On Friday, Richard asked me for suggestions for board games for our usual Saturday night play, and I was hoping to play the newish Fromage game or another game of the same ilk, but themed around baking. On Saturday afternoon, Richard sent me a note that it was just the two of us, so I decided to skip.
I had traveled to Portland that afternoon and was now drinking a beer (just one now, as I am cutting back) and eating a bowl of peanuts. I finished my Dungeons & Dragons paperwork; my character was now 15th level (12th-level sorcerer/3rd-level bard) in M@’s Sunday game. I had to give up a magic item (only to discover, as often happens in 5.5E, that a rule change means I can keep it and had to redo my work again Sunday morning) and correct some mistakes. These were in an area I seldom, if ever, use, and after manually updating a character fifteen levels, a few slipped in.
After talking to Deborah, I headed home, finished my beer and peanuts, and paid my bill. Lucky Labrador’s on Hawthorne was busy, and I had to park on the street for the first time in months. The staff was delighted to be busy. I chatted with Deborah as I crossed Portland and Beaverton, and then we did one of our favorite long-distance activities: watching a show together. Elsbeth gets better each season and reminds me of Columbo and Nero Wolf books. The main characters become settled, and the actors become the characters for me. It is wonderful to see an old formula still work. But underlying currents also become clearer with each season, adding to the story and possibly changing the beloved main characters. This is a newer formula, and I like that too.
We managed two shows, and then it was late, and Deborah said good night and ended her day. She watched the shows in bed with her dogs. I made dinner, a salad (as I promised myself), read, did the dishes, and cleaned up the kitchen a bit.
I was soon in bed, reading more Dungeons & Dragons adventure, The Caverns of Thracia, that I am thinking of using for a new Thursday night game. It would be less work to use premade stuff. I also got that as a Kickstarter, and it would be a shame to leave it on a shelf. Unlike the three volumes the next adventure in the set took, this one uses a one-inch-plus-thick book that includes the AD&D version and is a bit unwieldy. The Kickstarter includes a supplement of player handouts that makes that part easier. It lacks large maps or other cool items like the Beadle & Grimm versions of other adventures (though those are often $400+; I can see why the Kickstarter did not go that far, and B&G usually works on established adventures).
I noticed a flaw in the adventure’s flow, and I think I had that problem when I played it thirty-five years ago. I worked out how to solve it. I will have to start making notes on how to play it. I am also headed toward removing some of the complexity, as it will not add to the enjoyment of the game and will take time. There is only so much time for gaming; it is best to remove anything that doesn’t improve the experience, a lesson I learned from M@.
I purchased The Borgias, an old BBC show from Apple TV, and watched an episode. I did buy a season, but I may have made a mistake. I hope it gets better. I do like this time of history and know the Medici’s story. We will see.
It was soon after 10, and with the time change, early rising a few times this week, and two vaccines (my left arm hurts from the COVID-19 shot), I tire easily and feel like I am dragging all day. I put aside the adventure, turned off the light, pulled up the blankets, and instantly fell asleep. I woke around 3, proved I could rise, and also proved I was hydrated. I woke in the dark before sunrise on Sunday.
Back at the start of Saturday, I rose in the dark, overheated in my 66°F house under too many blankets. I managed to kick some off, but sleep still didn’t return, so I crawled out into the cold house (it would soon heat to 69°F), found my slippers and robe, located liberal coffee already made, and reheated it in the microwave.
Breakfast was just a banana. I need to make more bread for toast. I use a cheap Amazon Basics bread-making machine. I may go back to the old-school way I learned, like many, during the pandemic.
I put around the house after the blog and reheat the Indian-style food I made the day before. It is too much food, and next time I need to split this up into smaller containers. I watch more Battleship New Jersey videos and ShipHappens on YouTube. I then headed to Portland.
And that is full circle. Thanks for reading.
