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The day started with me getting going at 6:30ish and starting on my blog after having some yogurt for breakfast. I kept writing through the Zoom status meeting at the shoe company at 8:05. I listened while I was writing and even commented on a few status items. I could not write fast while listening, but I did make some progress.

I finished Saturday’s 1,300 words blog by 9:15ish and got ready for church at 10:30. Air Volvo got me to the church on time without incident. Shawn gave the sermon, and the focus was your foundation for your beliefs. He titled it “Good Foundation.” He described how his faith has been strengthened by his experiences in Karate and the pandemic (all the people coming together to help each other). He also expressed that you can find solace in his favorite band’s rock and roll lyrics, whose name I lost (trying to remember it all day). Howard Ashley, our music director, played a fun version of Do Lord, Remember Me before we started the service (arr. Chuck Marohnick). I found a version online that will get you an idea of the start of our service. It was a profitable morning!

I was out of church at about 11:30, headed to lunch near the church, and selected Ur Mediterranean after parking Air Volvo on the street. While the service and dining area were basic–being kind, the food was terrific and had that extra home-cooked goodness that I had not tasted since I was in New York City. So if you stop by Ur Mediterranean, I suggest grabbing some food and taking it out to the nearby park.

Rant: Not related to the story; I saw a bottle on the ground next to a few more of the same type in Beaverton today, not far from where I parked Air Volvo. It is not the littering that makes me angry. These were 200ml booze bottles, and I know that alcoholics buy them when they are begging–their lives ruined by addiction. A 200ml is just a few bucks. The folks that beg for change that are addicted to alcohol use the small amounts they get to buy these tiny bottles–it stops them from getting withdrawal symptoms. When I see them tossed in pairs on the ground, I think of all the pain of addiction. The world seemed so lost to me for a while when I saw these bottles lying on the ground–pure pain. 

With a food-coma from a large gyro with spicy lamb consumed with gusto after a small breakfast trying to take me, I headed to see Susie. I reached, using Hall Boulevard to cross Beaverton, hummingbird house without incident. As usual, I was carefully following all the speed limits–the trip on Hall Boulevard is a tour of different speeds that change with only a white sign warning you to brake. So yes, the delta of legality is from 20 to 30 to 45 back to 35 to 30 to 20, all in a few miles. This requires you to pay attention not just to the fascinating driving traditions of Beaverton, Oregon (slowing for potential green lights, driving slow in the left lane, and slowing abruptly for a turn and then signaling), but to the signs and your speed. Do not even think of touching your phone!

Susie was napping in her chair and woke and smiled when she saw me. Rachel, the nurse today, told me that Susie had slept in late today and seemed more active than what was reported for yesterday. Susie was sleepy yesterday. Susie decided to do the park first today.

Rachel got Susie in her wheelchair, and then we headed outside. It was past noon, and the hot sun was starting to bake Oregon; however, there was a nice cool breeze, and the shade in the park was just perfect.

Metzger Park was full of happy kids enjoying the swings, climbing bars, slides, and spinning manual rides. The parents were at picnic tables eating or just watching. Dogs were also everywhere on leashes and enjoying a walk in the park. Plastic bags are supplied by the park for the pet owners, and trash cans are set in useful places to help folks keep the park clean and safe.

In the park, I watched one group of smaller kids playing miniature soccer against two adults. All of the kids playing against the two men. The adults clearly had the advantage of size and coordination, except the small nets and smaller soccer balls were hard to use for big people. It looked like a close match.

I sat with Susie on a bench and called Leta, Susie’s mother, and we talked for a bit. It was getting hot, and Susie was in a coat and sitting in a black wheelchair, so soon it was best to head back as she was getting warm. I was also getting sleeping from the double-whammy of lunch and the heat–best to get back to hummingbird house!

Rachel got Susie arranged in a recliner in the activity room, and we then played, a bit loud, the movie Rocket Man. This is the music version of Elton John’s life (the music is not arranged in chronological order but by pieces that best fit the mood). Rachel liked the music and checked in on us a few times. Susie was happy singing along and stayed awake the whole time. Here is one of the movie’s best and most potent scenes; enjoy.

After the movie, I headed out with Susie kissing me goodbye. It was a good day.

I was home using Alan Street to avoid the center of Beaverton. Corwin contacted me after I was home for just a few minutes. He came over and picked up more of his stuff. George, the suit of armor named by Susie, was disassembled and put in a box. We did use a dolly to get George-in-the-box into Air Volvo. Corwin managed two boxes of stuff and will get the other items, some tools, buckets, carboy, and blacksmithing items, next time. I drove him and his things to his new house on 214th, not far from the Volvo Cave.

After that, I did some light housework, but I started getting tired and rested for a bit.

My asthma started to make breathing harder. I turned back on the AC and took my inhaler. I am feeling a bit better while writing this blog. It has taken me a few hours to write the blog today, but I must admit I wandered a bit when I wrote it. Thank you for reading.

Apologies to Shawn for not getting the name of the band. Thank you for reading!

As usual, I try to fit a whole weekend into one day; thus, this will be a long blog. But I should start with Friday; after Friday’s blog was published, I went to see the new movie Thor: Love and Thunder. I was laughing through a lot of the film and thought it was consistent with the other Taika Waititi Thor movie. I found it fun and more like mythology and a storyteller’s version, like the new version of Alladin starring Will Smith, than a Marvel comic book-based movie. Although one of the characters has cancer, it hit a bit too close to home for me; not a kids’ movie. I liked it.

Now, flipping the day over and starting in reverse, I got to bed Sunday morning at about 1:30ish. I stopped by Taco Bell on my way home from Portland and got nachos. I wanted a Mexican pizza, but they were out of those. So I had a taco too but did not finish that. I need to eat when I take my pills. At Richard’s, I had some corn chips and, before that, a beer and 1/2 while playing games in Beaverton. So I had nachos, and I will not get them there again.

Before getting home in Air Volvo, I was at Richard’s house in Portland with Shawn playing games. We mostly learned how to play a new game, Mezo and I managed to get ahead of Richard’s score, and Shawn crushed us in the final scoring. Mezo is a dudes-on-board area-control board game much in the same vein as Blood Rage and Rising Sun. Both games that I own. It also has a South American god mechanic like what I see in the newer board game Ankh, with players playing by different rules. Richard’s god, you are mostly managing your god and followers to get control of areas, seemed underpowered, and he was not enjoying being crushed on the board. Like the board game Root, you have to learn the powers of the factions and how to exploit them in the faction you control. Richard was struggling, I had different powers on my god that made me remove a lot of dudes, and Shawn seemed to have a set of overwhelming abilities and ran away with the game. The jury is still out on this game to use some old coinage.

Shawn left, and Richard and I played a short two-person learning game of Istanbul; Richard was unfamiliar with the game. I explained it and was then crushed by Richard. I misplayed a few times, unlike me in this game, and Richard ran away from it. Istanbul is a resource management game in the big-box stage of board games and reprints. All that add-ons and the based game are now offered in a single big-box version, cheaper than buying all the parts separately and fitting into the larger box. Unlike some games, the add-ons can be optional, and we played the base game. Next time we will add in coffee. Despite being crushed by Richard, this often happens when you teach a game, this is a fav of mine.

Before getting to Richard’s house, I hung out with Evan in downtown Beaverton by City Hall. We played Istanbul with me playing better this time, and won. I should mention that Istanbul uses a set of unique mechanics and a board you create out tiles (with a recommended layout and then rules for creating your own arrangement to change the game experience). We played at the tap house, Cental Taps, after having a late lunch at the carts a block away.

Beaverton parking was messy as the free parking was closed off as Saturday was Beaverton’s Nights, and the parking was used for stalls. I was slightly annoyed to park Air Volvo in the parking structure for $1 an hour (which cost me $4 total). So Evan parked on the other side of a parking lot. If you close off the free parking, you really should not be charging for parking or discount it.

Lunch was waffle sandwiches. I have the Cordon Blu version of a waffle sandwich. Delicious. Evan had a sweater delight also waffle styled.

We had some beers and played the board game Vindication (before playing Istanbul). This is a resource and area control game. The game’s theme is that you have landed on this island, a companion finds you on the beach, and you explore and experience the island’s mysteries and slowly redeem yourself with the player who has the highest honor wins. Your character becomes Vindicated. Vindication is a colorful and fast game plus a fav.

Before this, we had a busy morning and early afternoon with Susie. I made it to the hummingbird house before 10AM. Occupational therapy was there when I arrived in Air Volvo without incident, and the gal reviewed Susie’s health with me and then worked with Susie for about 30 minutes. OT managed to get Susie to stand by her bed, and Susie’s legs did not buckle, meaning that it is more about control than strength. That is hopeful. OT determined they will not be needed at this time. Physical Therapy will be there twice a week for about a month.

Aside: Susie cannot stand, walk, or even transfer at this time. The nurses carry her.

After OT left, we headed out into Metzger Park. It was still too cold for Susie, 67F (19.4C). The park was full of people with dogs, and kids were everywhere. It was still a bit early for picnics, so none of the tables were in use. We made a quick FaceTime call to Leta, Susie’s mother, and briefed her on the OT and our day so far. I then got a cold Susie back to warm hummingbird House.

Susie resides at:

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

The house phone number: 503 246-4116

Next, I set up a movie in the Activity room. We watched the musical Mama Mia 2, which picks up a few years after the previous film and has most of the original main cast returning. Cher and Andy Garcia play new characters and get to sing a fun duet. Here are the actors playing younger versions of characters from the first movie. Here is my Fav of the new actors’ songs. The second movie is put together better than the first; the music is less a set piece and more set in the story. I like it. Watch the second one only after seeing the first within a few weeks. Mama Mia 2 is not a stand-alone movie.

A good song from the first movie to compare: Christine’s Baranski Song.

Susie was rushed in the morning, two mornings in a row, and had eaten her breakfast (OT had to wait until she was done). Susie fell asleep a few times in the movie and was ready for a bit of lunch and a nap when we were done. Evan came in as we started the movie and watched it with us. Then, with a kiss, I left for Beaverton, as described above, for lunch.

The early morning was a blur of status meetings, breakfast, and getting ready. I also cut some roses for Susie. Mister Lincoln and some of the unknown roses that came with the house.

Reportedly the unknown bush was translated from the previous mother’s house and so could be very old. However, I did have to cut a sucker off that had grown from the roots to be over two feet long and flowered pink. This older bush is a grafted rose and is always in danger of having the graft die and ending up with a plain pink rose. The grafts are usual a pink rose for roots. I am always scared I will lose this would-be red tea Methuselah rose bush and just have the pink graft left.

Well, that is about all I could squeeze in on Saturday. Thank you for reading.

 

I started the morning going slow. I woke for my 6:15 alarm and then closed my eyes for just a second, and it was 7:15! So I got going after that. I made liberal French press coffee, realized I had lots of eggs still (two more dozen), and made poached eggs for breakfast. I put each egg, I had two, on a separate piece of toast, buttered and seasoned with pepper and a dash of sea salt. Thus, I was ready for the 8:05 status meeting for the shoe company on Zoom.

I was not prepared for Rick to call me, at 8:15, from Providence and tell me he would like to have an appointment with Susie today; he offered his only slot he still had today, at 9AM. I had to finish the meeting. Next, I showered and dressed with focus, but I did not skip any steps. I managed to get to the hummingbird house at 9:50. Rick had some paperwork for me, and we discussed lowering Susie’s wheelchair and his likely return next week. He promised he would try to give us a day’s warning next time.

Jennifer, today’s nurse at hummingbird house, had gotten Susie up after I called her about the ad hoc meeting and managed to get Susie breakfast. Susie managed to eat all her oatmeal and had some milk. According to Jennifer, Rick did some basic exercises and other movements with Susie.

Generally, Rick was optimistic when I spoke to him after rushing across Beaverton that Susie might be able to stand and pivot with some therapy. The hope is that she could travel a bit and get in and out of any vehicle with minimal help. For example, I could take Susie to medical appointments, make short trips, and visit using Air Volvo. We have an ambitious goal.

I spent an hour or so more with Susie. She sat in her recliner and fell asleep a few times. The events of the morning had worn her out. The events were unexpected and confused her morning agenda. We did call her mother, Leta, and chatted for a while using FaceTime. It was 65F (18.3C) this morning; it did heat up in the afternoon after the clouds burned off, so we skipped the park.

While there with Susie, I had to keep checking my phone as I was working on some crises of the moment for Nike IT. One did surface that I thought I had already handled, and I sent a reply to resolve that issue. Before noon, I kissed Susie goodbye and headed back home in Air Volvo. Jennifer took Susie to her room to rest a bit.

Reaching home without issue, I finished a load of laundry I started when the 8:05 meeting started. I usually slip in a load of laundry during the meetings on Friday. I put it all away. I made lunch from leftovers, the last of the Jambalaya I made earlier in the week. I had that with the cake I made a few days ago.

I found the new vacuum that I bought when Glenda was here. I had not used it before. My first attempt to use it faltered when I, instead of releasing the vacuum head, pulled out the handle and then pulled out the dust bucket. Not an auspicious start. I reassembled all the parks of the Stark machine and managed to use it. Next, I vacuumed the room that used to be Corwin’s bedroom (he moved out last month). I then vacuumed most of the carpet.

Next, I cleaned all the toilets, two of them, in the two bathrooms. That was an excellent place to stop and read.

After getting going again, I drove to our local Ace Hardware a few minutes away on 185th, returning for my wallet once, and purchased some new white electric wall sockets and switches. I have been replacing all the plugs and switches in the house (built in 1978) and changing the color to white to match the wall colors. I have only some of the less used switches and sockets not replaced. I used to do a few a month but had got out of the habit.

I had not realized that none of the plugs in the bedroom had been replaced and one was clearly broken! So I turned off the power and replaced the switch first, primarily for practice as I have not done this for a while. I managed to install the new one up-side-down (‘NO’ showing not ‘ON’) and had to take it out and correct that. The plug took me a while. It is a pass-through and has two wires on each side plus a ground wire. Don’t cross the colors! I was successful, and my plug tester gave me two yellow lights meaning it is good when the power is back on.

I was sweating after that and the cleaning. I will do more on Saturday.

With the 5:05 status meeting at Nike nearing, I ordered dinner from GrubHub to be delivered for about $6 extra. I am still worried about getting Covid-19 or other severe flu going around. I ordered a large Ceasar salad and chicken parmesan with a side of spaghetti with sauce.

I ate a bowl of salad and chicken parmesan for dinner while listening for an hour to status. I will reserve the rest of the salad and the spaghetti for another meal. I read email, text, and Slack channel messages, but I was not needed.

I read some more and then did not fall asleep. I got going again before 7 and started to write this blog.

Thank you for reading!

 

 

Working backward, I went for a drive. My original plan was to try to play the solo board game Nemo’s War, but all the tap houses were full of people and standing room only. I also saw that I missed the time for movies by an hour. So I returned home and started on the blog.

Dinner was during the 5:05 status meeting that went on to 6. I reheated the last of the sausage and pasta I made a few days ago. I also had a cupcake and even some cake as a dessert.

Work was a dizzy repeat of yesterday, with me rushing from meeting to meeting. Free moments I spent reading and evaluating documents. In between busy moments, my boss, Brad, gave me my 2022 Pay Statement. I received a raise and a bonus for 2022, aligned with company policy and my expectations. I will have to celebrate and buy myself something frivolous.

Lunch was picking up an Italian Night sub at Jimmy John’s. This is an old-school grinder on fresh white bread. Surprisingly good. I made my noon (over lunch) meeting by just a few minutes. Again, a rushing day.

Before lunch and eating my sub while on a Zoom meeting, the camera off, I was at hummingbird house visiting with Susie. I was a bit later than usual, almost lunchtime, but it was what I could manage on this crazy busy Thursday. Traffic was light, so I could spend extra time with Susie. Thus, Jennifer, the nurse today, placed Susie in her wheelchair, and we hit the part next door: Metzger Park.

Susie was happy to get outside again, and we stopped at the bleachers on the basketball court and called Leta, Susie’s mother. We had an excellent talk. The air was warm and dry, and the birds sang and flew everywhere. Mostly robins and flinches of some sort. Butterflies floated here and there. Dragon and damsel flies rushed by, hunting for whatever they found in the air. It was a typical summer day here in Oregon.

Soon my time was spent. I did take Susie for a longer spin to the middle of the park but then had to head back. Jennifer was surprised when we got back; Susie’s congested from her allergies. I had no time and so left with a few kisses.

Before this, I was in the office before 8. I then did the command center meeting at 8:05. The morning was a rush to be ready and out to make the 8. The alarm got me started at 6:15; I had gone to bed earlier on Wednesday night, so the start was not as brutal as the days before.

Mister Lincoln roses are looking lovely today. The other roses are cut back or are faded from the hot sun. Mister Lincoln seems to love the hot and dry.

Thanking you for reading.

The morning started at 5:30AM with me jumping in the shower first off, getting dressed, and then making coffee and having a bagel and fruit, peaches from a can, for breakfast. I was rushed the whole time as I had a 7AM meeting in the office.

I left with twenty minutes to make it and was still a few minutes early. My boss, Brad, was already there and in a conference room. We met with folks on software developed in Germany and India we use to do data conversions. The Germans talked about the heat wave, 40C (104F)!

The day was busy with me having many crises of the moment and being called ad hoc into various issues. I also followed up on some issues. It was nice to be busy again.

I managed to head out early to see Susie at 9:45AM and reached the hummingbird house at about 10AM. Susie was not up yet, and Jennifer got her ready; Susie wanted a walk outside.

Having had no traffic so early in the morning, I had arrived with plenty of time, so I took Susie through the whole park today. We stopped at a bench and called her mother, who was waiting for a medical test. So that was a short conversation using FaceTime. Next, I call Dr. Peter Koper, a retired professor we have kept in contact with from Central Michigan University, where both Susie and I graduated. We had not connected for a while, and Susie was happy to chat with Pete. After that, we spent time in the park, slowly crossed Metzger Park, and returned to the hummingbird house.

Susie resides at:

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

The house phone number: 503 246-4116

Susie had not had breakfast, and now it was brunch. We had made a large circle, and I was a bit winded, but I needed more exercise, so I did not mind it. I kissed Susie goodbye as she was getting ready for brunch made by today’s nurse, Jennifer.

Traffic was still light, but I did have to steer once into the shoulder as cars stopped unexpectedly; even the Volvo Collision avoidance did not see that one! Cars changed lanes suddenly to avoid the slow car leaving with me having to dive out of the way in Air Volvo–had I just slammed the brakes, the paint on the back of Air Volvo would have been scratched from the rear-ending!

Arriving back at work with the paint intact on Air Volvo, lunch was free today, and I had a small sushi roll. I was then called into more issues during lunch. I was working on crises of the moment all afternoon. I drove home at 4PM and then took the status meeting at 5:05 and commented on some of the crises of the moment in progress.

Today’s Sushi supplying truck.

I made a ham and cheese sandwich with a few cupcakes I made yesterday. They are starting to age but are still delicious. After that, I ate dinner, as usual, while listening to the meeting that ran to 6.

I then took a nap; well, I tried to read and got a few pages before I fell asleep, and the Kindle fell and woke me. I dreamt of the book’s story until the Kindle fell and woke me up.

I restarted again at about 7:15 and started on the blog soon.

I continue to use Quicken to manage all my expenses, income, and investment and to have visibility of retirement numbers. It is helpful to know what is happening.

Today one of the Kickstarter projects, The Darkest Dungeon Board Game, announced that all supporters would have to kick in another shipping fee, about the same as the original, to get their game shipped from China. The game designers made it clear in their statements and math they presented that they didn’t have another million dollars to cover the shipping of the board games. So I just paid the additional fee. The game is now over $500 for me! It is one of the last figure-based board games I will buy this way. I had the same issue with Cthulhu Wars. I am looking towards 2nd Editions and reprints being more successful for me: Grand Hotel Austria (Let’s Waltz), War of Whispers (Deluxe Edition), Pax Pamar, and endless Root versions.

Darkest Dungeon is a video game I helped fund on another Kickstarter, so I felt I should also support this board game. However, I just like the figures and expect the game will disappoint me. I was first in for a few hundred dollars. Then I added on the add-ons. Now, I have paid the shipping cost twice. I hope it gets here soon–not sure I could be convinced to spend any more on it. It is still an extensive collection of figures I like from Darkest Dungeon–I like the look of some French-designed figures.

Thank you for reading.