Nobody is Promised Tomorrow. . .
While diligently working away at my desk this morning, I glanced out my window and discovered a giant question mark over DC. How cool is that?
Speaking of cool. We are having a coldwave. I am not a fan. But, The cafeteria is serving vegetarian chili tonight. So, I’ll survive. It does make me question going to see the aurora. Perhaps, I should go see the manatees?
Working hard to think up things to be grateful for…
Also thinking a little more seriously about trekking up to Fairbanks to take in the aurora borealis. Normally, I would be looking at Iceland or Svalbard. But, I don’t feel like trusting my luck with International travel at this instant. I don’t even want to trust going to Churchill.
So, the best time for seeing the aurora is closer to the equinox. That maybe points to late February or early March. I had forgotten that there is a once-a-week train that goes from Anchorage to Fairbanks. It’s a one-day trip. The train goes back to Anchorage from Fairbanks too. But, during the night. Or course, at this time of year, it’s almost all night. Not so much by the end of February. Sun comes up at 8am and goes down at 6pm on March 1st.
Nothing may come of this. But, it’s something to think about. Last time I thought about going to Fairbanks for the aurora I ended up going to New Orleans for Mardi Gras.
It was still much too cold for me today. But, the sun was out trying its best to warm things up. And the wind was missing. So, I put on a bunch of layers and waddled out for a walk around noon.
The sun is completely absent from the Old Bat Cave for 4 weeks in winter. But, it starting to peak in for a tiny appearance again. It will not actually come into the room providing a little solar warmth and cheer for another 4 or 5 weeks. Tomorrow I will move the orchids to that corner so they can enjoy 15 minutes of sun.
Today’s “chore” was to get the kitchen “clean”. I passed on having housekeeping services yesterday because they were short-staffed. Usually, I tidy the kitchen and Elizabeth cleans it. This week I got to do both.
And now it’s time to warm up my dinner and take it to a friend’s apartment. We are not allowed to eat together in the dining room. So we eat together but not in the dining room. The official wording is: We strongly discourage residents from gathering in each other’s apartments. Yeah, right. Got plans to meet tomorrow night too.
Things are not so great at The Asylum. I have this queasy feeling that something is seriously wrong. It’s a combination of little things. The director’s administrative assistant vanishes. A beloved nurse with almost 25 years of service suddenly leaves. Our clinic will be closed for the rest of the month. The food is 1950s cafeteria. And, just for giggles. How about this from the website of one of two doctors who see residents here at the Asylum.
I am a board-certified internist who addresses each patient as an integrated and unique person while attending to all 12 systems of the human body. I treat men and women, and perform exams specific to women. I also specialize in non-surgical esthetic procedures to help both women and men optimize the natural beauty of their face, while maintaining the essence that defines the character of each patient. These procedures include a range of injectibles, such as botox, fillers, and mesotherapy, as well as Platelet Rich Plasma, colorfully known as “Vampire PRP.” Just imagine getting Vampire PRP from a doctor (me) who was born and raised in Transylvania! This procedure is in my blood!
Mind you, I am not saying we don’t need a vampire on our medical staff. But, I am glad that I have my own physician. And the where with all to get myself to her office.
OK. Rant is finished. I will return to my place under a rock and will try to ignore everything here except my friends. Which is the only reason I remain. When I moved in I believed that The Asylum would be a safe place for me when I am no longer “independent”. I am beginning to doubt that. My friends and I will look after each other. What about the last woman standing? Most have family. But not all. Lucky for me. Family history says I will not be the last woman standing.
Think I’ll go round up something for dinner. Don’t see anything on the cafeteria menu that I want. So, it’s time to make an omelet or fried egg sandwich.
This week’s Covid Stats: 9 residents and 39 staff. But not one seems to be hospitalized.
I am not 100% with the program today. Not even sure if there is a “program” today. We continue to be on sort of lockup. But, no one is saying anything about how many people are sick. No one seems to have died. There isn’t any fear that death is stalking the halls like there was 18 months ago.
The weather is just plain dreadful. Cold. Icy. More snow and cold on tap tonight. I tried to figure out someplace to go. There is this whole Covid testing hassle. That sort of limits my travel to the US. Thinking about maybe 5 or 6 days in Yellowstone. I think I can get there sans auto. It is usually impossible to get hotel rooms inside the park. Not so this winter. Ditto for Grand Canyon and Yosemite. Been to Grand Canyon in winter.
There is also my recurring fantasy about going to Fairbanks to see Northern Lights. Computer: “What’s the temperature in Fairbanks?” “Right now it is -8 degrees in Fairbanks. It will be -31 degrees tonight, enjoy your evening, Peg”.
Gee thanks Alexa, you sure know how to crush a fantasy.
But most important – this is Carlton’s 49th AA Anniversary.
It was too cold for me to venture outside today. Also too slippery. But, I reclaimed my tabletop.
The trade-in box for Shamu was on the table. Best way to get rid of it was to factory reset Shamu and mail it off.
In my copious spare time, I am making one of my silly yearbooks for 2019. In 2019, I knew Shamu would do movies. But, I rarely made one and they certainly never saw the light of day. Well, I found this snippet from Tokyo. It is so Japanese. And why I love the place. In honor of Shamu’s years of good service as a camera and all-around good travel companion, I give you 20 seconds outside the Shinjuku Metro on a summer evening.
I am just guessing. Maybe 5-6 inches here at The Asylum. Our electricity hasn’t failed. Food service which was bad went to worse. But all in all, no problems for me. I even went out for one lap around the building. Just before the snow stopped.
An excellent day to not have to go anywhere. I still have stuff that needs doing around The Old Bat Cave.
Would you believe I found unopened Xmas Cards on the table? Cards from 2020! There is more to do tomorrow. However, Nobody is promised tomorrow.
Cloudy and damp today. And no indoor photo fun either. Just work today. No 1/2 bottle of champaign either.
Never mind that it is 60° outside right now. “They” are calling for 6inches of snow tomorrow. I made chicken and rice soup today. I am all ready for it. Well, except that I hate turning the heat on. On the other hand. Grateful that I have heat to turn on.
Looks like not much was happening 20 years ago either.
No one had died here at the Asylum in a month. But, we lost one today. This is sort of the old farts version of “The First Baby” of the year.
Went to the grocery this morning. Wanted to lay in an extra bag of coffee, some frou-frou yogurts, you know essentials. Noticed that the shelves were a little bare and the prices were a little higher than I remembered. Suppose it’s a combination of Omicron, supply chain, lack of employees, long holiday weekend, and maybe 6-12 inches of snow.
Not counting on the snow. Am counting on plenty of Covid related problems.
Foggy and rainy here today – so I dug out the New Years Day photo from 2019. Follow the link if you want to know more about the rays.
Last night, four of us had a most likely prohibited dinner. Two of us old women polished off an excellent bottle of Pol Roger. It was so much fun that we drank her other bottle of Pol Roger at lunch today. This friend says she wishes her kids would stop giving her flowers and just give her champagne.
Needless to say, today required a lot of naps. But it was an outstanding way to say good riddance to 2021 and hello to 2022.
I know, you have seen this before. But, this really is how Carlton celebrated the New Year. He did graduate to a Kindle. Some things just don’t change.
Things like Covid, which is hitting residents and staff alike. So, last night they closed our dining rooms effective today. We go pick our dinners up and eat them home alone. Meetings have returned to Zoom. And no religious services on Sunday, but “you may pick up a consecrated communion wafer”. It’s March 670, 2020.
But, enough bitching. I am still alive. And, my new phone is almost fine. Trying to set up Google Pay wasn’t pretty. I might have to give up Google Pay. But, I rather liked it. Not worth getting my panties in a twist over.
More playing with the camera. Close focus.
Carlton didn’t do Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Birthdays etc. But, he did remember anniversaries. And, December 30 is the day that he considered our anniversary. 43 years ago. He is still the one for me.
Grateful for all the good years I had with Carlton. Had to kiss a lot of frogs before he showed up. We worked at the same company. Grateful we didn’t WFH then!
Note to Self: It is at least as time-consuming to do a clean install on a phone as it is on a computer. And why should that surprise me? The modern cell phone is one hell of a computer.
But what kind of a camera is the telephone?
I need to figure out the close focus ranges for the various cameras. And maybe try some RAW images. Lots of new tricks for an Old Bat to learn!