Author: Peg

A day above freezing. I believe that the Arctic freeze is ending. But, I still haven’t ventured out past the porte-cochère. Still trying to tie up loose ends today. Also starting on my taxes, and getting ready for the lawyer tomorrow.

Gratitude

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Grateful for Zoom Yoga.

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The tax boy has new software. I have to do very, very little. Which is good. But I don’t exactly trust it either. I feel like one should DO taxes. Taxes should be mentally and even physically taxing. Even when paying someone to do taxes, there should be pain. 

I secretly suspect that AI will be doing my taxes. Or some person in the Philippines. Did you read that Waymo vehicles are “controlled” by humans in the Philippines? Yeah. That’s scarier than “driverless”. Progress.

Came back from brekkie this morning to find sun. Actual sunlight inside the Old Bat’s Cave. That’s a very good sign that we’re finally moving in the right direction, weather-wise.

Managed to tie off a whole bunch of loose ends today. Mostly, I suspect, because I couldn’t start my morning with The Washington Post.

Finally pulled the plug. I couldn’t send one more dollar—or let them squeeze one more penny out of me via online ads. Enough.

So for the first time in fifty years, I didn’t begin my day with the Post. Even on 9/11, when we were in Skagway with no television, I had internet access and read about the attacks on my old Toshiba laptop through the Post’s early digital edition.

That’s a long habit to break. But here we are.

A nice little freezing-cold Sunday. Time to contemplate my next escape. But wait—there’s the lawyer, the dentist, the taxes, the doctor, and the collapse of the republic standing between me and any grand plans. Oh well.

But the recent escape to St Somewhere was great. Culling and cataloging those photos now.

And here is my friend Billy. Yesterday, he dug out old notes and mementos from his days at Huliheʻe Place and rediscovered Carlton’s kukui nut lei. Billy and Monique were taking friends to visit Huliheʻe, and Monique sent this photo.

The older you get, the fewer people you have to share history with. And these seemingly small connections become treasures.

My windows are none too weather-tight. One windowsill clocked in at 54 degrees, another at 65. I rearranged the orchids accordingly, clustering them on the two warmer windows for the next day or two. Survival gardening.

One of the Asylum dogs took one look outside and declared it too chilly to participate.

I recently discovered an advantage to being old: you don’t have to get new books. You can just reread the old ones, and they’re practically brand new. I have a couple thousand Kindle and audiobooks, so I believe I am set for the foreseeable future.

This isn’t just me. Everyone at breakfast agreed—old books are new again.

Let’s review my complaints.

1. 1. There is ICE. And then there is more ice. Everywhere.

   2. Yesterday, The Asylum featured “Savory Yuca with Lima Beans in Coconut Sauce” as a dinner entrée. I will concede that they have at least learned that yuca and yucca are two entirely different plants. Progress.

   3. There was exactly one operating elevator for my floor yesterday. To be fair, one is better than none.

   4. Last night the power went out in major portions of the building, and the Wi-Fi went down everywhere. Thank goodness for my cell data plan.

   5. The inmates are up in arms about the planned renovations to the first floor of The Asylum. I looked at my birthdate, then looked at the projected completion date, and concluded this is not something I personally need to worry about.

   6. And the weather forecast:

      “For the Extreme Cold Warning, dangerously cold wind chills around or below 10 degrees below zero expected. For the High Wind Warning, northwest winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 60 mph.”

      Excellent. I had no intention of going outside anyway.

But it is Happy Hour at The Asylum. Never mind that the renovation plans include moving the bar from its perfectly good location. Some things are worth protesting; some things are best addressed with a drink.

Back at The Asylum.
Ass freezing cold.
Arrived to find that we only have ONE elevator working in my building.
But, it’s free wine night.
And the orchids seem fine.

 

It’s been a great trip. We have done absolutely nothing and enjoyed every minute of it.

Now what? See the lawyer. And the dentist. Get the taxes together. All manner of undesirable activities await.

Grateful for these last 12 days. For a good travel companion. And for the hope of spring.

3377 nautical miles. Ocean depth only 50 meters. A sure sign that it’s time to get packing.

And the water that wasn’t sloshed out of the pool was drained.

But.

And.

So, life is good.
2898 nautical miles.

The finest kind tropical weather vanished over night.
All things considered, I liked yesterday much better.

Today we have been enjoying 14-16 foot waves with some rather startling interludes that send passengers and dishes to the deck. But I haven’t heard any calls for medical attention so, it’s either entertaining or annoying. Depending on your perspective.

My seasickness protocol of Dramamine and black coffee is holding up. I had my usual breakfast and lunch and am happily anticipating happy hour.

2284 nautical miles so far. 

Gotta say. I am having a serious case of ship envy after seeing this fine vessel. Not 100% sure I could make it around the ship any longer. But I sure could sit on the deck in style.

This is the last day of the islands. At 5pm this evening, we start hauling ass back to the frozen north. So i went all in on going ashore this morning. Took a water taxi into Phillipsburg and walked back to the ship. That was about 5 miles. Seriously, I don’t know how much longer I will be able to do this. But, I am grateful. And I have three sea days to rest up in.

2083 nautical miles. Hoping for a boring three sea days. Cosmos tonight to mark leaving the tropics.

But we belong in the container yard. Because Dominica is one of the orange tyrant’s “shithole” countries. Dominicans are no longer welcome in the US. Town is about 2km away and I am feeling the years today. So I stayed on board today.

I rather enjoyed sitting and reading on the deck of a slightly swaying ship. I thought about Robert Louis Stevenson, Samuel Clements, Isabella Bird and all the other writers/adventurers of the 19th century who headed out to warmer climates on steam ships.

It is also a quiet place to watch your own life wind down. To reflect on paths not taken. To hope for graceful acceptance of whatever comes next. It’s not sad. It just is. Nobody is promised tomorrow.

But. If there is a tomorrow

There was more to see. But 4 miles walking is about my limit. Not complaining. Damn grateful that I can still do 4 miles. Accept and adapt.

Heading back north tonight. 1800 nautical miles. Think i might like Martinique more than St Croix. Maybe.