Category: The DayBook

Big event around here this morning was the WiFi didn’t work. I raced to the illogical conclusion that recent solar activity took out the entire internet. Soon discovered that there was cell signal. And electricity. So, the sun was OK. Found the router. Turned it off. Drank a cup of coffee. Turned it back on. Fiat WiFi.

The Twilight Zone

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Will I ever stop feeling like I have to always be “doing something”? I mean, is reading a book “doing something”? (I always considered reading a book a reward after a day filled with “doing something”.) Think I should expand my concept of “doing something” to include book reading, paper folding, and coffee drinking.

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Today’s “doing something” culling and cataloging the photos from my Northwest Passage trip. There are a lot of them. That’s a lot of “doing something”.

Lazy Sunday for me. Still waking up too early. But so what? 

Checked out Safeway this morning. It’s open 24/7 so I went as soon as it was light enough to see where I was walking. I am not impressed with Safeway on the mainland. And, I am not impressed with Safeway on Big Island. But, since it’s the closest grocery, I checked it out. I hoped Safeway improved since last year. It hadn’t.

The Twilight Zone

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What does getting old feel like? I was asked that the other day. For me, getting old feels like an effort.  Absolutely everything is an effort. This requirement for effort is exacerbated by a corresponding decrease in energy. Maybe there is an effort/energy continuum.

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Made it into the ocean. Happy to report that my mask and snorkel still work fine. But, I had to make the effort to get into my swimtogs, find my gear, and walk to the pier.  The ocean was worth the effort. Any number of things are no longer worth the effort. I presume that someday, breathing will no longer be worth the effort and it will be game over. 

In the meantime, I am trying to follow Carlton’s directions: Shut up, suit up, and show up. And enjoy the ride.

UPDATE: Drinking coffee and eating chocolate is effortless.

Made it to the pier for sunrise today. Not hard to do when you wake up at 0400 hours. Made it back to the pier for a little swim later in the morning. It was good. Really good. I went in with just an old lady-kind swimsuit and a rashie. No wetsuit, mask, fins, snorkel, or camera. I’ll get geared up. But, I like to reacclimate to the ocean before I charge off into the blue. 

Honls is about a mile and a quarter from the pier. 

That is about my world. I go “up” to the grocery, drug store, and all those sorts of places.  Bars, restaurants, a few hotels and condos are along the water. Years ago after a tsunami damaged (just a little damage) a house next to Honls it was for sale for a little under a million dollars. I wanted that house bad. But Carlton said he would divorce me if I bought it. And, I am pretty sure he meant it. I kept my money and my husband.  The house is still there. I haven’t gone on Zillow to check it out. 

The one to the left was seriously damaged by the tsunami. The one I wanted was only a little damaged.  

I am glad the a kept Carlton and let someone else have the house. 

The coffee parade is a small parade, but Kona loves any parade. 

The Tako Drummers are the highlight of the parade. 

I declared jetlag over this morning at 4 AM.  I had a single one-hour nap after lunch. No more spending all day being a lay abed. 

Crushed by jet lag today. And, I have a little cold. Not Covid. A cold. 

Billy and I went for a little walk early this morning and then had an excellent but huge breakfast. By the time I got back home, it was 10:30 and I was tired and in a bit of a food coma. So, I spend the day lounging, reading, and napping. Sorry, that’s not very exciting. But, that’s what I did or really didn’t do today. 

Got a few things at the grocery. I am going to seriously try to eat “better” for a couple of months.  

Did nothing today. Except a couple of walks. And a couple of naps. I discovered that a couple more local friends died last year.  When you don’t do Facebook, you miss things like that. 

It’s getting dark and I am getting hungry. Time to get into the kitchen. Shrimp, lettuce, tomatoes, I am thinking. Too bad there isn’t a ripe avocado in the house. But, if that’s the worst thing that happens, then it has been a good day.

On the first leg of my trip, I found myself next to Cal Ripken Jr. Now, I didn’t know who he was. He put my bag in the overhead. After a while one of the cabin attendants came and shook the man’s hand. Then the first officer comes by and shakes hands. More flight attendants so up. This large man shakes hands and signs autographs. Actually writes messages to people. No one asks for a selfie. This large man takes off his sweater revealing a shirt advertising a Cal Ripken Sr Foundation Golf Tournament. Finally, I asked the large man if he was Jr. He said yes. I told him that I had read that he was a gracious man and that I was happy to see that he really was. The man was allowed to fly the rest of the way in peace. And when we got to Phoenix he got my bag down and went off to where ever he was going to deliver a speech. And I headed off to my next flight. Where I was really lucky to be next to a woman that I didn’t know, but we know a lot of the same people. We spent the entire trip talking. That made the 6-hour flight go very quickly. 

Billy picked me up and got me to the condo. I went across the street to check out the ocean. Happy to report that it is still there.

At 5PM I am totally exhausted.  The goal is to stay up until dark. 

It’s still too warm for almost November, but a change is definitely on the way.

The Twilight Zone

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Dinner tonight was billed as: Peg’s Last Supper. We should not lose focus. Every dinner could be our last. Three people died over the last 3 days here. Nobody is promised tomorrow.

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While I was in the Arctic our fine gardener quit. But, his wonderful marigolds are blooming away in fall colors. To remind us that next year we might be back to “Professional Grounds-Keeping Service Impatients”.

Maybe they will get a new gardener. And one can only hope that the new gardener will also be great. 

Need to keep focused on getting Kona. 

I spend my Sunday more or less destroying a friend’s iMac. The computer had a “preexisting condition” and it did not respond well to Sonoma 14.1.

I am still on track for a very early departure on Tuesday morning.

Gratitude

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Grateful to still be able to get to Hawai’i for the winter. Perfect attendance in Hawai’i, except for the Covid Year 2020. 

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Warning. Cat picture at the bottom of the page. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Sneaking up on getting myself to Kona. The weather here is about like Kona weather. We ate outside again tonight. It’s 77 degrees inside right now. I might decide to turn on the A/C. It just seems wrong to run the A/C when it’s almost November. 

Just about everything has gone to shit in the world. So why not a plague of grasshoppers? But, I am pretty pleased with the picture. Through 4 panes of glass. He must have caught a fine updraft to get himself to the 11th floor. 

Haven’t sprung into action yet getting ready to go to Kona. But what do I actually need to do? All I need is my phone and charger, my passport, my credit card and these days the phone works for my credit card, and my drugs. I would like to add my computer and it’s charger so I can work. And this is all I really need. Everything else can be acquired at the thrift shop, WalMart, and Jack’s Dive Shop. Using the aforementioned credit card. 

But, I think it might be easier to take some undies, a swimsuit, some tee shirts, a pair of shorts, and my mask and snorkel. BTW, when do I get too old to snorkel?  And, I need to have enough clothes to be cozy on the way home on the train. 

Funny thing about walking. The more I walk. The more I can walk. Which is a good thing going to Kona. Because, walking is the only way I  have to get around. And groceries are up a steep hill. 

I believe it’s time for drinks!

Went to Old Town Alexandria for my away from The Building time. It was a great day. Sunny, warm, not too many people. All Good. 

The Tall Ship Providence. A tall ship museum. It actually sails. Today it seemed to be getting ready for Halloween. 

Of course. Wall Art.  One of my favorite things. 

I believe this is actually a private cigar bar/club. Not sure. I am no longer a part of the private club scene.

And while thinking about cigar bars. I liked this help wanted sign on a tobacco shop. Wonder if a marijuana shop would have a sign seeking an experienced toker for a sales position? 

Did one responsible thing today as far as getting ready for Hawai’i. I found out that the owner of my condo didn’t abscond with my 10 large. So, I do have a place to stay.