Big Leaves

Sarah Palin – It is rumored that she will sue anyone who – as we say in Hawaii – talk stink – about her. Or as MomIda would have said “If you can not say something nice…”.  Seems to me that suing folk for talk stink would just about end your political career. Which would be a really good thing in Sarah’s case. If she promises retire to private life, I’ll promise not to mention her again.

Note to Family: Today Carlton asked me to look up Rapp Funeral Home on the internet. Someone told him it was the cheapest place in the area to get cremated. So, here it is: Rapp Funeral and Cremation Services Another sign of advancing years I am guessing. Or maybe just too much Michael Jackson.

Nothing new today

Last Wednesday evening when I went to Ft McNair for the US Army Advertising Twilight Tattoo – I ran out of “film” in my big camera. Just when the light was getting interesting and when the performers were on my side of the parade ground. I decided to take some pictures with my elderly FX01. I set the ISO to 400 – which is way out of its comfort zone and snapped away. What ever happened was what I planned.

I did not look at the pictures until yesterday – and was pleased to find some good light captured. Bigger versions are just a click away. Speaking of away – why doesn’t Sarah Palin go away? And stay there. Far away.

More about my aging body. “They” want me to get a CT Scan and see a urologist. The CT Scan is a little spooky. What if something bad is found? I don’t for a minute believe “they” can find anything from a CT Scan that I want to know about.

Or maybe I do want to know if I have some fatal problem. I have lots of DVD’s that I haven’t watched. And some good books (audio and print) that I have been saving for “later”. Would hate to die with the last Harry Potter book unread. Or without watching the original “Day the Earth Stood Still” one last time.

another day another magnolia

More magnolia shots – this one with the cheap old little FX01. Not as good as with the big one – but not bad either.

Al Franken, finally got elected to the Senate. I wonder if he gets back pay from January.  There is hope for Kinky Friedman.

When I was having blood testing related to my blood pressure meds – “they” decided that my “bad” cholesterol needed lowering. So what? Everyone’s bad cholesterol needs lowering. I am going to ignore my Bad cholesterol. That is what I have been doing for years.

“They” also found microscopic evidence of blood in my urine. Well, if you read up on it – lots of old folk have that. And most of the time “they” can find no cause. Less than 2% of the time is it cancer somewhere up the line. And, if it is, do I want to know? So, I think I am going to ignore that too. Don’t ask. Don’t tell. Nobody gets out alive anyhow.

you know you are old when…

You know you are old when you are going to visit someone in an “old folks” home and they are not your parents age, but your age. Actually it is a pretty upmarket old folks home. Each resident has their own wine locker. So, I am taking a bottle of “Liberty School” as a house warming gift. Carlton wanted to re-gift something – no – you don’t give folk who are downsizing stuff. Especially stuff that you don’t want.

Speaking of stuff. The Panasonic 14-150mm f/3.5-5.6 Vario-Elmarit Aspherical MEGA O.I.S. Lens for Four Thirds System Lens that is on my lust list seems to only be available in Japan. Anybody out there actually ordered something that cost more than $200 but less than $2000 from overseas. I am wondering about how the thing gets thru customs and how you pay. Might should just go to Singapore (which is on my must visit list) and buy one in person. That would make the lens cost as much as a Leica M8! Might should just get a Leica M8 and a couple of lens – blast a big hole in the cash account.

Speaking of cash – notice how little money you are “earning” on your CD’s/money market accounts. Might as well spend it on toys. Life is uncertain.

You know you are old when…

You know you are old when the articles in a paper about caring for your elders is no longer targeted at you. And, when you realize that your totally vigorous companion of the last quarter century is only five or six years away from REALLY OLD. We humans are good at denial. We make plans about where to go to college. Where to send our kids to pre-school. Anybody seriously planning on where to go when we do end up “sitting in the corner and drooling” – to quote the Senior George Bush. Maybe it is time to get on the wait list for a good assisted living place. Is “good assisted living place” like “jumbo shrimp” or “military intelligence”?

Enough of these thoughts – time to go to volunteer work. Not as exciting a jumping out of an airplane strapped to a studly paratrooper. But, it beats contemplating adult diapers.

morning in the cemetery

Took the day off from the volunteer job. Took the day off from vigorous exercise, excessive technology and just about everything else. Also took the day off from the big brick camera and used the little one with an IR filter. Infrared seems very suitable for grave yards. And a fine grave yard it is too. Columbia Gardens Cemetery – check it out if your want a nice walk.

WordPress keeps trying to get me to install the “new improved” version. And the photo gallery thing that I haven’t figured out completely also wants me to “upgrade”. Next rainy day – I’ll get around to it. Maybe.

Notes to old people: Infrared is very flattering to aging skin. And Carlton’s converter boxed analog TV’s are working.

Worse things than being bored…


Sort of bored today. Will not be bored tomorrow. Tomorrow I am having my teeth power washed. This isn’t for my teeth, but rather for my aging gums. When you are young you get your teeth beautified. When you are old – they tell you “Its the gums, stupid”. So, I have a 90 minute appointment to have my teeth power washed tomorrow.

Just call me old.

Set the bar low for the start of bee quest
Set the bar low for the start of bee quest

Time for my summer photo fun, hunting for the perfect bee shot. And, the best magnolia.

But, let’s bitch. I am a senior. Hate that title. I am an old person. You can only be a senior citizen if there are junior citizens. And sophomore citizens. What’s wrong with just being old?

Well one thing wrong is being bombarded day and night with messages like this one:

We anticipate there will be a lot of seniors who come out of the woodwork when they realize their TVs go black,” said Theresa Lambert, who leads the digital TV outreach efforts for the National Association of Area Agencies on Aging. “No matter how much information is out there, it’s not until those TVs go dark that you get their attention.”

Hello World, us old people didn’t actually invent the Internet – Al Gore did that – and we didn’t invent the computer or the television – our parents and grand parents did that.  We are not Luddites. We designed, built, repaired, operated and programmed those big iron computing machines. Machines that supported the Manhattan Project, machines that landed men on the moon and got them back home.  Ray Tomlinson actually invented E-Mail. And he is a senior. We can figure out converter boxes.


One day you wake up old…

drugsYesterday morning, I was just Peg. This evening, I am an old woman. My medicine cabinet is outfitted with not one, but two, blood pressure drugs. I have to go get lab stuff done tomorrow. And get EKG. And, I have to go back and see the Doc in less than 2 weeks. I suppose I should be glad that she thinks I’ll be alive 12 days from now.

But, how is that for medical service. Within 24 hours I decided to see a doctor, I got an appointment and saw a doctor. All thanks to our county’s  Outpatient Clinic. It is cheap. $38 a visit.  Your doctor is a resident. But, heck, if you were in Medora North Dakota or Skagway Alaska – your medical care provider would be a nurse or a vet. So, figure it is a good value. My two drugs were selected from the $4 list from Target and WalMart. The waiting room leaves much to be desired. And, the exam rooms are sort of Motel 6-ish. But, the residents are from a fine medical school.

I think I need a treat. Maybe a new toy.

I give up

Another shot from Saturday's Bike Race
Another shot from Saturday's Bike Race L1 w/kit lens

I give up on the blood pressure issue. It is still scary. An hour a day of forced marching doesn’t seem to lower it enough. So, I either have to:

  1. Give up and stop taking my blood pressure, or
  2. Give up and seek medical help.

Guess I’ll take the second option. Both options involve giving up.

Oh, savings bonds. Maybe 5 years ago I started buying old fashioned savings bonds – instead of nursing home insurance. Well, I just discovered that MY government has stopped paying interest on my savings bonds. My interest rate is ZERO percent. The reason being the cost of living has gone down. And the interest rates are tagged to the CPI. But, I bet that the cost of a stay in the nursing home next door hasn’t gone down.

Day At The Races

bikeracep1040213_edited-1
Clarendon Bike Race - L1 w/kit lens

500 plus images came home from the bike race. Less than 50 remain. Doing better – keeping up with the newcomers at least.

Really tired tonight. Been trying to get in a “forced march” every day. That would be 30 minutes of walking like I am going to miss the last train out of town. I hope  that I will get used to the forced march and will start feeling stronger. For now, I just feel tired. Very tired.

I am trying to knock my blood pressure down. Carlton is sort of a “Christian Scientist” w/o the God component. He doesn’t approve of modern “life style meds”. Meds  that try to control blood pressure, cholesterol, sleeping, etc. So, I am trying to keep my BP out of the scary range with exercise.  And diet.

BTW – Carlton is OK with antibiotics and aspirin.

Nobody is Promised Tomorrow

MomIda - December 2001
MomIda - December 2001

I am finishing up the photographs from 2001. Came upon this snapshot of “MomIda”. She was looking happy and healthy. Thirteen months later she was dead. Which reminds us – Nobody is Promised Tomorrow.

So, Peg, keep deleting those photos.  Keep simplifing your life. Keep stuff organized. Never know when you’ll be shipping out.

Carlton and I have reached the age where – as a friend’s father says – “Keep your blue suit pressed”. Well, I don’t have a blue suit. But, I do have a “Final Exit Play List” – suitable for listening to while on route to funeral/memorial service.

A Change Is Gonna Come  –  Neville Brothers
The Far Side Banks Of Jordan –  June Carter and Johnny Cash
In This Life – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole
Looking Forward  –  Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Goodbye My Friend  –  Keali’i Reichel
Lullabye (Good Night, My Angel)   –  Billy Joel
Someday Soon –  Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
Dress Sexy At My Funeral –  Smog
St James Infirmary –  Louis Armstrong
Tears In Heaven –  Eric Clapton
Will The Circle Be Unbroken  – Neville Brothers
See That My Grave Is Kept Clean – B.B. King
Only Good Times  –  Keola & Kapono Beamer
The End of the End – Paul McCartney