Category: The DayBook

It was too windy for photos this afternoon. But that didn’t stop me from trying.

Absolutely nothing zero zip to report. I wonder what I was doing 10 years ago? Nothing – that is what I was doing. No blog entry for April 19, 2006.

There is a “History of Underwear” exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

And and V&A museum shop has “playful tie-side knickers” by Agent Provocateur – for 35 pounds. (That would be about 50 bucks to those of you who are currency conversion challenged.)

There might be a little trip to London in my future. Those knickers – well – I think they demand an audience. I don’t see them in my future.

Have to find some good bee/insect hunting grounds nearby. Or after work, I can just wander around the old bee hunting grounds and then take the bus the rest of the way home.

I went back to work to get some much needed rest. But, I left early so I could return to the Asylum to attend the Semi-Annual Management “State of the Asylum” Meeting. The more interesting one is in October when they do the budget talk. This one was mostly happytalk and platitudes.

Tomorrow, I will have had my pesky little FitBit for two years. It says I have walked 3,440.37 miles. But who is counting? I think that is about 4.7 miles per day. Which just shows what not having a car does for your activity level.

Hau`oli Lā Hānau, Carlton. This would be 81 for you. And, I know you thought you would make it to 81. No one is promised tomorrow. You took that to heart and piled on a lot of good times in your 79 years.

It was a lovely warm day today. Spring will soon be replaced by summer.

Outside the dogwoods are blooming.

Inside, the resident artists seem to be painting wine glasses. I’d rather do something else with wine glasses.

And, another adventure in cooking. Last night, the asylum served flank steak. (I didn’t do dinner – I made faux pho.) At lunch time today a checked the salad bar – and found a bunch of flank steak. So, I got everything I needed for a great stir fry lunch. Well, everything except a gas stove. But, I got it done on the glass electric cooktop.

That was my Sunday – I also did a bunch of laundry. And I started “spring cleaning” my Mac.

 

That hammock was old in 1999. And Steve’s picture is better because of the shadow effect.

Carlton, who didn’t believe in celebrating anything – had two birthdays. We officially ignored both of them. April 16 is the day his Mother, who hated me, said he was born. Carlton said he was born on April 17 – which is what his birth certificate says.

Went to a craft fair back in my beloved old neighborhood today. It was all sclock art and photography, pottery, jewelry and this guy selling didgeridoos. It did not make me want to buy a didgeridoo. It did make me want to go to Australia. I am happy to report that I did not buy anything at the craft fair. I don’t have room for anything. Well, I do have room for more earrings. but I must have 100 pairs as it is. I never counted them. But, a trip to Australia wouldn’t take up any room.

Lousy picture – but it was a great bowl of what I call Faux Pho. Pho is a culinary state of mind more than a recipe. That is what I made for dinner tonight.

And finally –

Who would have guessed that:

1. I would live long enough to be in old folks asylum and
2. That I would run up a bar tab at said establishment.

 

Took the day off today. So, I had a nice longish walk this morning down the Four Mile Run Bike Path. Didn’t see any bikes today. Tomorrow there will be too many bikers for me. I avoid the bike paths on weekends.

Coming back to the Asylum – I happened to see another Boundary Stone.

SW-5 is broken. It was that way when I found it. Apparently it was broken when it was surveyed in 1908. Who knows, I might actually seek out some additional stones.

Finished off the day with a nice LONG nap and then Happy Hour and dinner with five of the inmates.

I am glad that I got the move to the Asylum done.

It is not perfect.

But, it is home.

“Home is the place where, when you have to go there, They have to take you in.” Robert Frost – Death of the Hired Man.

It was warm and not too windy – so I took the camera out to the Asylum garden.

I was sitting on the ground using my knees as a tripod – a resident came by and wanted to know if she should go get a nurse to help me up. I assured her I could get up myself. I was told that I was not allowed to get up myself. I had to be helped up by a nurse and “checked out”. The lady did not believe that I didn’t fall, but actually got down on the ground on purpose. Life in the Asylum.

I got the report program finished today. I will celebrate by taking tomorrow off. Might hit the Zoo or the National Cathedral or Hillwood House for a little photo trip.

Still working on the report. Maybe they’ll fire me for taking too long. Most of the things I do, I can do from home. But the SQL generator only runs on PC’s. Not on Macs and not on the server.

Cool and sunny today. No complaints about the weather. And, I got home too late for lunch – the not too late for the salad bar. And, on the salad bar they had a huge pile of nice crispy grilled asparagus. Guess who got a big box of takeout asparagus? No complaints about the dining service either.

Interesting post from 4 years ago: The Stainless Steel Tree.

Went on a little walk around the asylum looking for signs of spring.

Working on a report at work. I am a little concerned that it is taking me so long. But, then again it isn’t like they are going to fire me. Or get someone else in the office to do it. I wrote my first lines of code over 50 years ago. Who would have guessed that I would still doing it. First hacked code for the Bendix G-15. In assembly language and a strange language called “Intercom”. I remember nothing about either. Now, I am just trying to hack an SQL report out of an octopus of a database. Maybe it will help stave off dementia.

Think I need to go visit The Grace Hopper Rock down in Pentagon City.

The Asylum Art Studio is stuffed with interesting items. I am not an art studio type person. Maybe when I get really old…

Good day at work. And, it was sunny and warmish today. Still really windy. I suspect that the wind is more geography and less weather… The asylum is a tall building on top of a small hill. That attracts wind.

 

The Old Bat Cave is up at the top of the image in the red box. SW-6 is in the foreground. And what you might ask is SW-6? One of 40 boundary stones that define The District of Columbia. (And, the boundary between Arlington – where I used to live and where the Asylum parking lot is located – and the oh so very suburban Fairfax where I live now and where the Asylum front door is located.)

Since 1915 the DAR has “looked after” the boundary stones. More or less. The put green fences around them in 1917. And surprisingly 39 of them still exist. (Two are in storage.) Marking off the original 100 square mile federal district in one mile chunks.

There is a “Boundary Stone Bar” – and once a year it tries to do a bike tour of all the stones. Hunting them down – and some are on private property is a wonky inside the beltway game.

I can see SW 6 from my window. Before the trees get all leafed out.

How is that for getting to like my new neighborhood? I am trying. Resisted the urge to hop on a bus back to my old area this morning and wandered around this area. The average per capita income is most likely 100K less in my new locale. Tapas Bars have been replaced by bodegas. Yoga studios by check cashing establishments. And a trip to my nearest Starbucks is like a mini-vacation in Kabul.

The fireworks were called off last night – it was too cold. And, I was wrong about the Cherry Blossom Parade. It is actually next weekend. SO – I might still take in the parade. Or not. And, I might see the fireworks. Or not. If they are rescheduled.

Today is the 2nd anniversary of my Worse Day Ever. No, not the day I came home from work to find Carlton peacefully dead. But, the day that Carlton called me at work and said “I have Merkle Cell Carcinoma”. And, I Googled it. Of course there is a blog entry.

It has been a long journey. Six months we travel the road together. The last 18 months, I have been going it alone. Nobody is promised tomorrow.

Had about an hour of “conversational” snow this morning. I decided to bypass the Cherry Blossom Parade. The Cherry Blossom fireworks are tonight. I could see them from my old digs. Don’t think I’ll be able to see them from here. But, I’ll check.

Today, I cooked. Yes, real food. I turned on the stove. And cooked food using the stove. I should be ashamed to admit that in six months I haven’t even boiled water. But, I am not.

I sort of decided that I need to do feed myself from time to time. And not just eat in the dining room, get takeout, or call room service. Carlton and I lived a lot a places with the Park Service. But, the first thing I always did was make a meal for us. And, when we would return home, I would always make food for us – first thing. When we we got to our hotel room in Kona – my first stop would be KTA for food. Remember – Carlton didn’t eat “out”. So, even when we would be driving across country, I had to scour up something for us to eat in our room.

I am glad to have food available 13 hours a day. Food that is just a phone call or elevator ride away. Food that I pay for if I eat it or not.

But, making food helps make the Old Bat Cave home.

This would be butternut squash, chopped up tomato, onions and peppers and garlic, various herbs and spices. Carlton loved this. We had some variation of it at least twice a month. When it was done – I put in a bunch of spinach and divided it up into 4 containers. 3 went in the freezer. 1 in the fridge for tomorrow’s dinner. It is one of those dishes that is better after it lounges in the fridge overnight.  I’ll nuke it, and top with a little parmesan and sour cream.

Note to Carlton: In your honor, I put The Masters on the rabbit-eared TV just now. It is like you are here! Your favorite dinner in the fridge and golf on the tele. But it is all good, Carlton. I am glad you were able to take the express train out, cheating cancer out of the long death. And, that you left me with a plan to follow. I took a few detours. Maybe a shortcut or two. Did some things you wouldn’t have done. Still I am where you wanted me to be “after”… and it is becoming Home.

 

 

When I came back to the Old Bat Cave after an early dinner yesterday I see what must be a fire over in Maryland.

Still cold today. And, it will be colder tomorrow. But, the possibility of snow seems to have vanished from the forecast.

Today I went to Trader Joe and brought a backpack full of real food home. I consider this a huge step forward. The asylum is home. Not a hotel. Making food makes me happy. Today, I made my own cheese sandwich. And I didn’t go back to my old neighborhood Traders. I walked the mile to my new neighborhood Traders. This was a step towards accepting the asylum not as “a home” but rather as “my home”.

I got butternut squash, onions, peppers and tomatoes. This makes one of Carlton’s favorite meals. I am pretty fond of it too. I will have to pick up some bay leaves, basil and oregano. And maybe some parmesan to grate on top. There will be leftovers. Future healthy meals. Will be cooking tomorrow.

And on the other hand…

Just before I went to dinner last night – there was a great rainbow out the window of the OBC.

Last night’s talent show was as expected. But, years of listening to the Hulihe’e Palace Band conditioned my ears. I clapped and cheered. And, said I was already looking forward to next year’s show.

Happy Hour and dinner in the “Formal Dining Room” with an assortment of new friends.