life in the old lane

But that’s his sword sticking in my head.

Next I just put the camera up against the double pane window. And took pictures with the various cameras. 

That’s the US Capital on the left and the spikes sticking up in the middle are part of the Air Force Memorial.

I did not move the phone. 

These are all just out of the phone. JPGs. 

I have the phone connected to one of our in-house WiFi networks. And, I  switched cell service to it from Shamu. 

As usual, I did a clean install and now have to figure out what apps I want to install.  And, I must contact IT at the hospital first thing tomorrow morning and get it authorized to log me in. Until then. Sorry. Can not do any work.

Gratitude

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Grateful that I got a working phone this time. And, actually, I am also grateful that the first one didn’t work. Because this is the phone that I really wanted. Maybe not the phone that I needed. But definitely the phone I wanted.

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So, why did I buy a boring black one when I could have gotten another white one? Or even a yellow one? An extra 128G of storage.  So, the new phone is Raven. I have always named my computers and phones. But for some reason, not my iPads. Or my Kindles. Or my cameras. 

Working on photos today. And, you know. I haven’t a clue why I am doing it. Because my photos are about as ephemeral as I am. I am the only person left who cares about them. And, when I am gone. They will be gone too. Actually, I was working on 2019 photos. 2019 was the “Last Year of Before Time”.  

While working on the photos and being quasi-quarantined I was also waiting for the bars to come down again at The Asylum. There was a meeting about restrictions today.  But no directives or strong suggestions were forthcoming, YET. 

I am rather enjoying quasi-quarantine. I escaped down the stairwell today and went for a walk and I stopped at the grocery.  Walking makes my back happy.  After consuming a near-lethal dose of ibuprofen yesterday. And not doing anything stupid. And doing a walk today. My back is getting better. (Also having a surprisingly good glass of zinfandel.  That helps,)

My short-term survival plan is to ignore anything that displeases me. Which is pretty much what I do anyhow. And, to know that “I can always leave”. Try to avoid Asylum drama. No, don’t try. Avoid.

At least old age ain’t boring. 

The Hilo Zoo loves its tigers. And the tigers have a great large enclosure. But, this lady was pacing right up next to the fence. Most likely waiting for lunch. 

My back decided to go bad this morning. It last did this about 4 years ago. If I don’t do anything stupid, it should get better all by itself. I will not be worried or surprised if it is worse tomorrow. But, it’s not like I have anything to do or anywhere to go. 

Yesterday I was a ball of energy. Not today. I was sort of a giant sloth today. Just sort of lazed around. I did play with photos. 

Plastic ponchos are a big seller at the park gift shop.

Shouldn’t it be Seahorse Ranch? The farm’s oldest male is 18 years old. And, he has been carrying babies nonstop since he was 3 months old. 

Didn’t know that there were such critters. According to The Smithsonian: This species is found exclusively in Madagascar, along the eastern rainforest belt of the island. Tomato frogs primarily inhabit rainforests and swamp forests, where they prefer slow moving, almost stagnant waterways and ponds. At night, they move around the forest floor.

Just soaking up some rays. He/she is enormous. 

Back in quasi-quarantine. Scuffed around my cupboards and came with the makings of an acceptable red lentil soup. So, I have at least 3 meals covered. I have bananas and peanut butter and bread. Quasi-quarantine should be over on Dec 31. But, rereading the “strongly suggested” guidelines, I can make a case for quarantine being over on Dec 30. Or they can change the suggestions tomorrow. And I can follow them. Or not.

I escaped for a quick 1.5 miles around the building. Noticed that many rose bushes are still blooming. Guess that is global warming in action. 

So, besides an illegal walk and making soup, what did I do today? When I come back from a trip I am always horrified by how much “stuff” I have. A lot of it is for “Just In Case”.  Or I might want it “Someday”. So, I am trying to use this period of confinement with all my just-in-case-someday stuff to get rid of some of it.  And I processed a grocery bag of mail. Stayed busy. 

It is great to have Alexa AKA Computer running the lights and starting the coffee again. On the list is to get a wall switch to control the kitchen ceiling lights. Then maybe window shades?  

Think I’ll go and have a bowl of that soup. I know it will be better tomorrow, but hey Nobody’s Promised Tomorrow. 

Landed at National Airport a little after noon today. And, I was back in the Asylum by 1:30. Where I am now “self-isolated”. Notice the phrase “highly recommend”. Also, notice that our esteemed medical staff who make up these rules has confused “isolation” and “quarantine”. I’ll cut them some slack on that. It’s a technicality. 

For Residential Living residents:
Should you stay overnight off-campus and should you dine with loved ones, whether you dine on campus in your apartment OR off campus in their homes OR at a restaurant, we highly recommend you self-isolate in your apartment for five (5) days.

This Xmas Eve/Xmas Day travel worked really well for me since I am not a fan of Xmas. Things I noticed along the way:

• Family of 4 dressed in matching Xmas long johns. Nothing else. Just Xmas long johns.
• First-class has better seat belts – United Boeing 787.
• I love being on an airplane going anywhere even back to the asylum. 
• Pentagon City Metro has brand spanking new escalators. 

Wonder what I will do for the next 5 days. I agree that I should not engage in any Asylum activities. I should not eat in the Asylum restaurants. Or drink in our saloon. And, I will avoid using the elevators for my own safety. But, I will leave my apartment to go to the trash room and laundry room. And to leave the building to go for a walk. Or whatever I want or need to do outside the building. All this assumes that I am symptom-free. 

Gratitude

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Grateful to have made it back easily. Also, grateful that Santa left me lots of cookies. 

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Mālama Pono

Two more hours to lounge. Then, my landlord is going to drive me to the airport. How sweet is that? Because, if he wasn’t, I would have started walking to the airport at noon for an estimated 3.5 hour trek. I really think I could have walked it. But am really glad I didn’t have to prove it. (Cabs are scarce. Ubers are scarcer.) 

Up until this morning, I thought I had soaked up enough sun and beach to last awhile. Not so sure now. And, at my age, I am ever conscious that “This might be the last time”. 

Planes are being canceled. Covid call-outs.  I am still ok – at least to Chicago. Out of Chicago, is OK too. But that flight is 16 hours out. A lot of people can call out in 16 hours. I have NO Plan B if my flight out of Kona gets canceled at the last instant. My Chicago Plan B is Amtrak. 

Gratitude

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54 nights in Kona. 3 of them with Sam. So many blessings.

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Trying to keep positive as I return into the dark night of Covid.
PS – Just ordered Peg a present Pixel 6 Pro.

Mālama Pono

Woke up this morning the USGS report: The summit eruption of Kīlauea Volcano resumed yesterday evening ending a 2-day pause in activity. Lava lake activity—which resembles that observed prior to the recent eruptive pause—remains confined within Halemaʻumaʻu crater in Hawaiʻi Volcanoes National Park.

So what to do but check out of the hotel and make the 2-hour trip back up the mountain.

And sure enough. We could see nice streaks of red lava. Binoculars helped. Not world-class great volcano viewing. But lava.  I didn’t get to see any snow.

Sam and I returned to the village and had a very early dinner – fortunate because that’s the only kind you can have without reservations. Ribs for her. Ahi for me. Then she was on her way to the airport. 

My phone just reminded me to check-in for tomorrow’s flight. So, I am now all checked in. Not ready to go. But, I am tired. So, it will be off to bed early tonight for me.  I will be going to bed happy. Had a great 3 days.

All manner of new rules and regs at The Asylum. This cherry bit of “information” appeared in my inbox.

Let us keep our community spirits up in the coming days and weeks. To help us with that, President and CEO Rob Liebreich recorded this video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANnYQ5w4FjM for us yesterday.

And that is going to keep my spirits up in the coming days and weeks. Gott im Himmel. Where exactly do I put the knife to slit my wrists?

 

Sort of a bust of a day if you were counting on seeing the snow (it was hidden by clouds) or seeing red lava (it stopped on December 20). But, we have a good time at the zoo. And a great day of visiting.

And if the lava restarts over night.  We can try again tomorrow. Mother Nature once again proves she is in charge. But, it was all good.

Things looking grim back at the Asylum Covid-wise. What ever happens happens. Out of my control. 

And here, once again is the traditional Solstice greeting that Carlton and I used for years. Even decades.

Wishing everyone the best of the festive season – no matter what it’s called at your house. In pagan traditions, the solstice is a time to put away the things of the old year and look forward to the new. One observance of the solstice involves extinguishing all the fires in your home before midnight on the eve of the solstice and lighting a new fire the next day. This probably won’t be quite as symbolic if you have central heating. Or if you are in Hawai’i.  But we do have our volcano  

The winter solstice falls on December 21 – the word solstice means “sun stopping.” The winter solstice is the day on which the sun reaches as far south of the equator as it gets, and is as such the shortest and darkest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. The solstice marks the rebirth of light for the coming spring.

The winter solstice also marks, among other things, the druid festival of Alban Arthuan – a time for bestowing gifts upon those less fortunate than ourselves. Out of this observance has grown the more popular tradition of gift-giving, Black Friday, Cyber Monday, maxed-out credit cards and 70% off sales. May the goddess be with you during this season – but don’t blame her if you get fruitcake again. 

Carlton and I did not celebrate Xmas. But, we did observe the solstice. Summer and Winter.

GRATITUDE

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I am grateful for that which I have.
I am not sorrowful for that which I do not.
I have more than others, less than some,
I am blessed with what is mine.

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That image needs a little help from photoshop! Well, it’s not getting it today. Today I am getting packed up and ready to return to The Asylum and to do a small visit with my grand daughter.  I am pretty sure that I will be leaving my computer here in the apartment. If so, blog entries will be minimal until the 24th. 

A dove just wandered in.  Must convince it to go back outside. There is another wandering around the lanai. This is a zebra dove. They mate for life and apparently stay together 24/7. So, I will just turn off the ceiling fan and hope for the best. And indeed – there are now two doves on the lanai and zero doves in the kitchen. Note to Peg: Close the damn screens.

I have often said that Kailua-Kona is a drinking village with a fishing problem. I was on the lanai doing a little work when I heard a commotion and it isn’t a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer. 

This is a narrow alley. The man is in serious danger. But well-meaning passers by on foot and in cars try to get him to move. By and by the cops show up. And they ever so gently get him to sit up then stand up. Then walk away. They asked him what his first name was. Where did he live? Did he need food or medical assistance? They never touched him. They didn’t threaten him. Just got him out of the way of traffic.  The cops didn’t know him. And he is very pale. So, I suspect he recently arrived for the mainland. Expecting to live off the land or something. 

Gratitude

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Always better to be lucky than smart. I just happened to pick up a sandwich for dinner tonight. Which is lucky, because just about when I am starving. It starts pouring.

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Just another day in paradise. 

Sort of doing the vacation thing today. Well, after I cleaned the kitchen. Did some yoga. Took a modest walk. Stayed out of the water because my gear has gone east. And, a have a cut on my leg that is almost but not completely healed. Nice tradewinds day. And, since it is the weekend the drilling that forces me to use earplugs isn’t happening. I am going to leave my box of earplugs on the countertop for the next people.  I have eaten up all of my “major” food – so, in keeping with the vacation mode, I’ll be taking myself to dinner tonight. 

The news about Covid is getting grim. The Asylum closed our nursing unit to all visitors today. Cases are up substantially here in Hawai’i and back home as well. I am pretty certain that I (along with the rest of the planet) will get the omicron version. I am just going to hope that 3 Pfizer-BioNTech shots will keep me from getting really sick. I am safer here. Where windows are open. People eat outside because that is where they always ate.

However, I become homeless at 11AM Xmas Day. So, I will head back to The Asylum per plan. I guess I should voluntarily sequester myself upon my return, lest I infect my friends and neighbors. By then, I might not have a choice. The Asylum may lock me up. Which will piss me off. I still intend to move out if they start down that path again. Yes, Carlton. Wreckage of the Future. 

Plan right now is to hunker down in the asylum for a month or so. Doctor and dentist visits. Income taxes. Then be gone again. Covid willing. I still have jackrabbits in my shoes.

Church bells. Must be 5PM on Saturday.