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We got up on time, and everything has gone well. We were up before the alarm–sleep was fitful for both of us as it was unfamiliar, hotel room. We were dressed and at the front desk in time to get the shuttle that was running late for the earlier time of 4:40 at 4:55. We left, and I saw folks running after us–the driver was not stopping as he was full. That was the group for 5:00! Pays to be a bit early in PDX.

We got dropped off, and we did the usual things. Being first-class makes everything easy–that is why I picked that for this trip. I do wonder about our international flight to Amsterdam, which is the economy class will be like. But that is in December so I will worry about that in a few months.

Here is Susie as she passed the security check. They decided to just do the metal detector for her. No issue for me.

We got to the gate about the same time as sunrise:

And being PDX, there was always something odd:

We got our seats changed to be next to each other. So we spent four hours enjoying first class and breakfast served at 30,000 feet. On this part of the trip, I read a paper translated (mostly) from German on how to use LED to detect radiation. I want to detect particles caused by cosmic rays, so I am curious. It is interesting as the trick is not to identify the particles but to be able to amplify the signal so it can be processed as a digital signal. Susie read a book by Nora Roberts. Yes, I did nod off a few times, but it was not the content.

Our connection to Chicago was short, 35 minutes, and they had the wheelchair waiting and everyone on the plane waited for Susie, and they were very supportive. The gate was five minutes away. We waited twenty minutes to board. I resisted Nuts on Clark shop with really good looking popcorn. It is Chicago after all. All that Cubs buckets overfilled with popcorn.

A nice guy in a suit exchanged seats with me to allow me to sit next to Susie. The next flight was just popcorn (!) and drinks. I got the Internet working on this one buy paying for it (growl).

We are landing soon in NC. I have to find a car there.

We met the same team that helped us last time here at Charlotte Airport. Last time we ran the whole length of the airport. This time we only need the bags and to get the rental. Still, they remembered us, and we had a lovely time getting everything and leaving the airport. They are really nice and good at getting you where you need to be.

Turning to the drive, I feel few things will take you out of your comfort zone like driving a car you never touched before in places you have never been and not really knowing how to get to where you are supposed to be. I seem to get this deal a lot. So far, I have not hit anything or broke anything. It is crazier when I do this in Europe, but NC is not Oregon. I saw some aggressive driving: Oh, how I miss that. I watched some passing by intimidation. And I had trouble not going over 80 in a 55 to keep up with traffic. Yes, I did wear away my be polite PDX driving just a tiny bit and cut one car off. It felt so wrong and yet…

After about 2 hours and a half, we reached the town and found a funeral home in Ashville. Not right. Drove right by it, Brook-Howell. Found it. Checked in and waiting to hook up with Susie’s family. Everyone headed to rest and so we will assemble in the morning.

We are staying in the guest apartment. This appears to be assisted living directed. Here is a view:

So starting again about seven in the morning (4AM PDT!).

We are here in the Red Lion Inn at the PDX airport. We have a 7AM flight and so we have parked the car here at the hotel for the trip and have a lift to the airport at 5AM. Our flight is at 7AM to make it to the East Coast by the evening. We then pick-up a car and drive another two-hour-plus. So a busy day comes.

Today I took the day off from the shoe company and tried to decompress a bit. I slept into an indecent hour: 8:15! I did some laundry and even painted some figures, just getting them started. I rallied Susie about eleven and finally got dressed (washing all the remaining apparel except my robe) after a shower.

Figures after initial priming in black with a white dry brush.

I made Susie her favorite, scrambled eggs with cheese. I added some ham as that is what I like. I keep frozen cooked bacon (decedent I know) and made that also for Susie. We had lunch or breakfast together. I then went to wander Hillsboro as it was after all my day off. I also needed to get out a bit.

I went to the antique mall and found a perfect table I have been looking for. A folding table made of oak. I managed to not acquire it as we have to travel today. Stopped by the hobby shop and bought expensive glue stick thingies and glue.

I then found the gaming store, Runes and Boards, I have heard about. Huge store and well cleaner than most. A trans person, Mary Ann, was there to assist customers–how perfectly Oregon. The prices were about the same as I have seen in other stores, but there are lots of table and chairs, and the A/C was working. Again, not like most game stores. They just got their beer license and “was working out details with the city” I was told by the owner. Mary Ann told me they were not that busy on Tuesdays and maybe some weekends. I had first commented on the fact that the first game you see when you walk in is Twilight Imperium 4, “You have to love a store that starts with TW4.” The suggestions I think she was trying to make was that it would be great if I could get some TW4 going on a Tuesday or unbusy weekend. Most people expect to be hit-on for sex and/or relationships. I get hit-on to run games–Just as well as Susie is OK with me running games.

I next meet a 30ish beard guy who heard Mary Ann and I talk about painting figures. He then brought me over to a table, and we looked at his miniatures. They showed almost no shading but the chrome and metallics were bright and made the figure pop. I learned that he was using a chrome pen to get the look. It looks too shiny for fantasy figures, I like those to have a brushed look to the metal, but for SciFi oh that was really nice with chrome that looked like flowing metal! So we went thru is ten or so figures for Monsterpocalypse Miniatures Game to admire and make a few suggestions. I have to get a chrome pen! I can see some Twilight Imperium ships models getting some brightness!

The game has you buy monsters and have them crash through a city. I even saw an Empire State Build model you could buy. Hmmm…

I came home after than with my prescriptions and tiny toothbrushes with tiny tubes of paste. Ready to pack. I packed.

We had burgers at Cruise Inn for the best burgers and some beer. The Smiths and us Wilds are talking about a possible joint trip to Turkey next year. More to come as we think about this.

Short trip thru Portland flying Air Volvo. Now we are resting here at PDX. Goodnight!

photo from a train by me.

So today is Father’s Day 2019. I took some time to make Dad’s Chili. It is a version of Michigan Chili and is usually made without spices. I can’t handle that so I cook in a small amount of onion (say half of one cut small), half a green pepper chopped, one can of Hatch chili cut up–we are in the west here, so we need to include the local zing–1/2 teaspoon of chili powder, some smoked paprika, and I all but just show it a bottle of hot cayenne pepper. I added some garlic salt and pepper as a sprinkle to the pan and enough oil to fry the onion and peppers and spices. This all done in a chili pot. Dad would just use salt and no oil and well only ground beef. Me, I use a few more things.  Then break up the raw ground beef–not the expensive kind as that would not be Dad’s style and maybe a pound and 1/4–into the pot. I brown the meat and mix it into the spices and pepper and onion.

While that is ongoing I open the cans. Kidney beans, large can or two cans, drained. Corn from a can, drained, not frozen as frozen will shock the pan, and this is not Dad’s recipe but mine so yes corn. Two cans or one large can of stewed tomatoes, not drained–should be cheap, not organic. Then the base, a full box of good tomato soup. Dad would use cheap Cambell’s and add water. This should all fit in the pot and be wet enough to cook. Careful as it can burn if you don’t stir it. Get it boiling and then turn it down to warm. Service. Makes a lot.

So that is how I remember my father today with a bowl of chili.

The pictures are from long ago now. The slightly out-of-focus image is my last photo of dad (Bob Wild). In the other photo, Gene Wild is standing at the Private Sale, I believe, back in the 1970s at Wild’s Furniture and Appliances (“We beat city prices!”), and Great Granddad (Edward Wild) is standing with my then very young mother in the 1960s visiting us in Massachusetts in some colonial setting the I vaguely remember.

And we must cover my Mother’s father, of course, Arnold Bailey. This is Nadine, my grandmother, and Arnold in front of their car back in 1968. My best memories of Nadine, I did not know my grandfather well and only met him a few times, is that she cooked well and cheated at cards. I learned to watch for the signs and change my plan when playing with her. I never thought it unfair that she cheated, it made it more fun to win against her.

And as we are just seemly to remember things this Father’s Day, how about the way I always think of my sister, on a horse competing. This is 1982.

So have a bowl and remember dad; any dad.

 

picture by me (Beaverton First United Methodist Church)