Author: Peg

Much too windy too take flower pictures today. But, that didn’t stop me. Sort of a do nothing day. Went to work. Returned from work. Ate lunch. Took long nap. Went out for flower pictures. Made some more origami bunnies. Did nothing about my messy apartment – or about actually trying to snag an apartment in the asylum.

  For the last few years – April Fools Day was damn grim.

April Fools 2013 – I thought things were pretty grim on April 1, 2013. Waiting for Carlton’s operation. Had no idea how bad things were going to get.

April Fools 2014 – It seems that I was reading Mr C’s latest PET Scan. This was while he was losing a pound a day. He had a huge bump on top of his head. And We had never heard of Merkel Cell. The skin cancer that makes you wish you had melanoma.

April Fools 2002 – But, long ago – in 2002 – We were young and healthy. And I was learning Flash. It made a little take off on Mr Potato Head. I am too lazy to figure out how to imbed it into the WordPress structure. But it still lives on my server space. Go Play Mr CarltonHead.

As of now: My affairs are in order. My apartment is a mess. But, my affairs are in order. All documented on archival paper. Hopefully stapled with rust proof nickel copper staples. Locked away in my lawyer’s safe. Waiting for me to stop being me. I signed the documents this afternoon. Feeling good about this.

Am I going to cook my dinner tonight? I think not. I hear avocado and oranges calling my name. The makings of a really nice salad. So, I will not cook dinner. I will assemble dinner.

No, Carlton is not a dried rose. No need to keep it. Today, I attacked my smallkidtime desk. I remember getting the desk when we lived in Grays Hill Village in Fort Belvoir. Maybe I was in the 3rd or 4th grade. It had been a “dressing table” in officer’s quarters. Don’t know how Dad got it. Anyhow, that desk has followed me ever since. I don’t think it will make it to the old ladies home. It will become one more unloved piece of “brown furniture”. I haven’t used it as a “desk” in years. Mostly, it collects stuff. On the top and in the drawers. A little personal museum.

Stuff like a cut nail and a Minié ball. Anyone want them? I’ll mail them to you. Just ask.

I also use the desk as a piggy bank.

I think I need to take a nice trip to use up my monies. It would be ashamed to die with a drawer full of Swiss Francs – or worse French Polynesian Francs.

It is much emptier now. But, it is still a piggy bank.

Note to Carlton: What happened to your Rolex watch? Did you lose it and not tell me? I know you wore one of my Timex watches the last year of your life. I took it off of you before you headed off to Georgetown. But, I haven’t found the Rolex. No biggie – but if you can figure out how to direct me to it – I’d be grateful. And, if you lost it – not to worry. Like you, it was good while it lasted.

We have the flower part of spring. Now, maybe we can have some warm weather too.

Why can’t I learn? If I do about 30 minutes of yoga every day, my back is OK. (Well, maybe by evening I need 3 ibuprofen.) When I don’t do yoga – my back takes 12 or 16 ibuprofen every day and the back still hurts. How hard is it to do 30 minutes of yoga. Just put on the yoga pants, unroll the mat and fire up app, do a “class”, roll up the mat, put regular pants on. And you are done.

Today, I took the troublesome tax return to the post office. You better believe I sent it certified. I don’t want to hear from the IRS that they didn’t get the return. I know I should be doing something more today. But, I didn’t. Maybe one thing a day is enough? Well, I did review my new will, power of attorney, final arrangements and medical proxy documents. Going to the lawyer’s office Wednesday to sign everything.

Thinking that my cast iron skillets – which have been in service over 50 years – need a really good cleaning. Then, I might get rid of them. They are very heavy. I don’t see myself doing that much cooking and I am pretty sure they will be problematic with the glass top electric ranges at the Old Ladies Asylum. Wonder if anyone even uses cast iron any more?

It was an interesting day. I finished up my taxes and eFiled them. I finished up Mr C’s Taxes, eFiled them and got the above cheery email from TurboTax. Well, I did what they said and it got the same email again. Then, I called the IRS. The IRS automated system hung up on me. So, I decided F-it. Tomorrow, I’ll take the damn thing to to post office. When I was out on my walk, being me, I started imagining all manner of evil that this rejection might portend. Carlton called that “living with the wreckage of the future”.

And, I made another foray into Carlton’s desk and storage drawers today.

Note to Carlton: Your “I Love Me” book from your years at VT is in the dumpster. I quickly scanned some of the photos. I am too much of a photographer to just trash all of them.

This is Carlton’s First Wife, I am the Last Wife and I get to decide what happens to the stuff. This one is scheduled to go to the dumpster on May 1 along with all the other VT Carlton Photos. So, anyone wants it – put your order in now. Actually she was lovely. A true southern belle, bless her heart.

Note to Everyone: When you die, someone is going to put your stuff in the dumpster. DO IT YOURSELF. And stop hanging on to all that junk. Ever wonder what is going to happen to your college diplomas (unless you end up having a Presidential Library)?

I promised to “take care of” the chrome plated bolt. I always knew it had something to do with Mr. C’s Master’s Thesis. Well, today I found the Master’s Thesis. I did not promise to take care of the thesis – So it too is in my recycle box.

There is more – but that is enough for one day. And next time I see my college diploma – if I still have it – that badboy will be in the trash!

Cold and windy here today. The snow was a no show however. So, that’s good.

Had zero interest in going outside – so, I got the taxes all reviewed. I just don’t have enough guts to file them. What’s the worse that can happen? Well, IRS problems sent Al Capone to Alcatraz. Not a happy thought. Hopefully, if I missed something/messed up/otherwise screwed up, I can play the bereaved widow card.

I did a tiny bit of work on Carlton’s stuff today. I must get cracking on this phase.

Wonder if I am going to get inspired about cooking dinner tonight? A variation on last night’s dinner. Using shaved brussel sprouts as the base rather than lettuce. Or maybe “just” a fried egg sandwich. I love fried egg sandwiches.

 

It’s Aloha Friday, no work till Monday… Well, at least no long distance far suburbs public transit runs. This afternoon – my first “free” afternoon of the week, I took a little nap and then made a leisurely walk down to Clarendon.

Tomorrow AM, it is supposed to be cold. Snow flurries. So, I plan to get both of our taxes all done. They have been “resting” on the window ledge all week.

Note to Carlton: You have been dead for over 6 months. But, you caused me enough trouble this week. I had to go see a lawyer, attend your Faux Funeral, check out apartments at the old ladies asylum, etc. And, tomorrow I am going to finish your taxes. You owe me! I’ll send you a bill.

I fixed myself a fine dinner. Lettuce, avocado, sugar snap peas. Sautéed chicken and tangerines. With some interesting orange vinegar. I am always pleased anytime I actually cook.

  

It’s 7:45 in the evening and rainy.  I just snapped a photo with the iPad and am doing this while riding home from far suburban Virginia. 

I went to a “viewing”.  Sans body.  Carlton love Janet Evanovich books. He was ever so glad when he got his kindle- then no one knew he was reading Janet Evanovich. I felt like grandma in those books. 

A very uneventful day. No problem with that. But I am more than a little weary of figuring out how to get to the distant ‘burbs by public transit. 

BTW I really like the data plan on the iPad. Money’s well spent. 

Got Wednesday done. Another cold and damp day for tramping all over hell and gone.

Carlton’s service was nice. Not too much religion.  It was in a church.  Guess the Episcopalians aren’t too fussy about who they “bury”. I behaved myself. (Carlton is still well and truly dead and in the Georgetown University Medical School morgue.)

I got a ride home. And then walked up to the dentist. Still cold and damp. BUT, my mouth was declared “stable”. And stable is a good as anything gets it my age.

I am feeling a little tired. Run hard and put away wet tired. All in all – no complaints. Just tired.

No pictures today. Not even a rerun. Well, maybe a rerun… from March 2002. Which was a rerun from 1956 or 1957.

I always enjoyed teasing Carlton about being the “Biggest Lover” at what was essentially a boys school.

Took the bus down to the asylum today. Looked at 6 or 7 apartments. Visited with some of the residents. One of them, is YOUNGER than I am. She said there are several residents who are younger than she is. That is the upside. Downside, no way any of the apartments that I really like will be available in my lifetime. I am like number 40 to 76 on various apartment waiting lists. Time for “Plan B”.

Tomorrow – I am going to, once again take public transit to Maryland. Two metros, one bus, a little walk. I am going to Maryland because some of Carlton’s friends are dedicating a rock to him. I am supposed to speak for 3 minutes. I do not speak. I do standup.

How is this:

Hello, my name is Peggy and I am Carlton’s Last wife. I am happy that the famous “boss who confronted Carlton with about his drinking in January 1973” Thank you for coming today, Cliff.

Carlton had a personal hero, Theodore Roosevelt. I have a personal heroine, Alice Roosevelt Longworth. Alice said of her father TR, “He wanted to be the baby at every christening, the bride at every wedding and the corpse at every funeral.” That describes Carlton.

So, Carlton – you are sharing today with Chris, deal with it.

How to remember Carlton. His little book. The duct tape is his. The red ribbon is mine. He started every single day of his life with this book. Upto and including his last day.

How do I talk with new prospects? Am I always trying to dominate the conversation? Do I lay down the law and tell prospects what they will have to do? Do I judge them privately and feel that they have a small chance of making the program? Do I belittle them to myself? Or am I willing to bare my soul as to get them talking about themselves? And, then, am I willing to be a good listener, not interrupting, but hearing them out to the end? Do I feel deeply that they are my brothers or my sisters? Will I do all I can to help them along the path to sobriety?

You were Carlton’s family. To his Hawaiian AA family “ohana” and he would say, Aloha, malama pono, a hui hou kākou. My love to you, care for each other, until we meet again.

Thank you.

 

Spent the afternoon with the lawyer. That will have cost some big bucks. Carlton, you can just stop spinning around in your morgue drawer at Georgetown. She is going to be the person who has my Power of Attorney and will be my medical representative, the person who will say “Pull the plug!”. She is also retweaking my will. She is a nice lady. Her father lives at the asylum that I am going to visit tomorrow. Her law partner’s parents live at the other asylum I am considering.

I took the lawyer a pile of old papers from Carlton. Papers that seemed to me ready for the shredder. She agreed that I didn’t need to keep his marriage certificate to his first wife, his divorce decree, payoff of a house he owned… that sort of stuff.

In the pile, the lawyer found a letter written to Carlton’s mother by Representative Harold D. Cooley. Never heard of Harold Cooley. According to Wikipedia:

Harold Dunbar Cooley (July 26, 1897 – January 15, 1974) was an American politician of the Democratic Party. He represented the Fourth Congressional district of North Carolina from 1934 to 1966. Cooley remains the longest-serving Chairman in the history of the United States House Committee on Agriculture. He was nearly defeated in 1964 by Republican James Carson Gardner and lost to Gardner in a stunning 13-point upset in 1966.

So, I guess I am not going to be able to sell the letter and envelope for NetJet share or even enough for a tall coffee at Starbucks.

When I got home – the ZipCar card arrived. I now have: Capital BikeShare, Uber and ZipCar. All I need is a NetJet Share!

But wait: There is more. Ted Cruz is running for president. Let the games begin. Ted – just because you don’t believe science doesn’t make it fiction.

I think a had a normal – well, new normal Sunday. I just ignored all of my “widow woman” work. No paperwork, no taxes, No clearing out Carlton’s stuff. No thinking about the old woman’s asylum. Just a new normal day.

I spent most of the day puttering around with the 2014 images. I have to get them all cataloged and moved off the Airness. It was strange – looking through every day – getting closer and closer to October 3. Everything was good – until it wasn’t.

Talking to a friend on the phone today, I was reminded that I really shouldn’t take a ZipCar out – say at evening rush or at night – I haven’t driven on a regular basis in 10 years. My first task of the week is visiting the lawyer. Tomorrow afternoon. It would be an easy ZipCar starter run. But, it is an easy bus/feet trip.