Blog

I typically sleep in on Mondays and start slower. I rose after eight and missed the sunrise. I made liberal coffee and tried not to read too much news. There are rumors of immigration raids in Oregon, but the local press says they have not started here (KOIN 6). The impact on people and programs now that Trump has ordered the halt of payments for programs will be profound. I spent the morning writing the blog and later writing some replies to the blog and other church-related communications. Dondrea and Deborah were already telling me stories of people they knew impacted by Trump’s policies, real stories, not rumors.

I spent many years as a corporate warrior and know these disruptor people and their chaos. It was why people leave companies, how billions of dollars were spent with little to show, how careers were made and destroyed, and how change was done just for change. Towards the end of my corporate years, I could find old presentations that just needed to be updated to the newest art, and a few words were changed. Database to AI, business intelligence to embedded logic, hardware to cloud, and coding to development–just a few examples.

Returning to the narrative, I wrote and tried to cover a lot of Sunday. I was more selective than usual, as I said in that blog. I finished the blog late in the morning and started on sheets that I purchased for the guest room. The Machine managed to tie the sheets into a ball; some never dried, and I hung them up on chairs and doors to air dry. Later, I got a code that a sensor failed in The Machine. I rebooted it.

The Machine leaked this morning, Tuesday, causing me to have an extensive cleanup. I am not sure what to think. That is one of the reasons the blog is late.

With the blog done, I moved to the spare bedroom, found old towels, sheets, and blankets used in Susie’s last year, and packed that all (except for a few quilts I had before Susie’s decline) for Goodwill. I also found some more Peanuts Christmas displays we had not used for years. I consolidated them with items I saw in the garage. All this went to Goodwill, but the grief was not easy.

I took Air VW the Gray to Target on the other side of Beaverton, but there, I found all the fast charging stations were in use. I plugged in a cable with a slower charge. I headed to Swagot for lunch. I had their lovely tray lunch. The buffet has gone away for COVID-19 and has not returned–instead, you get a tray. The food was excellent and had a slight kick. I was their last guest for lunch. I arrived thirty minutes before they closed for a few hours before the dinner menu was offered.

I returned to the EV and could not get the plug to release. I called the 1-800 number and, after a few steps in the call tree, reached a person with a strong accent on a poor phone line. Listening carefully, I learned to press my unlock button thrice on the Air VW the Gray’s fob. And the cable was released. I saw this in the instructions now on the app (it was graphic with a fob and three arrows, but I had no context for what it meant).

I connected the EV once I changed parking to the available station and charged it to 80% battery life in fifteen minutes. This fast charge process takes 10% of the time of the slower process. I would have preferred 100%, but somehow, I set it back to the standard of 80% between charges.

I wrote a letter to President Trump and found an old pre-stamped envelope and additional stamps that allowed me to raise the postal rate. I figure the extra stamps will make someone at least open it. The letter covered the Paris Accords (Trump again removed the USA from this important climate agreement), quoting from my 2017 letter on the same subject, and complained about Trump’s attempt to redefine the 14th Amendment because he hasn’t the votes to overturn it. This reconstruction amendment is often called unfair to states and ‘unclear.’ The 1868 reconstruction-era changes are precise, and they were meant to curtail states and set the federal courts and laws above states. I put that letter out in the mailbox.

I stopped by Costco. I found more Liquid IV drinks powder. I also picked up a few items, including a case of shelf-stable milk for the church’s kids’ backpacks program and some protein bars. Next, I did not know that the baked goods, which I thought were good sizes when I picked them out, were bought in sets of two. Oops. I checked out and then walked to the bakery to get another set. Hmmm. I also got some tulips that bulbs

I had snacks for dinner as lunch was so late and heavy. I watched more Classic Doctor Who, with one episode recalling the racism of the British Empire books like Sax Rohmer. The episode had a warning that it would offend people, and it featured a British actor in poor makeup as an evil Fu Manchu-like character. It also included the willing sacrifice of a minion. It was a Jack-the-ripper, alien invasion, and Fu Manchu mash-up with The Doctor. It was just awful.

I returned to reading Agatha Christie’s letters on her travels in the 1920s, which gave a first-hand account of the communist takeover of part of South Africa, something I had not heard about. The raising of a Soviet group openly declared and crushed by police was not something I had ever read about. She also wrote that she held back her letters until later to avoid running them through censors, which surprised me. I did not know censorship was so strong.

I painted figures until after 11 and got 4077 figures more finished. I finally went to bed with the Washer/Dryer LG running a cleaning cycle. This would be the flood I would find in the morning. Ugh.

I slept through the storm from the flood. I found it in the morning.

Thanks for reading.

I spoke with some folks at church about the refresh work for the fireside room, and I was surprised by the anger and false narrative as I pushed a bit. Wow. It bothered me all day and made me a bit depressed. I was able to work on some M.A.S.H. 28mm (Dungeons and Dragons size) figures. These need to be ‘based,’ and I decided to leave the two figures that were treating a patient in the set separate and put the patient figure aside as I don’t see any need for it. Working on this had me forget the discomfiture I was feeling.

I started Sunday, another cold and sunny day. More than a week of sunny in January is bizarre weather for us–it should be pouring rain, but last year’s endless ‘rivers of rain’ have us embracing the chance to do late and early garden work. I might even mulch in January!

I rose early, around 7, found the coffee, and started to write. I read the political news, and the President does not disappoint. The ‘shock and awe’ policies continue. While not surprising, the false narratives and the attempt to redefine things he knows cannot change (the 14th Amendment, for example) were/are still shocking when you watch them being implemented as policy. I drank deep of my liberal coffee and know we liberals must withstand the storm and not despair and become despondent. But it is OK to be sad for the liberals reading this.

On the other hand, as a follower of American politics, I know that a newly elected or re-elected President has only so much ‘capital’ to spend after an election. Most new administrations cut-and-run for difficult appointments, not wanting to spend their influence on non-policy items. Not this administration. I also see mass firing in the same process, as more influence expensed. Attempts to short-circuit the US Constitution also burns away these credits. Trump wanted fast and easy wins to get some political ‘axe-grinding’ done, but many of these will continue to distract and cost. His next plans, including restructuring the budget or shutting down the federal government, possibly bankrupting the US currency (by not paying the debt), and abjuring Congress (quite sure this is not supported by Michael Johnson), will deeply dip into any popularity and good feelings from the election. I will buy more popcorn, write some letters, watch, and pray for those impacted by the policies.

Returning to the narrative, I wrote quickly about Saturday. Deborah and I talked; we did make it a short chat so I could finish the blog. I was able to finish by 9ish. Next, I cleaned up, shaved, and dressed. I wore a green sweater vest over a gray dress shirt and the tie Deborah gave me for Christmas. The brown tie with yellow butterflies worked; Deborah remembered I gave her a butterfly necklace in high school. I grabbed a mason jar I had cleaned; Dondrea’s salsa was excellent, and I was returning the jar to her. I was early.

I parked in the library’s parking lot across from First United Methodist Church in Beaverton. I had trouble with the app ChargePoint, which is a non-free station. The first cable does not work; I see the failed marker on it and select the other, having to pull it longer, but it works. Air VW the Gray estimated an incredible 7.5 hours of charging time from 47% to 100%. I managed to add 57 miles of charge for $2.50 while at church for 2.5 hours of charging. I am slowly getting used to it. I cannot imagine this charging in cold, snowy weather. I seem to be walking through parking lots each time I do this. That would suck in a snow-filled parking lot. I look forward to installing a charger (no estimate has been emailed to me yet, but we will see what happens).

Church was full of distractions; I will just pass over it in the blog and move on to lunch. I decided not to work on church paperwork; I was discombobulated by church events. Instead, I found a nice lunch/dinner at BJ’s Brewhouse. I had a chicken breast done in a mix of styles. It was served in a light, lemony, but not sweet gravy with thinly sliced mushrooms. I had a baked potato but mashed would have been better to mix with the sauce. I added a salad with Thousand Islands to stick to a more tangy afternoon!

I watched football with Washington, learning why the Eagles were there, but every time the Eagles blinked, Washington reminded the Eagles why they were there. Washington was crushed, but the Eagles had to keep scoring as Wahington slid another score. I had my favorite red ale and then a coffee to finish.

Home, full of food and beer and still reeling from church, I took a nap in my chair as I watched “The Face of Evil (1976),” a classic Doctor Who episode series I had never seen before. It is an acquired taste as it has terrible acting, effects, and a strange storyline. I returned, once awake, and hours later, to painting my figures. I also started to prepare some figures I got from a Kickstarter: Unofficial Pandemic figures for the board game with the same name. These are modern-looking figures with a slight SciFi and science look. I got them years ago and decided to take them on. I will add them to my version of the game. I will think about acquiring The Brink add-on, which added some more options to the game. I had a late supper by reheating terrible Chinese-style leftovers from P.F. Chang’s as they were too expensive to throw away. It was not better reheated!

With all the bases done on the M.A.S.H. figures, the new Pandemic figures washed and dried (it is a good idea to wash plastic before painting and let it air dry), the dishes in the dishwasher, and laundry put away, I headed to bed. I showered, put on my PJs, and tried to read. I found my legs and feet uncomfortable. Painkillers made that fade. I read until midnight, got up, and looked for reservations for 14 Feb, but I saw those are not out yet. I returned to bed, set Alexa on soft sleeping music to cover any noise, and slept all night.

I dreamed of traveling again and losing my luggage because I forgot to get it at the airport—that never happened to me. I talked to many folks, Susie, Dad Wild, and my Grand Wilds, about how to get to the airport to get it. They were all just happy to chat with me, and strangely, I was in no hurry to get my luggage. It seemed that where we were, missing luggage was not something to worry about. I woke, at first forgetting the dream, happy and sad. I recalled it when writing this blog.

Thanks for reading.

I got to bed after Sunday started. I had taken Air VW the Gray from Kathleen’s house in Milwaukee, a city just outside of Portland (yes, there is one here), and crossed over Portland in the EV. It was my first time in this car, and I discovered that the road felt rougher as the VW’s handling was tighter than the Volvo’s. Air VW the Gray sticks better to the road, even using the ‘green’ regenerative braking setting. I also appreciated the sudden and silent immediate acceleration; the Volvo had a slight delay as gears, and the engine had to react first before the wheels would move faster. Power on demand, even in ‘green’ mode, was excellent.

Kathleen and I headed to her house from Richard’s after a few board games, more on the lighter side at Kathleen’s request. It was Richard and Lauren to do four players. We first played the push-your-luck game, The Quacks of Quedlinburg, with 3D-printed pieceholders and the plastic version of the ingredients from Board Game Geeks (recommended at $42 for any Quacks out there). This silly but sometimes intense play is a favorite, and I played the add-ons in New Hampshire with more 3-printed upgrades. This time, we would play the basic 4-person version (there are a few changes for higher player counts).

In this game, you try to randomly draw from your bag of random ingredients to build the highest-scoring (and thus the best) potion this round. But there are dangerous items in your bag, and if more than seven values of these explosive items are in your cauldron, boom. Thus, it is a push-your-luck game with some elements of resource management. The rules are not all easy, but we had a good time.

Richard pulled ahead as my fellow players risked less or too much. I miscounted and blew up. Richard and Kathleen, as a strategy, blew up in the first play to get more payment—interesting. In the end, I recovered from last place on the final play, a surprise to the other players who had written me off, but I could not catch Richard and settled for second place.

We played Project L, and while I found it interesting, I could not do better than half the leader’s score, Lauren. This beloved game is sort of fun to me, but I am not that good and always lose. It is a physical piece-matching and resource-building game. It was likely one of my worst scores. It was a Kickstarter, and sadly, the trays and other excellent improvements are unavailable for new purchases. Improvements are available as 3-D printed, but Richard’s version is fantastic and includes the expansions built into the trays.

We discussed house improvements and got caught up on each other’s holidays. I got out late.

Before this, I was at the house and painting my M.A.S.H. 28mm (standard Dungeon and Dragons sized) figures. I also primed bases. I will base each figure.  Loretta Swit’s figure is not separated but with a patient; I prefer each figure to stand alone. I painted the US Olive Drab and the bases a bright green. I will glue the figures to larger supplied bases, fill in the different heights, and then lightly ‘decorate’ the base.

I found the last of the bread in the freezer (with it just being me, it is best to freeze loaves and toast them back to life). I brushed on some olive oil to stop the bread from getting soaked (in case you wonder why your meatball sub falls apart, toast and oil to fix that). I spread some cheese with leftover sauce and meatballs (now cut in half) from Costco on the bread and roasted. I did not get the mix hot enough. Next time, I will microwave the sauce and meatballs and put them hot on the bread. Still, it was great to have a meatball sandwich for dinner, and the price was right. Even if it was not that hot.

Moving back further, I loaded up the EV’s cargo hold with electronic goodies and headed to the SupplyGizmo store. They were happy to take them, including a robot and a drone in near-new condition. The second 3-D printer I bought but never finished building was accepted, as the parts were at least worth the trouble. It is now out-of-date.

Next, I headed to P.F. Chang’s and learned it was Saturday, meaning lunch specials don’t apply. I ordered beef teriyaki, which was too sweet. It was the regular order size (expensive, too). I had that with soup (another charge) and fried rice (upcharge $2). The food was of lesser quality than I had before and cost me $45 for lunch for one with an iced tea. F**k!

I rose at 7ish, was slow going, and talked to Deborah on and off all day. It is remarkable that even with our long-distance relationship, we can text, talk, and feel connected. This is obvious and likely known information to any high school-aged couple, but executing it still makes it more real. I wrote the blog, texted, read emails, read some news (‘shock and awe’ for us liberals), and even defended comments on the 14th Amendment (which is getting a lot of coverage this week).

Breakfast was liberal coffee, a banana, and a croissant. All my lab results, including the PSA test for prostate issues, were all good.

And that takes me to waking; thanks for reading!

 

 

 

 

It has been more demanding to recall the previous day. I have less structure now, and memory is often hung on a framework. I try to remember what meals I ate and what transitions were in the day to form a start. Frequently, it takes me twenty minutes to recall the day. I eat breakfast, just a banana and coffee, liberal, and try to remember. I look at the photos on my phone, and sometimes I look in the trash for hints of what I made, and slowly, I remember. I often recall more as I write the blog. I will suddenly remember a task I did and add that back in.

Friday was messy, as I had a doctor’s appointment in the morning. I never take the first appointment, as often folks are late to work, and you can wait longer. For some reason, I remember appointments on Fridays (nothing else going on that day). My appointment was at 8:40; I had just been there a few minutes before.

I called Deborah while driving to the doctor’s office. We often talk while traveling. I spoke to Deborah and texted her on and off all Friday. While working from home on Friday, Deborah shoveled and used a snow blower to clear her driveway. Deborah likes her driveway to be safe and tidy.

For me, the Doc is a check-in that I am improving, that there was no backsliding on existing issues, and that nothing new surfaced. My weight is still slowly moving down. My blood pressure at the office was 124/80, and my A1C fell further (despite the holidays!) to 5.1. None of the other tests showed any out-of-line results (I am still waiting for one result). Doc and I talked about changing some prescriptions, but with the good results, we agreed to let everything remain. “I do not mind taking the pills as it feels like I am taking positive action when taking them,” I explained. I did talk about some chest pain, and should this reappear, it will be off to more tests. “Retirement is working for you,” was Doc’s reflection, and Doc was pleased. We discussed my destroyed Volvo, as Doc suggested this could happen to anyone, and it was disturbing that it was not covered by insurance. We talked about travel and that I was in a relationship with Deborah. Doc was pleased and happy for me. We will meet again in four months. With diabetes, cancer, and various drugs I am taking, monitoring is mandated.

I am off to the lab for blood work and other tests. This is another hour or so, but soon, I am back in Air VW, the Gray that whisked me off after rising early. I had not had anything to drink other than water with my pills since 10 the previous night. La Provenance is now open in the Cedar Mills Crossing retail area (where the Doc office is), and I land in a nearly full parking lot. The place is humming for a late Friday morning.

Last time, I sat at the bar for twenty minutes before being served, and then I was mobbed. I asked for the bar if they would not forget me, and the pretty young gal (who was there last time) said that would never happen. I smile, and soon, she is proven right. She even checks in with me later. I notice that the plaques have words on them now, and the place is running with an ease that I did not see last time. The place was newly opened when I enjoyed a more random service.

My waiter was split with tables, and not the bartender (I never got his name), and he had amazing wing tattoos on his neck that I complimented as I had never seen such excellent work on a neck. He ensured I had plenty of their superb coffee. I provided my choices to my waiter, and he said that Baked Eggs a la Française was the best choice from the list I suggested. I stuck to coffee and talked to Deborah, and my waiter smiled; talking to your love on the phone was normal now, especially if alone at the bar. It is not rude.

I watched the bartender, who was busy mixing various juices into glasses with booze. Yes, morning drinking on a ‘work-from-home’ Friday is more the norm now. My food arrived, and it was huge and delicious. The meal could have used salt, but I added none. Susie used to call the salt shaker ‘white death’ and had them all removed from her food services (a guest could always request a salt cellar). If I wanted salt at home, I had to go into the kitchen to get it. I use some when cooking, much less than most recipes call for. I smiled at my waiter when I removed a large piece of shell from my egg (I don’t care as long as I see it in time–I did). I enjoyed my meal, and after the third coffee, I switched to water, though the fruit juices with booze were tempting, especially with an A1C at 5.1.

Aside: Eric ‘Elric’ Anderson passed away last year. He often commented on the blog, and the above comment about getting a boozy fruit drink would have gotten a response from him. Something imaginative, I am sure.  I believe he would focus on a statement that we don’t usually take all the drugs to then drink. Usually. We miss you, Elric, but you rush ahead laughing and calling us to follow. “What! Do you want to live forever?” he would say, quoting a Conan movie, looking serious for a moment and then laughing again.

I felt a bit off after the coffee and food, but I suspect it was not a reaction to the food and drink. My colon had reached maximum, and I enjoyed the ‘cork and bottle’ experience with everything emptying in a few passes. Yikes! Yes, I was full (many folks think I am full of s**t, and I was). With that issue resolved, I loaded Air FW with paint and headed to Ace Hardware. They took the paint, and I got more vent covers. I will put them on Saturday (I forgot about them). More space is now available in the garage. More tax documents showed and were available for download. The trash and recycling came, and the extra bags (for an additional charge) were all taken.

I began to remove all the modeling stuff from my table in the fireplace room. This is where I work now, and my office is a bit trashed by events, and a mattress is in there. It’s one of the many things I need to return to order. Car replacement and EV requirements are currently at the top of the list. I am waiting for the estimate for the work. Next is getting the house ready for visitors (Deborah), which is moving along.

I have returned to other hobbies. I decided to paint figures again because it is an almost immediate gratification hobby (a ship model because I want everything perfect was a six-month to two-year commitment). In the evening, I got out my 4077 figures from the UK, removed the mold marks, cleaned them, attached them to a painting stick, used my favorite spray primer (Tamiya Fine Surface Light Gray), and did four light coats from different directions. I later painted flesh color on the figures. I have a 28mm scale helicopter and hut to build, too. It was a pleasure to find all those skills ready to be used.

I have also returned to stamp collecting for the same reason, and though it can be a lonely hobby, it is something I have done most of my life, and I like it. I also see lower prices as the impact of crypto has lessened, and the slabbing of worthless stamps (a new-like perfect three-cent 1930s stamp is not worth $100 while a dime from the same time might be) seemed to be passing on. I found a few items I need, more obscure items, for better than 50% off retail (what you expect in philatelic auctions). If you collect like me, mostly used stamps and will not pay premium prices for so-called superb items, prices are much lower, and I am always looking for some expensive items sold for a reduced cost (for example, a corner missing on what would be a $500+ item). I also pick up forgeries here and there (marked that way) to add to my forgery collection (some have more interesting stories than the original). I have a proof-version of Scott#2 for you US stamp collectors, but I want a real one. A costly item. I am watching for Scott 8A as they may go in some poorly attended auctions for far less than the $2,000 retail. I missed one that went for less than $300 and still watch now. But you must get one from a reputable dealer as the stamp is hard to identify. Certified versions, even damaged copies, always go for $1000+.

Dinner was reheated pasta and Italian-style sausage, and I watched Classic Doctor Who. The Hand of Evil was a strange set of episodes that I cannot recommend. An actor, a woman painted gray and covered with shells and bits of flashy stones, brought life to the show and storyline with some good acting and better writing. Still, she was replaced by a man when she regenerated, and the story and acting were awful after that. I could not recommend it.

(Boris was damaged in the crash of the curio cabinet but is ready again)

I worked on figures and was surprised that my hands hurt—I am out of practice. I did the dishes, put the trash in the now empty trash can (two bags worth), and moved the recycling stacked in the house to the container. I read for a while, and soon, it was late. I was not in bed after a shower and in my PJs. There is more order. There is more to do.

Thanks for reading!

I rose early as I could not sleep and rose at 5ish. The house was cold and dark. I set the house to 72F and went to work. I put on my robe. But I was still cold; next, the coffee cup had to be warmed before I could put it in it! With the warming of liberal coffee, robe, and heat, I wrote the blog.

I miss rising early and doing the morning thing. Also, I can talk with Deborah during East Coast time while she drives to work. I love seeing a sunrise, but I stay up until 11ish or more most nights and sleep through it. Still, it was nice to be a morning person again on Thursday.

I wrote until around 10 and then published. I had lunch with Scott at 11:45 and was dressed and out by 11:30 in Air VW the Gray. I headed to McMenamins Cedar Hills to meet Scott. He arrived early and waited for me. Soon, Bob, the waiter we often get for Theology Pub, took care of us. I listened to Scott’s experience setting up end-of-life paperwork for his family. I had to do this for myself; it is an interesting topic (not depressing if you focus on doing it to prevent worrying; nothing to be emotional about). We also talked about my trip and experience with my EV.

My tuna fish sandwich and fries were good, and Scott had a burger. We will meet next week. Next, the EV took me home. I loaded the two worn business chairs, and the recycle folks took them for free. I also mailed a package to Cat in NYC. It’s another comic from a Kickstarter I follow—I get two and send one to her. While mailing it, I saw the Dungeons and Dragons stamps. The villain Acererak, from the original version and carried on even to now, was on a USA Forever stamp! He has finally reached godhood of a sort, officially: USA Forever. I got two sheets and will have to use some.

I next stopped by our local Ace Hardware and picked up furnace filters and vent covers. There are many different types, and it is always a strange experience to see so many types and try to find your perfect match. I picked the 1x16x25, my furnace size, because it was cheaper, and winter is not a time for pollen.

The covers mostly fit, and I did break one. I only had enough for half. I will get more on my next trip to Ace. The house was warmer on Friday morning. I have to remove them when it warms, or condensation will rot the floors, and mold may form (possibly making the house a total loss—it is vital to remove them!). This is another one of the Pacific Northwest things.

I also replaced the filter at the top of the furnace and put it in the correct direction. I cleared the message on the panel that the filter is new. It will count the 90 days to replace it.

I heat the meatballs and sauce I got from Costco. It is too much food, and the meatballs are well Costco-sized. I have a bowl while watching Doctor Who and wish Deborah goodnight. Later, while talking with Dondrea, I reached for the curio cabinet as the glass was leaning. The tape and other holdings failed, and the glass fell. I tried to stop it, but I was wise enough to let it fall and not arrest the fall with my hands (likely to be an ER trip); the glass broke a heavy glass shelf, and everything crashed from one shelf to another. I look at Susie’s ashes on top of the cabinet and apologize for not saving the cabinet.

I carefully gathered the glass and put the fallen items in the cabinet. I will have to work on this later. I am angry and sad. I glued a figure back together and suspected there were others I would need to rescue. The CMU glass was crushed, I can see. I will decide what to do later. I could not even look at it.

I head out. I see JR at the Wildwood Brewpub, and we have a drink and chat. I need to just unwind a bit after the crash. JR and I chatted, and soon, I was feeling better and returned home in Air VW the Gray.

The recycling and trash had to go. This included three heavy bags of trash items from M@ and my garage clean-up. The recycling was packed, too. I got that all, and it was collected on Friday. I showered, read, and glued Boris together; the chips still show.

I took pictures of the electrical stuff for the EV Charge PDX to get me an estimate for an EV charging station. From what I understand, they will get a discount from PGE for the equipment and a plan for usage. More to follow. Later, I got a request for more information. Service to the house is 150 amps.

For those who wonder about the impact on the electrical grid, charging is the same pull as a dryer —almost none. I use The Machine for clothing, and it uses a regular plug (an estimated 99 kWh a year) instead of the 468 kWh of an average American-style electric clothing dryer.

Thanks for reading.