardinal Richelieu is being drowned. The gutters have an issue and are dumping water near the rose. I am not sure this lovely rose will survive, but I will try to clear the gutter blockage. Unfortunately, the rain has been unusually heavy, and I am unsure if the drains can handle the volumes.

Dear reader, I am fatigued and will stop there. Thanks for reading!