life in the old lane

I devoted this morning’s walk to a search for intelligent life in the south.  The morning paper had a big article about the Covid stimulus package and how good it would be for the citizens. Sheepishly the paper admits that of South Carolina’s 9 congressmen/senators only one, Jim Clyborn, voted for the package. Congressman Clyborn represents Charleston and Columbia. So, maybe my search for intelligent life will be fruitful.

Next I discover these three white gentlemen. 

The intelligent view is represented on the other side of the street by 6 individuals of various races and sexes. They asked me to punch Linsey Graham and/or Tim Scott in the mouth if I ran into them back home.  I allowed as how we would aim lower.  

And there were 4 cop cars on hand. 2 on each side of the street.

I didn’t see any Trump signage or bumper stickers.

Even God seems to be trying to do the right thing. 

So there is hope. Even in the citadel of the confederacy. 

Got in 27 miles this week. Over 6 today. Of course, it took me almost all day. 

Time to enjoy my wine and charcuterie. And if I stay awake (and dressed) until 9 PM  I will go down and get a plate of cookies and a glass of milk. Well, actually, I will skip the milk in favor of coffee.  I have a salad on tap for dinner.

Today was devoted to walking around and looking at stuff. In a concession to my advanced age, I took a little rest mid-day and  I will be early to bed this evening. 

I checked out the Coast Guard vessel. It is even older than I am. It was war reparations from Germany after WWII and the US won it in a lottery with the English, French, and Russians.  At least that is what they told me at the pier.

On my wanderings, I accidentally ran into a model of the Hunley. 

I was amazed at how small it is. Only to find out that they made the model too big. 

As you can see I am taller than the sub. which is about 6 inches off the ground. They must have had very small sailors. Sailors on the Hunley had very short life expectancies.  I seem to recall that it sank 3 times.  One of the times, Mr. Hunley the designer was on board and died. Which seems fair to me. But it did sink a Union ship. 

No wall art today. But a great sign. 

While I was working this morning the Coast Guard Tall Ship Eagle slipped in unnoticed by me.  This afternoon I found out that it motored in but the tide on Monday morning should allow it to sail away. I will be watching. And tomorrow, I plan on going to see it up close. 

One can walk across that fine bridge.  If I can figure out how to get to it, I might be up for a bridge stroll. I did the Sydney Harbor Bridge. 

Also, while I was working, the fountain got turned on. Apparently, it had been off for the winter.

Speaking of OFF. I just said, “Computer lights on”. And nothing happened. I hope the lights were not turned on in the Old Bat Cave. Just in case, I have a routine running that turns all the lights off at 10 PM. 

At the end of the workday, my boss and I were talking and she allowed as how she was going to Florida for a week. So, I told her that I was actually in Charleston. Working from “home”.  So, that is good news. Mostly because she needs some real downtime. And, she will not be thinking up more jobs for me. I will still do my normal Tuesday and Friday stuff. But no extra stuff. I hope. 

So far so good. Time for some sushi for dinner.  Got an awesome breakfast delivered. Picked up a sandwich on my morning walk for lunch and sushi on my after-work walk for dinner.  Last night, the town was dead. It is much livelier tonight. 

It is so good to be back in travel mode. Some people work puzzles to keep the brainbox working. I travel. Travel has lots of moving parts.  After a year of lockdown, Charleston South Carolina is pretty damn exotic.

Happy as can be with the hotel. They let me check-in well before noon.  The wifi is adequate.  This afternoon they brought a bottle of damn good champagne up to my room. Now, what’s an old woman going to do with a bottle of champers?  The room has everything I need. Including a fine view and a tiny balcony. They put out individual plates of cheese, olives, fruit, and charcuterie, plus various wines around 5. Certainly sufficient for me for dinner. Especially since cookies are promised for later. And, breakfast will be delivered to my room. (just like back home at The Asylum) 

I ambled around about 4 and a half miles today. First glance, Charleston is a lot like Alexandria or Georgetown – but bigger. I mean the houses are bigger. And, Charleston still has a working port. Main goal for me will be to not trip on the historic pavements. 

Work for me tomorrow. But, hopefully still time for fun. If not. The view out the window will be different. And, I will wake up in a new bed.

Here it is 1723 hours and there are still things on my todo list.  Going to a birthday party at 1830 hours. So, I’d best let the blog slide and get on the stick. Leaving at 0615 tomorrow for Charleston. 

I just checked in on line and they offered me $250 to switch my flight. But there is only one flight a day and I noted that tomorrow the train fully booked as is the only flight of the day on Friday. SO. No deal. I’ll be on board. I hope.

Tuesday is the busiest day of my week. And today was no exception. Fortunately, work went very smoothly. That always worries me.

We continue creeping back to “normal” here at The Asylum. March 22, the day that I get back from Charleston, is supposed to be the first day of more “normal” food service. Meaning we will go through a cafeteria line and get a green box of food to eat in our apartments. We will be assigned a 15-minute window when we are supposed to go down to get our food.

I plan to feed myself. I can do that. The transition to “normal dining” will be total chaos. I don’t do chaos anymore.

But, today I filled out my last order for “room service”. Hopefully, this chapter will be closed forever.

We really need to get back to “normal”. For the first time since early December, people are able to visit their family members in assisted living and nursing care. If they have a covid test. 80 people called to arrange for a visit. I have seen people coming in from the grocery store looking like little kids at Xmas. We old people lost a year. Just like the rest of you. But these years are really important when you can see the end of the road. I figure that at this time last year I had 4 years left. Well, I lost ¼ of my remaining life to Covid. Now, I figure I have 3 years. It’s not bad. It just is. And, I didn’t lose my life to Covid. YET.

People die here. And, nobody wants the stuff that we leave behind. (Our money is a whole different story.) Over the past year, lamps seem to have piled up – so – there was a lamp sale this afternoon. I went to see if there were any outrageous lamps. There weren’t. Or maybe the naked lady lamps had already been scooped up.

Spent entirely too much time thinking about what to take on my little 11 day trip. Since I have to take my computer – I might take my little rollaboard. Will decide soon. 

Work tomorrow. Also two exercise classes. Don’t know if I’ll manage a walk. I only made 18 miles last week. Maybe 100 miles a month is too much? It wasn’t 5 years ago. But, 77 is not 72. 

On a happy note – I think that winter is over enough so I can declare that Ray The Rosemary survived nicely. 

Yes, this is from two years ago. No fancy dinners in this the 2nd Covid year. BUT, and for this, I am truly grateful, all of these friends made it through the 1st Covid year. That is the greatest possible gift. Mālama Pono

About this trip to Charleston. The hotel called me this morning. Wanted to know if I had any special requests or questions. I have stayed in a lot of hotels. And, except for “my” hotel in Kona, none have ever called me to see if I had any special requests. All I want is good wifi. Anything else is lagniappe. 

I checked the flight again this morning – it was on time. Oh, but I did tell the hotel that I would be arriving  6 hours before check-in. We’ll see if that gets me into my room sooner. I don’t really expect that to happen. It is a 56 room hotel that seems to be pretty full. You get better service if you pretend to be a sweet little old lady. When it really matters, then and only then unleash the inner witch. 

You all know, I had no intention of making it to 77. As Mickey Mantle said: If I knew I was going to live this long, I’d have taken better care of myself.

Still cold and windy. But, I sent myself outside anyhow. Then I awarded myself hot coffee and a nap. 

Took a couple more flower pictures around the Asylum this afternoon. Nothing special. But very special because they signal spring. also, the garden is especially lovely because the captive residents had nothing to do last summer except weed and water.

Thinking about my trip. Haven’t a clue what I am going to do in Charleston. I would normally go to Sunday services at Mother Emmanual, but not now. And, they aren’t even having in-person services.  It’s too early in the spring for the ferry/water taxies to be operating.  And, I don’t think that there will be all that many flowers out and blooming. In years past all the “garden activities” seem to have been in April. Fort Moultrie and Fort Sumter are more or less closed. But, it will be an “adventure”. 

Prepping for the trip I checked on “my” flight today to see what terminal it leaves from etc. 

And what should I find? The flight was almost 8 hours late! The actual plane comes in from Burlington VT and it was seriously late. Not bad weather in Vermont. So, I guess the plane wasn’t feeling good this morning. 

SO, I am tamping down my trip expectations.  Work. Walk. Eat. Read. Nap. Repeat. One good thing about me: I am very easily entertained. 

Mālama Pono

It was cold and windy today. Sunny. But still cold and windy. My work schedule is Tuesday and Friday. Maybe generate a report or two on the other days. Today’s work ran late. So, I am ready for The Weekend. 

Had avocado and crab salad for dinner and there is espresso gelato waiting for me in the freezer. That and a cup of coffee should set me up for a wired evening.  Have a nice book to read. So, everything is good.

You know, when you stop worrying about shit that you can’t fix, life is smoother.  But, it is very hard to stop trying to fix the universe. 

Enough already – onward to espresso gelato and coffee.

The first daffodil showed up out in the Asylum garden. For years I lived next door to Mrs. Smith. She went to Florida every winter and would call me once a week and ask “Are my daffodils blooming?” When I said yes, then she would put her car on the AutoTrain and come back home. So, by Mrs. Smith’s logic, it is now spring.

Had a nice little walk this afternoon. Debating about taking a real camera on my trip. So, I took a couple of flower pictures and pictures of “Arlington Duplexes”. I love them. And wonder about the people who live in them. They must have a very interesting relationship with their “other half”. These were built in the early ’50s and sell for $600,000 and up. That’s for “half a house”.

As a result of today’s walk, not taking a real camera. The phone and maybe the GoPro. I will not be able to take pictures of birds or bugs.  I have to take my computer. Don’t plan on telling THE office that MY office has moved 700 miles south.

Gratitude

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For the first time since forever, we have no known cases of COVID among the residents or staff.

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Mālama Pono

When I was out walking this afternoon, for the first time in a year, I saw a school bus. Another sign of “light at the end of the tunnel.” Light at the end of the tunnel is usually at the train.

Busy today. But, I don’t believe I actually did anything. Does happy hour count for “doing something”? I used my debit card at the grocery today. It had been so long, that I forgot the pin. Good thing I got that one cleared up before my trip. For a little trip, this one is taking a lot of thinking. It’s been way over a year. Because going to and from Hawai’i did count as a trip. That is going to winter quarters.

Mālama Pono