It is simply frigid today. Don’t think it got past 24° and the wind was howling around. It was so cold that the kids didn’t even sled down the hill.
A good day to step away from the computer and do some origami. I worked from a diagram, not a YouTube video.
The leftmost was try #1. It was sort of like trying to reassemble a live king crab. I tried using glue.
Next is #2. I used staples and paper clips.
Try #2. The staples and paper clip version.
I am rather happy with this one. So, I decide to make it out of foil paper. That would be Try #3. I am pleased with it. Rather nice, I think. No staples, paper clips or glue.
BUT WAIT. I check the picture. Mine doesn’t look anything at all like the picture. I had folded it backward. Or maybe inside out.
Try#4. I had to use glue.
Try #4.
I’ll try this one with double-sided foil tomorrow and see what happens.
Gratitude
Grateful that I can spend an entire day folding paper.
Okay, that was quick. My cruise is in 3 weeks. Baltimore to Bimini and back. One of my Asylum Sisters has gone on this trip every February with her daughter and granddaughter for years. A couple of weeks ago, I told her that hey since she was driving to Baltimore, I might as well come along. As luck would have it the cruise was completely booked. But a couple of times a day, I checked back. Just as I was heading off to bed last night – a couple of suites and one outside cabin amidship way down at the water line opened up. Without hesitation – fired up the credit card and snagged the cabin. So, I spent the morning filling out forms, installing apps, and renewing my medical evac insurance policy.
And wondering “What the hell am I going to do on an old-school cruise ship”.
The ship stops for a day in Charleston. And, it docks downtown. I enjoyed Charleston when I made my Covid escape in the spring of 2021. So, that will be fun.
The ship, Vision of the Seas, also spends a day in Port Canaveral. I suspect that is to sell packages to Disney Land. I suspect this trip’s purpose is to sell me add-ons, packages, and excursions. Sort of like your printer’s purpose is to sell you ink. Royal Caribbean will find my wallet shut most of the time. But don’t tell them that.
It was crazy cold today. And I ended up working all afternoon. I am rather tired of my computer. So. That’s about it for the day.
Oh, I decided that hot chocolate isn’t worth the calories. I’ll take a mug of coffee and a nice piece of good chocolate. About the same calories. Much better. Easier too.
PS: Just booked a quicky little cruise for next month. Going nowhere great. But it’s not here.
Here I sit. In my vintage recliner. Pondering what to put in the blog when i spy a large bird. I think it’s an eagle. Indeed it is. Leap out of recliner. Grab telephone. Open window. And just as the bird is flying over the building get a lucky shot.
That is much more fun than the two shots scheduled today.
8AM and not a creature is stirring.
All the schools were closed. And the government was closed.
By noon kids of all ages are sliding down the hill across the street.
Today’s event for the day. Went to the dentist. Treated myself to Uber. Both ways. My fragile old lady bones are worth it.
Started the day watching cars slide down the hill sideways. The buses were too smart to try so they just parked and waited. By the time breakfast was over, that fun had ended. So, I did some origami and looked at a work problem.
No reason to stay indoors.
Squirrel Tracks. I am not the first critter on the “wilderness” trail today.Coming in…you are not supposed to try bird-in-flight photography with a telephone. But when did having “improper gear” ever stop me?
It was a very minor snow event.
it is possible to get stuck in the snow on Big Island.
I fed yesterday’s image to MidJourney and asked it to imagine a Japanese watercolor painting. I like the result.
Yesterday it was 50° and today it is 38°. According to my watch, I had gotten sufficient exercise this week so I stayed indoors today.
I crave simplicity. The life that I have when I am traveling.
I wrote that yesterday. When traveling I carry everything I need in a small 2-wheel carryon and a small backpack. I don’t take unfinished projects with me. I don’t take anything ratty and worn. Or anything that doesn’t fit “just right”. If I take it, I use it. Every day or at least every week. Except for a few totally “winter” and completely “summer” items I intend to refine my closet to those items that I wear on a very regular basis.
As for unfinished projects. Some are already out of the Old Bat’s Cave and in the dumpster. A few worn-out clothes have also made it to the dumpster while others are in the donation box in my closet.
I did the easy stuff today. The rest will be harder. But, I need to remember how wonderful is it not to be possessed by possessions.
Winter is closing in fast, but the camellias are looking great.
I’m feeling mostly ok except for the occasional electric jolts of face pain. Hopefully, this will resolve itself as the sinus issue continues to improve.
The Twilight Zone
I want to make another lap around The Old Bat’s Cave and do some additional deacquisitioning. The older I get the less stuff I want to have. Even if I took the stuff off to my storage chicken coop, I would still know it was there. The Old Bat’s Cave is only 590 sq. ft. I got the hard stuff done last year. Maybe this year I’ll get the clothes under control. I crave simplicity. The life that I have when I am traveling.
Today’s project was soup making. I came up with a rather bland tortellini and veggie soup.
That was exciting! January 20, 2018.
You know, I haven’t had a boring life. Even if I seem to be in a little lull right now. There’s nothing wrong with a little downtime. Just don’t want to make a habit of it.
Today’s adventure was a trek to see the doctor. Nothing wrong, except this sinus crap, the appointment was made back in October. I am at the point where I need to have a doctor who knows me very well. So, I check in at least twice a year. Today she wanted to know who was to make the “Pull the plug on Peggy” call if I couldn’t. That’s the relationship that I want with my doctor. She wanted to know. And to know that it was someone who might be around and able to make the call. When I told her “My lawyer”. The next question was “How often do you see your lawyer?” The sinus crap. Well, neither of us was much interested in talking about it.
On the way to see the doctor. Took the scenic route through the dog park.
There is a fine linear dog park. It gets you off a busy street for a couple of long blocks. And, you don’t even have to have a dog.
Dog Park WallArt. Note the squirrels drinking wine. Also the absence of dogs!
I walked to the doctor’s. Most because I figure if I can walk 3 miles to see the doctor I can’t be all that bad off. After a quick stroll around Shirlington, I bussed it home. 11,500 steps today.
The sun has been heading our way since December 21 and today it briefly shone on the orchids. That’s a good sign.
For at least 4 weeks every winter, the sun is completely absent from the Old Bat’s Cave. Well, today it peeked in for about ten minutes. That’s a start.
I declared myself sufficiently recovered this morning and had a normal but light day. I have only managed about 7,900 steps today. And just a little cardio. And, I returned to attempting to eat the food. This morning they even fucked up oatmeal. They must have run out. So, the added water. Cold water. I grumbled and microwaved it. They serve a lot of cold food, so there is a microwave for our convenience.
Not feeling worse today. Feeling better. But I don’t want to infect anyone. And I don’t want to eat the food here. Plus it rained all day. All good reasons to stay in the Old Bat Cave. I read, went to Zoom yoga, watched YouTube, and took a nap.
The Twilight Zone
Having all this reading time available, I read an article in the Journal about adjusting to retirement. Now, I haven’t had a serious corporate job in almost 40 years. Consulting, Park Service, some hourly side jobs, etc. They filled up time and the piggy bank. But Carlton and I stopped “working” when he was 50 and I was 41.
This article says that after you retire you have to “Learn how to be at home”. I don’t believe I learned this lesson. To me “home” is where I keep my clothes. You would think that I would have learned how to be at home during Covid. But, it didn’t. I fought it every single day.
Guess what. I checked my watch. And it says my resting heart rate started climbing from the mid-50s to the high-60s on January 1st. So, that must be when the sinus issue went from irritation to infection. Will see if my heart rate goes down when I start feeling better.
BUT WAIT. THERE IS MORE.
Today I got an email that was obvious a product of ChatGPT. So I submitted my Twilight Zone rambles to Bard. This is what Bard came up with:
Dusting off an old Journal from a pile of “maybe laters,” I stumbled upon an article about adjusting to retirement. Funny concept, since “serious corporate job” hasn’t crossed my radar in nearly four decades. My dance card’s been full of consulting jigs, Park Service stomps, and the occasional hourly hustle – always something to keep the clock ticking. Carlton and I even ditched the whole “work” charade years ago, him at 50, me hot on his heels at 41.
But this article hits a funny bone when it says you gotta “Learn how to be at home.” Me? Learn? Home’s just where I park my boots and hang my hats – a pit stop between adventures, not a destination in itself. Sure, Covid tried to teach me that lesson, but let’s just say I spent those months locked in a tango with cabin fever, battling boredom one rogue sock pile at a time.
