Nobody is Promised Tomorrow. . .
Carlton and I enjoyed July 4th. On this last July 4, I was playing with my new Olympus OMD E1. A very expensive retail therapy purchase. But, it is still in service. And it provided this last photo.
I still enjoy July 4th. My annual Fireworks viewing party starts in an hour. The Asylum closes the bar “in celebration of …” The bar will be open at my party.
Let’s see – about 8 guests and 16 “mini” treats. Seems about right. Next. CHAIRS. Well, this is Goodwin House. I just call the desk and say “Please have X uncomfortable chairs delivered to apartment 1134 ASAP”
Well, maybe it was only one degree cooler than yesterday. But, I went to the office. Walked. Shuttle Bused. Walked. Art Bused. Ubered. It takes a lot of transit options to get this old woman around. Only 3.75 miles on the Fitbit.
Not much happening in my little world and that is OK.
I called out of work today. Decided that it was silly for an old woman who uses public transit to be out and about unless it was truly necessary.
I did go for a little very early in the morning walkabout and discovered a wheelchair shop. They sure know where to locate their business! I think I see jumbo packages of adult diapers on the wall. Ah, the joys of old age.
Did a little work today. And, I felt goofy most of the day because of my sinuses which are annoyed by the air conditioner being on all the time. But, when it is 98°. . . I took some Sudafed – they are what make me crazy. The puffed up sinuses just hurt. But, hey, I am still on the green side of the grass. And not in a wheelchair or in need of adult diapers. It is all good.
Decided to cull and check the metadata on the photos from 2017. I did January today.
I had a real hard time culling any of the akule school.
My little $99 underwater camera wasn’t up to the task when I came to photographing the akule school – but it is such a grand experience, swimming around in a 50+ foot bait ball. So, I kept way too many of them.
Also had a hard time getting rid of surfing photos. I would have 30+ photos from a single ride. If there was one shot from the ride that I really liked, it only seemed right to save everything from beginning to end.
Nothing special about that shot – except it is so universal.
Thank goodness for the 1TB solid state drive.
It is really hot today. According to Alexa, it is 96° and tomorrow is going to be hotter. So, this seems like a good time to show a photo from my trip across the county in 2016. And, 2016 is now all metadata-ed and archived off to a remarkable 1TB solid state drive.
Question is am I going to do 2017? Over 6,000 photos in 2017. We’ll see. But the first batch of photos from 2017 consists mostly of the akule school farting
As for the fire. Up top. USGS – June 29, 2018 Fissure 8. Enjoy.
Thoughts turning to travel. Maybe just hop a plane to Paris.
Today’s project was to weed out and pack up my digital images from 2016 and I found this one. Glad it didn’t get away.
It was hot today. But, I was mostly inside – dealing with the images from 2016. Not sure why I still bother to do that.
It is funny, approaching the end. Intellectually, I know that I’ll be damn lucky to get 5 more good years. But, in my heart, I still think I have my whole life ahead of me – when in fact – most of my life is in the rearview mirror.
So, why do I bother cataloging images? Why do I make photo books?
Oh well, nobody is promised tomorrow. That goes for 25-year-olds as well as 75-year-olds.
A nice little trip to the farm market early this morning – but – gotta admit – it isn’t as much fun as it was when I actually cooked.
You had to be there. These guys work at the Skagway Hardware Store – If we don’t have it: you don’t need it.
Hot today – so, I finished up the fitbit steps today by checking out the July 4th flower arrangements.
And, last night – we had belly dancing with dinner. The elderly gentlemen were interested. Very interested. And, the elderly women – not so much. But, it was good fun and the food was great.
This elderly woman noticed that our dancer had little upper arm gizmos to hide the unavoidable “batwing” effects of aging. Bet the guys didn’t notice.
Those pesky Canadians invaded our town on July 4. Swooped down on us from the Yukon. Ready to assault our ears with their bagpipes. Oh, and they drank our beer too.
Summer kick off at The Asylum today with Moroccan Day.
Drumming. Dancing is promised with dinner.
And, shopping… Time to get ready for dinner. I will not be dancing.
Started on the annual July 4th party planning today. The question is how many people can I get in the Old Bat Cave. Especially old people who need chairs. The answer is 4 or 5. But that ain’t happening. It will be twice that many. I have spots for 6 people to sit in chairs. But, I can get the house to send up 4 or 6 uncomfortable chairs.
Yesterday, my chaplain buddy, Steven, introduced me to the “closed casket, open bar” funeral service. Well, today, here at The Asylum – it was done one better. “no funeral, open bar”.
Lots of outstanding food, and a fine selection of beers.
Guess it isn’t too soon to start planning my memorial party. It will be held in the bar – not the art gallery. My photo books can be stacked on a table and after the party – they can go directly to the trash bin.
Today I made my annual visit to the Asylum Clinic – I had to answer 20 questions to prove that I was still able to live in my apartment. As usual, I muffed the “what is your address” question and “what is today’s date”.
Note to self: say the address out loud and check the date on the phone next year before the quiz.
You can not believe how much joy these Snickers Bars spread around our corner of the hospital today.
This Echinacea is in my wildchild garden box – safely out of bunny’s way. I will leave them to go to seed – they will attract American GoldFinches.
A friend from Austrailia sent a picture from her family’s cemetery in Perth. Kangaroos are way cooler than bunnies and squirrels.
This afternoon, I went for a walk around Columbia Gardens Cemetery. For years, it was a part of our life. I went for a walk there 4 or 5 times a week and Carlton rode his bike there every day – weather permitting.
Carlton was great friends with the gravediggers and when I told them he had died they were extremely interested in who had the body and what was going to happen to it. They offered to find a nice place – off the books – to stash his ashes. But, he was slated for Kailua Bay.
Carlton and I both liked Senator Byrd – I especially like the fact that the Distinguished Gentleman from the not so great state of West Virginia didn’t want to be buried in WVA. Heck, I didn’t want to be born there. But, no one asked for my opinion.
Someone always sees to it that Virgil always has a Miller High Lite handy.
Carlton and I both loved this cemetery. In the US at least, cemeteries were the first city “parks”. And Columbia Gardens continues this tradition.
Note to Carlton: Checked out the old building. The Daves are still there. And, there is still the hole in the facade under our bedroom window where the starlings nest. And, the rent would still be more than I am paying here. Not to mention utilities and food. And maid service.
The dastardly bunny snapped off the entire thing. At least it ate all the leaves. I
In theory, I could spray everything that bunnies eat with some noxious tasting goop. But, every time it rained, or I watered – the goop would be gone and the salad bar would be open again.
We do have foxes. I shall hope that one moves in. An elderly fox. This is an old folks asylum.
Continuing to revisit old sci-fi… just about finished with Lucifer’s Hammer a 1977 post-apocalypse tome by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle. I like the old post-apocalypse books better than the new ones. Fewer zombies.
Not much interest in voting for your most favorite uncomfortable chair today. Had to deploy the Stormtrooper to guard the ballot box. Vote Early and Often.
No work in the fields today – but I noticed that the weeds have enjoyed the rain. Tomorrow.
Funny story about the purple clematis – strolling around the grounds after dinner the other night one of our residents referred to this as the chlamydia vine. Well… and I don’t think he misspoke – I think that is what he thought it was. We had a good laugh at his expense. He said that hereinafter he would call it the “C” vine – least he make the same mistake again.