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I rose after 7. I was still confused about what time zone I reside in. I started by reading a text from Deborah—she wishes me ‘good morning’ most mornings in her time zone while I sleep. I soon found the kitchen; it had not moved, and the coffee pot was full of liberal joy (fair-traded coffee). I took some mashed potatoes, chopped some onion fine, and added that and milk to the mix. I then broke an egg and beat all that together. I fried that in butter, and I remixed it when it got brown/dark. I opened a can of peaches and included half of them for breakfast; the rest went back in the frig. I stole some ham from the church ham that I started to bake while cooking breakfast. The potatoes needed salt (perfect for me), and I enjoyed breakfast.

I next started on the blog. I wrote about my first full day back in Oregon, Friday. I also did my usual download transactions into Quicken, many of which are still from my travels. I checked the news, but it was dark and not liberal. I spent a few hours writing.

I was still tired, I put away the laundry, did the dishes, and watched the gray and rain turn to a chilly sunny day. The wind, from the high desert, was cold, almost brutal without a coat, but the sun was hot and warm. I walked on my lawn and marveled at the blooms and roses with buds. The China rose was already blooming; it is always the first and last. The story of the rose is interesting: Wikipedia. My rosemary is blooming, and the local bees are happy with it.

I saw in the transactions that the earthquake insurance was paid. It is just under $700 a year, and insurance is now a significant expense for the house.

Natala was bartending at The 649, and soon I had a beer and was reading Pastor Ken’s manuscript. I read the introduction, ending, and first two paragraphs. He asked me to look at the flow and how to make it more approachable. I will read the first five chapters and see what I can suggest.

I sat outside and inside; when I got cold, I would change locations. I had soup, later a quesadilla, and two red ales. I left mid-afternoon as I could not shake the cold. I took Air VW the Gray back to the house.

Earlier, I had unloaded most of the games from the cargo hold and loaded cooking grills (I have two). I am helping to cook breakfast before church on Easter. I had cooled the ham and put in in the frig with plenty of tinfoil. I will take it with me on Easter morning. I crawled into bed and got warm again, nodding off a few times.

I rose before 5, put on my shoes, and boarded the EV. Traffic through Beaverton was slow as the unexpected sunshine brought people out. There was some slowing on Highway 26 inbound to Portland, but nothing unusual. I soon arrived at Richard’s, and Lauren was there, too. With Kathleen arriving a few minutes later, we had a four-person game.

Another Kickstarter had come in for Richard, and we were the first play (though Richard had played an online version) of Stupor Mundi, a deck-building and resource management game, with the usual over-the-top implementation from a Kickstarter. You build a castle for yourself with lovely 3D pieces. It is also a race-like game, like Concordia and Istanbul.

I was keeping up, but soon Richard flew to the top with Lauren chasing him. Kathleen was at the bottom until the last moment and pushed one point ahead of me. I came in later, but I liked the game and would want to play it again.

With the game over and Kathleen now with a car, I headed home. The night was dry, and the drive uneventful.

I was soon home, plugged in the EV, and in my PJs. I read for a while and soon fell asleep.

Thanks for reading.

I woke after waking and sleeping in different ways for my first whole night back in Oregon. I seemed to be confused about what time it was. But California seemed to have embraced its northern neighbor; it was sunny and warm!  I rose after 7, a pot of liberal joy having been prepared before I went to bed, waited for me. The fair trade coffee tasted hopeful. Despite the damp dew on the grass, I was happy to tour the backyard in the sunny morning in my PJs, seeing all my flowers, and hearing the birds singing and the insects buzzing. I opened the doors and turned off the heat. I was dreaming of Lala Land: here.

I opened the suitcase and my gym bag—my usual travel carry-on—piled clothing into groups and started The Machine. I had put aside my spare pants, shirt, socks, and underwear, which I carry in the gym bag (in case I need a change of clothing), to wear today. I planned to spend the morning and early afternoon writing and doing laundry. And that is what I did. Not very exciting, dear reader, I am afraid.

I added to the dishes, Corwin had cared for the orchids, checked the house for me, and left a few. I always tell him to take advantage of any food he wants in the house. The can of olives from the Olive Pit in California fit that bill.

The mail was delivered, including everything held. I send a letter to the post carrier when I am on a trip, and that works well with a redelivery day on my return. A book on Jutland (a reprint of a 1920s book, but sadly without the maps), the 5E Lord of the Rings role-playing game (RPG) newest book, and various bills and updates. My IRA is being invested, and I get lots of paperwork. While a bit overwhelming, getting this paper is a sign that your investments are being appropriately handled. No paperwork or wrong paperwork is a bad sign.

My second load is shirts and pants; I am happy to remove some dampness. Dress shirts can dry on the hanger. Soon, the load was done, and it was nearly 1:30, so I took Air VW the Gray to BJ’s Brewhouse for lunch. I sat at the bar, and while the food was good, the bartender was hard to deal with and spoiled my meal. I will avoid him next time and take a table.

I stopped by Safeway and got a spiral-sliced ham for church on Easter. We cook breakfast at 8ish, and ham will be served with pancakes. I got syrup and butter (but that will not be needed as Dondrea also got some). I saw a few nice steaks and got them.

When I returned home, I read some of the 5E LOTR RPG book, which was also a bit of a disappointment. The adventures were very basic, and the text repeated some material I already had (!). This was more of a supplement than the cutting-edge and complex Moria book they published before. Still, it is always good to read more extra-canonical LOTR material. The Moria and Shire books were fantastic. Someday, I will get to run a 5E LOTR-style Dungeons and Dragons campaign.

I lit the gas grill and dried it out; this process removed spider webs and other debris. I then let it cool off. I cleaned up the grills, but the metal still needs more care. I put out one of the steaks I got at Safeway with salt, pepper, and a meat rub.

I talked to Deborah on and off during the day. We are still getting used to returning to a long-distance relationship, and I keep looking for Deborah here. Though I know she is not here, I still miss her. We spent two weeks together in California in March and a week in April. It is fifty-one days until we meet in California again for one of Deborah’s work conferences. Deborah and I, after getting depressed with joint doom scrolling and other unhappy subjects, instead focused on the next trip, and I scheduled my flight to California. This time, I am not driving to LA. Been there. Done that (EV driven from Beaverton to Long Beach and back).

I boiled and mashed potatoes, steamed carrots, and grilled the steak. Some rust stuck to my steak, which annoyed me. I will clean the grill again! Still, my meal was good.

Pastor Ken asked me to look at his new book. I started to read some, but I was too brain-dead from the trip to make that work. Running the laundry was about as complex a task as I could handle. I managed to get the dishes in the dishwasher, run it, finish the laundry, process the mail, and only nod off once.

I sat on my deck for dinner and caught up on my YouTube channels, Battleship New Jersey and ShipHappens. One mosquito showed up and tried to bite my arm. Somewhere, there is some stagnant water, as we seldom see this. Hmmm.

By 10, I was tired and soon crawled into my bed and tried to sleep. I woke a few times, but finally, I slept until the morning.

Thanks for reading!

 

 

Thursday was a travel day. I had an 8-ish hour direct flight from Detroit (DTW) to Portland (PDX). I had to return Air Hyundai Red. I had one bag to check (for $35 on Delta), and I did not have a cheap seat, thus enabling me to have a seat assignment before I checked in for the flight the night before. I again pre-paid for the bag charge, avoiding pulling out a credit card at the bag tag process. I would hate to lose it or find I lost it at the last moment. I might become so discombobulated that I could put the card in my pocket and have it fall out (I have done that before), forget my phone, or leave my hat somewhere. I want my bag tagging to be as smooth as possible. I find that transitions are the most likely to cause you to forget something. Deborah has a Delta Credit Card, and her bags are free. Others I know who travel often have expensive credit cards to get various services and freebies while travelling. I am retired and cheap now, but I am tempted.

I was mostly packed and soon made coffee in the room. It had been cleaned the day before, and I had some coffee packs available (not a pod machine) for the machine. I finished the packing, more like throwing things in and sitting on the case to close, and then descended to the lobby to finish writing and partake of the industrial breakfast. The Fairfield Inn on a Thursday closes the breakfast at 9, and I was there after eight, getting much of the dregs of the earlier risers, but the staff, whom I thanked again, had added a few fresh items. It was still good and filling.

I use my HotSpot rather than the local WiFi. I do not trust that the hotel has good security, and I update my Quicken accounts daily. I am not interested in seeing how good my laptop encryption is versus some likely bored young person. They have all day, like squirrels raiding a bird feeder, to break in and get something. Instead, my phone creates the connection, unless the connection is poor.

I wrote a short blog post and published it. I went back to room 222, got my bag, computer, and suitcase, and put on my hat and coat. I had checked multiple times that I had everything and knew my dress shoes were already squished in my bag. I checked out, “yes, you email me,” and got in Air Hyundai Red and headed south in Lansing.

I thought about calling friends or family, but it is hard to enjoy much as the clock is ticking and I need to feel safe early at the airport. It was late morning, so I decided to see the fantastic farm/grocery store in Lansing: Horrocks Farm Market. My first impression was that it is almost out of Lansing near Holt. I found easy parking and walked in. It reminded me of many markets I have been to worldwide, but it smelled better, and there was just one vendor (and I could read the signs and understand the price without math). It brought back my recent memories of Eastern Market and the Olive Pit in California. I enjoyed walking through it and thought that next time, I would have to consider the hotel with a kitchen!

Deborah contacted me and suggested we meet for lunch at her work, which is in the general direction of the airport. I agreed. Nav sent me to Detroit through the city and back North to Deborah, making a kind of check-mark-like voyage.

I was surprised when Nav sent me off the highways and through the lovely town of Howell, as Highway 96 was blocked for construction and some incident. I had not been there, not that I remember, but I thought it was quaint and lake-filled. Soon, Nav had me on 4 and 4-lane fast-moving highways. Following the navigation, I had to switch to secondary roads as the highways were still being reconstructed.

It was nice to see Detroit again. Except for the construction incident, it was a great drive (mostly over 75), but soon, I was with Deborah, parking next to her Blue Mini. I was presented to various friends and co-workers playing the role of boyfriend. Deborah told me earlier I was being “inspected.” I was not in my dress shirt and vest, and was worried a floppy sweater over a T-shirt was not enough.

The folks smiled and thanked me for making Deborah happy, and I answered, hearing a few snickers, “My pleasure.” I passed inspection, and soon we headed to Leo’s Coney Island nearby.

I was tempted by the Greek-styled items but went with the plate of hot dogs, drink, and fries. The dogs were not microwaved but boiled, the buns steamed, the chilli thick and full of crushed beans, and the onions fresh. The French fries were well-made. All with a Diet Coke, as I had some problems with depression before, and it’s best not to self-medicate. Deborah had a spinach and cheese omelet.

Next, we scanned the area for game stores, and GOB (Guild of Blades) self-reporting as Michigan’s largest comic and game store was just a few minutes away. Deborah found two used games (the store uses a consignment process to sell unwanted games for store credit), and I marveled at the prices for some of the old Dungeons and Dragons stuff, now collectible, on my shelves.

‘Tick tock,’ and it was time to begin my travels home. Deborah and I said our goodbyes, and we were not ready to return to a long-distance relationship again. We were just in California for two weeks and will have to wait until June to see each other again. I boarded the Red Car, and Nav had me soon checking my rental back in, managing not to forget anything (transitions are always sudden when traveling, and so easy to miss something important). Next, I was off on a bus packed with no seats available (like last time) to Delta’s big hub terminal in Detroit.

I took the escalator up, and this time, my tags were printed for my bags. All the processes were working, and soon, I checked my bags. Today, there was a change of flow. The upstairs security check, previously only for pre-checks for TSA and a security partner, CLEAR, was now open to regular customers, with a short line.

Aside: CLEAR is a traded company, symbol YOU, and charges $199, plus $119 per year for more people (a couple would be $199 + $119). I watched as CLEAR terminals were used to validate people, and then the CLEAR-using customers were walked to a TSA agent by a CLEAR agent to finish the official process. It appeared that you were buying with CLEAR a faster line and with folks there to help you than with TSA PreCheck. I thought reselling TSA PreCheck, a $85 service, was a capitalistic wonder (reporting a net profit of 50% and a near 2% dividend).

I passed through security, using the shorter lines upstairs, without any issues, and remembered everything. The more chaotic lines downstairs were for folks who were not checking bags, had checked in, and had boarding passes. I’m not sure it would ever be faster that way. I took the escalator down to the main floor and found my gate.

Another Leo’s Coney Dog was next to my gate. They did not have Greek food at this one. I walked five gates to the Mezze, Mediterranean food, and got a large Sam Adams summer ale and a plate of starters (it is actually called a mezze when I order it in Turkey). I ate, drank, and wrote the blog. I talked to Deborah a few times on the phone. We are a bit sad to start the long-distance calls again, and we were just happy to talk while we were still in the same time zone!

The men’s room was ten gates away. I used them just before boarding. I was in 29F and group 5 and seemed to board before most (I suspect we had many cheaper flyers for Easter). I used my camera to make a video of the take-off. A new reel for me will soon be on Facebook. I watched two movies. Puss in Boots and John Wick 4 were good. I thought the films had an unusual connection to my thinking about existing politics.

I had a coffee without spilling it. The guy next to me did manage to dump his water on me, and I was damp for a bit. The plane landed without issue. I was dry, found my suitcase, and boarded the MAX, Portland’s light rail, to return to Beaverton. I waited thirty minutes to leave. A security guy was having a phone call, on speaker, that was about family issues and loud. It was annoying as nobody wanted to hear it, but we all ignored it, and soon he stopped.

I helped another passenger find his way, but his phone worked, too. I got off at Willow Creek and waited twenty minutes for an Über to show up. No issues, and I was soon home. The house was clean (I cleaned it before I left, but it smelled slightly stale; I used Febreze), and soon, I was in bed sleeping.

Thanks for reading!

It is now sixty-one years. I am still too many years from Medicare, and my COBRA insurance runs out in December ($780 a month). I must find health insurance soon to fill the gap until I am 65. I will be applying for Social Security before my 62nd birthday. Thus, sixty-one comes with challenges, but I knew they would come; I did not expect Trump and Elon to be the main risks.

My birthday was fantastic, and family and friends met me at The Beggar’s Banquet in East Lansing to celebrate it in the early evening. Deborah made a cake and brought it to the restaurant, beating me there by a few minutes. I picked up Leta at her house and got her there, using her handicap parking spot to get a closer parking spot.  We still had to walk a block.

There was a non-electric car parked in a charge parking spot, growl.

Dinner was chaotic, as our waiter was the only waiter on Thursday night. There were multiple large groups, including ours. The food was OK, but not as good as it once was (or my memory, like many, seems better than it was in the past). But the venue worked for a birthday party, and we all enjoyed the time. Deborah arranged and then lit the candles, and a familiar song was sung. I managed not to spit on the cake.

There was a slight sadness as Susie was not there, and ‘Elric’ Anderson, who was last seen by us at The Beggar’s Banquet, passed away in November. I am constantly distracted on my birthday as I think about all of them.

Remembering from the 2000s, I once had a birthday on a business trip in India. The hotel staff, learning I was there on my birthday, made me a cake. I was flying early, and they had it ready at 6AM. The staff and I enjoyed the cake before I caught my taxi to the airport for a day trip. Then, at AFS SAP in Bangalore, I also had a cake with the developers who work on the software I supported for Nike. It was kind, and everyone loves a party. On my return, the same day, the hotel bar had a small party for me. It was a crazy day!

I rose later in the morning (it was my birthday) and started on the blog once I was dressed. I picked a white dress shirt and green sweater vest. It is my birthday, and I like dress shirts. Breakfast was complimentary in the lobby, and I headed down to write the blog and have breakfast. I spent a few hours writing and, on my return to my room, discovered my room had been cleaned (they did not clean it yesterday). I then went down to the front desk, got a $20 broken, and gave a tip to the cleaning staff.

Next, I got my hat and coat (it was cold in Michigan and snowed on me yesterday), and headed out to see Mom Wild in Air Hyundai Red. In a blur, I crossed part of East Lansing, Lansing, and Haslett and arrived, only having to turn around once. Mom Wild was up and unhappy. I spent an hour trying to calm her and be supportive. Lunch came, and with promises to see her again that evening, I headed out.

While Deborah claims I missed many gas stations in the area, I did not see one for some time. I was of the opinion that you could buy pet food (there seemed to be stores everywhere for that) more easily than gas. I finally found a Shell station and then tried to remember the process for gas cars. I have an EV, and Oregon is a full-service state. I managed to perform the task, though the car was still running without loss or injury to myself, property, or others.

Next, I stopped by The People’s Kitchen, a high-end former food truck joint. It has a Mad-Max edgy decor, but the menu is high-end and imaginative. I sat at the bar. I was looking for something easy and soon had a delicious cup of soup, and they supplied a dessert at no charge. The drinks looked complex and likely expensive, but instead, I went for Diet Coke in a tiki glass as I did not want to nap today (my usual reaction to lunch drinks). I made the tip include the full price of the dessert and thanked them.

One of the staff asked me how old I was, and I replied 19. This got lots of laughs (they decided not to card me). David suggested later on a text that I should have picked something more believable, like 29. Hmmm.

And I think that will cover the day for what goes in the blog. It was a lovely trip this week. Thursday is a travel day, and I will just pack up, walk a bit, and then head to Detroit to return Air Hyundai Red and get on a plane home to Oregon.

 

My first full day in Lansing started with me rising at 6:30 local time (it still feels like 3:30 PDT) and getting down to the industrial breakfast in the Fairfield Inn Lobby. I rose, made coffee in the machine, reviewed my transactions in Quicken, watched the stock markets go up and down, and doom scrolled (as a liberal reading the news). The news was a strange mix of denials, lies, and outrages. Elon now says he would be lucky to make 15% of his goal, as he seems to have relearned math, and that the part of the government that provides most of the services is only 15% of the total of $6.75 trillion. That includes all the VA services, parks, giving to over governments, and also 15% of the education budget of North Dakota for the year (yes, ND assumed they would still get all the money from the Education Department–soon not to exist–to provide basic services). I stand back in awe of the extreme waste of time. Rumors are that China has agreed to replace all the lost US government payments and tighten its alliances with the rest of the world. Seems a costly loss, Elon.

But I then returned to writing the blog and enjoying my stay here in Lansing. The blog was 1,400+ words and took me until 10ish to finish. I did get to talk to Deborah on her drive in and back from work today. It is nice to be in the same time zone again and start and end our day together on the phone.

With the blog done, I left the hotel and drove to Mom Wild’s place. Mom was sleeping when I arrived, but was happy to see me after she woke. More of my postcards had shown up, and the bulb flowers for Easter arrived, too. Mom was excited to see the plants start to blossom and watered them, so I added more water. Mom loved the Queen Mary postcard and was excited to hear about Deborah and me on the ship for drinks, snacks, and some self-guided tours.

It was soon time for lunch, and Mom Wild agreed to do the dining room, and the staff led her to her seat, and I left. We will meet on Wednesday morning and at dinner for my birthday dinner at The Beggar’s Banquet.

I headed to Leta’s house and picked her up for lunch. Leta never took down her Christmas Tree and continues to decorate it for all the events. Today, it was an Easter Tree.

We decided on Cheddar’s for lunch and a Monte Cristo sandwich. The food, while well prepared, included American cheese and industrial deli-pack ham—it could have been great. But the jam was good, and the sandwich was cut into small parts. Sadly, we forgot Leta’s leftover sandwich in my car, which was not good when I spotted it later in the back seat. Oops!

After lunch, I dropped Leta off and headed to downtown Lansing and the Capital area. The wind was picking up and was brutal. There was snow or sleet (it was hard to tell), so I decided to forgo a stop at the state capital building today—it would have been a freezing walk to the entrance.

I had to do the ritual of parking and paying. The machines work fast now (they were terrible last time), allowing up to four hours of parking. It used to be limited to no more than an hour. This is a silly idea if you want to have lunch there. Lansing finally, after years, realized that you want people to park in downtown, shop, eat, and then leave. Better!

Instead, I found Summit Comics and Games, and they remembered me. I  suspect that not that many hat-wearing gray-haired guys show up. I found a used copy of some Frostgrave material I did not have nor had seen for sale. Another role-playing game (RPG), I wish I had more time to play. I also found some comic books that intrigued me (they were a disappointment). I try to buy only things I cannot find in Oregon, and today they have something.

Next, I went to the Peanut Store. As I walked in, a patron of the store gave a peanut to a squirrel that seemed to be charging at tax for leaving the store, a peanut. Inside, I got a small bag of peanuts and their best mix, all under $10. The squirrel appeared, and I made my payment and then tried to photograph the rodent. It would have nothing to do with that; apparently, having things pointed at it from a human is uncomfortable. It ran into the street. Yikes, I was not going to have that on my mind, and I followed it into the street, blocked traffic, and it then, now that I was no longer pointing anything at it, followed me, peanut still in its mouth, expecting more food. I realized the traffic was the area’s security team, and they were laughing. Apparently, I went nuts! The squirrel was happy with a peanut last I saw it.

I found Ollie’s next to Summit and got some cards there. They had a coloring book of books that should never happen. I read some of the would-be titles to Deborah, who was free for a moment and called me, and we both laughed. If the book is there on my likely return in the holidays, I might get it. I found Air Hyundai Red and headed out.

From there, with some chaos from construction, I found Hoplite, another gaming store off of Michigan Avenue, and looked at their stuff. The store was more run-down than I remember, and the old gaming stuff was much reduced. I found nothing I could not get in Oregon. I heard a parent say that it was kids’ gaming day, that one of the kids had a rash, and there was concern. With measles now active in Michigan, too (where there is also a strong religious-based denial of vaccination), this was no minor issue. Hearing that and finding no unusual items, I left.

Aside: I had the measles, a very light case, in Middle School when it hit the school band, effectively spreading it to everyone. I also remember getting new shots for it and polio. Vaccination is the cheapest way to stay safe after avoidance; avoidance is not always possible, as my visit to the gaming store shows. I take all vaccinations; I am too busy to get sick, especially avoidable serious illnesses. Lastly, I have already done cancer, a brain tumor, and the death of a spouse. My life has already cost me pain and grief, and I am not losing it to a cheap thief like a known virus. Or in simple terms, RFK F**k Off! And I will remind you, dear readers, that this is toxic and not a cure: here.

Next, I return to my hotel, eat my peanuts, and read my comic books (which are not that interesting). I then travelled and met Jesse and Meg at Bobcat off of Michigan Avenue again within sight of the capital. Jesse is Linda’s (my sister) spouse, and Meg is their child. We enjoy some drinks and a meal in a train car. The car is from the 1900s and shows the ironwork and rivets of the early 1900s. It is hard to imagine that every one of those rivets was hand-carried in hot buckets and driven. The same metal and process as the Titanic, Queen Mary, and all the American Battleships. We had a lovely meal (though my food was odd), and soon I was back at my hotel, reading and trying to sleep. It was my first night having trouble sleeping. I should have walked more.

Thanks for reading.