life in the old lane

I rather liked this sign. Thinking about having a tee-shirt made with that on it. 

Had a lovely restful day. I did my “fitness” walk before 7:00 am. That works a lot better than trying to do it after it gets hot.

So, what did I do? Had a nice al fresco breakfast with friends. Culled photos. Read. Folded some butterflies. Napped. And finally messed around post-processing a photo from my visit to Hidcote Manor. 

Trying hard not to complain about The Asylum’s food. It is simply dreadful. But, it’s nice to spend time with my friends. Don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have friends. Cook, I suppose.

 

After cleaning up the electronic mess, I put the macro lens on the camera and went on the little bee quest. This isn’t the “best” image – the bee should be in better focus – but – I like the little hoverfly.

And what was the electronic mess? Most of my emails vanished yesterday. I discovered it last night. I thought Google had changed some rules and it wasn’t accepting my forwarded traffic. Wrong, my email service wasn’t getting the messages. It was late and I was tired. I told myself I would get a good night’s sleep and attack the problem in the morning. Well, I did not get a “good night’s sleep”. 

Morning came. I messed around with the problem. Finally had to “chat” with someone in India. After much discussion, the chat person decided that Spam Assassin was incorrectly set up. And this was my fault? I don’t think so.  Anyhow, about 24 hours of traffic vanished. Spam Assassin assassinated all of my incoming emails. But, everything seems to be OK now. 

I am thinking that it might be time to simplify my email life. Just change everything to Gmail. It all ends up in Gmail anyhow. 

Simplification seems to be important as one ages. 

And, when I was chatting with someone in India, they told me that this very blog was going to be moved to a new server soon. So, I am expecting problems. 

Ain’t technology grand. To err is human, it takes a computer to really mess things up!

The Asylum works really hard to be welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community. Part of it is enlightened self-interest.  Elderly LGBT individuals in this area are some of the original DINKs. They have money and no kids to take care of them. Part of it is just plain doing the right thing. 

Today we had a little Pride Parade. Above is retired Reverend Madeline. She is happily showing off her WWJD rainbow bracelet. 

Carlton picked up pennies. Well actually, he would cheerfully pick up quarters. But mostly one finds pennies. He would sometimes endanger life and limb stopping mid-street to bend down for a penny. But as I wander around, any time I see a penny, I pick it up (sometimes endangering life and limb myself). I figure that penny is just Carlton’s way of saying Howdy. And,  he is checking to see if I am paying attention to the cash register.

As for the dollar bill butterfly, I am getting interested in folding butterflies again.

A fellow inmate here at The Asylum expressed an interest in making cranes. Figured that I should fold a few before I offered to teach. 

Major activity today was all manner of accounting and bookkeeping. Also reviewed my 2021 taxes before the CPA files them. And rearranged the deck chairs on the Titanic – AKA – my investment portfolios. 

So, except for folding a few cranes, I did adult stuff today.

Exactly seven years ago, I signed on the dotted line and wrote the large check for the Old Bat Cave. June 24, 2015.  I am not the happiest camper here. But, I am glad that the deed is done. And that I didn’t have to worry every year “is this the year that I move to an old folks home? 

But most importantly, if I hadn’t moved in when I did I would have missed 7 years with the very best friends that any old woman could ever have. 

Grateful that Carlton didn’t ask me to take care of his collection of “musical” washboards. They did not make the trip to The Asylum.

Folded some paper and stuck them on poster board. My “artistic” contribution to Pride Month. I decided, at this late point in my life, to start an origami diary. A dead tree and pencil diary. We’ll see what comes of it. I should have started it when I started doing origami “seriously”.

Went for a walk. Took a picture. Also processed all of the mail. The only thing that is still outstanding is reviewing my tax return. That will be done by Monday. Hopefully sooner.

And I culled photos.  I will be finished culling and cataloging photos the day I die and not one day sooner.

Apparently, the chef learned about kelp as a menu item at a seminar last week. That doesn’t bode well. But, I made any batch of awesome grilled veggies for lunch today. So, I don’t have to eat kelp.

I didn’t accomplish much today. But, that’s OK. I voted. And not for the “old white guy”. Did yoga class. Took pictures. Did very little origami. 

Maybe I’ll accomplish more tomorrow. Or not.

Made a nice lunch out of some of the veggies from yesterday’s trek to the farm market. 

And, I don’t need a new crown. I just got the old one (and I do mean old, it is 40 years old) glued back in place. 

Also, checked on my investments. Ugly. Very ugly. 

It’s time to wade through a month’s worth of photographs. When I was in London, it was like maybe the Rose Bowl Parade. Except the floats didn’t move. You had to move around to see them.

The day got off to an unsettling start when a crown popped off. Maybe it can just be glued back in. But, I doubt it. I know, Carlton, wreckage of the future. Grateful that it didn’t happen in Europe. 

Since I was going to Father’s Day Brunch here at the Asylum, I figured that exercise was called for. So, Off to the small farm market about 2.5 miles away. I normally walk to the market and bus it back home. 

I walked by the wind turbine blade that was installed at the corner while I was gone. I can not see it from my window in summer. But, I think I will be able to see it in winter when the leaves are off the trees. It is a rather silly waste of tax money. IMHO. 

Back from the market, I decided that my one of my newest orchids needed repotting ASAP. since I had the kitchen all messed up I decided to repot the other new one. It didn’t really need emergency repotting, but it was growing in moss and I use bark. 

And then off to brunch. Where I overdosed on chocolate. We had a table of seven. Good wine, good chocolate, good company. 

And tomorrow I will try to get in to see my dentist and I will check my brokerage account and see how much damage has occurred.

Some days, technology just wins. And the human just loses. Today is my day to lose. Most annoying – I am absolutely and completely unable to connect my android phone to my Mac. It has always been a bit tricky to get the connection but today it was impossible. After trying every possible thing I decided to just download the damn photos to the Mac. Bad news is that I seem to be limited to 500 images at a time. This is a totally first-world problem. 

And, my mouse seems to have died. Well, that one was easy to fix. New mouse is on the way. 

Finished my laundry. Other than that, I had a leisure day. 

I am not the sharpest tool in the shed today.  Not even close. 

All I seem to have done is mess up the apartment which was immaculate when I got back home 26 hours ago. 

Tomorrow is another day.

After a fine plane ride, plus 3 buses and one metro, I made it back to the asylum just in time for dinner. 

While on the plane I did my after action report. 

1. I still love traveling. When I was younger I was limited by money and responsibilities. Now I am limited by energy and time. I know all too well that each trip might be the last one. Until the last great adventure that is death.
2. Business class is better. But, I knew that already.
3. It’s  not over packing to take a duplicate set of charging gear. On this trip one of European plug adapters crapped out. It takes 3 things to charge the gear: adapter, charger, cable. Any one of them can be replaced, but it will not always be easy. 
4. Once  again I over packed. 3 underdrawers, 1 shirt, 1 pair socks are returning home unworn. And, I really didn’t need the dress. For Europe, the skirt was fine. Japan or Middle East, the dress would have been better because it is longer.
   Travel pants and striped jacket still outstanding travel togs. They will be in the wash tomorrow. Along with all the other clothes that have been washed with shampoo in the shower along with me.
5.  Maybe it’s time to replace the back pack with wheels. But. There are a lot of stairs. Even today. From the gate, it was 3 flights down and the walk up the stairs onto the plane. There were lots of stairs on this trip. So . Putting off wheels until I get old.
6. Things that I lost: A pin from my jacket. My formerly favorite travel scarf.
7. Things I would have done differently. I would not have gotten sick, starting in Paris and getting better by the end of the barge trip. Spent one less day in Strasbourg and one more day in Dijon.
8. The cane is not a just in case item. 
9. The Allbirds were better than sandals for walking around at my age. Consider leaving the sandals at home next trip. Unless going to a beach! 
10. What’s next? Lose 10 pounds. Nothing like carrying a backpack filled with all you possessions around Europe to illustrate how much effort it takes. So, let the diet begin. 
11. The next trip. Well. Kona is booked Halloween to Xmas Day. But, Halloween is a long time away. 

 It was a great trip. 

Dump everything on the bed. Toss any junk that has found it’s way into the pack. Get out the bus pass, us money, and global entry card.  Then everything has to fit.  There is no alternative. 

Plenty of time before the train leaves to find the GraffitiHaus. There is a lot of street work going on in the neighborhood .  Somehow, I don’t imagine that neighbors are too thrilled with the paint job.  

This trip and half of Monday’s was on my 9 euros and ride all over Germany for a month pass. Seems like I should stay longer and get more good out of my 9Euros.  

I can see air planes from bed. That’s cool. Having a last good meal before returning to the Asylum and endless kale, collards, quinoa and suspect previously frozen fish.. 

Lift off is at 12:20. With a hell of a lot of luck I could be at the asylum by 6pm. I am hoping to make it back before 6pm on Friday.