Blog

I slept in and rose just before 8 in room 329 at the Extended Stay America. While my room is clean, it is rundown and comes with no coffee or complimentary breakfast, and I will not stay in this chain again. I would join Clint, Annika, Hope, and Misha (Annika and Clint being Susie’s cousins and the other spouses, respectively) for lunch around noon for birria tacos at a local place. While not uncomfortable, room 329 had nothing to appeal to me, and soon, I cleaned up, shaved, dressed, and boarded Air Ford NH.

I remembered to turn left this time to reach Bagel Cafe and went with a plain bagel for their smoked salmon (bad breath) bagel. There, I had more coffee, as I had snagged a quick cup in the hotel lobby (there were options for instant oatmeal and hot chocolate). I wrote the blog and talked to Deborah about her plans for the day; she was joining local friends for a holiday celebration. I finished the blog at about 11ish. I read my email, updated Quicken with the transactions (fixed an issue with one download), and updated my 401K for the year-end valuation (lowering by $15,000).

I headed out in Air Ford NH and soon was at Clint’s and Annika’s place, back in a car, and at the local Mexican place, meeting Misha there–he had driven up from Boston. Soon, with the tacos and other food loaded, we returned to Clint’s and Annika’s place, and I was tasked with setting up the massive Cthulhu Wars board game on their most enormous table. It played four people, and soon, Misha, Clint, Riley, and I were going over the rules. I had time to read and review the rules and remember how to play.

Misha showing Cthulhu on the board (for scale).

This is an expensive game, starting at about $200 for the base, and it can go, as in my case, too many times that number for all the add-ons. The final rules book, The Omega Rules, is an inch-thick, hardbound tome. We were only playing the basics, and soon I explained the rituals (This is a Lovecraft Mythos game, and instead of game phases, it has rituals). Clint got it cheap at an auction. This game uses Risk-like combat, as many games still do, but with crazy rule-breaking to match the theme. It is hard to describe or to have a plan; the different factions (played by each player) have various superpowers that violate multiple rules. Misha, playing Cthulu, spread out and attacked me, The Crawling Chaos, and learned about all the superpowers. Ryder also slammed me, playing The Yellow Sign (Hastor the Unspeakable). She was shocked that I withstood the attack and attacked me again (The Yellow Sign has one superpower to do two things on a single turn), and Clint spread out fast, The Black Goat, gaining powers (books), but soon most of his cultists were captured by everyone. Being the crawling type, I quietly took all the gates from Ryder, who ran to the quieter section of the board and soon had five gates. I finished all my superpowers (six books) and was the only player thus qualified to win. I then enjoyed the Ritual of Annihilation, which doubled my score each round. Misha outscored me, but he had only four books, so I kept the win. Misha had not won enough battles to get his books.

(Me showing the Crawling Chaos–in blue–that won with Clint standing in front of The Black Goat in red. Ryder had already pulled his figures, yellow, off the board)

I snacked and then played another game of Cthulu Pandemic as Hope found it short enough (she does not like longer games) and was surprised by how hard it was this time. The game structure slammed us a few times, and Hope’s investigator even went insane (she closed the gate and was healed). Ultimately, all the evil powers cards were in play (except the last one that would cause the game to end), and all the relics were used! We played with four players, the maximum, and it played well with four, which I don’t get to do often. We managed to win and close the last gate with only a few actions left and would have lost if Hope had not closed the gate! A close and more immersive game. Excellent.

Clint reappeared with pizzas. Soon, Clint, two new players, and I played the rest of the night playing Wrymspan game using the newly updated components. Clint and I agree that the gems need to be replaced (I plan to do that for my copy, and I will get extra). As I covered the game a few days ago, I will say that the new players, all skilled board gamers, won with Clint ten points above my low score. It was fun and impressive to watch the other players do so well. With Wrymspan, you can get a poor game if you don’t get the good items in random draws. I was stressed by my choices.

I had nothing to drink but water, and I will admit that I was not paying attention and looked down at 56 in a 35. The officer from Amherst validated this, explaining the speed limits in the area and what a New Hampshire registration looked like. I was not what the officer was looking for, and I smiled. He was fascinated by his first Oregon driver’s license, and Aloha, my town, fascinated him. I told him it was my fault and admitted I had missed the sign. “Have you been to Eugene?” was his question, “Why yes.” I suspect the paperwork to give me, from out of state, a ticket on a borrowed car would take longer than he wanted to invest. We both said goodnight, and I was happy he got his first Oregonian. All good. I was officially warned, and I drove slower.

I received news that the car, once known as Air Volvo, needs another $8,000 in repairs! This plus the existing $5,600 already invested. I put off the repairs and will talk to the dealership about scrapping options on Monday. Ugh!

I arrived slowly at my hotel. I showered and prepared to start early as I had to pack and write a blog. I soon, after too much coughing, finally, with various meds helping, slept. Thanks for reading.

 

I was back at the Extended Stay America hotel at about 1AM, showered, got in my PJs, coughed for a while, and then drifted off to sleep on Saturday morning. I had left Clint’s and Annika’s house after midnight. I had DM’d from about 7 to 11:20 and spent some time chatting about the Dungeons and Dragons games before heading across Nashua, New Hampshire.

We played with eight players, all pre-made characters at seventh level for 5E. I downloaded them from D&D Beyond, and Clint printed them out. From what I saw, all the premade characters were powerful and legal. They did include items from various exotic books, but they were still, I believe, legal for the regular 5E version of Dungeons and Dragons, with all the basic magic items supplied to make the character playable. All the numbers and special rules for the character were printed on the sheets. All ready-to-play versions.

We started playing with me explaining the simplified ‘convention’ system I use (learned from Matt V), which made the game flow smoother (all the players go, and then the DM runs the bad guys) and that we go around the table starting on the left with any sequencing issues being resolved (i.e., Clint’s bard supplies support out of sequence as needed). The armor classes of the pre-made characters were higher than I prepared for, but I had enough bad guys that I usually hit every round with something. This adventure deals punishing levels of damage, which soon creates a feeling of danger that makes everyone pay attention. A critical hit from the bad guys would knock most player characters unconscious!

The story came from an adventure I wrote a few years ago (about the desert tomb of Rath), and I had removed about 1/2 to finish in one play. I also dropped two encounters as the night went on–we did not have time for a complex puzzle-monster encounter, which might turn deadly if misplayed. The adventure is designed for four to five tenth-level, well-organized, powerful characters, equal to eight seventh-level characters. But the 7th was more fragile, and I would have one character or more unconscious in my battles that night. As this was a one-time shot adventure, clobbering characters was acceptable.

Everyone seemed to have a good time, and they liked the process and how I put them each in the spotlight before moving to the next. They also felt the risk, and though it was a hack-and-slash adventure, a poem they had acquired from a disreputable used camel salesman made it more of a puzzle. It warned them of what they would face.

I also gave an advantage to the players. A spell blocked my mummy-creating hallway. A natural 20 meant no damage for a player. When searching the desert, they should avoid the monsters. Good ideas and attempts to solve problems are granted outsized results. It was essential to provide agency to players; it meant it was more fun for everyone. For example, one player’s character had nothing to throw at the scorpion swarm, but on a lucky roll, she found that the used camel dealer had slipped a practical flask of oil into her character’s pack. A note suggested that it would be useful to prevent the scorpions, “no charge for such great customers.”

The final encounter was rough, as it should be, and they learned a few new rules about bad guys in their lair and legendary actions. Soon, half of the characters were unconscious or paralyzed with fear. But the weight of numbers soon worked to their advantage, and the main final bad guy was quickly running out of hit points (their two heaviest hitters delivering back-to-back punishing damage to the bad guy). They finally knocked out the bad guy and won the adventure with only four of the eight characters still functional; perfect!

It was fun, and everyone seemed happy (and relieved) when they finished about 11:20.

Before this, dinner was a bit of Shepard’s pie, except the kids don’t like to have foods touching, so this was a make-you-own version, meaning I put my mash on my meat and veggies for a more classic experience. It was excellent.

Before this, I played Pandemic Cthulhu with Clint and a second game (Clint and I lost the first one) with Clint and Hope. This is a re-themed version of the cooperative game Pandemic but with mechanisms that hammer the player characters and exotic artifacts from the Lovecraft Mythos. Hope reminded us of a few options, and together, we managed to close the gates in time and save the world (for now). It is a fun and challenging version, and I have a copy (all the figures painted). It plays well for any player count (there is no solo version).

Before this, I met Clint, Annika, Glenda, Gene, and Hope’s kids for lunch at Uno’s, and Clint and I split the cost. I wanted to try their pan pizza with meatballs. It was good. We also got a cheese appetizer. Annika and Glenda got salad combinations. The kids had pizza and spaghetti.

Before this, I stopped by Staples and got some pencils and Post-its for the game. Next, I stopped by the local gaming store and got some dice sets (one going to Hope–cheaper but easy-to-read versions) and a scoop of twenty-sided dies that I often use as DM. Later, I gave some away, but most of the gaming supplies will remain with Clint and friends.

Before this, I talked to Deborah and wrote a blog. I went, again, to Bagel Cafe and enjoyed more salmon on my purchased breakfast.

Thanks for reading.

I woke up in room 329 with an alarm around 7, rolled over, and slept another thirty minutes. I rose, started on the blog, cleaned up, shaved, dressed, and headed to a more comfortable space. No coffee in the room, so it is a desert when I wake up there. I traveled in Air Ford NH to Bagel Cafe, but on a roundabout route, I did a U-turn; I turned right and not left on the main drag when I started. I found coffee in the hotel’s small oasis lobby and drank it while making the longer-than-expected trip.

Air Ford NH finally seemed longer than it was. At Bagel Cafe, I had a large poppy salmon bagel and coffee with cream while I spent the morning writing the blog. While I wrote, the crowd changed a few times. It was mostly younger people in groups and folks working, taking a break. Few grey folks like me were writing or reading for a few hours. I suspect the early hours were busy when they opened at 6, and I was here for the late customers.

I have talked to Deborah several times; we are in the same time zone now, so we exchange good mornings when it is still morning. I will return to the Pacific Northwest, my beloved home of the last twenty-eight years, late Sunday or early Monday (assuming I make my connection in Seattle and my flight runs as planned). We are trying to make the long-distance relationship work.

Air Ford NH carried me to Annika’s and Clint’s place, and Clint made me a few tacos for lunch. With no plans for the afternoon, Clint got Misha and me to play the board game Lords of Waterdeep. Annika and Misha are Susie’s cousins. This is Clint’s favorite, and he soon taught us the game. This is a worker placement and resource game with a theme of the Dungeons and Dragons setting of the city of Waterdeep. The mechanics are simple without the usual engine building, multiple levels of resource management, and goal chasing of more complex games, like the board game Lisboa.

Soon, we are all running without questions and playing an intensifying game. I take the lead, but soon, Misha overtakes me, and Clint, from behind, climbs suddenly forward. I build many buildings and score a goal that gives me points for the buildings. The central point system is to fulfill quests drawn in one place with resources collected elsewhere. Your workers are placed there to get the quest or resources. There were also intrigue cards that usually allowed one-time benefits and often benefited your opponents. The game was light, in my opinion, but also fun and short. A perfect match for three players, something you don’t see often.

Next, it was nearing time for Pat, Clint’s friend, to pick us up. We headed to Manchester, the largest city in New Hampshire, about the size of Salem, Oregon, but undoubtedly wealthy and a center of business in the state. We soon located a Boards and Brews, paid the fine (or so it seemed), $5 a person added to our bill, and acquired Euphoria: Build a Better Dystopia (2013) board game from Stonemaier Games from the massive collection of games ready to play at Boards and Brews. It is not one of the game publisher’s successes (Wingspan, Scythe, Wrymspan, and Viticulture being their best-loved games), but Clint liked it, and I only heard that there were other better games. This is the earlier published version.

We made an easy mistake in play and soon corrected how the stars were placed (when you build something, it goes on the building or when removing the penalty for not building it later). Soon, like Scythe, the game accelerated to a sudden finish. I can now see some of the elements in Scythe appear in this precursor to the beloved game. I played a reactive strategy, trying to stockpile resources and take places on the board that would get me knocked out and get my worker, a die in this game, back and ready to place again. I would then slide in and complete things or place another star. Soon, Misha and I were competing to win, but with a pile of resources now, I could take advantage of positions on the board while Misha went back for more resources. I ended the game for a win like Scythe by placing my last star. There is no scoring. Again, I can see why Scythe added scoring after the game stops, as there is no payment for good play, which is an obvious complaint. 

The game style was worker placement and resource management, but it was heavier than Lords of Waterdeep. It was fun. It plays under an hour once you know it, and I may consider buying it; it sells for $65 for a new copy from the publisher, but used copies are as low as $25. I think the mix of complexity but with acceleration makes it a good game. While initially confusing, the goal cards and factions add interesting variations and allow for replayability without feeling like the game is just a repeat. Not a bad game.

Aside: My chicken fingers were served uncooked. Ick! They removed the cost of a beer for that. The folks at Boards and Brews seemed overwhelmed by a group playing a more complex game and ordering beer and food. Strange.

After that, Pat, who was driving, took us back to Clint’s house, and then Clint and I headed to a Maker Space night at the local school. I helped there and watched as Clint and my friends discussed some changes. We then headed out for beers at a cash-only local bar (a would-be towny bar but with 36 taps, PBR for $3 for the edgy folks, and food that was better than the gaming store–it was cooked) and discussed Dungeons and Dragons. There, Clint agreed I could DM, and I soon discussed how I handle large groups in 5E Dungeons and Dragons.

We agree to play D&D on Friday night, with me finding pre-made characters and cobbling a shortened version of one of my adventures. We returned, and soon, I returned to the hotel, showered, and sent out 14 or so 7th-level premises for Clint and friends. I sleep with visions of undead, horrifying traps, and spells flying in my head. I sleep well; I am the DM: Undead, traps, horrors, and spells are my allies.

Thanks for reading!

45I did not rise early in 2025 but slept until nearly 9. I rose in my Extended Stay America Hotel again, amazed at how rundown and almost useless this hotel was. The room has never been cleaned, there are no new towels, but more importantly, there is no complementary coffee or breakfast. The bathtub was coated with some paint, and much was peeling off. I will never use Extended Stay America again. But it is clean.

With little reason to stay in the room, I headed out in Air Ford NH, turned the wrong way, got turned around, and then parked at the Bagel Cafe. I purchased a poppy bagel with salmon and all the fixings. I watched a BMW SUV parked in two spaces to prevent anyone from parking beside their precious car. The locals are not happy. The locals even take pictures. Soon, the locals parked their vehicles near the BMW as close as possible. This New Hampshire, “Live Free or Die,” and are not putting up with the parking stunt.

I wrote as I watched all the drama. It took me a while to punch out 700+ words. I reboarded Air Ford NH. I talked to Deborah briefly as we greeted each other in 2025. I soon arrived at Clint and Annika’s house. It is just noon, and I have some leftovers for a snack.

Clint asked me what I would want to do, and I suggested that seeing the Atlantic on this side, where I was previously on the West African beach, would be good. A poll was taken, and three others, all men, decided to join. Next, we are in a Subaru headed to the tiny bit of cost of New Hampshire; I leave Air Ford NH keys in case the remaining folks need another car (there are many).

We arrive at Hampton Beach and Tide Mill Creek in about an hour, cross over the bridges, and then walk on the beach. We are also amazed by a house being rebuilt to be higher. I remember that the reduced-cost insurance programs were eliminated by Congress, and now, homeowners must make improvements in risk areas to get insurance on the general market. Building codes have been tightened in many at-risk regions (except in some southern states, where recent damage showed new structures failing in lightened building codes). The house we saw was raised a whole story, with a new cement foundation and walls soon to hold it up. It appeared the house had been moved and used to sit near the ground. Fascinating to all of us.

Aside: Due to the law changes and the loss of Congress-funded rebuilding, many homes in at-risk areas are sold at reduced prices to folks with deep enough pockets to reconstruct them to code and can afford to insure them on the open market (I believe the government insurance was gone).

The beach was lovely, and the sand was not what I was used to. This is thicker, and you sink into it more than the fine grey sand in Oregon and Washington. The seas on the Atlantic and its storms can be vicious, and the large stones and seawalls surprise me. I am used to open beaches and the Oregon laws that say nothing may be done to stop erosion without permits, and those are usually only for piers for river and harbor access. Still, walking the beaches and looking back at Africa, where I last was on the Atlantic, was terrific. Clint was surprised I did not touch the Ocean, but with my Brooks and it being winter, I was not interested in getting my feet wet.

We drove along the coast, stopped again, and watched folks in wetsuits surfing. A large crew was out there, and some of the waves were good. We, as you an see above, were dressed for the cold. Being out there in the water did not appeal.

Next, we crossed into Kittery, Maine, to the Portsmouth Naval Base. We had to provide our IDs to the base guards, who welcomed us and saluted Clint, a Major in the Airforce (reserve); we found the old early 1900s prison now a disused and scary-looking building on the water. Next, I had us stop at a small park. There was the conning tower of WW2 submarines (two different ones with each number on the other side with its ‘kills’ painted on each side). I did not recognize the type, and it was a pre-WW2 design. An 1800s-style huge iron anchor was lost and recovered and is now placed there. A Polaris missile, the remains of an early Cold War submarine weapon, was also on display. USS New Hampshire’s (BB-25) bell was on display from 1908. It was worth stopping and seeing these memories of different times.

Next, we returned to New Hampshire (a bridge crossing) and Portsmouth, a trendy town. Misha found a well-rated pizza joint that supports his food allergies. We also stopped by Diversions Gaming, and I bought a deck of cards with their logo and a small matchbox puzzle (for just a few bucks). Then, I could not find a credit card. Hmmm. There is no activity, and I will cancel it if I don’t discover it in my pants or car. I used another; I carry four.

The Flatbread Pizza was excellent, across from Diversions, but it was also expensive. I was hungry as I had only a bagel and a snack all day. I ate my small pizza, and Misha and Gene took half a pizza back with them. Soon, we were on the road again, with Clint getting us back in about an hour.

Returned, I was soon asked to play Mysterium, an experiential cooperative board game. We had five players and a ghost. Clint plays one of the psychic investigators and not the ghost; Ryder wanted that. I made only one miss, but I was not ready for Ryder’s literalness and to follow fewer colors and shapes. But, I don’t forget that I began leading with Anne. Clint and Annika are in the middle. Lorelei was not connecting with Ryder’s thinking.

(sorry, it’s a bit blurry…it was the ghost thing)

The ghost sends art images (cards) to the various psychic investigators in Mysterium. You can find the suspect, location, and weapon options for the suspects. One last set of clues was shared, and secret votes were taken. Anne and I picked the murder, and since we were the most aligned with the ghost, our pick was the deciding one, and we all won. Clint and Annika missed, and Lorelei was wrong too but picked another, meaning a tie that Anne and I broke and won the game. An excellent board game but not easy and can be ego-bruising. We did not use the timer, which makes for a more fun game, especially with younger folks.

I left after that and soon was sleeping after a shower. I did not wake up until I heard my alarm at 7.

Thanks for reading!

Within a few minutes of midnight, we put down our draw bags for the board game Quacks of Quedlinburg (QQ) with all the Witches additions and 3D printed parts and counted down for the end of 2024. Happy New Year, dear reader!

The Magic The Gathering games broke up when some folks left, giving Clint (Annika’s husband, Annika being Susie’s niece) a chance to get out QQ with all the expansions. Some moaned when we learned we had to learn the new version and that the potion components could vary from the QQ regular game after various drinks, but we found our way. As usual, all my luck happened at the start of the game, and I blew up multiple times, losing my lead. I came in third with another player just passing me. My last play had been unlucky. QQ is a push-your-luck and resource management game. It is a favorite, and I would say the updated version was fun.

After the New Year, I soon headed out, was at my hotel at 1, and slept late after a shower. My coughing is still endless, with each morning being a hope that finally it will stop, but only to be ruined as the nasal drip starts again. Ugh.

Going backward in our story, I watched some football, grazed the finger foods often, and chatted with mostly strangers for most of the evening. The college bowl games are on with a new organizational structure that has left some unusual matchups. Penn State vs. Boise State was the one we watched. Penn State should have crushed their opponent, but as usual, after a few touchdowns, the underdogs, Boise State, started to push hard and threaten to unseat Penn State. Boise State team, tasting an impossible win, began to make mistakes, and penalties started to cost the team the game. Penn State then rallied and crushed Boise State as expected.

A sugar cone, Zuckerhut, was lit over hot mulled wine, Feuerzangenbowle, and soon, the caramelized sugar and hot wine were in our cups. It was great. This is a German tradition that I had not experienced before, and we all felt the German emotion called Gemütlichkeit (loosely translated as friendship). Lovely.

Various folks arrived, and I was introduced as a family member from Oregon. Various grazing foods and drinks were provided. As I was coughing and had to drive later, I kept drinking to a few small drinks of the Feuerzangenbowle hot beverage.

Before this, I learned that Clint had received the excellent board game Wrymspan (WS) as a Christmas present. We punched it, and I taught. Soon, we had it all set up and started a game. There were a few questions, but the game structure, a revised version of the massively popular Wingspan, seems to play itself. You are there to make decisions, not drive the game’s mechanics. Soon, I was fighting to win, and while my score of 75 was good, Clint’s 85 was excellent. I did get some very complex turns done and demonstrated them to Clint. I thought I played well, but I struggled to get the correct dragon cards, and my amber area was weak the whole game, meaning getting dragon cards was difficult. Still, it was excellent gameplay, and Clint got to play and learn a new game.

Before this, I met ten folks for tacos at the local taco place, Mi Jalisco. I had driven from the Bagel Cafe in Nashua, New Hampshire. I traveled in Air Ford NH. I wrote the blog while having a bagel (while not a NYC version, it was still a bagel). All the Hill and Weis clans had mostly tacos, with me going for three Taco Tuesday 99-cent shredded beef tacos. I was inside while the clan waited for me outside. I had arrived first (though I had the furthest to travel) and then waved them in. Lunch was great with the usual mix of young eaters who ate everything or lived off just looking and moving food around. After the meal, I took a few with me back to the house while others scattered for various missions to prepare for New Year’s Eve.

Before this, I rose before 8 and was feeling better. I started the blog and, at 8:30, boarded Air Ford NH, a borrowed Ford Escape, and found my way to the Bagel Cafe. There, I had a salmon (bad breath) bagel.

And that takes me to the start! Thanks for reading.