Author: Peg

I post way too many pictures of nice sunrises and sunsets. Well, this was today’s sunrise. Nope, I could not see it. Yep, I believe it did rise even if I didn’t see it.

And, I am now leaving this month on my circular trip. I met a lady this evening who will be doing the circle by boat next January. I like the idea. But being on a boat for 6 months – not so sure. It is surprising how many people I know who are doing that. 

And, I talked to another person about doing the circuit via a tour on a chartered plane.  That takes about 4-6 weeks and cost about the same as a boat version.

My way is cheapest by far. But, it isn’t the same as far as bragging rights go. I just bought a bunch of plane tickets. Reserved some hotels and am hoping everything works out. 

Had a group living meltdown this evening – rather than muddle through the crowd and confusion of our dining venue, I retreated to the Old Bat Cave where a cold one and my uneaten turkey sandwich from lunch awaited me.

I use public transportation because I choose to. Most people use it because they have to.

Here we have an apparently homeless man. Who had been a patient at some hospital, most likely my hospital.  He was on the bus back to the hospital. With all of his posessions in two hospital bags. Dressed in hospital disposable pants, wearing hospital sox and wrapped in a dirty hospital blanket. He is most likely a “frequent flyer” in our Emergency Department. 

There has to be a better way. There just has to be.  

And, this is one of the reasons that I ride the bus. I don’t want to forget that I am one of the very privileged. Oh, I may have “earned” that privilege – but there was a hell of a lot of just plain luck along the way.  Totally unearned, undeserved good luck. 

 

Scotland or Ireland? Most votes are for Ireland. Ireland has Guinness. But, Scotland has kilts. 

One month from now, I will be on my RTWB4EXIT adventure. Oh, yes, and I have to decide about that flight with a long layover in  Sri Lanka. No one is promised tomorrow. This is what State Department says: Travel Advisory: Sri Lanka – Level 3 – Reconsider Travel

At least they are not suggesting that I leave a DNA sample behind.

This one is from 4 years ago. When I lived in the old apartment. The Old Bat Cave wasn’t on my radar yet, but I was scheduled to get a tiny studio. And, my plan was to use it as a storage locker.

I went through more than a few variations of the storage unit concept.

Fortunately, by July 2015 the Old Bat Cave came available. By the end of September I had moved in. And this is pretty much today’s layout.  See no reason to change anything 

Not feeling 100% today.  Nothing serious.  An unhappy tummy. So, I am giving it something to be unhappy about-it isn’t getting much to eat. Also, major hay fever. My Asylum Sisters are being very solicitous.   

Spent the day resting. Spent so much time resting that I used up 60% of my iPad battery.   

The phone is still making a powerful case for being the only camera on my round the world trip.

Speaking of which – I still have this 10 days that I had planned to spend in the UK or Ireland. But, in Marie Kondo speak – the UK isn’t sparking joy. I can always hop a train to Paris or Geneve or Luxemburg or any other place that does “spark joy”.  

Hotels are really expensive. It wouldn’t matter if I really wanted to go there – but if I am just “killing time”? I know that I will enjoy wherever I end up –  be it UK or France or Switzerland or somewhere else.  Everywhere is interesting when you are easily amused. 

A rather laidback day. Mostly, I worked on some “advertising” for The Asylum’s annual fundraising.  And while I was at my desk, I enjoyed watching the clouds. And listening to the tornado warnings on my phone. Strangely, Alexa doesn’t warn me, unless I ask “What’s the weather”. However, my Google Phone, announces dire weather warnings with gusto. I wonder what the google version of alexa does?

Just realized that I could pack more – if I had a bigger sofa!

For real trips (not my annual migration to Kona), I am a believer in the 54321 school of packing. So far I have:

5 odds and ends, Swimsuit, scarf, lightweight base layer, rash guard, wool socks.
4 tops, which are 1 long sleeve shirt, and 3 tee shirts
3 bottoms, a dress, a skirt, a pair of long pants
2 ???? (spare shoes and a handbag)
1 ???? (maybe a light jacket or sweater)

Add  4 sets of undies and I should be good to go. BTW – except for the spare shoes – this includes what I will be wearing. 

It’s not like I am going anywhere that doesn’t have shopping. If I am cold in Scotland or wherever I end up –  it will be a good excuse to buy a nice cozy sweater.

But then, the electronics. To camera or not to camera? For sure I will take Shamu the Phone  and the Kindle. The Power Bank, the plug adapters have to go too. The camera and the iPad are questionable.

Always love watching the bus people. And sometimes listening to them as well. But, they usually aren’t speaking English. One day a man was on the bus with his 2 little girls and the girls were complaining that “this was the long bus”. Dad said that he was sorry, but they should just be happy to have some extra “downtime” on the bus. And with that,  the girls got books out and started reading.

That is the way it is with the bus – you just turn your entire life over to the Bus Gods and trust that you will get somewhere near your destination. 

So, what is interesting in the Old Bat’s life. PT. That is what is interesting. Two years ago, I was supposed to go to PT, but didn’t. This spring another doctor told me to go to PT. This time I went. Today was the first session. Right here in The Asylum. Couldn’t be easier. Except that everyone laughed at me. What was I doing in PT? I could more planks than the therapist. And I could bend over farther. SO, why was I there?

• • • • I have been complaining about leg issues for over 2 years. 
      • My balance sucks.
      • And, I have to use a hand or a knee to get up off the floor. 

Bottom line, after the therapist and I did planks and floor touches. I spent 30 minutes standing first on one leg and then the other. With my eyes open and with eyes closed. And then I did it all over again whilst standing on a bouncy half-ball. I wouldn’t call it a workout. But, my legs noticed that something happened. 

More PT next week. Stay tuned.

Today was one of those scary nice days. Like – this is way too good. The wheels are going to fall off any second now.

But, I am going to enjoy it – a day of grace in a world of chaos. 

Took pictures this afternoon around The Asylum. This wonderful woman works in food service on our health care unit. She has worked here for 5 years and has been in the US for 17 years. But, she never got the money and time together to enable her to go through the citizenship process. As we residents looked on in horror over the last couple of years at the increasing hostility towards immigrants – we wondered what could we do? Well, actually rather a lot. Some of us can give money, others help candidates prepare for the test, some help with negotiating the bureaucracy. Apparently we are currently able to assist 28 employees through this process. 

Our lady has completed the process and is awaiting the arrival of her US passport. That passport will allow her to travel to her native land to visit her mother with the assurance that she will be able to reenter the US and return to her home and her children.  

This is a win for everyone. We old folks can still make things good things happen.

Most of us got this lovely junk mail in our boxes tonight. We are in agreement that lunch should be at Texas Jack’s Barbeque or the Smoking Kow. 

It is best to be very easily amused as one gets older.  So, you might as well start practicing what Mr. C called “the joy of living” now.  

Getting a handle on my trip around the UK. It is still a work in process. 

1. Get to Heathrow at 1430 June 19. Make way to Paddington St via train and then train on to Bath. For no apparent reason. Roman Baths.  Bath
2. June 20 – stay in Bath another day. Bath
3. June 21 – train to Cardiff. They have a cool castle. Cardiff.
4. June 21 – train to Llandudno. This is a five hour ride. Llandudno.
5. June 22 – train to Glasgow. This is another 5-6 hour trek with several changes. Glasgow.
6. June 23 – stay in Glasgow another day. Glasgow
7. June 24 – train to Edinburgh.  Edinburgh.
8. June 25- stay in Edinburgh another day. Edinburgh.
9. June 26 – train to London. 5 hours. London
10. June 27 – Latest return to London. must spend the night in London
11. June 28 – fly to Bermuda plane leaves at 1455.  

Going to let this perk around for a while. Might be better to just go to Glasgow, Edinburgh, and London. And use a night train or two.

Now that I am done with tulips, I can do dogwoods.

In addition to going to the office and doing yoga – which is a pretty action-packed day for me – I discovered that I can bail out of my SriLankan  Airlines flight through Colombo for about $600 and take Singapore Airlines directly to Dubai. But, I am guessing that if I want to do that I should get the new flight sooner. Not later.  Knowing me, I will most likely just stick with my original plan. I was always one to worry more about dysentery than violence. Violence will kill you flat out but dysentery will make you wish you were dead for days on end.

On a happier note. I am testing out my new power bank. It is charging up my Kindle. 3 big type G plug adapters also arrived. That is my usual number. 2 to use. And one to keep in the suitcase “just in case”. This trip is starting to seem like it is really going to happen.

So, I think I’ll put the blog away and figure out what to do with my 9 or 10 unplanned days.

Had a fine and festive Easter with my Asylum Sisters. We Brunched. Then I believe we all slumped off into a food-induced coma. Only to come out of it for a very light dinner. I had soup. Most had salad. But, salad required more effort than I was able to come up with. 

Ordered a new power bank for my phone. And some plug converters for Singapore, Dubai and Great Britain. My Round the World Before Alzheimer’s trip is about a month away. 

Note: I am booked on Siri Lankan Airlines via Colombo for the transit from Singapore to Dubai. I was planning on squeezing in a little sightseeing. Actually, I wanted to go pay respects to Arthur C. Clark. Rethinking that idea. 

Before he died, Carlton told me that Cliff was my go-to guy for advice. Problem is Cliff was 5 years Carlton’s senior and he isn’t around any more. But, he was so solid and so consistent – that I can just ask myself “Now, what would Cliff’s advice be?”. Which is what I did when selecting a hotel in Dubai. 

I will be arriving in Dubai late at night. The answer to “What would Cliff advise” was “Book a good hotel and get a car service”. I am staying at a hotel that is attached to one of Dubai’s big ass shopping centers. And, I have arranged to be picked up at the airport. It is one thing to ride the train in Tokyo or the bus in Singapore. It is something else again to ride Metro in Dubai at midnight. Midnight is not the right time to economize.

Making the reservation reminded me that UAE is not Kansas. When making my reservation I could be Dr., Mr., Miss, or Mrs. I decided that I would be Mrs. 

Now I have 9 or 10 days to spend somewhere within 8 hours of London. Might just totally wing that one. 

And, tonight I escaped The Asylum and we had dinner at a nearby Afghani restaurant. It is always good to escape.