Author: Peg

Just a random photo from one of our crazy road trips…

Which caused this old woman to wonder: what now?

1. Maybe a little trip to Paris.
2. Or Death Valley.
3. Get a Can-Am Spyder and head out. 
4. How about getting a tricked out van and head out.
5. Jump on a boat and go anywhere. I have never gone anywhere on a boat. Well, since smallkidtime.
6. There is always the train.

No use just hanging out in the Old Bat Cave waiting for the next batch of adult diapers to arrive from Amazon. 

Well, I did promise Mr C that I wouldn’t get “anything with wheels”.  So, that strikes out the Can-Am and  the VW Camper. 

Stay tuned. Those jack-rabbits that live in my boots are getting antsy. I have been here two whole months tomorrow!

This will be a regular Sunday feature. Pictures of the weed lot and garden box.

For anyone who wonders – my part of Hawai’i is a couple of hours away from the current volcano activity. “Our” volcano is Hualālai – she is considered dangerous. As Carlton liked to say we were 210 years into her 200 year cycle. When she goes – it will be serious. Last eruption was in 1801. We have forgotten that the lava got deposited somehow. People are like that.

The USGS Volcano Reports – more than you want to know about volcanoes.

Well Carlton, I just couldn’t do it. I couldn’t spend “your” money. All wrapped up in a rubber band and carefully labeled. Don’t know why. Just could not do it. Maybe next year. 

So, I trotted off to the bank to get “my” money. So I could go off to Long Branch Nature Center’s native plant sale to get some plants for my weed lot.

Someone from the Asylum would have driven me but, I am glad that I walked to the plant sale. They have about 10 parking spaces and about 20 cars were trying to park. Did my 2 miles walking to and from plant shopping today. Which is better than 2 miles on the dreadmill. I got a couple of rudbeckia, two echinacea, a cactus, and a false dragonhead. I could have, maybe should have gotten more – but if these guys are happy in my weed lot they will spreadout nicely. And, if they are not happy – well – having more will not help.

My own garden box is sort of neglected this year. 

Shall not complain about it being hot yet. I complained way too much about it being cold. And, talk about hot, Madam Pele is shaking things up back home in Hawai’i. Not on my part of the island. But, earthquakes have consequences. But, so far so good. Just Momma Nature using Pele to remind us how little control we have.

Big event of my day was staking up the peony bushes that are on my weedy plot of land. 

And there was a nice vase of hydrangeas. Apparently, they were the subject for a drawing class yesterday.

So, I used them for a little “art work” of my own.

Jumped right into summer today. I don’t pay for electricity – but I would have liked to have a few days without running the heat or A/C.  

Last year, I tried to retire August 1st. I failed.  But, I think I have about worked myself out of a job. The office seems to be doing more work with fewer people. And many of the tasks that I used to do have been farmed out to other people or automated out of existence. 

My boss seems to be concerned and is trying to think up “projects” for me. But, honestly, I feel like a smug mother bird watching her chicks fledge.  

I tried to put the Stromtrooper on the first bus of the commute – the 25B – but, it had warning stripes on the floor and Google couldn’t make the magic happen.

Yesterday I read an article: “The Top 10 Things Your Kids Don’t Want”

And that was about my whole day. We did have dinner outside this evening – first time this year. Finally. Spring.

Didn’t go to work today. The Asylum’s semi-annual meeting with “upper management” was today.  I felt like I needed to go. It was a waste of time – my cynicism was dialed up to “MAX”. 

Around noon it was warm enough to do some work in the “garden”. And, I took some pictures with Shamu 2.

I am starting to have trouble coming up with “names”. This weekend I couldn’t remember the name of a guy named “Bill”. And this afternoon – looking right at a fennel plant – I couldn’t come up with fennel to save my life. Should I be worried.  And, if I am worried – what should I worry about?

This is about as good as my bird photography gets. All taken with cheap 600mm equivalent lens on the OM-D M1. Handheld. BTW, the friend I was with was embarrassed to be seen with me since everyone else had killer big glass, massive tripod, camo gear. And, I was just armed with a micro 4/3 camera and Shamu 2 and black leggings. (Plus stormtroopers.)

I really don’t like The Asylum all that much. The Asylum the building. The Asylum which is filled with old people who lean on their walkers. The Asylum that is next to a strip mall. The Asylum that isn’t all that public transit friendly. 

On the other hand, I love my Asylum sisters. And, it is damn nice to have pretty good food (and good company) right downstairs. So most of the time I have this weird acceptance thing going on about The Asylum.

Went chair shopping today. Ordered a stool. Funny thing is – I had that very stool when we lived in the Falls Church house. I had “urban recycled” it and Carlton painted it. Funny to have paid some serious bucks for it’s classier relative. 

Also worked in the garden plot, did the dreadmill and took a nap. Busy day. Busy is good.

And today is the  17th anniversary of the blog.  

I am amazed that I kept it up for 17 years. I really just do it for me, but I am always pleased to know that other people actually look at it. Thank you!

I love technology! Thanks to son-in-law, this afternoon I learned that my telephone takes great pictures using software not optics. 

Now, what wonders would occur if killer glass were combined with the Pixel 2 secret sauce?

How about this trick…

I am cowering in bed under my quilt while a Stormtrooper stomps around my kitchen. The amazing thing is that this is just out of the phone. No Photoshop needed.  Oh and the Stormtrooper moves around the frame so I could have made a movie.Come to think of it – is this some sort of DIY virtual reality feature? Gotta round up my cardboard VR setup and check it out. (This could be fun, couldn’t it?) 

Now, if you can do this: Where the hell is my robot cat? Not to mention my jet car. 

And, a final farewell to Shamu – before returning it to Google. 

Only managed one photo today. With the Pixel 2 xl. I am still stunned at how good the camera is. I will do some serious testing – just to force me to pay attention to what the camera is doing.

One thing is for sure –  no more being snobbish – this camera does a professional grade job.  Not sure if it will record RAW images. Not sure about a lot of things.
This is 100% crop of today’s bus people photo. I am sure that the image stabilization helps big time when shooting on a moving bus.

Day off tomorrow. A trip to the old neighborhood and the dentist is on the schedule. May I’ll get some photography in as well.

No I did not need a new phone. What I needed was a new pocket computer and/or camera. 

It was a damp chilly day. A good day to do laundry. A good day to take the “dreadmill” for a spin. And a good day to get new Pixel 2 xl. It arrived before noon. 

Decided not to clone Shamu the Original but to basically start over from scratch. Like I would with a new computer. Because this thing really is a computer.  And, it looks like it will be a damn fine camera as well. 

No headphone jack – but Google did throw in a USB – USB C dongle as well as a USB C – headphone dongle. And a none to protective looking case.  This phone will be obsolete by the end of the summer. But, I didn’t want to wait. Google might not make an oversized phone next year. Heck, Google might go out of the phone business. 

Think I’ll run down some information about the camera(s) onboard this pocket computer.