life in the old lane

The sun is starting to make it out from behind the east wing of our building. In a couple of weeks, it will start spending some serious time streaming in my windows. For now, just happen to see it at all. 

I decided that Getting Affairs in Order could be expanded to include Getting Tax Shit together for the new tax guy. And this year it is going to include me doing the taxes myself with TurboTax. Just checking. What was it that Regan said, “Trust but verify”? 

So far my lawyer/her office has failed my test. (A very simple test, please email me a copy of my Advance Medical Directive.) I’ll try calling the office next. I HATE calling any office. 

On a happy note. Luke Shepardson, a lifeguard who was working, won The Eddie with a score of 89 out of 90. He was allowed time off for his heats. One of the old-timers who won The Eddie before gave up his spot so one of the alternates could play. There was almost no prize money. The biggest prizes were actually Hawaiian Airlines miles, which any Hawaii surfer can use. All six women did good. Actually, everyone did good. It’s a day that surfers and former surfers will remember fondly for many years. 

Gratitude

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Fine evening with the accidental asylum family.

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A very simple Sunday. Killed a lot of time watching The Eddie. It was cold and gray and damp outside. Forced myself out for a walk. That’s about it. 

Gratitude

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Grateful of central heating. I don’t like turning the heat on. But, as the temperature in my apartment gets closer to 66° the appeal of turning the heat on increases. (I get zero solar heat gain in the apartment from November to late February. Not to mention there hasn’t been sun anyhow.)

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The Asylum’s “Pizza Joint” is open tonight, so I am looking forward to pizza with all of my Asylum Family. 

Told my friends that I got mittens. They proceeded to recite a Mother Goose rhyme about kittens who lost their mittens and got no pie. 

My brain absolutely refused to function today.  So, I gave my brain the day off from anything harder than a little light reading. And light is all that I read these days. It’s after 4 PM now and some of the brain cells appear to have rallied. By bedtime, all of the remaining brain cells will most likely be wide awake!

These mittens were just begging to get lost. So, I made a little modification. At least this way, I’ll lose both of them. 

There is a chance they will run The Eddie tomorrow or Monday. If it’s a go, you should be able to catch the action on SurfLine.

Didn’t accomplish much today in the Ordering Affairs department. I did come to accept that I must get a new lawyer. Mine isn’t very responsive. Hell, she isn’t responsive at all. And never mind that I’ll be dead. I don’t want my money to be stolen or mishandled after I am gone. I emailed my lawyer with a simple request. Will see what comes of it. This lawyer is really really important to me. My executor, my power of attorney, the Pull the Plug on Peg person. Eight years ago she was great. Not anymore. 

On a positive note, I renewed my Medical Evac policy for another year.  Every year, I have to be medically re-approved. I understand. They are promising to get me back to The Asylum from anywhere if I get sick or hurt.  I wouldn’t be so cavalier about traveling if I didn’t have Global Rescue on board.

I plan on plying myself with booze in a few minutes. That should mellow me out enough to accept the general pandemonium of our dining room. And it’s Filet night. I can put up with a lot for a rare steak. 

Damp and gray today. Not really cold. Mid-40s. Just unpleasant. 

Trudging through more Getting Affairs in Order. I can really only work on it for about 4 hours a day. Cut me some slack, people. I don’t move as quickly as I once did. Either mentally or physically. You would think that in 4 hours one could have ALL of their affairs in order. But not so. At least not for me.

Amazing (to me) Fact: I have 26 (I think) recurring automatic payments. Everything from monthly Asylum Rent and quarterly Taxes to annual Pandora and Tunnel Bear. 

Gratitude

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Soup

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Whilst I was slaving away over ordering my affairs, my soup was bubbling away on the stove.

It was good today and will be better after it ages in the fridge a bit.

PS – I could not face another Asylum dinner. My friends have noticed my negativity. Hence I bailed out of dinner. Is it time to bail out of the Asylum?

Well, I managed to find a lot of the pieces and scraps from when I last got my affairs in order. That was in 2010. And one hell of a lot has changed in my life since 2010. 

I really have to do it all over again. But, I am telling myself that I am just updating it. I am much better at fixing things than I am at creating things.  I tweaked a few things when Carlton died. But, not enough. Because I didn’t care anymore. Updated my will. That was it. 

I already found a big OOPS in the orderliness of my affairs. So, the effort has already “paid” for itself. The way things were Charles Schwab was going to decide what would happen to my Charitable Trust. No way I want that. That problem has been fixed. 

Once I get this done – reviewing the orderliness of my affairs will definitely be an annual event and maybe even a quarterly event. 

Had the bestest time at an Asylum Family birthday last night. We had 5 or so pints of Jenni’s Splendid Ice Cream. The ice cream was great. But I believe the X-Rated reading of the ice cream labels was better. 8 old women and an old man can get pretty rowdy. Especially when wine and ice cream are involved. 

Had good fun folding Puffy Bunnies with my neighbor. She brought me some “plastic” origami paper (made in Japan) from Thailand. I will need to stare at it for a while before I try to fold anything. It will be more challenging than foil paper.  

Haven’t started yet. But, I have made a commitment to myself to “Get my affairs in order”.  I don’t have “Die Today” penciled in on my calendar – but Nobody is Promised Tomorrow. Everything was in excellent order while Carlton was alive. I had everything sorted for him. But, for the last 8 years, I have been “well, I’ll be dead, my lawyer will just have to deal with it.” That might not be the most mature way to handle things. 

How long can it take? I just have to do it. I would hate to be told “get your affairs in order” and actually have to do it.  

And, last but by no means least –

All of these were shot through double-pane windows. It was too cold to stick my head out the window. 

I am craving pea soup. Making pea soup is on the to-do list for the week. At the top of that list is “Clean up the Origami Dojo”. Because my next-door neighbor and I are going to fold some rabbits tomorrow. Best hop to it!

One of the orchid plants had a little accident and will not be blooming this winter and the other two are still settling in. But, one orchid in bloom is enough for one old woman. And it is lovely.

One of my friends is in New Zealand at the moment. And I am thinking seriously about The Sea Cloud.  These are near-term trips. I am developing a very near-term outlook on most things. There is a point where “not buying green bananas” stops being a joke and becomes a reality. 

My friends survived drinking the Asylum Saloon out of rum last night. We were planning on attacking 7 pints of ice cream tonight. But, since one of our accidental family has other plans – the ice cream binge is on hold for now. 

Chilly outside today. But the sun was out so I went out a clocked a couple of miles. 

It is supposed to be sunny tomorrow. 

I accomplished NOTHING today. Not anything. I mean washing my hair and making my bed doesn’t really count. But, I didn’t destroy anything either. But, the day isn’t over. Still time to mess something up. Or spill my dinner down the front of my sweater!

Gratitude

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FRIENDS!

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But wait. This is my proudest day at The Asylum. I joined a few of my besties for adult beverages. And we drank The Asylum out of rum. When we ordered another round of Mojitos, they said we are out of rum. Now, how cool is that? We had to switch to something that used coconut flavored rum. One of my friends kept saying we should eat. Well, we did finally eat. Some had grilled cheese, others had chicken wings.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!

Actually, I was away from The Asylum 107 days in 2022. And that was a very good thing. Must plan my next great escape. 

Escaped on foot today. Took a 4 mile walk. 

Gratitude

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Grateful that the weather was good enough for a 4 mile walk and that I was able to do it.

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In Kona, I was given this totally fantastic origami wreath.  The puzzle is: how to make some of the flowers. They are all securely glued gunned into position. So, I can not take the flowers off and unfold them. It is a wonderful thing and I really would like to be able to make one. Maybe I should just enjoy it. 

I seem to be my own worst enemy these days. Stuck in winter doldrums. Suffering from unresolved discontent. Beating up on myself for not meeting an imaginary standard of things that an old woman should accomplish. 

Time to just be.

Gratitude

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Peanut butter and bacon sandwiches! 

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Little beef filets and free wine for dinner tonight. Enjoy everything you can. Because Nobody is Promised Tomorrow.