Deja vu all over again

Bob Hicks writing recently:

IN THE BEGINNING was Stark Raving Theatre, a little company with the audacious goal of producing nothing but new plays.

Check that. In the beginning was New Rose Theatre, with its long and fruitful sponsorship of new plays set in the Northwest by Charles Deemer.

Check that. In the beginning was Storefront Theatre, which made up new plays like an artisan baker whips up fresh new pastries ...

Check that. New plays have always been a part of the mix on Portland’s theater scene, but never with the frequency and impact of the past 10 years or so, when companies across the city have made it a prime goal to create new work. 

***

Always nice to be remembered!

Significant progress

... on yard work today. Been putting it off.

Spaghetti sauce to celebrate.

We BOTH are eager to get to Russellville. Nice to hear Harriet say it.

Bottom line

Lunch and dinner don't excite me very often any more. But breakfast always excites me. I have come to worship the egg. And the potato. They have spiritual significance.

Ukulele

Listen to Keyportrag by cdeemer #np on #SoundCloud
https://soundcloud.com/cdeemer/keyportrag

Time out

Well, finally I can say we are at the end of a week when progress at downsizing was made. And Harriet joined the team. Now to keep this momentum going. By Sept, when the pros arrive, some of the work already will be done.

Today, yard work.

Brooding about a project to begin at Russellville. My last memoir, WHOLE CLOTH, documented in detail how my life experiences have informed my work. So unusual a presentation, wrote one reader, that it could be used to benefit in university writing classes.

From the life to the work. I'm thinking about going the other way: from the work (of others) to the life. How stories have informed my life.

Russellville has a theater. They show five films a week. A convenient, disciplined way to see a lot of movies and to reflect on how their themes may have informed my life, or not. A book, WATCHING MOVIES AT RUSSELLVILLE PARK: FILM STORIES AND LIFE.

Definitely a live concept.

Slow, slow ...

... but sure downsizing progress. Today I filled 3 trash bags and 2 giveaway boxes. Located computer recycling and guitar shippers. Giving guitar and banjo to musician godsons, keeping ukulele.

Different M.O.'s

A pile of stuff. Hasn't been looked at in several years. Am I missing something that might be there? No. I toss it.

Harriet, on the other hand, looks through the pile item by item. Something important might be there!

I've downsized in less than a minute. The same pile takes Harriet hours, days.

This is why I look forward to her 2 week trip to the east coast.

Junk

Appalling how much I've accumulated! I'm not even the pack rat of the family. We, the consumer culture, ARE the problem.

Overwhelming

The more downsizing I do, the more there is to do. Work for hours and barely make a dent. A monumental task we NEVER could do alone.

Destination

History

Harriet watched DNC last night in tears: "I've waited so long for this."

I have "progressive" friends who demonize Clinton. They don't see Trump as dangerous. Blows me away. Ideologues of any stripe can be their own worst enemy.

Out of print

Found inexpensive used copy of ZEN AND THE COMIC SPIRIT, first recommended to me by the late Ger Moran, friend and poet. Influenced my writing, first THE DEATH OF TENG YIN-FENG, a decade later CHRISTMAS AT THE JUNIPER TAVERN. Recommend it to director of December revival of latter. At the foundation of much.

Breakfast

More than a meal. A ritual. A meditation. An attitude check.

How much does doing it myself play into this? I'll find out at Russellville.

Buttermilk

... at midnight. Comforting.

Disappearing act

I am eager to get to Russellville.

One foot after the other

Continuing work in office.

A sense of progress

Finally. Yard work yesterday. Best, Harriet scheduled specific tasks and if she does them, fantastic.

The downsizing estimate was on house as is. We'll have done much ourselves by Sept. I hope we can get it done with them in two weeks instead of three and get the house on the market sooner.

Also save money.

Today a bit more yard work but I'm focusing on my basement office this week.

Love a sense of progress!

Russellville stock photos

A new book?

Writers never retire, is accepted wisdom. I fight it but it's true.

I started something called FRAGMENTS BEFORE THE FALL, but it is not grabbing me. Feels like a blog.

Russellville inspires another "last act" approach. Unlike Vineyard, they have a theater and show 5 different films a week. Choices I've seen are first rate. So maybe this: WATCHING MOVIES AT RUSSELLVILLE PARK RETIREMENT COMMUNITY: Reflections on film and life.

A jazz musician's approach, using a film's theme to improvise around related personal concerns. Might prove interesting and certainly worth a try. Also gives me an early goal.

Art show in Sept.

Frustration

I feel like I'm working with one hand tied behind me. Harriet slows everything down with her indecision and procrastination. Presumably the downsizing company folks are used to her difficulties but they don't arrive until September after her two east coast trips. Two! Pardon me while I scream.

And to think my idea of retirement was peace and quiet, with a little professional respect thrown in. HA HA HA!

One nice thing I learned: the Starbucks near Russellville is open 24 hours. There's something I can take advantage of.

Revised destination

Russellville Park. Definitely better suited for H. I can live with it: trading my 3rd for 4th choice. More expensive, so taking 1 BR instead of 2. Less rustic, more "Portland." On Max line, easy escape ha ha. Movie theater! In a lively neighborhood. Less institutional feel. I can live with it and H more excited about it. We put earnest money down. I don't want any more changes.

Oops

Harriet changed her mind regarding future home. Stay tuned.

Lunch at Vineyard Place

Would you buy a used car from this man?

Emigration

Moving to Vineyard Place is going to feel like leaving the country, I hope. Dropping out, going underground, a disappearing act. The end of empire is getting unbearable to watch.

But the next 4 months or more, getting out of here, may feel like eternity.

"Surreal"

HC described the Republican convention perfectly.

The question of breakfast

Vineyard Place provides all meals but still, unlike most places, puts full kitchens in the apartments. I will still bake bread and brew buttermilk and daily iced coffee. I expect to eat lunch and dinner in the dining room almost always. Okay, paella or homemade pasta now and again.

Breakfast remains uncertain because mine is first rate. Have to wait and see.

Cracked rye rolls

Cancer update

Stitches on leg out this morning, H given green light. 6 month skin exam to keep ahead of any returning problem.

The world is too much with us ..

... begins a Wordsworth poem. Too true.

The frightening Orwellian reaction of Trump to plagiarism fiasco. Deny problem, accept no responsibility, blame Hillary. This is how he mishandles a crisis, makes everything worse.

The civilized change of power in UK recently, in contrast to our nasty zoo.

Eager to disappear at Vineyard! No news!

After a busy day

Quotation of the day

"I'm too old for this." Harriet, trying to prep for art show.

Yep! She finally is getting it.

Let us begin

I feel like this is the first day of "downsizing in earnest" ... because I am getting ready to trash my PC and take only the netbook and Kindles with me. A huge step! It means abandoning programs only on the PC. I found a 2001 Quicken, which I still use, and for a dime at that, so I will install it on the netbook for banking as usual. I can edit video and write on the netbook.

I hauled out the first bag of trash from the basement. First of dozens, I expect.

When the PC is gone, soon, the desk and bookshelves follow. The Official Downsize, managed by the company, begins in Sept, and I hope to have quite a bit done on my own by then, which also brings down the price, although the existing price is fine by me, less than I anticipated

Harriet isn't with the program yet. The sooner, the better.

Copying essentials from the PC to an external drive this morning, while the housekeeper works upstairs, one of her last visits.

A time to be mellow

As eager as we are to move, now is the time to relax. At best, we sell the house in Oct and close and move in Nov but many obstacles can delay this, including inspection and repairs. With luck, in this seller's market, buyers will bid against one another with advantages going our way. But nothing is certain. At least we are under no deadlines. We can take our time, despite eagerness to move. Let the chips fall our way.

Airbnb app

A great discovery! Short term rentals from rooms to cottages to studios, neighborhood living. We'll use it after we sell the house.

New energy

Yesterday's progress is invigorating! In next two months, should be able to downsize alone until the pros arrive to finish the job. Estimated cost will go down.

If all goes well, we are out of here in Oct or Nov.

Good news

Downsizing and moving estimates work for us. Can't schedule as early as I'd like due to H schedule but should be able to put house on market in October.

Stock photos

Our future home.

Breakfast

We get a full kitchen at Vineyard, despite also getting all meals. Unsual and an attraction. So I may continue to make my own breakfast with some frequency, depending on theirs. Certainly I'll continue baking bread and brewing buttermilk.

Progress

Met with downsizing/moving company. Preparing estimate. They can get us ready to move in 3 weeks.

Progress?

Harriet spent yesterday in PJs, feeling sorry for herself. She can get into that. Hoping for a better today.

Waiting to remove leg device

Harriet has battery driven suction device over her wound. She can remove it when the battery dies, about a week. Maybe today.

Tomorrow meet with downsizing company. We need help!

Big meeting

Wednesday we talk to downsizing outfit. Can they help us? Can we afford them? Hoping for two yeses, maybe we can get out of here this fall.

Out of the oven

Into the oven

My specialty paella ...



Our new home has a full kitchen, despite all meals. Fantastic for special occasions.

High school reunion

My two h.s. buddies with us at breakfast at Fat City. Great visit!

Recovery

Pain

Harriet in considerable pain today after cancer surgery.

Skin cancer

Harriet's surgery to remove cancer went well today. Recovery is about a week.

Birthday cake

80th birthday

Major move

We are selling our house and moving into a retirement center in Milwaukie (OR) as soon as we can make it happen, hopefully this year. Details to follow. CD