Author: Peg

I am a foolhardy  person…but not where mushrooms are involved. But, that one does look pretty tasty. Sort of “pumpkin spicy”.

Foolishly went to yet another committee meeting here at The Asylum. Me the person who regularly told my bosses that “I don’t get paid enough to go to meetings”. Me who told consulting clients that my hourly rate was outrageous and my go to meeting rate was twice that.

Went to a meeting. The Grounds Committee. The high point was when the oldest member of in attendance announced that she was sending the Ground Committee rules on the “The Executive Committee”. One of the rules includes a discussion of pet burials on the grounds. She wouldn’t say if it was allowed or not. Seems to me it is a “don’t ask – just do it under cover of darkness” issue.

There is a persistent urban legend that  Barnum and Baileys circus camped in our neighborhood. And that an elephant was buried near or on our property. Which makes the “pet burial” thing even funnier.

There was also a discussion of planting determinate vs indeterminate tomatoes. And the location of a library. That was after an hour and I ran screaming from the room.

I did promise to make them refrigerator magnets.

Rather nice don’t you think. Let us see if they can agree on what the magnets should say! 

The Old Bat Cave was shown off to a couple of dozen folk this afternoon. 

Then I went out for a little breath of nice humid air – and what did I see out front, but a couple of guys from my floor with a nontrivial amount of beer, wine, and other adult beverages. We may be old here at The Asylum. But most of us are firmly in the “Not Dead Yet” column.

Yesterday after dinner, I made a determined effort to run down The Original Mr. Bethany. I ran him down 15 years ago or so when I wanted to send him some nice pictures I had of his parents. At that time he was married and living out in one of the far western ‘burbs. 

Every now and again, I would wonder “What if they moved into The Asylum?” It wasn’t likely. There are nice places in the western counties. But, I don’t have to worry. Chuck and his lady are safely relocated to a town of 2,000 people in the mountains of North Carolina. I found them through the voter registration rolls – happy to report they are among the few (very few) Democrats in their county.

Then I was able to find  his wife on Facebook. Some happy pictures of them. So, he is having a happy life, too.  And that makes me very happy. 

Saw my shadow today. Does that mean we will have 6 more weeks of summer?

Spent a little time blitzing up the Old Bat Cave today.  Also did some general decluttering. When you live in a studio, it doesn’t take much to start looking like a hoarder.  Even tossed 3 bottles of condiments from the fridge. Bottles of condiments that I moved here. Cooking is just not a thing that I do anymore. I have people for that. 

But, the reason for this particular spiff up is: tomorrow the Old Bat Cave will be on display. 100 or so prospective residents are let loose in The Asylum with directions to various apartments that they can look at. We have to do this because there are rarely any empty apartments. We have no “model” units because so many of the units have been seriously remodeled. My unit used to be one bedroom. But I made it into a studio. 

Most people think they want something bigger and more luxurious than the OBC. But, it suits me fine. And, that is what matters. Hope the sun is out tomorrow because it is fun to show off the view of the monuments.

And yet, another damp, dark, gray day. 

So, why do I keep on doing this blog? Sometimes I wonder.  It is more ephemeral than a pen and ink journal. But, not nearly as classy. What else do I have to do at the end of my day?  Or maybe it isn’t as transient as I imagine. I just checked “The Way Back Machine” and it says that pegbethany.com has been saved 21 times between July 19, 2001 and August 5, 2018. 

BTW – that picture deserves a click through. 

Another soul-sucking gray damp drizzly day. With hurricanes heading towards both of my homes. Grateful that I don’t actually have to worry about either one of my homes. That is what I like about being a renter. 

Figure that I’ll keep my toys charged up. And be sure to have some extra batteries for my headlamp and my little radio. More than that, I think that it is The Asylum’s job to keep me watered and fed. Unlike any other high-rise I have ever lived in – this joint has the water pumps on the emergency generator. And, we have plugs in the hallways that are on the generator as well.  We will be fine.

We will be fine – but I might go batshit crazy. I don’t do gray damp drizzly with any kind of grace. 

As for The Original Mr Bethany. I hope he has had a good life. I owe him a lot. Leaving me was probably a hard thing for him to do. Not giving our relationship a second chance was a hard thing for me to do.  All a part of growing up. Or as today’s kids call it “adulting”.

Another gray rainy day. But, I finished organizing and cleaning up my photos from 2017. Don’t worry, there are still 5,636 left. And they will be moved off of Forbin (that is my computer, my computers always have names) and onto a couple of backup drives/clouds. 

These  7 are photos that I rather liked when I took them. Actually, I found 91 that I liked or that amused me. And, I will make them into a book. And that is about it from The Old Bat.

Yesterday afternoon it started raining and it will apparently rain for the foreseeable future. With the chance of some “tropical storm rain” later in the week. 

Today was an inside day. Puttered around with my images from 2017. Want to be sure they are all nicely cataloged and stashed away. Maybe I can finish it up tomorrow. 

News from The Asylum: one of the old ladies gave a “Still Not Dead Yet” party this afternoon. Apparently, a couple of years ago she gave a “Not Dead Yet” party – and she had so much fun that she decided to do it again.  Sort of a funeral for the undead. 

And, the Old Bat had a fun “senior” adventure this morning. I lost my Apple Pencil. I KNEW it HAD to be somewhere in the apartment. Which is less than 600 square feet. 

Well, I found it. Stuck in my wet hair. Now, let me review my “senior” week:

1. Tuesday: One of the maintenance guys wanted to carefully explain to me how to use my new “technology-assisted” toilet seat. Major embarrassing. 
2. Thursday: I almost screwed my head into a cat tree that I was trying to put together. Some assembly required.
3. Saturday: Lost $98 “pencil” in my hair. 

Wonder what trouble I can get into tomorrow?

Strange afternoon mentally. Thoughts of death and dying. My death and dying,  Will I really die one afternoon, in my chair, covered with my favorite quilt, alternately napping and listening to a favorite old Sci-Fi audiobook through my Bose headphones? Sort of my version of Carlton’s Final Exit. 

Guess I am just having a “Nobody is promised tomorrow…” moment. 

Thunderstorm here at this instant. And, at The Asylum, Friday is steak night in the Bistro. Maybe, I am at least promised one last Petit Filet & Bordelaise sauce – really rare, please. 

Found a monarch butterfly this afternoon. Also found 94° temperature. So, I didn’t spend much time outside.

But, I found another mystery plant with cheery blue flowers in my weedlot this afternoon. It is apparently bunny proof. Has nice flowers. It is a keeper. But, wonder what it is.

Went to visit “my” cats this morning and help put their new cat tree together. I almost screwed my head into the contraption. Fortunately, we got it together. And provided much entertainment for the cats in the process.

I am not amused by the administration. I am not disappointed. I am not surprised. Horrified. I think that is what I am. 

So. Listening to the tomato plants.

I played around with various possible interesting ways to get back to Kona  but decided on the easiest one. 

Yesterday, I was considering a two-wheeled transit option.

Two wheel transit options, Asylum style.

Speaking of the Asylum – Back in August 2014, when Carlton was still alive, before we even made the initial deposit at The Asylum, I took a day off work to go the 2015 Budget Meeting. Today I went to my 5th budget meeting. Good news is that the rent is only going up 3% next year. Bad news is that our “product” is not as attractive to new prospects as are some of the competitor Asylums. SO, management is reacting to that new challenge by spending more, WAAAAY more,  on marketing. Buckle your seatbelts boys and girls, the ride might be getting interesting.

On my walk to work, I pass by 3 or 4  houses where the front yards are devoted to  veggies.  The squash plant that grows on the chain link fence is still making baby squash. 

Every year there are fewer flags. But, that is OK… Wounds are supposed to heal.  Nobody has forgotten. 

I totally embrace millennial car-free transit options. Public transit, Uber, Lyft, Zip Car and Bike Shares. However, I think that Bird scooters might be a little much for my elderly self. But, you never know.

On July 7, 2004, I wrote that I would deal with my prints and negatives “later”. After  5071 days “later” arrived this afternoon. I am down to 3 old prints. I am allowing myself to keep them. They will fit nicely in the bottom of my underwear drawer.  When I die some kind soul will find them and wonder, why did she save these? Because. Just because.

Before pouncing on the photo project this morning, I went and did some work in my weedlot. The damn bunnies wiped out two more plants. Just gnawed them right down to the ground. Not happy with bunnies. 

This is a rather boring – but apparently bunny proof plant. It looks a lot more interesting in this photo than it does in person. I shall endeavor identify it. If it is a weed, it will be leaving. If it is not a weed – well, the fact that it is bunny proof is a vote in its favor.

Went to an indoor Labor Day barbeque/picnic at noon today. The company, beer, and mac and cheese were good.