Author: Peg

Did some work today. Then, I had a choice. I could go to an IT committee meeting or take a little rest. A little rest won. 

It is still gray and drippy. But, flowers are blooming. And, I am going on this much-postponed trip to England for the Chelsa Garden show and a little jaunt through the English countryside to inspect gardens next month. I had best be sure that I will be happy with the photos I get out of my telephone.

Thinking about my post-flower show/gardens/teas possibilities. I was thinking about Scotland. But, I don’t think I’ll have tramping around the moors clothing. Need to go where the weather suits the clothes. My boss at the hospital is doing one of those riverboat things this month. I am not sure that is for me. But, it would be real easy. Every day just do what they tell you to do. Or get off the boat after breakfast and do whatever you want to do. I am suffering from what Carlton called “contempt prior to investigation”. Also a dose of cheapskate since the single occupancy “tax” is 100%.  

Good cheeseburger and beer for dinner tonight.  

Lots of bridges along the ferry route.  Maybe next time I’ll count them. Or I could spend way too much time with Google Maps and figure it out. Trust me. Lots of bridges. And most of them looked exactly alike. Which makes sense. If it works don’t fix it. 

One of the “things to do” on the 12-day ferry trip was to go on deck and watch the ferry go under the bridge. We passengers were easy to entertain. 

Cloudy, cool, damp here today. Also had barre class and Zoom yoga.  And finally a really nice dinner with my friends. The service was very slow. So we were plied with wine. Works for me!

A couple of buildings are looking very bright out my window. Don’t know how much taller they are going to be.  I do know that they will never be brighter than they are right now. 

Strangely busy day today. That’s OK. Plenty of time to rest after I am dead. 

But then, I am not interested in pickleball on any day!

But, I have taken leave of my remaining shreds of sanity. Thinking about what I am going to do in Great Britain and/or Europe in June. I became interested in the Caledonian Canal in Scotland. It was an economic disaster in the early 1800s. And now totally recreational. It’s about 60 miles long with 20 or so locks. I like canals and waterways. Think Harpers Ferry NHP and the C&O Canal. Also Lowell National Historical Park. Carlton and I did some canal parks. 

Well, genius Old Bat here thought: Why not just walk from Fort William to Inverness along the canal. There seem to be places to stay the night along the way. No problem. Sounds like a great idea. About like hiking from DC to Harpers Ferry along the C&O Canal. I have done that. Well, earth to Old Bat. Get real. Just because I maybe can do something doesn’t mean I should. How about taking a bus? Or a boat? Or even Uber!

Got some freebie government issue Covid tests in the mail yesterday. They expire on June 8, 2022. Guess that’s what happens when the tests come from the low bidder.  I think they have a shelf life of about 12 months. These have obviously been around for a while. 

Caught a pair of American Gold Finches loading up on thistle seeds this afternoon. Most birds will try for insects as they prepare for breeding. But the American Goldfinch is a devout vegetarian. 

Still not a wildlife photographer. Don’t think it is going to happen in this lifetime.

Late this afternoon I got roped into taking some “staged” people shots. The subjects were a couple of adorable high school girls. It would be poor form to put them up. But, trust me. They were cute. 

Can someone please tell me how I got this old? It really is baffling.

Oh, I forgot. My next-door neighbor has Covid. He is not the only one so affected here at The Asylum. Since I was having dinner with one of the 90+ ladies, I decided to do a Covid selfie. Negative. For now.

Just because you are lumpy, wrinkled, and have loose skin doesn’t mean that you aren’t wonderful.

Works for this designer orange from Japan. And, if we are really lucky it works for us old people too.

 

I just did whatever I wanted to do today. Didn’t feel one bit guilty about not doing anything. I have fallen in with a bad crowd of women. They are always doing good stuff. I am not much of a doer. 

Yesterday I also wanted to rescue this video from the Norway Trip Dump. 

The ferry stopped for about 4 hours in Kirkenes. It was the turn around point. The day before I had taken a bus to the northern most point in Europe.  It was sort of fake. Just a place for a photo op. 

But 3,500 people live in Kirkenes. !0% of them are Russians. Up until recently Kirkenes and Russia were best of friends.  Many of the signs in town are in Russian and Norwegian. 

Anyhow, after breakfast, I decided to walk to exciting downtown Kirkenes. It was Sunday. And Norway isn’t very busy on Sunday.

This is the first 7 minutes of the walk to town. It was snowing. The wind was blowing. There was snow everywhere. I knew that if I fell I would be covered in snow before I could get up. It was one of the more memorable parts of the trip. A simple walk. On Sunday morning. 

Look at it full screen. Enjoy the total end of the world experience. (I don’t expect anyone to actually watch it to the end. Nothing changes. It keeps snowing. I keep walking.)

Missed the cherry blossoms. The crab apples in the strip mall next door will have to suffice.

I hate making the “right” decision. This afternoon, I had a free hour. I wanted to edit a video, fold some paper, read a book, or take a little nap. But I knew that the “right” thing to do was to go for a walk. So, I did the walk. All about maintaining the body so it can continue to edit videos, make origami, read books and take naps. 

And in the mail, my new Global Entry Card. I finished the process and had the picture taken in Orlando after 24 hours of travel hassle. This is the result.

One can only say: If I look like that then I really need a vacation! Anyhow, I am good to travel for another 5 years. I hope so. 

My Asylum Sister, Betty, and I celebrated our 159th birthday this evening. It is so so good to be surrounded by wonderful friends. 

Tacos, cheap wine, and great chocolate cake and coffee. That was the menu.

And yes, you may notice that it is still light outside. We are old people. We usually eat at 5:45. The plan is to miss the 6 PM rush. By 7 PM they are rolling up the rugs in the dining room.

Barre class, yoga, party, that’s enough for one day. Big event in my tomorrow is “wine seminar”. I am going as a substitute. Have to be on my best behavior especially if they start in on “chewy tannins” and “cigar boxy”. 

Spent the day knitting data together. As a result, my eyes are shot. So, why not look out of my 3 windows.

Going to go drink some tea and listen to an audiobook now. Not going to look at anything. I might even ask Alexa to turn out all the lights. 

Still sort of lounging aimlessly around today. Tomorrow morning I will launch myself into action. At the very least I will work on my work project. I don’t know why I feel guilty about just wallowing around reading and drinking coffee. But, I do. Too damn many years being a participant in the rat races I guess. 

What have I done to be fatigued? 

Telegram to General G. B. McClellan:
Washington City, D.C. Oct. 24. 1862
Majr. Genl. McClellan
I have just read your despatch about sore tongued and fatigued horses. Will you pardon me for asking what the horses of your army have done since the battle of Antietam that fatigue anything?
A. Lincoln

This is one of my favorite telegrams. 

Haven’t been in these pants since Xmas Day. And, I might need them for my trip to London at the end of May. Leaving May 20th. Heading to the Chelsea Flower Show and then off on a genteel bus trip to see the Cotswolds. And have tea. Lots of tea. Talk about outside of my comfort zone! Going with one of The Asylum sisters.  Coming home by myself.

Tired today. Because for the last few days, I have been waking up an hour earlier every morning. It was 3AM this morning. At this rate, I will be waking up before I go to bed by the end of the month. Maybe that is how we die. Waking up and going to sleep merge and we vanish. 

So, I was tired all day.  Which means that I accomplished nothing. Well, I did discover that June 2 – 5 or thereabout is going to be the queen’s Platinum Jubilee. It is a special 4 Day Bank Holiday. And, I suppose there will be much celebration. Parades, fireworks???  Do I want to stay in London for the festivities? Or run like hell away? The bus trip is over on May 29th.