life in the old lane

Forbin, the MacBook Pro is acting very weird. Hopefully, this is passing weirdness. But, it has been very good seeing me through one WebEx session and a Microsoft Meetings session. And, it was in pretending to be a Windows 10 machine most of the day. It got weird after the Microsoft Meetings.  I think it is tired of Microsoft.

I really don’t want a brand new Mac. I would like someone else to ride the kinks out of the M1 chip. And Rosetta 2.

All day working and meeting. Without leaving home. Then this evening I am going to zoom meeting with my friends and on the an online lecture.

Gratitude

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Grateful that Forbin is no longer mission critical. If it craps out the hospital can send me a PC laptop. to do their work on.

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The power was out last night and there was no hot water this morning. So, I think I’ll catch a shower before my big online evening. Hopefully Forbin will be feeling better tomorrow.

Mālama pono

Practicing friluftsliv today. Never mind that it was rainy. I went out anyhow.

I spent the entire day working. Getting ready to process Covid vaccinations at the hospital. Actually, that was very happy work. Because we all want a good Covid vaccine. But, vaccines only work if people get vaccinated. Believe in science. Science does not care if you believe. But, I do. My life might depend on it.

Gratitude

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Grateful for a Mai Tai on a rainy fall afternoon.

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Tomorrow is all filled up with “new normal” stuff. 3 Zooms and an online lecture. It is amazing how much things have changed and how well we have actually adapted to a new way of life. Some of the new ways need to stay around. It is much easier for me to go to a lecture online than it is for me to travel across town after dark. Zoom yoga is very handy. Virtual doctor visits are great. If only I could have a virtual dentist visit!

Mālama Pono

Big event at The Asylum this afternoon was what was advertised as “Chair Dancing”. But my naughty mind read “Lap Dancing”. It was remarkably well attended. And they weren’t even passing out Good Humor Bars. Lap Chair Dancing was followed by a cello player. They really are trying to amuse the old folks. But, I am a hard sell.

Another grand day. The last of a 7-day winning streak. So, I had my windows open and spent a lot of time outside. I learned about friluftsliv  from Alexa last week. I was trying to engage her in converstation and she told me she was going to practice friluftsliv this winter. I can understand her brushing up on her Klingon. But friluftsliv? 

Gratitude

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Incredibly grateful for this last bonus round of summer.

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Well, the Orange Lord shows no sign of packing his bags. On the other hand, he hasn’t blown anything up yet either.

Mālama pono

A sort of fairytale-like foggy morning.

I tried to keep myself between the navigational beacons today. A mid-size walk. Little grocery shopping. Talk story with friends. Healthy lunch. Small rest. Challenging enough for an old woman yoga class. Another small rest. Dinner came early. I got 6 nice size shrimp and a tiny salad. Steamed some cauliflower. Ended up with a nice little supper. Rounded it out with a beer. After I finish this, I am looking forward to a nice hot shower and I will pop in bed for a bit of fluffy reading.

Politics-wise. The White House seems to be starting a final slash and burn on the government. It will be interesting but unsettling to watch.

Gratitude

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Grateful that there might be some good news on the horizon about a Covid vaccine.

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Thinking about getting some LED strip lights to add to my automated lighting. There is only so much that I can do without looking totally silly. I do live in a studio apartment. But, it is a studio apartment that is bereft of the sun in the winter. Who knew that?
Mālama pono

Tidied up my wild garden box this morning. And I brought some dead flowers/seeds inside to photograph. Those are garlic chives gone to seed.

Lovely fall day again today. But, I am so damn tired of COVID. I want my life back. I know. I know. I should be grateful that I have survived this far.  But, I should be in Kona. I should be planning another adventure.  But, my world has been reduced to a 2.5-mile radius circle. Because that is about as far as I feel comfortable walking. Since I am not allowed to take public transit. And heaven forbid that I would stop off for a restorative coffee along my way. Of course, I could pack my own coffee.

OK Peg, snap out of it. This is just a rehearsal for when I am really old and my world will be reduced to the inside of my apartment. Time to work on that gratitude thing.

Gratitude

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• • The weather is great.
  • Biden is headed to the White House.
  • There is still relative peace in the land.
  • My health is good.
  • My weight is under control.
  • I have a nice cozy apartment.
  • I have lots of Kindle books to read.
  • And audiobooks to listen to.
  • There are lots of online resources that I have yet to tap into.
  • I have good friends.
  • And with any kind of luck at all room service will deliver a pretty good small bowl of cioppino in a green plastic box within the next couple of hours.
  • The new Echo ZigBee mesh net is awesome. I am totally spoiled in less than a week.
  • There is beer and cheese in the fridge. And coffee ready for Alexa to brew.
  • So,  there really isn’t one single thing wrong with this life. It’s a good life for an old woman. Better than I could have ever hoped for.

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Mālama pono

This very fine crow came for a visit today. I took this picture from about 10 feet away through double pane glass. I love “my” crows.

I also love the outcome of the presidential election. What I don’t love is that 70 million of my fellow citizens voted for the orange lord. Some serious work must be done. But, I haven’t a clue where to start. Or what to do. I am not a person of faith. Nevertheless, I would normally hope that the “faith community” would help. But, in this case, they are a part of the problem.

Sad news. “My” hotel in Kona is up for sale. Which isn’t to say that anyone will actually buy it. The family tried to sell their hotel on Maui last year and failed. I knew that it would happen. The grandchildren of the guy who built the hotels have no interest in being in the hotel business. They would rather have the money. I do not blame them one bit. It was great for me for decades. I hate these little life lessons about impermanence. I should be better at impermanence. Impermanence is the heart of aging.

Gratitude

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Grateful that Biden won. May he find the strength and courage that he will need.

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Mālama pono

This is amaranth a rather spectacular grain-like crop and source of a banned red dye.

Today was a fine gentle autumn day.

Looking out my window 4.2 miles as my crows fly to the White House. Bet that the White House folk are not having a nice tranquil day.

I realized today that I have lived at The Asylum for over five years. But, until now, I have never been here in November, December, January, or February. So, this is a new experience for me. Today, I realized that the sun doesn’t come blazing in my windows in winter. So, there are no little patches of sun to curl up in like a cat.

Note to young folk: If you move into an old folks asylum – be sure that they have a saloon. Trust me. You will need a stiff drink or two along the way.

Gratitude

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Grateful for this fine day and friends to share it with.

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On the COVID front: there is an increasing number of cases in the community and 5 of our staff are out with COVID.

Mālama pono

Yes, once again, we Democrats and right-minded independents drank the pollsters’ Kool-Aid. It was going to be fine. Everything would be fine. Biden was going to win in a record-shattering landslide. And we were going to flip the Senate, defeat Mitch McConnell, increase our majority in the House, and make in-roads in the state legislatures. We were going to rid our country of the ugly orange stain and return to common sense, common decency, and the rule of law. Well, it isn’t happening. Not in my lifetime. We might win the Presidency – but the country is too shattered. The center did not hold.

Americans are not good and decent people. My America has died. I mourn the loss of my country more than I mourned the loss of my husband. Every person knows they might lose a spouse. No one expects to lose an entire country.

Gratitude

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Grateful to have had 76 pretty damn sweet years. The dark years have begun.

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So, now what? Four years ago, I could have actually left the country. I fear that I am now too old. I can still afford to leave. Some country will want my money enough to grant me residency or even citizenship. But, I am old. So, I might as well see this catastrophe to the end.

Mālama pono

Decided that I needed a change of scenery. Since I can not go anywhere except on foot, a walk in the woods seemed like a good idea. A lot of people seemed to have had the same idea.

And the Asylum’s Elvis Impersonator was good for some photographic chuckles.

Gratitude

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Grateful to live in a very blue community in a very blue area in a blue state.

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I am sorry that the good guys could not take the Senate.

Mālama pono

Looking out my window about 5 minutes ago. Waning gibbous moon. I wonder what a gibbous is?

Interesting. They just turned the lights off in DC. On purpose? An accident? Or an ordinary power failure?

My big event today was getting all of my lamps and coffee pot connected to the new Echo. Computer Start Coffee. Computer Lights On. Going to redo the routines for all the lights out to add a delay so they don’t all snap off at once but sort of turn out like they would if I were going around the room turning them off.  That is tomorrow’s project. Have to parcel this fun out.

The plugs are all repeaters on “my” mesh net – so – with enough plugs – I could cover the entire building.

Think I’ll just settle in for a bit of fretting.

It was a cold and windy day. But the crows had a great time soaring around. My camera was handy. So, I had fun too. Taking my fun where ever and whenever I find it these days.

The Asylum is not very Mexican, so Day of the Dead isn’t on the radar here. Couldn’t even make it to the barrio for skull candy. But, that’s on me. I am sure that Amazon has Día de los Muertos candy! I’ll do better next year. Because, I don’t doubt for an instant that I’ll still be here more or less locked up next November 2. On the other hand, you could be remembering me.

Gratitude

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Grateful to have a real live in-person yoga class with a real live in-person yoga instructor today. But still grateful for Zoom yoga.

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Well it is almost tomorrow. Most of the votes have been cast. The stores are boarded up. The White House is barricaded. Bermuda is praying for us. Churches are having vigils. And The Asylum is having an Elvis Impersonator.

Mālama pono

The Halloween “Blue Moon” a night late. The moonrise was better last night. But, I was not in good photographer mode. So, I tried again tonight. Much better. I was using the correct camera, with the correct lens and the correct settings. And I braced my not too steady old hands on the window frame.

We are supposed to get new windows next year. And, I will be seriously pissed if I can not open my window and move the screen so I can get my camera outside.

Gratitude

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Grateful for apples. You can eat them right off the tree. Or with cheese. Or peanut butter. They make great pies. Also apple sauce. And apple butter. And, apple cider which becomes apple brandy or applejack. I made apple sauce today.

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Next week might be the most “interesting” week of my life. (Well, except maybe for my very first week and perhaps my very last.) I hope I am not leaning out my window taking pictures of DC burning.

Mālama pono