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Today my plan for the morning was to getting going in time to meet Evan at Mox Boarding House with Susie and play a few games. I needed Susie to get going about 10:30ish. Susie said she was not going. I was very disappointed and angry. I was, with a lot of difficulty, able to change plans and get my anger under control. Caregivers somedays don’t get it right and you have to learn to forgive yourself when you fail.

I did not understand until later that Susie did not do her exercises today. I will be more vigilant. Again, you fail, you correct, and try again.

Returning to today’s story, we reworked the plan and Evan came over instead and we watched part of Cinderella on Disney+ with Susie. We fit in a board game: Architects of the West Kingdom with the new meeples and using the Artisan add-on. The game plays a bit better and looks better.

I made Susie corn muffins, I made them after changing plans, and soup for lunch. I combined left overs and some frozen veggies in a pan to make a pasta of ham, veggies, and cream sauce. It was not bad for ad hoc lunch. I had spiced it with pepper. I shared it with Evan.

Evan stayed with Susie while I made a quick trip to the local restaurant supply store, once called Cash-And-Carry and now known as Smart Foodservice Warehouse. Our garlic, pre-crushed and in a jar, was getting old and running low. Our ginger, again in a jar and pre-crushed, was also aging poorly. My huge can of non-stick spray was low. So we needed some new items, and I wanted the most excellent little frozen steaks. These are the flat-iron steaks you see on menus everywhere. Susie is getting tried of pasta and goulash, time to do the steak thing again (12 perfect six-ounce steaks for about $42 all separately frozen).

I usually order everything I need online from Safeway.com, and have it all delivered. Simply, I will not risk our lives for groceries. I make a run to the supply store for special items once every few months.

This time I was happy to see everyone had on a mask and everyone was being very careful. The store was full of cooks and restaurant people and like folks who do not want to be shutdown. They are want to live both physically and finically. They are on the front-line in some ways. They are all being very careful and diligent about social distancing.

After returning and unloading Air Volvo, I started on dinner by trying a new recipe: Ground Lamb with Potatoes. I chopped and cried for the onions. I cut up green pepper (not hot peppers like the recipe called for) and cooked that with the ground lamb that was defrost by mistake but needed to be used. I added in lots of garlic, fresh rosemary from our plant near the roses, salt (unusual for me), pepper (an Asian one that I have), turmeric powder, fingerling potatoes cut in to smaller bits (I bought a large bag of fingerling potatoes at the supply store), and cooked it all in a fry pan with a lid. I added a bit of water once in a while and kept a tight lid on it to steam the potatoes.

I had a few bowls, Susie had one bowl, Evan a few, and it is all gone. I made couscous to go with it. I did my usual recipe. I heated oil in a sauce pan. I added Gram Masala and pistachios and heated that up. I put two cups of good chicken broth in the microwave and heated like soup. I added two cups of couscous dry to the hot oil and spices and nuts. I stir that so it does not burn. I want it slightly toasted. I take it off the heat and let it cool just a bit and then add the chicken broth and put on a cover. I heat up water in the kettle. I add hot water to the couscous to keep it from being too dry.

We watched the movie “Home Alone” on the Disney+ channel. I forgot how funny that movie was and saw how oddly dated it is now. No cell phones or security systems or Zoom calls. And no laptops or Internet. Funny how that movie predated all of that just by a year or so.

Evan and I played one more board game, Istanbul. This is one of my favs and I play it against myself (there is no official Solo version) as two players. Evan had played it once before. We reviewed the rules and then played. I have played myself on two person so many times I know exactly what moves to make. I won, but that one should likely be marked as a learning game. It was still nice to get that game on the table. Evan enjoyed playing Istanbul again.

I am again using my Nike computer as the Apple is belly-up right now waiting for a hard drive transplant. That will happen on Monday. My cool editing software is not running for this. Sorry for any typos or wooden wording.

Today more than 1,200 people in the USA died from Covid-19.

I turned to this hymn today: God of Grace and God Glory. Methodist Hymnal #577. This is a hymn I can even sing.

I am using my Nike computer to do this writing today without all my fancy editors so there will likely be some missing comas and other issues. My Mac with all the fancy tools decided that Friday the 13th was the day for the hard drive to fail. I managed to get to an actual human to look at this morning and I learned that Apple withdrew support for my model years ago and there are no replacement parts for it. The only good news was the my back up was good and can be restored. My choices were to fix it myself or buy a supported model and let them do it in about three weeks. There are a lot of broken Mac and few repair places now–Covid-19 again.

The mac crashed just before Susie’s new Physical Therapist came. We are so happy to work with her. Susie was walking just a bit better after working with her and has some exercises to do. We will see the Physical Therapist back on Monday afternoon. Susie can also ride her exercise bike. Susie is not to get tired or over do it while working on her bike or while doing her new exercises.

I contacted the best Mac store on the web, OWC, and used chat to learn the best new flash drive I can put in my broken and unsupported Mac. I ordered one about twice as fast and twice the storage as the failing one. It will be here likely on Monday. I also remembered to order the special screw drivers to crack-open my Mac. I have replaced and restored drives before. It is why I have Time Capsule from Apple. I have never lost data.

I also spotted a nice 2018 Apple used model that would do if the repair fails.

Lunch was a sandwich, cold roast beef and swiss cheese.

Dinner was with Wayne and Ann from church. It was Wayne’s birthday and Susie’s birthday is coming up so we went out to dinner to celebrate a bit. We went to the local Mexican place.

I then practiced a game of a new board game, Cleopatra and the Society of Architects. I played two players to get an understanding of the rules. You assemble Cleopatra’s palace-temple while playing the game.

Bring this to a rushed close as I try to use other hardware and software, I saw that more than thirteen hundred people in the USA died from the infection today. My sister’s, Linda Wild, test results are not in yet. She is being very careful.

I was talking to Ann about my music choices for this blog and she mentioned a hymn and I just turned to it randomly tonight, so it must be the one we want! Please enjoy Methodist Hymnal # 505 When Our Confidence is Shaken.

Today we started in a rush to be ready for Occupational Therapy at 9:30 this morning. We were ready and rushing. It did not happen. I called, left messages and was told from the office that we did not have an appointment. I had spoken the day before to their Occupational Therapist, and she asked me if Thursday at 9:30 would work. Obviously, something went wrong. It is frustrating, but it is not the time to complain about medical folks missing an appointment in a pandemic. Obviously, we needed a plan B.

I took Susie to the Bargarten (their spelling) in Beaverton. I was their first customer when they re-opened just for take-out. We ordered a sausage dinner for four on the internet. It was huge and came in three trays and was then only pick-up. I remember the manager or owner being so happy to see us when we came for the order. It was so stressful for them to re-open, and we were their only order, but they have survived to now and are open and very careful. Susie and I had a fondu with bread and sausage. Susie had a steak sandwich. I ordered a pork cutlet—too much food. The manager remembered us and sent us a free dessert.

Susie had to walk up stairs and take her walker to the ladies room. Lots of shopping therapy!

We then headed to Powell’s, where Susie again walked quite a distance with her walker. We went to find some reading material for her. I asked if they could fit in two more, there is a limit, and Powell’s staff was so happy to be asked that they all but walked us into the store (keeping social distancing intact).

Susie walked to her favorite author and found a few books. I found one under history. I also found earrings for a Christmas gift for a friend. The earrings are in the shape of scrolls with the words “We The People” cut from thin wood and the word DISCOUNT on them. Hmmm.

We came home, and Susie was dragging. She took a long nap. That was my solution to a non-show for therapy: Shopping Therapy. We received a call from the same office, and we have Physical Therapy now scheduled for 9 tomorrow. We are optimistic this will happen.

I attended tonight our church’s Theology Pub on Zoom. This is a program that has been running for over five years. Our leader Dondrea had picked the word Coalition to discuss. It was mostly a political discussion. We concluded that the country approaching the future with a coalition of both sides from the election will require both sides to approach this coalition with humility and forgiveness.

We also spoke about books important to us. I listed The Frogs by Aristophanes and The Works and Days by Hesiod. The Frogs is a play about corruption and finding a means to correct it, a political work. It also has so many dirty jokes; it is hard to translate–perfect! Hesiod writes in his epic poem The Works and Days about the ordering of humankind’s activities and that there is a purpose to work. For me, the truth these works illuminate is that there are good and bad things, and good can be determined and acted on. Also, they are a bit lighthearted, and I like that.

I was ill part of the day with some medication side-effects. I should know better. So it was a slow-going day for me with little more done at the house.

Corwin made spaghetti with ground beef and sauce from a jar. I had some, and it was good—just a small amount. The German food was filling, and the side-effects were slowing me down. Susie, also still stuffed, just had a waffle with peanut butter for dinner.

More than eleven-hundred people died from the virus today in the USA. My sister is ill and friends at church are ill.

I found a Charles Wesley hymn I did not know or remember singing: Depth of Mercy. Methodist Hymnal #355. This version has a slightly more modern text than the Methodist Hymnal.

Today we met with Susie’s primary care doctor. We also scheduled occupational therapy for Thursday at 9:30. Our doctor was pleased to see us. We went over some of the events. Susie answered the question on her condition compared to before on a scale of 1-10 as a 2. Susie is weak and a bit scared. Our doctor wants Susie to work with the therapists and me to help her get her exercises done. It is essential to try to get back strength and capability. The doctor will also fill-out my leave request paperwork in the next couple of days.

I started the morning uncomfortable and with a headache. I got started at about 7:30ish. I did the dishes and folded the laundry, and put it away. I made breakfast myself and just puttered around, hoping coffee and water would end the headache. I got Susie, she is exhausted today, going at 11ish. I got her scones I made yesterday to go with coffee.

I went out and moved the leaves off the driveway so Susie would not have them in her way. I definitely did not hit Air Volvo with the rake when I applied my attention to only the leaves and left a small mark that only I can see. This definitely did not happen.

We boarded Air Volvo and managed to survive Oregonians drivers braking for green-lights and driving slower in the left lane. This is often called the passing lane, but that use is seldom seen here. We arrived with plenty of time and were quickly checked in with temperature taking and promising we have not been exposed to Crovid-19 or traveled outside of the USA.

Aside: We did travel in December, and when I came for an appointment in January, I set off extra paperwork. Back then, Amsterdam was not on the CDC list and not even in the software drop-down as an outside USA location! Covid-19 was not yet known, and it was considered the only precaution. There were already warnings in place to watch travelers in January in doctor offices.

We were going to head to the Bier Garden in Beaverton for lunch. Susie decided she was too tired for lunch out. I sent a note to Mariah that we could not join her for lunch later.

We found flowers from Dondrea and family outside. Susie is just surrounded by flowers.

I made grilled sandwiches for Susie (grilled cheese) and me (grilled ham and Swiss cheese). I then finished setting up our new entertainment. We now have Fire TV plugged into the TV’s HDMI port, and I have a remote for it. It should also work with Alexa (called Echo in our house) that already controls some of the house’s lights.

Aside: The bedroom and the living room lights are Philip Hue, and I have a bridge Alexa so that Susie can just call out to Alexa to control the lights in the bedroom and the living room. Often the bedroom light is set to 50% when I am reading. The kitchen light is a motion detector and comes on when you walk into the kitchen and turns off after five minutes without movement. The hall lights and bathroom lights are all switches so that we have lights if the network fails.

With Fire TV working, I bought a year subscription to Disney +. Susie was happy to then watch Sleeping Beauty. She sang along. We then did the Frog Princess as I like the music in that animated story. We finished most of Moana as we all like that story. We did not quite finish it today is Veteran’s Day, and the Mash the last episode is played today. Susie wanted to see it.

I read and rested a bit.

Sadly, more than fourteen hundred people in the USA died from the infection.

Today is the eleventh day of the eleventh month when the Great War ended. My grand-uncle William was there for that day in 1918. I found this poppy song for today.

The big event was the check-in with the physical therapy that happened at 11ish this morning. We spent a few hours going over Susie’s health, what equipment we have, and if the house is safe for Susie–it is. For example, we have a shower chair and a hand unit for one of our showers, and an emergency push button she wears all the time. I have also moved the furniture out of the way, now Susie has a clear path with her walker.

I felt that Bill, from Legacy and a Physical Therapist, expected Susie in much worse shape. The questions covered problems we are glad not to have. The stroke was not in the higher brain function but was in what we can call wiring in the lower brain. This means that Susie cannot get her leg to move sometimes, but only her leg walking movement is impacted. Susie does not have the typical loss of function from a higher-function right-side stroke.

Please understand that I have had to help here and there as she gets suddenly tired or is not moving well. I try to have her do everything until she can’t or gets stuck, and I need to come and help her. The risk is that when she is stuck, she is getting weaker as she is practically walking and standing on one working leg. I need to get there before she falls. We have had no close calls–I am paying close attention.

Now that they have done the initial assessment and officially declared that Susie could be helped by their therapy, we will see PT twice a week and some occupational therapy. That is the first step in a journey we have begun. Tomorrow is the meeting with Susie’s primary doctor, and we hope to get the paperwork for my paid leave from the doctor so I can continue that part of the journey forward.

Starting from the beginning, I was up about 7ish as I was tired from yesterday. I did less cleaning today, but I did get things ready for the PT folks. The leather couch was half-cleared off and clean. The bathrooms and showers, while not sparkling (yet), are clean enough. The toilets and sinks are all good. Most of the items were off the floor except in the room where I work. That is still a wreck. I am piling more stuff there as I have to find a home for the various items or, as is happening a lot, it will go away–especially if it is a magazine (even the lovely model building and wargaming miniature zines that I often can’t resist, sniff). Most, if not all, of the information, is now online; I need to get digital.

I made pecan scones this morning. I was out of milk so I used cream instead. Yes, on the strange world of Covid-19 I have cream and not milk. They turned out quite nice, very moist. This is one of mixes from King Arthur Flour.

I had the groceries delivered today from Safeway.com. All the normal supplies. I put them away. Now I have milk!

I had two hot dogs in buns cooked in the microwave with just yellow mustard—one of my comfort foods. Susie had cereal and yogurt.

Susie received flowers from my mother and sister today. Susie is surrounded by flowers. She loves flowers. When we were in college, I would get her a single rose often daily. We grow lots of roses now.

Susie and went for a drive after the PT in Air Volvo. We both wanted out of the house, but with infection rates Covid-19 exploding, we just drove around the Beaverton Area for a few hours. It was nice to just chat and look, and I got to drive Air Volvo.

I almost did not get off my street. There are cars packed on both sides in one place near the entrance to our road. My neighbors came too fast on to our street and then had to pull over rather suddenly to avoid a low-speed head-on crash with Air Volvo. A large pickup followed. We could have done a famous Oregon low-speed three-car pile-up, but I stopped quick as I saw it happening, and the pick-up had room on 209th to stop. I, being a good neighbor, smiled and waved at them. Susie had other words for them but managed to avoid any hand movements that would belie our friendliness.

Dinner was at our local Taco Bell. I was surprised that they had people standing out in the rain and taking orders. The order takers had a flip chart with the items available, and you just order from a human standing in our Oregon weather–very strange. I was also told that the Mexican Pizza (which is neither, but I liked it) is no longer served. I got a burrito and a taco. Susie had three tacos (she kept on back and had it for a snack later in the evening). We ate them in the Air Volvo and watched the sunset in the Taco Bell parking lot; why not?

I tried to clean-up the fireside room where I work now. The shelves in the old bookcase suddenly tipped-over, dumping the books shelves and what-not on the shelf and leaving me a bit shocked. I decided that I am out of focus and will try again tomorrow. It is now worse than I started.

I moved on to my Kickstarter after having books raining on me (head shaking). I have a new board game, Cleopatra and the Society of Architect, that was delivered yesterday, and it needed some work. It comes with magnets to help hold the palace and temple you literally build in the game. I have to install them. I managed to get most of the magnets oriented right, except for two. After breaking two blades and nearly gluing the magnets to my fingers, I managed to get everything to work. There is a poor quality instruction video on this. I assembled the temple and palace and showed it to Susie. It looks amazing. I will try to play a game tomorrow and gets some photos.

I also received another Kickstarter project today. Architects of the West Kingdom is a newish worker placement game and resource management game, and Meeple Source created painted little wooden two-dimensional workers and artisans for the game. The painted meeples, both in images of men and women doing choirs, were a bit expensive, but we play this game often, and the more human look to the meeples will help the players feel the medieval theme stronger. I find the more abstract the tokens and pieces in a game, the less I feel the theme, and I often lose track of the theme. It just becomes a math problem or engine building experience for me. And maybe now Evan will feel guilty for arresting my nice little guy and gals (not a chance)…

More than thirteen hundred people died from Covid-19 today in the USA.

I went with Amazing Grace as there are some new versions, and I went with the Pentatonix video.