Category: The DayBook

Indeed, the day has been so great that I don’t want to mess with my photos. And, they are still uploading anyhow.

Yesterday, Monique called and said, “Episode 38 will start tonight or tomorrow”. So, I got ready. And a little after 8 this morning, she said “GO NOW”.

These screenshots are from USGS webcam #2, pointed in roughly the same direction we were — though the USGS has much closer setting. There were three USGS webcams until 10 AM; now there are two.

I want to keep these images background for the day. And the blog seems to be the best place to keep them.

This is what Madam Pele was doing when we took off on our 90-mile trek to see Episode 38.

This is my blog, and I can do whatever I want. Tonight all I want is to reflect on the glorious day, good friends, and Madam Pele delivered. Tomorrow will be soon enough to process my 110 photos and videos.

Just think: I was able to sit in a beach chair with my feet propped up and watch a volcano shoot molten rock 500 feet into the sky.

Got my shit together today. And did my two things. Plus some other stuff.

Doing the blog early today, because there is a chance of a volcano run. My dear friends have said “Next time we go”. I don’t want them to feel any pressure, but I really would like to see 1,000 ft lava fountains. And how many more tomorrows do I have? 

Clearly not starving out here. In fact, I’ve cleaned up my eating (and drinking) habits in a major way — enough to drop 7 or 8 pounds. I bet I’ll fit back into my gray pants. Real food. What a concept. We’ll see what happens when I return to The Asylum… which is where the gray pants are currently living.

And for Barb: one minute of ocean from this morning’s cardio walk.

I had one of those days. I know there are a couple of things I need to do. Should do. But I don’t want to do them. One requires admitting I may have made an error, which might reflect poorly on my rapidly aging mental equipment. The other requires admitting I changed my mind. Neither is big. Neither life-threatening. I just don’t want to do them.

Tomorrow. I will.

With that settled, I went for a little pre-dinner walk to inspect the sunset. It wasn’t happening. Until I got back to The Western Old Bat’s Cave.

That kind of day. On the plus side, while studiously avoiding the things that actually needed doing, I got my photo culling and cataloging done through November. November 2025!

And, I didn’t kill anyone.
However, I was snarky.

At 4 PM two short weeks from today, I’ll be wandering over to my hotel in Honolulu. The time has gone by quickly. And, it has been a great time. Different time. Not heading out into the ocean is the right decision. But it makes for a different experience. Accept and Adapt.

Happy to report that I’ve recovered from my COVID shot. Got ample miles and solid cardio today. I’m trying to be in the best shape possible for a non-athletic old woman for the adventures ahead.

And honestly, being in the best shape possible for a non-athletic old woman might be a decent long-term strategy. On the other hand, I may be too old to need a long-term strategy. I used to have personal 5 year plans. Now, a 5 day plan seems too long.

Another day another small ocean video. Weather back east looks unfriendly. Back east is unfriendly. All of hell was emptied out and dumped inside the DC beltway.

Exhausted today. I had to take a rest in the middle of my Zoom yoga class. I have never needed a rest in the middle of a yoga class. 

However, a quick review of the Blog from December 3, 2024. The day after I had my last Covid shot, I was also exhausted. I believe there is a connection. So, after lunch, I took a handful of ibuprofen and had a nap.

Here is a 90-second sunset video. The weather at the Asylum looks like an ocean sunset is needed. 

Today called for an early walk. Followed by a midmorning walk to get a Covid shot. That added up to over 3.5 miles. Training for Tokyo?

Yesterday was supposed to be the first big waves of the season. Just not within my walking range. So, Billy, Monique, and Bella picked me up, and off we went for a picnic dinner. I am so spoiled. 

The trick is to get your boat safely back in the friendly confines of the harbor. It looks a lot like surfing. You wait and wait for the right moment, then enjoy the ride. Or not.

I took some video, but I’m too lazy to process it today. Maybe on a snow day back at The Asylum.

And speaking of processing, it’s time to start processing the trek back to do list. Covid Shot. That was today’s action.

OK, it’s December. What about that crazy plane ride to Tokyo, anyway?

Well, in November, “my” flight from Honolulu to Guam was scheduled four times.

It’s supposed to connect with a Guam–Tokyo flight with a 55-minute window. (Yes, fifty-five.)

Here’s the scorecard for November:

• • One flight was cancelled after leaving Honolulu but before arriving in Guam. Haven’t a clue what happened to the passengers.

  • Twice, the flight missed the Tokyo connection entirely.

  • And once, the stars aligned and the plane actually arrived before the Tokyo flight departed.

Whatever happens is what I planned.

Here’s a 5-minute video of the Guam → Honolulu leg. The guy doing the video is a CNN correspondent. I do not expect to get the fine treatment he did.

Went out early this morning looking for the promised life-threatening waves. Didn’t find any. But got some good cardio work in. And, had a nice peaceful sit waiting watching the ocean.

Thinking about next winter. Should I be thinking that far ahead? Nobody is promised tomorrow.

I like this place better than the last place. It’s just a much better-maintained building. And I can see the ocean. The other place is cheaper. Closer to grocery stores. And the ocean is just across the street.

Walked up a different set of stairs on my way back from my walk and spied another resident cat. Or maybe it just slipped inside to enjoy a nice nap.

Today I went with MaryEllen to her regular Saturday Market. Xmas greens were very popular. 

The creator of dog biscuits and human cookies needed a break. Left his dog in charge. BTW – his dog cookies cost more than his human cookies. He says people will pay more for dog biscuits than for people cookies. 

And of course, we went to brunch. If there is a master plan for the universe, I hope it includes brunch!

Back at the Western Old Bat’s Cave, the manager wanted to come by a give me some fruit – actually, I figure he wanted to be sure I hadn’t destroyed the joint. So, I told him, sure. But no tangerines. 

Nice guy. 

One more from yesterday’s visit to Pearl’s Feed Store. 

Saturday evening mass is underway. They broke out the Christmas songs.

And, four weeks from today, I’ll be back at the Asylum. Eight weeks from today, heading out on the Vision of the Seas once again. 

That means four weeks or Asylum food. Or not. 

Oh, tomorrow’s adventure is supposed to include life-threatening surf. 

And notice: Pearl’s Feed Store stocks one of RFK Jr’s favorite medicines — ivermectin. I never actually saw any. But for $31 you get ten 550-pound pour-on doses. Haven’t a clue what you’re supposed to pour it on.

Plus other interesting livestock drugs. RFK Jr probably likes those too.

But there was more than just fun at the feed store.

First, there was the beach.
I never knew that sitting in a folding chair on the beach was fun. I was always in the water. This is a whole new lifestyle.

Conditions were not ideal for novices today. The lifeguards were doing their best to keep the visitors on dry land. Surfing, however, was excellent.

(Let’s criticize Peg’s photography. Too much blue. Peg too lazy to fix)

And. Stop at the Farm Market. I got bananas. 

Next, there was brunch.

Most of the best food in Hawai’i involves paper plates!

Then a stop at the grocery and the hardware store. 

Pearl’s Feed Store was the last stop.

And while all this was going on, Monique got rid of a freezer on Craigslist. 

Back at the West Old Bat’s Cave before noon. 

Black Friday Meditation.

A jacket with 22 pockets. Can you imagine little old lady me trying to get through passport control with 22 places to “safely” store my passport?

If you ever see me wearing a jacket with 22 pockets, please stage an intervention. Preferably, before TSA has to.

Great Thanksgiving Morning. Started with a walk. I watch this guy paddle in from some distance. He landed the board, so the dog just got his feet damp while getting back to the pier.  

Great Thanksgiving Afternoon. Billy comes down, collects me, and takes me to dinner.

MaryEllen is on the gravy. Billy is carving the pork roast. 

Bella was into trying to snag tidbits. Her dog dinner was delayed by the human dinner. 

Monique decided Bella required Red and Green, or as Billy called them, Port and Starboard eyebrows. I felt like asking her to paint mine. They have been white forever.

Can not leave Pearl out of the party. Never mind that she bit MaryEllen last week. 

Good Thanksgiving Night. 

Bad photographer! I got picture of the peeps. No car in the background, but didn’t back up enough to get the entire sign. 

Totally splendid lazy day today. With the bonus of an excellent nap. A fine way to prep for another day of feasting tomorrow. Life is very gentle for me today in the 808.

Unfortunately, Madam Pele shut down the show a little before midnight yesterday. The fountains were hitting 1,400 feet — that takes a lot of lava. Maybe next time.

Tomorrow I’ll be busy, so let’s start the gratitude day early. No, it’s never too early to be grateful.

Gratitude

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For Carlton, who shared my life and still haunts my heart. For a body that mostly works — creaks, groans, but still gets me around. For being born at a time when women stopped being property and started being people. For every one of my tech-based careers, which kept me fed, curious, and amused. And most of all, for the astonishing group of friends who’ve stuck with me into my eighth decade. At this age, friends are like money in the bank. And I am really grateful for indoor plumbing!

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Mostly, I keep this blog for me. It started 25 years ago as a way to communicate with distant friends. But I pay for the server space and keep it up for me. (Sometimes I wish I could print it all out and bind it up in books. But no, it’s better this way, and when I am gone the blog will be too.)

On November 29, 2014 Carlton had been dead about 8 weeks and I wrote this:

You know Carlton, the idea of moving out of Northern Virginia is starting to wander around my brain. Or getting a studio unit at the old ladies asylum – so – I’ll have more travel money. Except for a nice comfy reading chair, I have everything spacewise that I need right here in this hotel room. But, we knew that all along. Where would I move? Honolulu, Portland, Seattle, Key Largo, Paris, Pago Pago?? Do I have to actually live anywhere?

Funny, it sorta turned out that way. I didn’t actually rent a studio at the Asylum. I got the smallest one-bedroom and turned it into a studio. And outfitted it with a fine second-hand comfy chair.  And I am truly enjoying the spare travel money. 

Did some stair work on this morning’s cardio walk.

A ship, Holland America’s Zaandam, floated up to one of the cruise ship anchor points this morning. Normally, Norwegian’s Pride of America is there on Wednesday. This is the first different ship I’ve seen this winter. It arrived during Zoom yoga, during down dog, to be precise.

Sort of doing a midway reset today. This is Day 30, and there are maybe 30 more to go. Nobody is promised tomorrow.

So what does one do on Day 30 of 60?
Clean the kitchen.
Wash some clothes.
Recheck all the moving parts for the last nine days of the trip.
And consult with ChatGPT, a.k.a. Robot, about how to get back to the Asylum from Dulles at some indeterminate hour on Christmas night. Nothing very strenuous.

Found a hotel ad in my email spam folder today:

Does that sound like me? At all? No wonder Google declared it spam.

More important, just got an email from Falls Church saying the volcano started again. And it has.

If everything lines up right — just maybe…