Nobody is Promised Tomorrow. . .
This Blog started in 2001 as a Trip Log to record a summer in Alaska. Since then, it has morphed into my online diary.
And, last but by no means least –
All of these were shot through double-pane windows. It was too cold to stick my head out the window.
I am craving pea soup. Making pea soup is on the to-do list for the week. At the top of that list is “Clean up the Origami Dojo”. Because my next-door neighbor and I are going to fold some rabbits tomorrow. Best hop to it!
One of the orchid plants had a little accident and will not be blooming this winter and the other two are still settling in. But, one orchid in bloom is enough for one old woman. And it is lovely.
One of my friends is in New Zealand at the moment. And I am thinking seriously about The Sea Cloud. These are near-term trips. I am developing a very near-term outlook on most things. There is a point where “not buying green bananas” stops being a joke and becomes a reality.
My friends survived drinking the Asylum Saloon out of rum last night. We were planning on attacking 7 pints of ice cream tonight. But, since one of our accidental family has other plans – the ice cream binge is on hold for now.
Chilly outside today. But the sun was out so I went out a clocked a couple of miles.
It is supposed to be sunny tomorrow.
I accomplished NOTHING today. Not anything. I mean washing my hair and making my bed doesn’t really count. But, I didn’t destroy anything either. But, the day isn’t over. Still time to mess something up. Or spill my dinner down the front of my sweater!
FRIENDS!
But wait. This is my proudest day at The Asylum. I joined a few of my besties for adult beverages. And we drank The Asylum out of rum. When we ordered another round of Mojitos, they said we are out of rum. Now, how cool is that? We had to switch to something that used coconut flavored rum. One of my friends kept saying we should eat. Well, we did finally eat. Some had grilled cheese, others had chicken wings.
Laissez les bon temps rouler!
Actually, I was away from The Asylum 107 days in 2022. And that was a very good thing. Must plan my next great escape.
Escaped on foot today. Took a 4 mile walk.
Grateful that the weather was good enough for a 4 mile walk and that I was able to do it.
In Kona, I was given this totally fantastic origami wreath. The puzzle is: how to make some of the flowers. They are all securely glued gunned into position. So, I can not take the flowers off and unfold them. It is a wonderful thing and I really would like to be able to make one. Maybe I should just enjoy it.
I seem to be my own worst enemy these days. Stuck in winter doldrums. Suffering from unresolved discontent. Beating up on myself for not meeting an imaginary standard of things that an old woman should accomplish.
Time to just be.
Peanut butter and bacon sandwiches!
Little beef filets and free wine for dinner tonight. Enjoy everything you can. Because Nobody is Promised Tomorrow.
Sort of in the doldrums today. Maybe I am just in winter mode. Very close to hibernation.
Read some, origami some, aerobic walkies. Dinner is at a friend’s apartment because we are supposed to be dining alone due to a NON-exposure to Covid. All of the Covid drama at the Asylum is contributing to the doldrums.
Time for a gratitude check.
Grateful for friends to laugh with. Friends who ply me with coffee, beer, cookies, brownies.
The moonrise last night was fine enough to get out the “real” camera. But, not fine enough to round up the tripod! And I am well past the age where handheld night shots are a good idea.
The Asylum’s Covid abatement policies are totally FUBAR. So, I chose to ignore them. If the Asylum chooses to kick me out. So be it. Since the joint is a Covid Petrie dish – I choose to wear my mask when I am wandering around the halls. And, I open my windows at every opportunity. Do I choose frostbite or covid?
Did Zoom yoga for the first time in a month today at noon. It wasn’t pretty. I have been really good at keeping up the aerobics and the strength work. But, the flexibility work has been neglected. The reason you retire when you get old is that it takes all day to keep yourself in “shape”. And, you have to take yourself to the shop (aka doctor or dentist) with distressing regularity.
The Eddie was supposed to run tomorrow. But, it was canceled. The waves didn’t cooperate. Last time the Eddie happened was Feb 25, 2016. (It’s a surf competition).
The project that totally consumed me when I got back from Hawai’i had it’s moment in the spotlight this morning.
It will not mean much to those who don’t aren’t involved with The Asylum, but I am essentially giving the community high fives for good things done last year.
Momma Nature is trying hard to make it winter. It’s not too cold. Just too gray.
So, it was a good day to stay indoors and sulk. Actually, I did laundry. And researched Northwest Passage trips. I think I have picked one out. The cheapest one! Well, it’s the cheapest one for me. Because it has the lowest “single supplement”. Also, they supply all the “gear” that you need. It is late enough to maybe pick up some Northern Lights. Plus it leaves from NYC and not some obscure village in Greenland. And, You get dropped off in Nome Alaska. I can surely get myself to NYC and then back home from Nome. Amtrak and Alaska Airlines. Of my three trips – Tahiti, North Pole, and Northwest Passage, I figure that this is the one that will take the most energy and fitness on my part. So, I shouldn’t wait. If I go it will be late August. About 3 weeks.
Speaking of Alaska. This little story from Canadian TV about a dog walking service in my old summer job place – Skagway Alaska.
Canine commuters in Skagway, Alaska
Dogs in Skagway are extremely laidback. For one thing, the nearest vet is over 90 miles away in Canada. And, there aren’t a lot of rules about leashes and where dogs can or can not go. There are no frou-frou silly little purse dogs.
Finished up my weekly mandatory aerobic exercise with a walk to Harris Teeter for coffee filters. I know, a pretty lame excuse to force myself out on a 2 mile walk. But you do what you have to do to keep the old body moving. And, I rode the bus home. Didn’t need a 4 mile brisk walk.
If you have a Google Phone, and if you let Google track you 24/7, you get little reports telling you where you have been. According to Google, I traveled 35,858 miles last year. 390 of those miles on foot.
Thinking about where to go next. Train to Churchill Canada? Three weeks or so in Bermuda? Somewhere on a boat? Do Charleston again? Or try Savannah? Maybe Yellowstone? Take a lap around North America by train? Go to Vegas? This is short-term next 90 days stuff. The less time spent in residence at The Asylum the better.
Winter is creeping back into place. Well, it’s 48° not 68° like earlier in the week. People were removing the Xmas decorations from my floor lobby. One presumes that The Asylum will remove its decoration next Monday.
Since returning to The Asylum less than 2 weeks ago, I have gotten myself and my stuff resettled in the Old Bat Cave. Seen the dentist. Dealt with 2 months of neglected paperwork. Found a new CPA. Made a cute little 3-minute video.
Today, for the first time since returning, I feel back in “control” of my life. Of course, I am not in control of anything. I am just in the trough between waves.
Picked up 20 cents on today’s walk. Carlton must really be testing me. Wanting to be sure that I still appreciate the value of a penny. Actually, pennies are sort of a nuisance, Carlton.
Actually our life guard at the apartment took this photo. He was, I am sure, a drug dealer. However, he needed to have something that looked like a job. So he worked afternoons as a life guard. Most Arlington county life guards came to work on bicyles. This guy drove a new Cadillac.
Today would be Carlton’s 50th AA Aniversary. And it is our 29th wedding anniversary. We had a great life together. All the credit goes to AA because the fellowship saved his life.