Category: The DayBook

Pretty sure this isn’t the best shirt to wear at The Asylum. But, then again, it sort of describes the aging process in 5 simple words.

Gratitude

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Friends who fly 5,000 miles in coach to visit.

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Went inside to get the camera – well the phone – came back to get a picture of the moon and it was gone. Whatever happens, is what I planned.

Whatever happened this morning is: I put down a large one on a GUIDED TOUR. Scary right? But, I am going on the GUIDED TOUR with a friend from The Asylum. That will make it less scary.

And, they had just taken my money when they send me a PDF all ready telling me what to do! And when to do it! I am telling myself that it will be good for me to try turning the logistics over to someone else. “Now dear, you must have your luggage outside your door by 7:30”.

This is where I went last year.  Didn’t seem to make it to the southern hemisphere.  But, I did prove to myself that if you keep going west you will end up back in the east.

Gratitude

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For new adventures. And rainbows.

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(I am trying to GoPro a rainbow at this instant.)

Another fine day. What can I say?

Well, I could say “Thank you British Royal Family for being so damned entertaining!” Any American family would be overjoyed if the kids (approaching 40) said that they would like to support themselves and oh, by the way, move to another country.

Gratitude

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The Landry Room. $5.25 and 90 minutes and all my clothes – except for swim togs which I was wearing – all my clothes are clean and dry and fluffy.

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Started out all windy and cloudy with some rain this morning. The usual Wednesday ship arrived and I fear that the folks who had morning excursions, especially ocean-based excursions,  well they might have been better off strolling down to Starbucks for a latte and wifi fix. It is sunny now. but still windy.

I trying to read this morning.  But, I kept getting distracted by my iPad and phone notifying me about “important” stuff. So, I put them in shut up mode. Seemed like a plan. And, then the landline rang. No escape.

Gratitude

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Farmers and farm markets

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Yes, it must be Tuesday. They have the tables set up for a luau across the street. The days mush together here in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. Decision time. Feed myself? Or go out for dinner? Think I’ll feed myself. Finished up a pile of leftovers for lunch. And ended up with lots of containers to wash. There may be plastics in my kitchen. But none of them are single-use.

One step closer to my train trip from Vancouver to Toronto. Got some leggings on sale at Target. They will be my base layer. Talked to my friend who is as crazy a traveler as I am today. Ran into her at Target. She leaves tonight for Japan and Thailand. She took the train from Vancouver to Toronto and it was 2 days late. Fortunately, she was able to get cell coverage and managed to rearrange her flight w/o extra cost. I am going to leave at least 24 hours for the connection in Toronto. I should leave 24 in Vancouver as well. But I might risk a 4-hour plane-to-train connection. I know how to get from the airport to the train station. About 30 minutes by the Sky Train.

Gratitude

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Grateful to have made it this far.

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Found an old uncataloged photo of Carlton in my computer this afternoon. Apparently I took the picture on a camping trip in 1986. And, I seem to have scanned it (badly) in 2013. Can not bring myself to delete any Carlton photos.

Serious do nothing day. I was going to have dinner with Canadian friends today. But, the cold bug stuck their household. Looking forward to company from The Asylum arriving on Saturday.

Been trying to ignore the situation in the Middle East. Pretty sure something bad is going to happen. But, I can not do anything about it. So, I will continue to ignore.  I have been ignoring a lot of shit lately. I wonder if elderly women in Germany in the 30s also igorned a lot of shit. If I were Iraq – I would hack something really important. Like maybe the Superbowl.

As you all know, Carlton tricked me into getting married. He picked his AA Anniversary.  Today is our 26th wedding anniversary and his 47th AA anniversary. In his “Little Book” where all important events were recorded – his wedding is noted in ink. But, his sobriety date is noted in pencil. Which is as it should be.

I think I am getting my annual winter cold and/or sinus infection. Hope it doesn’t get as bad as it did last winter when Billy drug me kicking and screaming to Urgent Care.

Today I finished up 2018 photos and moved them off the laptop. For my personal amusement I put 60 of them into a 2 minute slideshow. Using iMovie. Which isn’t what I normally use to render slideshows. But, this a part of my learning experience. I will not have my feelings hurt if nobody watches it. If you do watch it, full screen is best.

Making one last lap through the 2018 photos before I archieve them off the computer. I may make a 2018 Photobook. I made them every year since 2000. But, I sort of stopped when Carlton died. Because I made them for him. Seems pretty silly to make them for myself. Absolutely no one will want them after I die. And, that is OK. I am not Ansel Adams.

Walked up to Wal Mart today. Discovered that Wal Mart sells not very good but cheap  long underwear. But, I surely don’t need longjohns that will last a lifetime! That’s one of the things about old age: “Lasts a lifetime” doesn’t excite me.

Figured that a set of el cheapo long johns will be just what I need for my proposed trip across Canada in the winter. Didn’t get them. But, I will need to snag a set before someone ships them all off to a Wal Mart in North Dakota.

It is all good today. And that really worries me.  I guess that I am not paying attention.

Most of today – after walking and swimming and eating and reading of course – I worked on my trip back to The Asylum.

Currently thinking:

• • • Fly to Vancouver from Kona – nonstop
    • Take train to Toronto – same train 4 nights and 3 days
    • Hang out in Toronto 3 or 4 days
    • Fly back to DCA – nonstop.

That is about as simple as it can get. I could take several trains all the way to Halifax. But, then I would have to go back to Montreal to get a direct flight home. And, Toronto has the 30 kilometers of underground paths. SO, I can amuse myself by pretending to be a naked mole rat. Will not have to expose my under-clad wimpy Hawaiian self to the rigors of a Canadian winter. Just hole up in a hotel connected to the underground. A hotel with a view and room service.  (Note to self: Remember how lost you got in Tokyo’s underground streets.)

Whatever happens is what I planned. Works for GoPro’s too. I put it on the lanai while I was having dinner yesterday. And forgot about it.

Yes, I realize that I am now entering my 9th decade. I came in the 1940s – just before the Boomers. And, now I am into the 2020s. Doubt that I’ll make it to the next decade. I don’t come from a longlived gene pool. And that is OK. I was always of the “Live fast, love hard, die young”  mindset. Now, it is more “Live large, love good, die well” Maybe I’ll get that tramp stamped on my backside.

Went for a swim today. Ocean still a little unsettled. But good. And still getting my accounting and records set up for 2020. And, thinking about going back to The Asylum. Thinking maybe train across Canada. As far as Toronto. Then fly the rest of the way home. Figure if I stay on the train, I can make it fine with the clothes that I have – especially if I pick up a merino base layer in Vancouver. Just a thought.

 

The ocean was unfriendly for old lady swimmers and cruise ships today. Cruise ship came on its regular Wednesday schedule this morning at 6:30. They put a little boat in the water and came up to the dock. Turned around, returned to the mother ship, and off it went. Feel sure that most of the folks in town who were scheduled to work because of the ship, well, they might have missed the money. But, were glad for the day off.

I started my 2020 with a little walk. Some quality time watching the ocean. Took myself to breakfast. Did some yoga. Assessed my financial condition. Resolved to not make any resolutions.  Read some. Took the first nap of 2020.

Anyone besides me sort of freaked out by the Year 2020?As I recall that was a couple of spaces in hexadecimal. Year SPACE SPACE.  Year BLANK BLANK. Yeah, right.

I ended the old year with an old cartoon. Let’s start the new year with a new one.

Yes, here it is again. My favorite cartoon ever. Which exactly describes Carlton’s traditional New Year’s celebration.

Strolled up to the grocery to top off the fridge this morning. I defrosted it yesterday. So, it needed a few things. Bet your grocery store wasn’t well stocked with mochi this morning?

 

They also have all the makings if you are so inclined to make your own. Not familiar with mochi? There is no Western equivalent. Except maybe really squishy gummi bears. (I was going to show you the fireworks, but they were all sold out.)

I picked up a New Year’s Eve meal of shusi.  And, my much loved local holiday sweet – a square of pumpkin crunch.

For those who were none too happy with 2019 – it could have been worse.

• • 65,000,000 BC – that was most likely the worst. Your giant asteroid that wiped out 75% of life on the planet including every single dinosaur. That had to be Worst. Year. Ever.
  • 1348 – The Plague in Europe. 1/3 of the population dies. This one gets my vote.
  • 1492 – That wasn’t a very good year for the existing population of the Americas.
  • 1837 – The Panic (financial) of 1837. This was a US thing. And, I know it would get Carlton’s vote for worst year ever.

Just a little reminder. The “Good Old Days” were not always better.

2019 was a fine year for this old woman. Oh sure, I could be 10 pounds thinner. My old body could be way less troublesome. But, life is good. At the moment. And that is all any of us have.

Gratitude

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Grateful for this very moment. Internet is working, nice breeze on the lanai, ocean in view, coffee at the ready.

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