Category: The DayBook

Trying to whip my old self into shape for my trip to Europe. There is a huge fall-off in stamina in the 70s. At least that is my experience. I am pretty sure that 2 years of Covid exacerbated the decline. But, I am going to try to claw back a little stamina. What do I really want to improve/maintain? Walking like a real person at a moderate pace, not a shuffle. Able to stand without looking for a chair after 15 minutes.  The goal for next week is to get in at least 2 miles of continuous “perky” walking every day. I can walk a mile from The Asylum and come back. Or I can walk 2 miles and catch a bus home. Or I can do two laps around my “regular” one-mile neighborhood loop. I just have to do it. 

Did 2.25 miles today. And I played with the camera along the way. 

We don’t have any real waterfalls around here to try the long exposure stunt.

This long exposure looks rather like ice or jello. Not a good look. Just because you can do something doesn’t mean you should. 

 

On this day, absolutely nothing of consequence happened in my life. Of course, there are 6 hours left in the day.

Nothing of consequence happening is not a bad thing in my world. 

I did get a ticket to fly home from Frankfort on June 16. Why Frankfort? I don’t have a good answer. It’s easy to get to the airport by train. Now I have a 6-day chunk between the garden tour and the canal boat and a 5-day chunk after the canal boat. 

Late this afternoon a friend called and said that she had asked our Nurse Practioner to make a house call. Hopefully, it is nothing. But at our age almost nothing is nothing.  Good news is they didn’t cart her off to hospital. And it’s not Covid. So, I could go down and check on her. 

Discussing wedding rings yesterday. Carlton and I dug up all of our gold. I had my grandmother’s diamond and a pair of diamond ear studs that were “too small”. All of that went into our wedding rings. And, since we got married on Carlton’s 21st AA Aniversary – and since there wouldn’t have been a wedding were it not for AA saving Carlton’s ass – he had the AA circle and triangle on his ring. 

Mostly, I just wear my gold one. Sometimes I just wear the diamond one. Or both. And on “special” occasions – I wear all three.  My two rings anchor Carlton’s firmly in place. Just like Carlton anchored me in place. 

 

This bird photo was taken by my Pixel 6 Pro – using 20x digital zoom.  It is seriously cropped as well. But, I rather like it. Of course, it would be way better with the DSLR. 

Summer happened today. Just back from dinner and the Old Bat’s Cave seemed a little toasty.  Found the fan. Plugged it in and immediately shouted “Computer, Fan On.” I do love my Alexa setup. Seems a little silly, when I just have a studio. 

This one is fine.  4x optical zoom.

But these guys are a bitch to get in proper focus with the phone. 

Having a little Covid drama here in The Asylum. People are getting Covid. No surprise. But, they are NOT isolated in their apartments or even reported that they tested positive to The Asylum. This behavior has not gone over well with the majority of the residents. Especially residents who find themselves quarantined after being exposed to a person who was out when they were supposed to be in isolation. 

After suggesting that the miscreants should be pilloried on the croquet lawn – I did another Covid Selfie Test. Negative. 

I wish I could mend the tattered world that we elders are leaving for the young to sort out as easily as I can mend a tattered quilt. But, you know we actually thought we had the world pretty well sorted. Up until about 2010 when things started falling apart. Or maybe that was when we noticed that things were falling apart. 

Another spring day. Too much organized exercise for my old body. But, that’s my body’s problem. I didn’t ask it to get old. It decided to all on its own. So, it has to deal with the aches and pains. 

More test flower pictures. 

Getting tack sharp focus is still a matter of luck. But, I have over a month of practice time. 

Ah, the benefits of laziness. Last week when it was gray as can be outside and I was moping around, one afternoon I decided to ditch the in-person IT Committee meeting and take a nap. What should arrive in my email just now but this: We have been informed that a resident that attended the Technology Committee Meeting on April 6th at 3 pm has tested positive for COVID-19. Now, aren’t I glad to have taken that nap? 

I think me catching Covid is in the cards. I just don’t want it to happen when I am on a trip. 

Nice spring day today. So, I spent a lot of time outside. 

Getting back home from Europe. The cheapest flights are from Brussels – think chocolate and Dublin – think beer. I can make a huge adventure out of getting to the airport in either country. And, that’s what it’s all about, isn’t it? 

Just have to avoid getting Covid along the way. 

Laundry today. All the stuff that I most likely don’t wash often enough. Sweaters, wooly things, jackets. Also went for a walk when it was windy, chilly, and spitting rain. But, it was sunny. 

Then I spent some time figuring out how to get back to The Asylum from Dijon after the barge adventure. My virtual friend, Laurent says Dijon is a nice little city with good mustard, Burgandy wines, and gingerbread. That all sounds excellent. And, the older I get the more attractive “little cities” get. 

Went for an “exercise” walk today. The sun was out. No excuse other than laziness to not do it. While walking, I realized that my walking has not returned to pre-covid levels. I really don’t walk to get somewhere anymore. Why? Because I don’t go anywhere anymore. If I need groceries, I get them at the Giant next door. I don’t go to Harris Teeter or Trader Joe’s for better options. I haven’t headed to the farm market. But, it’s not like the farm market has anything at this time of year. I don’t go to the office anymore. I go to the dentist and the airport! Other than that I just hang around The Asylum. Not a good idea. I can do that when I get old. 

Started on the quilt repair project today. It has 56 “blocks”. I decided to start on the “easiest” edge first. I finished one block today. At this rate – I might be finished by the end of summer. And this is my “summer” quilt.  

Since this photo, I have beaten the mess into two boxes that will slip under the coffee table. And, if the quilt is pin-free, it can go back on the bed. I told one of my serious quilter friends this morning that I almost cut it up and put it into the composting bin. She was aghast.  I am going to use cotton or silk for the repairs – so it can still go into composting. 

We may be back in the gray tomorrow. But,  I sure enjoyed today. 

Sort of did “spring cleaning” today. Which, in my case amounts to washing my blankets. I get my sheets and towels from The Asylum. But blankets, spreads, and quilts are mine and I have to wash them. 

Speaking of quilts.

This quilt has been with me for 50 years or so. I remember buying it at an estate sale in Hawai’i. It is completely hand-stitched and hand-quilted but it wasn’t much loved in Hawai’i since it isn’t a traditional Hawaiian quilt. It has been much used and loved in the last 50 years. It was always on the bed in the summer for naps. It went to the beach, It went on picnics. It went to every park we were at. Last fall I put it away without washing it because it was so worn. I took it out today and decided to cut it up and put it out for composting. It is too tattered to use. Well. That just seemed wrong. What if they put me out for composting?  Maybe I have 5 more summers for napping. Maybe not. But, why not rehab the quilt? Not good enough to last another 50 years. Just another 5 years. Wash it. Patch it. Rebind it. Use it. 

I have a shoebox full of old handkerchiefs. (Is there such a thing as a NEW handkerchief?) They will provide the material for the patches. 

And, I have given myself permission to abandon the project at any time and commit the quilt and the hankies to the composter. 

I shouldn’t complain about the weather. Nobody is shelling The Asylum. There is very little danger of wildfires in the area. The water table is being nourished. And, I don’t have Covid.

Speaking of which. I think I’ll pass on the 2nd booster or 4th shot for now. Its efficiency seems to start falling off after 4 weeks in “the elderly”. I was pretty sick after #3 shot. I don’t know. If I do get it. I want to get it as close to my trip to Europe as possible. 

Speaking of Europe. Settled on a 6-day barge trip. In France. The nearest town of any size is Dijon. Hoping the sun shines! That leaves 6 days between flowers/gardens/tea. It could be fun to hang around London. I think Britain will lapse into party mode the first week of June for the Queen’s 70th. At least that’s what the hotel rates tell me. Maybe a city packed with revelers isn’t the smartest idea. Since the 4th Covid shot doesn’t seem to be worth shit. 

Rain rain go away come again another day.

 

Did some work today. Then, I had a choice. I could go to an IT committee meeting or take a little rest. A little rest won. 

It is still gray and drippy. But, flowers are blooming. And, I am going on this much-postponed trip to England for the Chelsa Garden show and a little jaunt through the English countryside to inspect gardens next month. I had best be sure that I will be happy with the photos I get out of my telephone.

Thinking about my post-flower show/gardens/teas possibilities. I was thinking about Scotland. But, I don’t think I’ll have tramping around the moors clothing. Need to go where the weather suits the clothes. My boss at the hospital is doing one of those riverboat things this month. I am not sure that is for me. But, it would be real easy. Every day just do what they tell you to do. Or get off the boat after breakfast and do whatever you want to do. I am suffering from what Carlton called “contempt prior to investigation”. Also a dose of cheapskate since the single occupancy “tax” is 100%.  

Good cheeseburger and beer for dinner tonight.  

Lots of bridges along the ferry route.  Maybe next time I’ll count them. Or I could spend way too much time with Google Maps and figure it out. Trust me. Lots of bridges. And most of them looked exactly alike. Which makes sense. If it works don’t fix it. 

One of the “things to do” on the 12-day ferry trip was to go on deck and watch the ferry go under the bridge. We passengers were easy to entertain. 

Cloudy, cool, damp here today. Also had barre class and Zoom yoga.  And finally a really nice dinner with my friends. The service was very slow. So we were plied with wine. Works for me!