life in the old lane

Today’s box. Made without reference to notes. With a slightly different top. And, I gave the box away. 

But mostly today was photographing flowers and bees.

And Skagway on my mind.

It wasn’t all our house. We had about ¼ of the first floor. Skagway was a great place to spend the summer. We were there in the summers of 2000 and 2001. 

I think that our house survived the last 20 years better than I did.

OK, I made today’s box out of catalog pages. I had no trouble getting the modules together. That’s a first. I might try something new this evening. 

I think that my job will be coming to an end in about 3 weeks. Time to get out of town. Trips are hard this summer. EVERYONE is going ANYWHERE. Thinking about taking the train to ANYWHERE. But the trains are filling up fast. Bermuda and Hawai’i are still problematic. It’s the whole need the proper negative covid test. 

Or, what about Skagway, Alaska? I understand that Skagway will be very unbusy this summer. Getting there could be an adventure. Train it to Bellingham. Then ferry to Skagway. Or heck, just go all the way out the Aleutian Chain. 

The box that I made out of expensive double-sided foil paper – I turned it into an urn for the handful of Carlton’s ashes that that didn’t make it into the Pacific. He had been in a ziplock baggie. This is an upgrade. 

Didn’t sleep well last night. Worked today and drank champagne on an empty stomach midway through the workday. Hopefully, the data that I sent to the state was clean. I have a lecture at 7 tonight. Then off to bed.  And may the goddess bless online lectures. If I fall asleep, no one will know!

Made four more boxes today.  I might just have it.  The thing is: my old brain doesn’t retain information for a very long time. Not decades, not years, heck, not even days. Sometimes not even an hour. If I had an “Origami Journal” I could leave breadcrumbs for myself to follow. But, I don’t have an Origami Journal. 

My back was hurting this afternoon, so I decided to take a brisk walk. But, I slowed down for the Siberian Iris. 

Our yoga vacation is over. Back-to-back exercise classes for me tomorrow. 

Today, I tried washi paper, some weird old Japanese paper, and double-sided foil paper. Also, gave some boxes away at our Asylum Sisters Mother’s Day Lunch. Think a trip to Japan may be in order to acquire more origami paper. Or at least to a Daiso Store somewhere.  (Daiso is sort of a Japanese dollar store.)

It was a fine Mother’s Day lunch. Our group had steak, salmon, and a vegetarian offering (ravioli).  We all approved of the food. And, people at the next table seemed to be enjoying the duck. Of course, the wine might have helped. And, I am sure that the good company improved the food.

Then dessert. I guess the kitchen didn’t read the directions on the box that they got the mousse out of. The directions saying, “Defrost for 2 hours in the fridge”. You couldn’t hammer your fork into it. But, they brought us properly defrosted petite fours. And, we took the chocolate mousse home. Guess what I’ll be having for dinner tonight?

BTW: Last week was “Fat Week”. I ate everything in sight. Wagu burgers, salads with handfuls of candied pecans and blue cheese, eggs florentine, bacon, tacos, also beers, and wine. And desserts. I declared it “Fat Week” last Friday and stretched it into “Fat 10 Days”.  Moderation only leads to long life. 

Still playing with Tomoko Fuse Boxes.  I made them today from 3 inch, 4 inch, 5 inch, 6 inch, 8 inch and 12 inch paper.  Tried various types of paper as well. Each box takes 8 pieces of paper.  

Had an outstanding time last night with my hospital co-workers. I had never seen most of them, ever. Covid expanded our department. But it was really special to see the people that I have worked with for almost 15 years. We are all grateful that we were actually able to do something to help during Covid. 

After going to a real restaurant and eating indoors I was afraid that I was going to actually follow the rules and be in quarantine for 5 days as punishment for eating in a restaurant. BUT, while I was out – they changed the rules. They don’t like us to eat in a restaurant. But, we no longer get locked up.  Lucky timing.

Don’t have anything to show for today’s work except a pile of crumpled papers and one malformed pyramid. 

But, I am still trying. I just blundered upon a video of Tomoko Fuse at a Japanese museum. Made late last month. Unfortunately, it is in Japanese. And my Japanese is even worse than my origami. But, I watched it once and will study it carefully tomorrow.  

But, first things first. I am going out to drinks/dinner with friends from work! First time in forever. The weather isn’t too fine. But, I am sure the company will be great. 

Never mind its name – mosquito hawk. The Crane fly poses no danger to humans or mosquitoes.  Many species have such a short lifespan as to not eat at all.  What kind of life would that be? Not eating. After taking the picture, I moved daddy long legs off the sidewalk. No need to shorten an already short life. 

Worked on Tomoko Fuse’s 7 square boxes today. They are very difficult for me. Not the folding. That is easy. Just a bunch of valley folds. But it is the assembly that stumps me. The tops and bottoms are each assembled from four modules. And I have the darndest time seeing how the pieces come together.  I think that this modular type of origami is good for my elderly brain. The fitting 3D puzzles together parts of my brain have never been used! A whole new experience for the synapses. 

And, the boxes are really cute. 

 

The Asylum has these little events. Derby Day. Cinco de Mayo. Etc.  The nursing and assisted living areas must have X number of activities for their residents to keep their CMS seal of approval.  All such events were canceled due to covid. 

Redecorating continues. This is my passageway. It will be just fine until the dreadful starving-artist-yardsale-meets-grand-mothers-attic artwork returns.

Watching a big thunderstorm trying to happen out my window. I can only see east and this one seems to be west and south.  Watching thunderstorms is one of my favorite summer activities.  We got the rain now. 

I made Twist Fish out of dollar bills, origami paper, dining receipts, pages from catalogs, etc today. They are very easy. Sometimes easy is good.

Guess we will be eating inside tonight. But, I’ll not have to water my garden boxes tomorrow. It’s all good.

I am on this “de-stuffing” kick. I have lived in the Old Bat Cave for 6 years and my closets and drawers are more than a little full.  Things have been tossed and donated. And today it was the swimsuits and rash guards. Seven suits. Four rashies. And some of the suits were pretty sprung. Now down to 2 suits and 2 rashies. 

The latest rumor at The Asylum is that they will no longer cook anything “rare”. If this is true, I will be lodging a formal complaint. It might just be a rumor. And, rarely do they actually deliver anything rare. No matter how you order it.

Rumor confirmed – a 98-year-old man moved into independent living today. That is either a very good or very bad business move on the Asylum’s part.  

Best thing today:

Yes, Little Old Lady Peg’s name is now on a professional article. Another strange but really cool side effect of the pandemic. 

How on earth did I end up this old? It sure wasn’t good clean living. Rock-on. 

I went out for a quick walk around the grounds at noon today while my clothes were in the dryer. I went down the elevator with a couple of the elders, with walkers. I passed the formal dining room where there was a line waiting for lunch, everyone with walkers. I went through the lobby and every resident had a walker. Outside, even the walkers had walkers. 

And, one might wonder. Why isn’t anyone playing basketball?

I did have a nice walk around the “wilderness trail”  in my dress and sandals. Didn’t see anyone there except one resident doing some landscaping. 

Speaking of landscaping, we are getting a new staff “gardener”. I wonder if the candidates know that deadheading these roses is a part of their portfolio. I did it the first two years that I lived here. Then I didn’t.  Too hot and prickly a job for me in my dotage. And, it is an endless task.