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We woke a few times in East Coast time but managed to roll over and rise at 6 as a compromise. It was another day of classes for Deborah, and they were intense. I make coffee from the machine, and Deborah then heads off to a long day of classes with lunch and a social meet and greet at 5-7. I am dressing in long pants and a dress shirt with a sweater vest. It is cold and overcast in the morning and hot and sunny later. But I don’t need any more sun right now. I am more than just pink, according to Deborah, magenta.

One of the recommended places, a Mexican place (with a right-wing political sign), did not open for breakfast until 9 (?!), and thus I returned to the hotel and had a ham and cheese sandwich from Starbucks inside the hotel. With the sign and the strange hours, I will not be back.

I chatted with folks from the convention and another +1 guy who was at loose ends while his wife was in classes. It was interesting to hear from an educator from the California area about how they have little idea what will happen now that the federal government appears to have zeroed out spending for adult education classes, including English as a Second Language. I can see how this is wearing against Deborah.

I wrote the blog while chatting here and there at a table outside, in the cool but warming air. I gave out a few biz cards as folks learned I had a blog that has been going on for years. They might be reading this today! Welcome!

I popped up to the room. The toilet was working again (it had been experiencing some trouble that I had reported), and the room was clean. I dropped off the laptop.

I returned to the outside, where the sun was now hot and bright, and I was happy to have long sleeves and pants, which kept me well covered. My hat is lost and I have not found a replacement yet.

I took the 43 bus towards Disneyland (the roads are not arranged to follow compass directions here, and this means I am using Disneyland as my point of reference). I got out before the Magic Kingdom and walked to the Garden Walk, which is more cement than plants (with artificial grass here and there). I found the Meeples Family store, where you can rent a table and games for $3 an hour each (or a fraction of). There are also cleanup charges for eating and drinking that add to the cost. But their game collection was huge, and the place smelled fresh (not always true of gaming places, as Batman would say, “Smells like Discipline,” see “DCU: Batman and Harley Quinn”). The place has good air conditioning and tables in small tents.

I walked around the area and finally found some postcards, but none of them had Disney images. I guess I will have to find those in Downtown Disney. It was hot, and my feet were complaining that I had taken all 8,000 steps in the last hour, so I headed back. My back hurt, and I started to walk back, as the bus was 19 minutes away, for a 25-minute walk. But I found the 43 halfway and was proud to use my app and actually succeed. Sadly, the bus trip for $2 was only two long blocks long, but success is still good.

I met more folks from the convention, and we talked about food and our experiences. They got a business card as they were interested in the blog. Welcome, if you are reading this!

I headed upstairs and might have nodded off while waiting for Deborah. She appeared, dropped off some stuff, and headed back to a snack-dinner and music event. Later, I would wake to Deborah bringing me a tiny cupcake from the affair, and then we headed to Nova, a fusion joint near the hotel.

There we had some rolls and a dessert. The food was good. We were both tired and soon were together in the room.

Thanks for reading.

We woke late on East Coast time and early for locals. With earlier wakings at various appropriate East Coast times, but a roll-over on a West Coast clock. Deborah’s conference was a long day, with an early start at 7:30 for breakfast and classes running throughout the day, and lunch provided. We would meet at 4ish for a snack and a late dinner to-go at WaBa Grill. We like WaBa’s food in Long Beach and found it excellent here. The price point is also outstanding.

We rose and did the usual things to start the day, with me out of the room with Deborah at 7:45ish. Deborah was in classes, while I tried Coco’s Bakery for breakfast. It is less than a block away and appears to have seen better days. As I got closer and the parking lot was empty, and I entered to find no customers, I was concerned.

The place was not dirty, but not as clean as I like. The carpet recorded decades of food spills. The wood on the table was sticky as the finish had melted and was now tacky. Ugh. The prices were not high, and the staff were friendly and knowledgeable about the menu, but they seemed a bit bored. There were two waiters for three tables (including mine) that filled in for the late breakfast rush.

The food was good, but not exceptional compared to other breakfast places. The bacon was industrial. The breakfast potatoes were from a bag, but at least they were seasoned and cooked with onions. The French toast was made with thin slices of white bread and industrial syrup, slightly warmed. It was nothing that said, “return,” it was great. The torn seats and stained carpet told me to find another place. Breakfast was good, and I would get it to go next time.

I wrote the blog at the table for breakfast with extra napkins on the wood so the finishing would not stick to me. I returned to the hotel and found a table by the pool. The hedge was being cut, and later a staffer would rake up and then blow the remaining tiny bits away with a lot of noise. I finished the blog there and eyed the pool. I started my new solo game, Cold War: Restless in Peace, by Worthington. This is a book game where you write in the book pages to play the game. I have a dice roller set to one six-sided die to play. There are several pages of directions, but I soon learned the process. I was lucky, and I think I misplayed part of the game (4 AP to improve World Opinion, not 3 — there is a misprint). Still, it was interesting and not without careful decisions. For example, Latin America and Africa were easy to use for military operations. A failed military operation moves the clock towards Nuclear War. Still, it was cheaper than diplomatic operations, which often had a higher chance of succeeding and did not have dire consequences for failure.  Additionally, I had to use up all my AP points, which meant often two military and two diplomatic operations (six AP cost).

The USSR (CCCP) was represented by a die roll and a set of charts. I would say I got lucky often with these rolls and was able to stay just ahead of the BOT. I crushed in my first game, but I think I got both lucky and undercharged for the World Opinion purchases.

I am looking forward to trying it again with a 4 AP cost to improve World Opinion for the player (representing a USA-centric West).

I took the laptop and book to the room, changed to swimming trunks, and returned to the North Tower pool. I swam and walked around in the pool. I then dried off and red in the sun (mistake). The mornings are cool, and then they heat up when the clouds burn off around noon. The pool was closing for a private event (Deborah would be at that party later). I moved to the South Tower pool on the third floor. The sun was baking now, and the cement (I hadn’t brought flip-flops) was burning hot. I managed to swim for a bit in the smaller and shallower pool. I sat and read for a bit (another mistake) and soon headed back to the room to shower off the pool water and prepare for a meeting.

I met Deborah at the hotel bar, where we shared an appetizer and a few drinks. She had a social event at the North Tower pool until 7, as I mentioned.

The First United Methodist Church Council met via Zoom at 6:30. I joined and within a record-breaking short meeting of less than an hour, we agreed on some staff updates, and reviewed a refresh of the entranceway and fireside room at the church. I presented the plan. There were no objections, but one follow-up item did surface later.

With that done, Deborah checked in with folks in Michigan, and then we walked to WaBa Grill. We enjoyed dinner in our room and then spent the rest of the evening catching up. It got late faster than we were ready and soon I was nodding off while reading.

I discovered I was pink and sunburned. It took a few hours for my skin to show its displeasure with the hot, sunny California weather.

Thanks for reading!

 

 

 

We had a lazy start at the Hyatt Regency in Orange County, as Deborah’s registration was not until 12:30. We rose early, but then did not. Getting brewed coffee from the in-room coffee maker using one pod for each separately made coffee. My hat has gone missing and may have been left at the Red Robin (I will check with them on Tuesday). The weather is going from cool and overcast to hot and sunny so far. Deborah is freezing in her overly air-conditioned classes.

After enjoying our company and coffee, eventually we tried the hotel’s breakfast with the usual buffet, which featured an excellent omelet station that served Deborah a perfect product. She watched the creation of her breakfast and might try those techniques at home. Yes, a lesson and breakfast!

Deborah headed to her classes, and I headed out to get the lay of the land. This is not the best part of town, and the local food joints, aside from the usual hotel chains (Outback, Joe’s Crab Shack, and Red Robin), are a bit basic. The largest sign is a massive Jordan on a shoe discounting store name. Target is nearby and huge, and I head there. The place features a food market, pharmacy, and a selection of mostly discounted items. I get an HDMI cable there (we forgot one) that we may use to repurpose one of the huge TVs to display and sound for our laptops. I walk a circular track back to the hotel, more interested in the area than rushing back.

I see a guy with a roller full of personal items waiting for the bus. Street people, like most of us, do not like to be treated as if they are invisible. I ask the guy how the buses worked, and he goes over everything with me. He is detailed in his answer and strongly suggests that I could qualify for the senior discount (I have yet to reach 65, and thus will pay the full rate, which disappoints him). He apologized if he had offended me for making an age remark, and I reassured him that he did not. He is disappointed that I need to get back to the hotel, but I thank him.

I walk to the hotel, return to our room 758 in Tower A, I think (I just follow the same trail). There, I leave the cable, finish, and publish the blog. With that done, I return to the outside and the bus station. I have loaded two apps and begun to work out how to make this work.

I found the bus stop, and an older guy started to talk to me endlessly about rebuilding old trucks. I listened as he seemed to enjoy an audience. While I can recall little of the mix-and-match Frankenstein truck he built from multiple wrecked trucks, he told the story with enthusiasm and many laughs. He exchanged parts, and apparently, there is a ‘bible’ of parts that can be exchanged on late model vehicles to help. I have always imagined that folks would buy multiple wrecks and then use them to merge into a final, questionably safe, Mad Max-like truck. Here was someone who did it. I thanked him as my bus appeared.

The 543 bus arrives, and the driver tells me to just take a seat as I try to make the app work. Disappointed, but with a free trip, I enjoy a slow trip to Disney.

I arrive and, after a mistake, walk into Disneyland and Downtown Disney. It is a long walk! I will complete over 8,000 steps today, with most of them in the next couple of hours. The sun is out, and I notice my hat is not on my head. Hmmm.

I take some photos in the free Downtown Disney area and start to think about our plans. We plan to visit Disneyland on Friday and Sunday, and the California park on Saturday. I just walked through, surprised by how much more there is since Susie and I were here long ago.

Deborah was thinking of having dinner there one of these days. I look for places that would fit. While the food at the Jazz place may not be ideal, the music and drinks might be. I walked only into the Star Wars shop where you can assemble your own lightsaber. I resisted. I liked a few of the shirts, but I deferred that purchase to later, if ever.

The sun was hot and I missed my hat. I walked out of the Disney area and found a bus to get me back to my part of Orange County, 43. I still could not make the bus things work, but the driver was kind and told me to just take a seat. I suspect few tourists get it right. Another tourist using a translator app got help from the driver and learned that the buses on the other side of the street were what she needed.

The bus returned me to the hotel without issue, and soon I was with Deborah, who finished her first day of classes. We got some food and drinks at the hotel bar. We retired to the hotel room. We just stayed there and went to sleep early.

Thanks for reading.

 

Going back a bit, Saturday night, I had dinner at Park Stone Wood Kitchen. My lunch was large and thus reduced my requirements for dinner. The staff at Aloft, my hotel, offered a complimentary appetizer card for the establishment. It was just across the street and smelled of wood smoke, and my waiter, Bess, and I had some trouble as she thought the cornbread appetizer too large for one, and I settled for the deviled eggs. They were good, but the whites are lightly breaded and deep-fried?! I had the steak salad. Nearly ruined by out-of-the-refrigerator supply version of blue cheese crumbles and croutons, but the dressing worked, the tiny tomatoes were sliced and wilted in heat, and the red peppers were perfectly cooked. The steak, not much, was thinly sliced and stir-fried to a perfect brown crunch, which matched the wood taste. I was sorry that I did not order a steak there! Wow!

I had stuck to iced tea as my recent experience with leg cramps suggested two beers were a bad idea (I had a beer while writing yesterday’s blog. I also wanted to try the pool. Two women from Seattle were using the pool. It was cool and past the refreshing stage. I managed to swim a few times underwater, but the cold water did not improve as I descended deeper, and I decided not to try to reach the end of the pool underwater. I mostly walked and frog-crawled back.

I recommended that the women try Kells and the Chinese Garden, and maybe the Rose Garden. All of this was off the MAX, which they could take out from PDX. They are headed back to Seattle late on Sunday.

I slept only a bit as I am always worried about not hearing my alarm. I actually practiced the alarm to ensure the phone was correctly set to make a sound;  it was. I was able to sleep on and off as every sound woke me.

I rose at 4ish on Sunday morning to Deborah’s East Coast time posts of her at the Detroit Airport. I soon popped in the shower, shaved, and all of that. By 5ish, I was in the lobby and waiting for the shuttle. It was delayed a few minutes returning a forgotten phone to a passenger. I noticed that the Aloft hotel used a security robot in the parking lot. I had never seen one before; it was impressively large.

I was the first person on the shuttle, and then another group appeared. We stopped at another hotel for a failed pickup (nobody was ready), and then we reached PDX. I soon found Alaska Air, but they had no working kiosks for printing tags for a bag. Instead, I joined a long line of folks to allow an agent to print our tags. I then rolled my bag to American Airlines for them to put my bag on a working belt. I saw the bag made it to the plane in the Alaska Air App later. Hmmm. Yes, strongly leaning towards that Platinum Delta AMEX.

Boarding was the usual process with Alaska, using different words for everything and letters (not numbers) for groups. I got group C as I used their credit card. I sat next to a woman who was heading to California to help a sick relative. She wore a high-quality mask. I offered to wear one (I always carry a few), but she was fine. She is a mechanical engineer and worked on drawings for most of the two-hour trip. About enough time for me to nod off and also read a chapter. I also managed a cookie and a coffee with cream to dip it in.

The plane landed without issue (the most you can hope for in the cheap seats). I was in seat 20F near the wing and blissfully far from the bathrooms. I found my bag after a short walk in John Wayne Airport, and found John there.

Deborah soon arrived, and I met her at baggage claim. We then found a taxi to our hotel, the Hyatt Regency OC, 11 miles away. We stored our bags and headed for lunch at Red Robin, and soon got word that our room was already available. With some food inside us, we were quickly reunited without our bags and began unpacking and so on.

A nap helped, and we both decided not to travel far for dinner. We had never been to a Joe’s Crabhouse before, and we decided to try it out. We skipped the boiled dinner and the vast array of deep-fried offerings and opted for fish plates. Deborah went for a lovely glazed salmon, and I chose another fish, mahi mahi, which was fried but seemed more breaded than fried — perfect. It was a new entry on the menu. The drinks, Patron margaritas, were plain, a surprise. A photographer gave us a memory, and we bought an extra picture.

With the travel and the time change for Deborah, we did not last much longer.

We slept until late for Deborah, 6ish local time.

Thanks for reading!

 

 

 

 

 

Already, I must warn you, dear reader, that this blog will be a bit mundane. It’s a travel day to just the airport, but packing and cleaning are the primary focus. I have learned that I-84, MAX, and 216 will all be partially shut down to do, among other things, painting over graffiti. Getting to a 7:40 Sunday morning flight might become complex, and starting at 3 or 4 in the morning does not sound like an enjoyable start for the trip. Instead, I have a room at Aloft at PDX this Saturday night; they offer a 24-hour shuttle, and the MAX (if it is running) is also available just a block away.

Also, the mail never came while I was at the house until about 2:45 in the afternoon. Hmmm. Mom Wild’s card was still in the box with the flag up; I wrote it last night. I brought stamps in my luggage to keep up the daily card to Mom Wild while on the trip.

I rose at 7, having rolled over at 5 and 6 from the bright sunlight. Today promises to be hot, dry, and sunny, with temperatures expected to exceed 90°F (32°C). I started the laundry with the limited clothing and wore just the robe and slippers to wash everything. After making toast with butter and orange marmalade (not a good choice for a diabetic, but it is so good) to go with a banana and coffee already included in my breakfast. The coffee was started the night before, and then the timer started at 7:15. I immediately had a shower instead of waiting until the blog was done. I rinsed the shower of the Scrubbing Bubbles cleaner I had sprayed on the night before, before entering.

By ten, the blog was published, and the sheets from the bed were now in The Machine, and I was wearing the clothing washed after making the bed with the other sheets. I switch them every week.

I also cleaned the sink after finishing my usual morning routine, including shaving. Dressed, I also ran all the dishes and put them away, leaving the dishwasher slightly open to dry out while I was out. The AC was off, and when the Machine was done with washing and drying, I turned down the water heater to low. I killed the fan to be auto (meaning it will not run without the AC and heat, both turned off).

I ordered lunch delivered from Gyro House and had a massive lamb gyro with enough garlic to make me vampire-proof for the day. I could not finish it. As the dishwasher was done, I hand-washed my plate and delivered the wrapping to the trash outside.

I sent a text to Jeff, my fixer guy. He will stain-protect the deck while I am out on the upcoming cooler and dry days. He will look at rebuilding the gate and the locking. The wind is pushing them open and damaging one of them. I also suggested he place a ceiling fan and lights in the two bedrooms (not the office, which will not be improved with swirling papers). He can find time next week, and we will connect later on this. The deck was washed by him in the spring, and I noted that the wood appears to be more open and needs a preservative this season.

An Über came for me at 2:45 and for just over $16 (with a large tip) to the MAX stations, and soon I was riding in a train car headed to PDX. The headache returned with the pollen and my continued reading of Elric stories, as well as doom-scrolling on my phone. Though the news is more interesting of late and less depressing as Trump’s hold on the press and the realization of many that he is not working in their best interests (i.e., an inexplicable $2.7 trillion deficit budget, endangering civil rights for limited if any poltical gain, and nationalizing the National Guard against run-of-the-mill domestic protests). Things are looking up when Fox News was at a loss for how to spin it.

On the MAX was a gentleman dressed in all black, in a steampunk style. I commended him and got an old-style bow. He got off in Beaverton. Later, a woman in a steward outfit got on and we talked about travel for a bit. She told me she has been everywhere in the USA, but only to the airports. Kind of funny. Told her to try to get to the Richmond, Virginia Art Museum (she does mostly East Coast), as it has an extensive collection of Russian Fabergé Eggs.

Soon, I arrived at Cascade Station, got off the train, and rolled my bag to the hotel. There I got a comfy room, and the pool looks lovely. I rested and then came to the bar, got a beer, chips, and salsa, and wrote this blog.

Thanks for reading. The following blog will likely be combined into two days.

Thanks again for putting up with a more mundane blog.