Blog

I am tired tonight, again, and I have fallen asleep twice. The pain in my right leg is better, but it is still quite pronounced and tired me out. I am hoping it will be better tomorrow.

The morning started in the rush that always happens when I try to be at work before 8AM. I first woke up at 6:15, made coffee, made breakfast of cottage cheese with canned (no extra sugar) peaches from a can, and read my emails, texts, and Slack channel update.

The coffee I drink is Equal Exchange brand that supports the liberal belief in paying a living wage and a fair exchange for goods (coffee in this case). Opposed to the more corporate system of getting products as cheap as possible, possibly exploitatively, and selling it at the highest price the market allows. Many of my friends, and readers, believe that the market will settle this, and while I do not believe that and think regulations are more effective with required transparency, Equal Exchange allows us both to be right. So my conservative friends, buy some Equal Exchange as the brand is changing the way coffee is sold and is transparent without regulation–precisely what Adam Smith would love, and I bet I would have drunk! Maybe, a little liberal every morning will help; who knows.

Liberal coffee got me going, and soon I was ready and in Air Volvo, still smelling clean and shiny from being polished at the dealership for complete detailing (cleaning, polishing, and some grooming). I have this done once a year so that the car seems new. I paid off Air Volvo, titled cleared, too, so I want to keep it in fine condition.

I reached work on time but talked to folks about various things and missed all the status meetings. I did make some stand-ups. Nike uses the Japanese process now known as Agile, which can require a cycle of stand-up meetings. I have been using Agile software development for more than a decade now. I believe using Agile methodologies combined with automated testing can reduce escapes (bugs and mistakes) to near zero. Combining this with CI/CD allows developers to instantly promote clean code that is automatically tested and evaluated, gets you substantial cost savings and reduces development time. Nerdvana for me.

I had a business lunch meeting with a friend, and we talked about software development and some thoughts about the future. I am worried that I might not be able to mix caring for Susie and the busy life of corporate IT–I may be overwhelmed and fail. My friend suggests that doing interesting and good work is the answer–we have a few more good years in us. I demurred.

After lunch, I risked Beaverton Police and used 217, which was torn up by construction and flooded with traffic, but I managed to get to the hummingbird house fast and without incident (or loss of paint). Susie was finishing lunch, and I waited. Tracy from Physical Therapy was there. I have brought the stepper I bought on Amazon as a step for Susie. It is extra wide and stable–it fits inside the wheelchair too!

Once Susie was done with lunch and Tracy had completed the basic checks–blood pressure (100/64), oxygen levels (good), and some questions about pains (no), medication changes (no), and falls (no)–we started into today’s work: Practice getting on to the bed set at the same height as the back seats of AIr Volvo. We used the new step for her to start and the belt (to allow safe and comfortable helping), and Susie managed to do about four of these–it is a lot of work. Susie can slide well, and Tracy thinks we can use a transfer board to make this even easier (and safer).

We played with the balloon next. My leg was hurting, and I nearly fell trying to help, which certainly did not impress Tracy. Tracy relegated me to sitting on the bed behind Susie. Jennifer thought she might have to get me a bed for Susie’s room! Soon Tracy was done, and I believe she was pleased with the advancements.

I was now in more pain and took Susie for a short trip to Metzger park. On the first bench, I called Leta, Susie’s mother, and we chatted for a while on FaceTime. I then took Susie back to Jennifer, the nurse aide for today, got a kiss goodbye, and returned to Air Volvo.

I risked 217 back, and again the traffic was heavy but moving. So I returned and entered, late, the project stand-up, the first live one since Covid-19; I wore a mask and found a seat for the first part. It was catered, and wine and beer were offered (drinking is allowed at Nike). After the usual leadership presentation and Q&A, I spent time talking to folks and getting a bit of cheese.

After that, I collected my laptop and stuff and headed home. The trip home was uneventful. Once home and after more painkillers, I heated some potato gnocchi, heated some North African-style sauce from a jar by Les Moulins that I love (highly recommended if you can find it), I cooked in hot butter some raisins, almond slices, and spices (light dusting of cardamon, cloves, and cinnamon plus salt), and added couscous with water. The sauce goes on all of it!

I watched two episodes of Lucifer and started the second season while eating. I like the show more now that it is less predictable. It has given up the cop show formula and is relying more on storytelling now–more Blue Bloods-like. The actor and the writers for the actor playing Lucifer make me very happy with some fun lines I wish I had written.

I took a long nap after more painkillers. I plan to limit my movements on Friday.

Sorry I failed to take pictures. Susie was in her red Converse shoes today!

Thanks for reading.

 

I am running very late tonight and tomorrow is a rushed day. So I will be brief today.

I was at work at about 8AM after having disturbed sleep and many dreams last night. While these dreams did not include nightmares, they were provocative and showed that I was worried about the future and demanded I take action. I am still thinking about these dreams and their meanings all day. My day was colored by my thinking about the meanings of dreams.

The morning was spent in meetings and talking to folks at work. Some were, and so frustrates me, Zoom meetings that could and should be in-person. I do not like calling into meetings from the office to talk to people on the same project (and sometimes in the same room!).

I went to Susie’s, braving Beaverton and 217, after 10ish this morning. Susie had just finished breakfast, and it was a nice summer day, so we headed out into the park. There we reached Leta, Susie’s mother, on my iPhone. Susie and Leta had a friendly chat with me and talked to Leta too. Leta was at lunch at Panera’s and offered to email me the almond chicken sandwich, which she ordered without bread (it comes in a lettuce basket).

We enjoyed the park for a while, but it was a work day for me, and I had to leave soon. So, with a kiss, I left Susie with Vanessa, today’s nurse aide. Susie was better today and less confused.

I stopped by Burger King and had a whopper with cheese sticks (never again) and diet coke before turning to work.

I spent the rest of the day at work following along and talking to folks about various issues. I headed home at 4ish and checked back into work. I got the two stools I ordered in the mail. The one used for step exercises might work for Susie getting into the Air Volvo–I put it in the back for Thursday’s physical therapy–it is wide. I will likely send the other one back (too small).

I had cookies for a snack and then headed to First United Methodist Church. It is Wednesday and choir practice. I play games with Zophia, 11 years old, while her mother, Dondrea, does band and choir practice. I brought Scythe, and we spent the whole time learning and playing Scythe. While this is a 4X game (Explore, Expand, Exploit, Exterminate), it is light on combat but heavy on the process. Like all 4X games, it is a highly competitive and can be mean (ego bruising). Your turns are complex, and the strategy is also cdifficult

It is ranked as the 16th greatest game on Board Game Geek. It is a hoot to play once you get the flow and the rules and yre ready to be ruthless. There are many ways to win, and you have to be more efficient (or ruthless)  Zophia started to get it and deat me back in combat once (with a smile). I scored about ten points on her at the end, but she had me worried, and that was not bad for a first-time play!

Zophia liked Scythe.

As I said, we only got one game done, and after that, I stopped by Olive Garden to get pasta, meatballs, and salad. I was hungry, and I was still thinking about the dreams, despite the distraction of Scythe. So I ate dinner while watching another Lucifer episode on Netflicks. St Lucifer’s episode was better than the previous one and had my attention.

After that, I went to write this blog and rushed it–sorry.

The pain in my leg, while not much better, is less sudden and seems more to be just a pulled muscle. Maybe it will get better after some rest.

Mister Lincoln has grown back to full size at the end of summer.

Thank you for reading.

I believe it is the vax side effects; I have been sleepy all day and rested a few times, which did not help much.

I was up at the hour when one believed one was insane to be up. I was in the shower before 6AM, had coffee, and headed out in Air Volvo to the mothership. Today was the original plan for servicing the car. A light on the tires changed my plans and caused me to have a service day last month, but today was the intense detailing (cleaning, polishing, and renewing). I do this once a year on my vehicles, so they always feel new. I only trade them in when I am unsure of the car. The previous XC60 I traded into, I did not like how it was handled, and the internal controls were old school. The current one is so nice; I paid it off, cleared the title, and plan to have it until I get the electric vehicle I want. The current direction is the Volkswagen ID.Buzz, with a name selected, The Van Electric, but I am waiting another year for them to appear in the USA market. I have to test drive them, and I could wait a year for the self-driving to become available.

Air Volvo is keeping its value; an offer of $32,000 for the car from Carvana suggests it will be valuable in the near future. I plan to keep Air Volvo for a while until ID.Buzz is a good option, or another Air Electric is discovered. I may retain a gasoline car for all the obvious reasons.

The dealership was not open ahead of time, and then I was directed back from the location of the service to Sarah at the Volvo Service desk a block away. She handled everything and apologized that I was not on her list for a loaner car. We agreed that I could just get a ride back as I was not expecting a loaner today.

I returned home after a nice Lyft ride. The driver was friendly, and we chatted. I was back in the home office by 7:20 and working from home. I did hours of Zoom calls missing only one in-person meeting.

I reheated some goulash for lunch and read a bit. I was suddenly tired again, and the pain in my right leg was quite uncomfortable, particularly when first standing up. I called out in distress a few times! I took more painkillers.

I spent the afternoon following along at work; no crises of the moment today. I rested a few times as I seemed to just become exhausted. I did pay my ticket to Beaverton with the lovely photo of my running a red light–I decided not to write anything and just accept the fine. Sarah called and sent a Lyft ride to get me. I was soon paying at Volvo for what seemed like a new car.

Next, I drove, not through Beaverton, to the hummingbird house. Susie had just laid down and was happy to see me. She was confused and kept saying something was wrong and that she was in the wrong room. She was also saying something was wrong with her. I think my being late and her not knowing why was the underlying issue.

I took Susie to the park; we did the big circle and the magnolia tree she loves. Susie talked to her mother on my iPhone, and we also called Rev. Anne Weld-Martin to chat. Susie was happy but still a bit confused.

Susie wanted me to take her home today, but she agreed to stay as she felt safe at the hummingbird house and liked it there. It is always heartbreaking to have this discussion, but today Susie accepts the logic, and she will continue to work to get better so she can someday ride in Air Volvo and at least visit her house.

I drove home, not crossing Beaverton, in the clean and nice-smelling Air Volvo. The pain is worse, and instead of making dinner, I stop at the Sushi place nearby and enjoy pulling little raw and cooked food on little dishes from the track. It is a fav.

I got home, rested, and then watched some more of the Netflicks Lucifer. Also rewatched the Power of the Rings episode and thought it the best so far. I like Lucifer, but it is very predictable.

I then wrote the blog while baking cookies. Yes, I need a cookie!

Thanks for reading.

The pain and exhaustion continue today. I sometimes call out from the pain when I stand; yes, it sucks. I was busy all day as Mariah had car issues, so I traveled from Susie in Tigard to Forest Grove, an hour trip, using TV highway. I managed that by only brushing Beaverton; I am still on Beaverton strike.

I started the morning late (for me); after 8, having woken a few times moved and went back to sleep. I finally got going and wrote the blog for Sunday. I was too tired last night to consider it. The morning was going better, except the painkillers (Advil and Tylenol) did not stop the pain. I got updates from Tracy from Physical Therapy that she would be early and had to rush lunch, pasta, and sausage left over from a few days ago. I went in a hurry in Air Volvo.

I beat Tracy by fifteen minutes, crossing Cooper’s Mountain and taking the non-Beaverton roads. I stayed primarily legal. We called Susie’s mother while we waited, and Susie and Leta had a friendly chat on my iPhone using FaceTime. I nearly fell asleep while they chatted. I am still tired.

Tracy arrived, and we took Susie into the activity room and did some standing. Tracy and I also measured Air Volvo. We must cross 50 inches of space to get Susie in Air Volvo. We will try to transfer Susie in and out of the Air Volvo soon. It is one of our goals that Susie and I can get Susie in/out of Air Volvo.

Aside: I just ordered a step stool and an exercise step that is wider and less likely to kick out. One may help.

Susie can stand with a belt on and with Tracy’s help, but we improving. She leans to the right and has trouble with the right leg–as expected.

We also looked at the rubber ban things and discussed the balloon game. All good. Tracy is looking for a standing frame for us and will supply excises for the rubber band things next time.

I then took Susie for a short visit to the park. The day was nearly a perfect summer (not fall) day in Oregon. Lots of little people and even tennis players. We chatted with the tennis folks as we had none for so long. They were new, and told them to come more often as we hope to see more use from the courts. The courts were primarily empty this summer.

Linda, my sister, had a bit of a challenge. She hit a softball into a post, and it bounced back and smashed her in the mouth–ouch! Then, mom Wild, Barbara, did not answer her phone this morning, and Linda panicked. I spoke to mom Wild on Sunday, but Linda recovering from the slam, did not and was worried. Barb had trouble with leg pain (I am sympathetic), slept in, and ignored the phone. Everything is fine.

After leaving Susie in Jennifer’s good hands with a kiss goodbye, I traveled from hummingbird house to Forest Grove and found Mariah, after missing her the first time, in the bar of the Black Dog (she had to call me to tell me to turn around). I had a beer and a mushroom (their Born Wild burger, of course) and chatted about cars with Mariah.

She could walk short distances in Forest Grove, so I headed home. However, I did stop by Jim’s Ice Cream for a snack. I then crawled into bed and slept from 4ish to 6ish.

I got up and had cheese and crackers while catching up on Rings of Powers, the first episode that felt more Lord of the Rings and not a slow knock-off of Peter Jackson. The story is accelerating and has put away the Lord of Maps we saw before. The House of Dragons was next, which went slow but mainly to set up the ten-year jump in the next episode. I liked it, but it seemed primarily filler. Finally, we say goodbye to the young actors, replaced with the older folks in episode 6. A strange move, I think, but let’s see how they do.

I cleared out the car that must be at the shop at 7AM tomorrow.

I then wrote the blog.

At the end of Sunday, I made a paid time off (PTO) request, blocked my work calendar, sent notes that I would miss two meetings, and went back to bed. My right leg was cramping, and standing on it was causing pain. I was tired and a bit loopy. The impact of the new vax and playing ballon with Susie. I was too tired to write this blog, and Monday would crash and burn if I tried to make it work. So PTO for Monday.

Returning to Sunday, I slept in until about 7:15 and started on breakfast and coffee. I had cereal with fresh banana slices. I then dried some items on the stove and unwittingly turned on a burner to near high. This destroyed my Chef’s Neverburn pan. It cannot be replaced as the company is gone. I was upset by mistake and that a small bump turned on a burner. I guess I should be happy that a fire did not break out, but still, it made me feel very silly, and the loss of one of my neatest pans upset me.

I spent the early morning writing the Saturday blog, which is always long as I try to fit a whole weekend into one day. I finished about 10AM and was not inclined to rush, be late for church, and risk another adventure with Beaverton’s policing cameras and officers. So I am on Beaverton strike (I will likely relent on Wednesday night to play games with Zophia).

I cleaned up and dressed. I did a few house tasks. I watched the church service online, and Dondrea gave an excellent sermon. She managed to mix her experience in water sports with scripture and baptism. I thought it was one of her best sermons yet.

Aside: I did join the Kickstarter project to support the H.P. Lovecraft Film Festival, 8-10Oct.

I got a text from Mariah, and we met for lunch at the Golden Vallery Brewery. There I had a Malbec wine to relax. Mariah was late, and then we both had steak salads. We mainly talked about her adventures trying to buy a home in Portland. Closing costs are exploding, and Mariah is stressed.

It was already 2PM (where did the time go); I then headed to see Susie at hummingbird house and skirting Beaverton. Susie was having a snack before I got there. When she finished, after once choking, I took her out to Metzger Park. The park had two sets of birthday parties and was busy on the cloudy but high 70Fs day. I was already fading, and we soon called Susie’s mother and chatted for a bit.

We returned to the house and played the ballon game/exercise. I throw the ballon, and Susie hits it back, primarily using her right hand. Susie did manage to hit me in the face once. That got a smile.

Evan stopped for a few minutes and joined the balloon game. One of us would recover the balloon, and the other would throw it. Susie loved the attention.

Soon it was approaching 4PM, so I stopped and kissed Susie goodbye. M.A.S.H. was playing one of Susie’s fav (and celebrating its 50th anniversary), so Susie was headed back to her recliner to watch some more.

I took the route over Cooper’s Mountain home, skipping most of Beaverton. I picked up a book as a gift for M@, our DM, and headed then to play Dungeons and Dragons at 5:30. Time passed very fast.

I was early and took a short nap; the pain and the exhaustion were piling on now. When M@ arrived, I gave the book to M@, a Kickstarter project: Giordano Bruno’s De Magia translated, and we entered Cory’s house to play. This game is played at Cory’s home as Cory lost his legs, and it is safer and easier to relocate there than try to get Cory into our houses to play. We were all there today and played more of The Wild Beyond the Witch LIght setting. We are near the end of the campaign. I have agreed to DM for a few sessions between games, and I am writing an adventure for that (I need to get going on that again). We started investigating the final part, and as usual, for a start, it was slow going, and we missed following a clue and nearly lost a character. We are being more attentive now.

I could barely stand and was exhausted when we finished near 9PM. We play for 3.5 hours Sunday nights, and I am not usually tired. You sit and talk.

I drove home with care and reached home, and, as I have already described, just collapsed in a heap.

Yes, I will be more careful and did get some rest on Monday. Thank you for reading!