Category: The DayBook

If I look right out my window it is all Ft Sumter, fountains, and park. If I look left, it is construction and a working dock. All things considered, I like the left view better. But, it is nice to have both. Small complaint. The WiFi is really shitty tonight. But, it was good enough all day long to get my work done. So, no worries. Just hope it gets better by Friday. Friday is the next scheduled workday. There isn’t enough bandwidth to change the header image. 

It was warmer and calmer today. So, I managed to get 4.5 miles of walking in. Before and after work.

Before work, I bravely went into a deli and got a fine turkey wrap to go. Charleston is heavy into grits. Shrimp and grits. Cheese and grits. Grits and grits. Collards and grits. Fortunately, they have some good barbeque. And, their soup and gumbos are excellent. I didn’t come for the food. I came for a change of venue.

Very windy and much cooler today. When I went out today I wore all three of my shirts, my scarf, and my jacket. But, it was 10 degrees warmer than back at The Asylum. so no complaints. Sort of took the day off today. Only walked 3.5 miles. And, didn’t really go anywhere except out to see The Eagle leave, and to pick up lunch and dinner. (Lunch was a salad, dinner will be a pig sandwich). Mostly I sat by the window and read. Nothing wrong with that.

But somethings did catch my attention.

I don’t think this frog is public art. He is out front of a gallery, so, he might be for sale. Doubt he will fit in the Old Bat Cave, however.

Reading old sci-fi. Finished “A Scanner Darkly” by Phillip K Dick. He wrote it in the mid-’70s and it is set in the mid-’90s and here we are in the ’20s. Dick was doing a lot of amphetamines when he wrote it. And, it is about drugs, bad trips, addiction, and “recovery” operations. A totally dark read. But, still compelling. 

Have to work tomorrow. So, I hope the wifi goddess will bless me with good signal.

I devoted this morning’s walk to a search for intelligent life in the south.  The morning paper had a big article about the Covid stimulus package and how good it would be for the citizens. Sheepishly the paper admits that of South Carolina’s 9 congressmen/senators only one, Jim Clyborn, voted for the package. Congressman Clyborn represents Charleston and Columbia. So, maybe my search for intelligent life will be fruitful.

Next I discover these three white gentlemen. 

The intelligent view is represented on the other side of the street by 6 individuals of various races and sexes. They asked me to punch Linsey Graham and/or Tim Scott in the mouth if I ran into them back home.  I allowed as how we would aim lower.  

And there were 4 cop cars on hand. 2 on each side of the street.

I didn’t see any Trump signage or bumper stickers.

Even God seems to be trying to do the right thing. 

So there is hope. Even in the citadel of the confederacy. 

Got in 27 miles this week. Over 6 today. Of course, it took me almost all day. 

Time to enjoy my wine and charcuterie. And if I stay awake (and dressed) until 9 PM  I will go down and get a plate of cookies and a glass of milk. Well, actually, I will skip the milk in favor of coffee.  I have a salad on tap for dinner.

Today was devoted to walking around and looking at stuff. In a concession to my advanced age, I took a little rest mid-day and  I will be early to bed this evening. 

I checked out the Coast Guard vessel. It is even older than I am. It was war reparations from Germany after WWII and the US won it in a lottery with the English, French, and Russians.  At least that is what they told me at the pier.

On my wanderings, I accidentally ran into a model of the Hunley. 

I was amazed at how small it is. Only to find out that they made the model too big. 

As you can see I am taller than the sub. which is about 6 inches off the ground. They must have had very small sailors. Sailors on the Hunley had very short life expectancies.  I seem to recall that it sank 3 times.  One of the times, Mr. Hunley the designer was on board and died. Which seems fair to me. But it did sink a Union ship. 

No wall art today. But a great sign. 

While I was working this morning the Coast Guard Tall Ship Eagle slipped in unnoticed by me.  This afternoon I found out that it motored in but the tide on Monday morning should allow it to sail away. I will be watching. And tomorrow, I plan on going to see it up close. 

One can walk across that fine bridge.  If I can figure out how to get to it, I might be up for a bridge stroll. I did the Sydney Harbor Bridge. 

Also, while I was working, the fountain got turned on. Apparently, it had been off for the winter.

Speaking of OFF. I just said, “Computer lights on”. And nothing happened. I hope the lights were not turned on in the Old Bat Cave. Just in case, I have a routine running that turns all the lights off at 10 PM. 

At the end of the workday, my boss and I were talking and she allowed as how she was going to Florida for a week. So, I told her that I was actually in Charleston. Working from “home”.  So, that is good news. Mostly because she needs some real downtime. And, she will not be thinking up more jobs for me. I will still do my normal Tuesday and Friday stuff. But no extra stuff. I hope. 

So far so good. Time for some sushi for dinner.  Got an awesome breakfast delivered. Picked up a sandwich on my morning walk for lunch and sushi on my after-work walk for dinner.  Last night, the town was dead. It is much livelier tonight. 

It is so good to be back in travel mode. Some people work puzzles to keep the brainbox working. I travel. Travel has lots of moving parts.  After a year of lockdown, Charleston South Carolina is pretty damn exotic.

Happy as can be with the hotel. They let me check-in well before noon.  The wifi is adequate.  This afternoon they brought a bottle of damn good champagne up to my room. Now, what’s an old woman going to do with a bottle of champers?  The room has everything I need. Including a fine view and a tiny balcony. They put out individual plates of cheese, olives, fruit, and charcuterie, plus various wines around 5. Certainly sufficient for me for dinner. Especially since cookies are promised for later. And, breakfast will be delivered to my room. (just like back home at The Asylum) 

I ambled around about 4 and a half miles today. First glance, Charleston is a lot like Alexandria or Georgetown – but bigger. I mean the houses are bigger. And, Charleston still has a working port. Main goal for me will be to not trip on the historic pavements. 

Work for me tomorrow. But, hopefully still time for fun. If not. The view out the window will be different. And, I will wake up in a new bed.

Here it is 1723 hours and there are still things on my todo list.  Going to a birthday party at 1830 hours. So, I’d best let the blog slide and get on the stick. Leaving at 0615 tomorrow for Charleston. 

I just checked in on line and they offered me $250 to switch my flight. But there is only one flight a day and I noted that tomorrow the train fully booked as is the only flight of the day on Friday. SO. No deal. I’ll be on board. I hope.

Tuesday is the busiest day of my week. And today was no exception. Fortunately, work went very smoothly. That always worries me.

We continue creeping back to “normal” here at The Asylum. March 22, the day that I get back from Charleston, is supposed to be the first day of more “normal” food service. Meaning we will go through a cafeteria line and get a green box of food to eat in our apartments. We will be assigned a 15-minute window when we are supposed to go down to get our food.

I plan to feed myself. I can do that. The transition to “normal dining” will be total chaos. I don’t do chaos anymore.

But, today I filled out my last order for “room service”. Hopefully, this chapter will be closed forever.

We really need to get back to “normal”. For the first time since early December, people are able to visit their family members in assisted living and nursing care. If they have a covid test. 80 people called to arrange for a visit. I have seen people coming in from the grocery store looking like little kids at Xmas. We old people lost a year. Just like the rest of you. But these years are really important when you can see the end of the road. I figure that at this time last year I had 4 years left. Well, I lost ¼ of my remaining life to Covid. Now, I figure I have 3 years. It’s not bad. It just is. And, I didn’t lose my life to Covid. YET.

People die here. And, nobody wants the stuff that we leave behind. (Our money is a whole different story.) Over the past year, lamps seem to have piled up – so – there was a lamp sale this afternoon. I went to see if there were any outrageous lamps. There weren’t. Or maybe the naked lady lamps had already been scooped up.

Spent entirely too much time thinking about what to take on my little 11 day trip. Since I have to take my computer – I might take my little rollaboard. Will decide soon. 

Work tomorrow. Also two exercise classes. Don’t know if I’ll manage a walk. I only made 18 miles last week. Maybe 100 miles a month is too much? It wasn’t 5 years ago. But, 77 is not 72. 

On a happy note – I think that winter is over enough so I can declare that Ray The Rosemary survived nicely. 

Yes, this is from two years ago. No fancy dinners in this the 2nd Covid year. BUT, and for this, I am truly grateful, all of these friends made it through the 1st Covid year. That is the greatest possible gift. Mālama Pono

About this trip to Charleston. The hotel called me this morning. Wanted to know if I had any special requests or questions. I have stayed in a lot of hotels. And, except for “my” hotel in Kona, none have ever called me to see if I had any special requests. All I want is good wifi. Anything else is lagniappe. 

I checked the flight again this morning – it was on time. Oh, but I did tell the hotel that I would be arriving  6 hours before check-in. We’ll see if that gets me into my room sooner. I don’t really expect that to happen. It is a 56 room hotel that seems to be pretty full. You get better service if you pretend to be a sweet little old lady. When it really matters, then and only then unleash the inner witch. 

You all know, I had no intention of making it to 77. As Mickey Mantle said: If I knew I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.

Still cold and windy. But, I sent myself outside anyhow. Then I awarded myself hot coffee and a nap. 

Took a couple more flower pictures around the Asylum this afternoon. Nothing special. But very special because they signal spring. also, the garden is especially lovely because the captive residents had nothing to do last summer except weed and water.

Thinking about my trip. Haven’t a clue what I am going to do in Charleston. I would normally go to Sunday services at Mother Emmanual, but not now. And, they aren’t even having in-person services.  It’s too early in the spring for the ferry/water taxies to be operating.  And, I don’t think that there will be all that many flowers out and blooming. In years past all the “garden activities” seem to have been in April. Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter are more or less closed. But, it will be an “adventure”. 

Prepping for the trip I checked on “my” flight today to see what terminal it leaves from etc. 

And what should I find? The flight was almost 8 hours late! The actual plane comes in from Burlington VT and it was seriously late. Not bad weather in Vermont. So, I guess the plane wasn’t feeling good this morning. 

SO, I am tamping down my trip expectations.  Work. Walk. Eat. Read. Nap. Repeat. One good thing about me: I am very easily entertained. 

Mālama Pono

It was cold and windy today. Sunny. But still cold and windy. My work schedule is Tuesday and Friday. Maybe generate a report or two on the other days. Today’s work ran late. So, I am ready for The Weekend. 

Had avocado and crab salad for dinner and there is espresso gelato waiting for me in the freezer. That and a cup of coffee should set me up for a wired evening.  Have a nice book to read. So, everything is good.

You know, when you stop worrying about shit that you can’t fix, life is smoother.  But, it is very hard to stop trying to fix the universe. 

Enough already – onward to espresso gelato and coffee.