Author: Peg

How to spend the last day?

There was lots to watch. People, birds, even seals. And I scored a fine bench.

Six hours until bus time. I haven’t packed. But I did charge my Bose headphones. And I washed my hair. That’s a start.

 

Santa Barbara doesn’t have a lot of wall art. At least not where I normally wander. Today, I felt well enough to cross the street and examine this specimen.

Who knew this existed. Sourdough toast. Whipped ricotta cheese. Blood orange slices. Honey. Toasted pistachios. To die for.

Out for a wander. Drop into the Apple Store for a new iPad. I use their excellent Wi-Fi to setup the new one. Trade in the old one. And I am off on my wander again.

I just love the town. I suspect it’s because I’ve only been here in the spring and during the week. I’m fairly certain that it is chockablock full on the weekends and maybe the weather isn’t so wonderful in the dead of summer.

This town has movie theaters. They are always showing interesting films. I guess I should not have been surprised since it is maybe 90 miles from Hollywood.


These 3 theaters are within ½ mile of each other.

I continued wandering around, enjoying a nice sunny day. Picked up a sandwich. Brought it back to the hotel. Enjoyed it on my gracious little patio. And then I decided to finish setting up my new iPad. Namely I wanted to set up my cell service. Because I’m a spoiled old woman and I like to have cell service on my iPad. My old iPad used a regular SIM card. The new iPad uses an eSIM card. Not problem I thought. There were directions how to do it. I followed the directions. The result was I deprovisioned my cell phone. And discovered much to my dismay that my beloved google fi service does not support data only eSIMS. 

I fear that it is time for me to turn in my IT license. And if this is the worst thing that happens to me today, it’s been a fine day.

Tomorrow at 10 PM at that’s nighttime boys and girls. I’ll be on the bus to San Francisco. Won’t that be fun? I should get to San Francisco about 6 AM in the morning. Train leaves at about 8 o’clock.

Ok Elon what I did today

1. 1. Replaced my cane. REI had one. But, I only needed one. All good.
      
   2. Convinced myself that I didn’t have to replace my dying iPad today. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should.
   3. Found where the night bus leaves from.
      
   4. Went down to the ocean.
   5. Had chicken soup.
   6. Rested.
   7. Went to the farmers market.
   8. Got ice cream for dinner,

   Is that good enough to keep my social security for another month?

   

   

   

Arrived on time. My hotel is just across the street from the station.and my room was ready.

I stashed my stuff and went for a walk, well, about one mile into my walk i was exhausted. Returned to the hotel. Had ½ of a roll with cheese and butter from a fine bakery that I know. Then I had a much needed shower. Wrapped myself in a fluffy white robe and hopped into that nice bed. And that’s about it.

Ginger ale was the highlight of yesterday.

I may be done for the day. But it’s only 3:45. You never know.

Norovirus. Food poisoning. Stomach flu. It doesn’t matter what it is. It’s unpleasant to say the least. I am now in about hour 22 of it and I think I turned the corner but you never know.

Spent all night throwing up. All day sleeping. And drinking ginger ale.

I need to be way better by tomorrow morning.

The train made up all of the lost 2 hours and we arrived in Chicago 15 minutes early. I went for a very small walk around Chicago, it was sunny but 18degrees and windy. Drinking coffee and reading in a comfortable chair in the station seemed like a better way to spend 3 hours.

I packed for my trip yesterday morning and decided to leave the Mac book at home. I really don’t need any extra weight to lug around and there’s nothing that I really need the computer for.

I also left the Google watch at home. It gets confused when it’s on the train and I sure don’t need to be nagged about walking every ½ hour. But, I did find myself checking my old school watch to see have far I walked earlier today. New habits die hard.

In about an hour I should be getting on the Southwest Chief. It should arrive in LA on Monday morning. It’s the southern yellow route on the map.

Critters. Flock of turkeys, any number of buzzards, one squirrel eating a cookie, some cattle including some very cute fluffy brown calves.

Time to get a little more walking and fresh air before 43 hours on the train.

On the train but they just announced that there was a problem and they were working on it. We may not be going anywhere.

Under way one hour late.

So far so good on the train. We are about 30 minutes behind schedule. And they sent a text saying we we’re going to lose 90 minutes in Huntington. We can get off the train. But I’m not getting off a train at 10pm in West Virginia.

There’s a 3 hour layover in Chicago, but now it’s just one hour. I will either make the connection or I won’t. For now I am just looking out the window, reading a book and drinking coffee. Life is good.

And there’s enough signal to post this. BTW, I am on the southern orange path between Washington and Chicago

Hopefully by this time tomorrow, I’ll be zipping my way through West Virginia on schedule. Yesterday’s train hasn’t made it to Chicago yet. It’s 9 hours late. And the train to LA is long gone. There is supposed to be a 3 ½ hour layover in Chicago. If I miss the train, I’ll take a plane. Not a problem.

I am taking warm clothes because getting “stuck” somewhere cold is a non-trivial possibility. Also taking some granola bars.

Pretty sure I’ll not be able to post anything tomorrow evening. There is lots of no cell-service space on this trip.

OOPS, just got a text telling me that I was needed at dinner early and in a “nicer clothes” venue. Notice, nicer clothes. Not nicer food.

Well, I was wrong. The food and the company were both excellent. The text actually said “… put asses in the other 2 seats by 5:15”. 

It’s 26°. Winter storm warning for tomorrow morning. Totally unacceptable weather. I just hope it doesn’t mess up my travel plans. It’s all about me.

Today, I did very little. I wish I could wrap up my taxes, but a big piece is still missing. So, taxes will wait until after I get back from my little train trip. I did “get ready” for my trip today. One of the good things about living at the asylum is there is almost no getting ready required. I plan on packing, showering and washing my hair, and watering the orchids on Friday morning before breakfast. Fill up my excellent travel mug with coffee. Eat breakfast. Pick up a sandwich for lunch on the train, kill some time, and leave for the station. Pretty simple.

Think I am going to take my computer.  I realize that my computer is sort of like my security blanket. Heck, it’s even warm. I am just a crazy old woman.

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
 J.R.R. Tolkien

Buzzed around the Asylum this morning until it was time for zoom yoga. It was too cold to take the bus. Or maybe I am too lazy.

Helped a neighbor sort out her husband’s huge collection of much-loved camera gear. He had a serious case of GAS. Gear Acquisition Syndrome.  People. Do your loved ones a favor. Get rid of your “stuff” and “collections” yourself. And, if you don’t have loved ones to clean up after you, know that all of your treasures will most likely end up in the landfill. 

Yoga was hard today. Or maybe I was extra stiff and creaky. If I am completely honest with myself, I must admit that I haven’t been 100% faithful with my daily yoga program. I can do better. 

Most days, I can not fault breakfast at The Asylum. Other meals. Well…

I am going to Santa Barbara on the southern route (Cardinal and Southwest Chief) and returning on the northern route (California Zephyr and Floridian).  Training up to Santa Barbara from LA. Spending 4 days and 3 nights in Santa Barbara. Taking the Night Bus from Santa Barbara to Emeryville, just outside San Francisco. I might be a little old for the Night Bus. But, I am a little old for a lot of things.

Sun is a great way to start the day.

I wake up early. And spend an hour without any online activities. I call that my Zebra Time for no apparent reason, other than sometimes it’s good to think you are hearing zebras. Not horses.

I am in my comfy chair. Drinking my 2nd or 3rd cup of coffee. Enjoying zebra time. And what do I see? A crow on my window ledge. (Before we got new windows resulting in skinnier ledges crows would stop by from time to time. Not anymore until this morning.) I think he was cold and was hanging on to the ledge to get out of the wind while still catching some sun.

The crow was the highlight of my day.

I did get some train tickets to Santa Barbara. Leaving on Friday. Be back in 10 days. Mostly it’s just a train trip. I have some train vouchers that will expire in September and who knows if Amtrak will survive until then. I consider this a “use or lose” trip.

Everything was peachy until about 30 minutes ago. I got an email from management saying that 43 people now have Norovirus. Maybe I should decamp to a local hotel until my train leaves at 11 on Friday morning! I can not imagine anything worse than having Noro and not having a bathroom!

It wasn’t cold. So, I made a few laps around the outside of the building. Watered the orchids, read a trashy book, did some origami, played with the light. Just a normal Sunday.

I will not be among the protestors. Honestly, I am too old. I have been to protests and marches, and even peaceful parades require more stamina than I can realistically count on having on any given day. There is no reason to suspect this will be an incident-free assembly. But, I hope it is.