Author: Peg

Cloudy, rainy, chilly. Oh, and Monday. Making the best of it. Tested my little new backpack in the rain. Tested my long pants in actual rain. Also tested Carlton’s jacket – which I am considering taking along for rainy days and the UK.  

Yesterday at brunch several of us old women bravely decided that it might take a major market crash to focus sufficient attention on the current state of our nation. And, today, we seem to be heading that direction. 

And, the Orange OverLord has co-opted July 4th. I will not be celebrating this year. For me this is serious. Carlton and I loved July 4th. I continue to celebrate July 4th. I planned the end of my jaunt around the planet so I would be home to have July 4th with my Asylum Sisters. But not this year. Of course, I think that fireworks come from China.  Note to the Orange One. Lots of stuff comes from China. Stuff that your peeps buy at WalMart. Lots of stuff that your peeps grow goes to China as well.  Stay tuned. 

Mother’s Day Buffet at The Asylum today. Buffets always end with me behaving like a 3 toed sloth on Xanax. I spent the afternoon in a food-induced coma. And it is only 45 minutes until it is time to eat again.

Back in the day, The Pack Test was a Park and Forest Service thing that as I recall involved walking (not running or jogging) 3 miles in 45 minutes with a 45-pound pack. That was then.

Nowadays, my pack test is more of a pack question. What is going to happen to these clothes when they are soaking wet. So, off to the shower went all of the clothes that I am considering taking that have never been washed in the sink and dried in the bathroom. Because I will get drenched – right down to my granny panties. And, since the weather in Singapore and Dubai is a whole lot like Samoa was – if I am not drenched in rain, I will be drenched in sweat. Also, after Honolulu – not sure when or if a washer/dryer will appear. 

So, last evening – I did The Pack Test. All of the questionable items were dry by morning. 

Have I complained about PT lately? I am sore in places that I didn’t know I still had. 

When Carlton died he had a little money in his wallet and some coins in his change purse. Yes, he had a change purse. If you knew Carlton you would know that. And bundles of money all nicely faced, sorted and counted. Then bundled up and the amount recorded. This is from a stack of 30 fives.And, I have not been able to bring myself to spend any of this money. Not even the coins that were in the change purse.  Maybe someday I’ll donate it some fine little cause. Or maybe moths will eat it. Actually, moth caterpillars. 

Carlton had a very hard time spending money and I don’t seem to be able to spend his money either.

2 weeks and one day to blast off. Today, I charged my phone using the new powerbank. Looks like I got the “right” one. It fast charges my phone but not blow out my earphones. Good to go.

Found my passport. It wasn’t lost. Surprise. It was where it was supposed to be.

And talked myself out of buying new stuff. The little old rolly suitcase is fine. Not classy but the zipper zips and the wheels go round. Don’t need new shoes. Or clothes. I will not be very well dressed. But all the important parts will be covered up – even in Dubai – where it was 103°. And Singapore where it is 91°. Oh, and I think I have talked myself out of a new iPad mini. 

I put 8 pounds of stuff in my little backpack and took it on my walk.

And, I did my PT exercises. Is it OK to admit that I hate doing exercises? Well, I do. But, I am pretty sure that I would hate not being able to walk more.  

This is the end of my 3rd week of PT for my legs. Really, the PT is for my back. The symptoms are in my legs. Caused by my back. Plus some general “age-related” loss of muscle. 

The first two weeks of PT were a joke. Oh, really, you want me to “try to hold a kneeling plank” 10 seconds. How about I hold a regular plank for 30 seconds. Or more. 

This week, I am guessing they put the geriatric playbook away and got out the real people book. My ass is dragging. But, that is good. I had too much fallen into the senior exercise trap of “take it easy” “don’t strain anything” “just do what feels right”  – at 75 as at 25 – I fear that “no pain no gain” is the real mantra.

Checking out hotels in UK and noticed that toilet paper seems to worth mentioning. And this was not at a hostel. But a regular overpriced hotel. Heck, even Motel 6 has TP.

It goes without saying that my opinion wasn’t solicited. My only observation is that this carpet selection doesn’t seem to be just what  I would select if I were trying to attract a younger clientele. 

Thoughts on packing for an Around the Planet trip. Seems to me there is the Boy Scout – Be Prepared (for anything) approach. And, the Running for the Life Boat approach – just grab what you can that is necessary to sustain life until rescue. 

I am going with the lifeboat model. I will be going to some of the major shopping destinations on the planet. So, if I run out of something – not a problem. (Unless what I run out of is money!)

I have sunk into a deep depression over the fate of our country. I doubt that it will survive. I see an increasingly rapid decline into an oligarchy of the radical right. I know we survived the Red Scare era with Joe McCarthy, John Birchers, and even Barry Goldwater (who now seems fairly rational). But, this seems worse. Fortunately, it is free wine night here at the Asylum. I may drink myself into oblivion.  

It’s Aloha Wednesday, no work ’til Monday. 

I found myself asking Alexa “what’s the temperature in Dubai?” 95° she says. And the humidity is 88%. OK. And, my whole body has to be covered in cloth. No wonder I got a 5-star hotel room, with breakfast and a car to pick me up less than I am paying for a very modest hotel with neither breakfast nor car service in Bermuda.  It is 72° in Bermuda with 75% humidity. 

Well, it’s an adventure. No whining.

Went to work today. Started on a very boring task. Boss says this will be really boring. I assure her that I do boring really good. I’ll bring in the old Bose earphones and knock it out next week – with a little help from The Dead.

My apartment has that sort of mastic type smell this evening. I think it is coming from the flooring that was laid next door this morning. Nevermind that it is chilly, my windows are open. And, once again the dinner venue was too congested for my liking this evening. And, if these are my only problems then I am a damn lucky old woman. Thank you, Carlton. Thank you, Cliff.  

Oh, while walking to the bus stop this noon, I saw 6 stealth fighters fly over low and loud.  It was too many for an Arlington funeral. And, no one with enough rank to get a flyover was being buried today. Still, always fun to see them. Except when there is a war going on. And with the bozo at the helm – that could happen any second now.

Well, took the day off from work today. My goal was to get my trip planning into the “OK, this is really going to happen mode”. 

I tweaked my standard Trip 2Do list and dusted off Peg’s Universal Packing List. Attended to anything that I know will need attending to while I am gone. And, I thought about the British Isles part of the trip.  Discovered that Prince Chuck has a B&B in the wilds of Scotland. Now, I am not a fan of B&Bs, give me a good anonymous hotel any day. But, a B&B owned by the next King of England amuses me. I am easily amused. Which is a good thing.  

The camera question: Which one to take?

1. 1. The Pen F – weighs 15 ounces plus lens 10 ounces of lens. 
   2. The OMD –  weighs 15 ounces too. And, it is weather-proof.  ditto lens.
   3. Buy a new “tough” camera – 9 ounces but that includes the lens.
   4. Just take the phone. weigh 0 ounces because it is going anyway. 

This really is silly. An old woman taking off on a trip around the world. Alone. Sort of a senility gap year?

(just upgraded to the latest version Word Press. that always makes me a little nervous. here goes nothing.)

OK. 20 days from now, I will be on my way. I should be over the Pacific Ocean. So, it is high time that I get serious about this trip. I should be making packings lists and 2do lists. Heck, the lists should already be made. I should be ticking things off the lists.  Tomorrow is soon enough to start.

Passport, credit card, cell phone and charger and a universal plug adapter. What else do I really need? Well, at my advanced age – better add my meds to the must-have list. 

I guess that I officially started getting ready today – I detoured to The Container Store to check and see if they had any new travel gizmos that I didn’t know about. Of course, they had gizmos. But most fall into the “packing cube” category. As in, what’s with these “packing cube” things. What is wrong with ziplock bags? I need at least two ziplock bags. One for disgusting dirty clothes that absolutely must be washed. A second one for things that didn’t quite make it to dry before it is time to decamp. If I am feeling particularly expansive another ziplock bag for undies that are absolutely clean. That’s about it. 

This is my original box, AKA WildChild. Filled with miscellaneous perennial plants and herbs. Mostly to attract bees and butterflies. Plus goldfinch in late summer.

This is Black Snake Box. I did not see any evidence of a snake, black or otherwise.

And this is Box 34 because it has #34 tag on it. I think it will get more sun than Black Snake Box. 

And I am doing these last two boxes because The Asylum is my home and I view this as a “home improvement project”. I remember years ago at my Mom’s “home” – one of the old women had paid to have the sofas and chairs in the public area reupholstered. I asked why and the answer was:  “This is my home and it needed doing.” I didn’t understand that at the time. But, I do now. The Asylum is my home. 

There were about 90 rain-free minutes around noon today and that give me just enough time for planting. And, I was able to skip the watering-in step. 

The gardening project accounts for about 2 hours. Haven’t a clue where the rest of the day went. 

 

I am now the proud owner of 3 garden boxes. The one that I have had for 3 years in the official “geriatric garden box” area. That is “wild child” and it has all manner of perennials to attract bees and butterflies. 

The two new ones were are in a public area – on a little patio where my friends and I frequently eat dinner. Last year these boxes were scruffy at best. Figuring that they above bunny level, I offered to adopt them. Last year one was home to a nice fat black snake. I think that a nice black snake would be fun. (Maybe not)

Since these are “public” boxes, I figure that they need to be the “grownup” boxes. With nice well mannered carefully curated plants. I will plant them tomorrow – nevermind that there is a 90% chance of rain. Guess I could strap my headlamp on and go out and work on them in the dark. But, there is that black snake. Wouldn’t want to disturb him/her. 

Somehow, I will survive a week without opera.

This week’s breakfast special at The Asylum is Eggs Benedict. I only went to breakfast on Thursday and Friday – but on both days the Eggs Benedict was bereft the bacon/ham part. I sent an email to Chef congratulating her on her new creation: Kosher Eggs Benedict. I believe hollandaise is or can be Kosher. 

Went to Costco with a friend – she spied the Tilapia Loins. Didn’t realize that fish had loins. You can learn something every day.

 

Totally unexciting day today. And, at my advanced age, there is no problem with totally unexciting. 

Most exciting thing today was those clouds. I was sort of puttering around, taking a little walk. Then I happed to look north and spied the big black clouds. Time to scamper back to the safety of the Old Bat Cave. I made it with 5 minutes to spare. And clocked some good cardio time in the process.