life in the old lane

Several of the online publications that I regularly read have had lengthy articles about “pandemic fatigue”  recently. But none of them have any real suggestions. So, I will operate in my usual mode. “Hope for the best, but plan for the worst.”

My friends (and I) are absolutely giddy with our new freedom to go to the grocery or to the drugstore. One friend went to the drugstore and stocked up with enough supplies to last until January. I know that I am going to lay in some pantry provisions that will see me through another really bad patch. Some future time when our kitchen will be down 8 cooks and when grocery delivery slots are had to come by. Not to mention the very real possibility of civil unrest, disruption of the food chain, Martian invasion.

A trip to Trader Joe’s is what passes for Adventure Travel in my world.

Speaking of my world.

My friends and I were having a surreptitious birthday celebration yesterday. Figured that the art room was big enough for 6 old women to spread out.  And what did we find in the entrance of the art room but a big  “pre-owned” funeral wreath.  A local funeral home dropped it off to cheer up the old people! It really isn’t unusual. We get a lot of flowers from funerals, weddings and corporate events. Well, the wedding flowers and corporate event flowers – not so much anymore. But still funeral flowers.

Our birthday parties used to be very festive affairs. We wore our “lady” clothes. Had dinner in the “Formal Dining Room”.   This time we had cake out of green plastic boxes. We didn’t sing Happy Birthday.  We wore our comfy pandemic clothes. We had a wonderful time. It’s friends (and cake) that matter.

Gratitude

---

Grateful for books and audiobooks. As my eyes get older, I am especially grateful for audiobooks.

---

Mālama pono

Found this really cool fungus on my walkabout this morning.  I know nothing at all about fungus, mushrooms, toadstools. I know that I like to eat mushrooms. Mushrooms that I purchased from a store! Maybe in Year Two of Covid I will grow mushrooms in my closet.

I am just plain tired this evening. Old age I guess. I tried to jump-start myself with coffee, yoga, shower, food – nothing works. I am going out to eat birthday cake soon. Then I will take myself to bed with a nice boring book.

Gratitude

---

Grateful for Birthday Cake. I have been assured that Birthday Cake has ZERO calories

---

Mālama pono

One of my friends puts masks on tiny glass and ceramic animals. Back when she actually had a life, she made tiny ceramic animals. We all do the best we can with what we have.

I am just stuck in the doldrums. According to NOAA: The Doldrums holds a distinct place in maritime history, having developed a reputation as a potentially deadly zone that could strand ships for weeks on end, causing them to run out of food and drinking water. In those days, with supplies running low, and scurvy setting in, delirium, starvation, and cabin fever could all set in – and getting through this mysterious patch of ocean quickly was a matter of life and death.  Seems a little like Covid and/or the reign of the orange lord.

Gratitude

---

Happy for one of my neighbors. A 90 something former ambassador and most likely CIA operative got married yesterday. When you are 90 something waiting for this  Covid mess to be over isn’t the best ever plan. His bride lives in a similar asylum in DC. They haven’t decided where to live. I would pick the asylum with the best skilled-nursing capabilities. They can decide that after their honeymoon. The Asylum made them a special dinner last night, complete with champagne. I hope they didn’t have to eat dinner out of green plastic boxes. I don’t see myself getting married again. But it makes me happy that people do.

---

My friends and I were testing out this little tip this morning.

I am not so sure about it. But maybe if you do it folk will think you are nuts and they will give you wide berth.

Yesterday we were promised “new freedom”. We can now go to the dentist without being put in solitary for 5 days. And… we can make “essential” visits to the grocery without being confined to quarters for 5 days. So. This morning I decided that it was “essential” that I visit Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s is only a mile away from The Asylum. I was already planning on a 2-mile “hike”. So, off I go.

This is where Pier 1 used to be. It leaves a big hole in this strip mall. But, Trader Joe’s was still standing. And 8-9 AM is old people’s hour. I did not linger or wander aimlessly around looking at stuff. I just grabbed as much as I could get back home and departed. It wasn’t your normal Saturday Trader Joe’s crush that I was used to. No free samples either. But, still The Traders.

Didn’t get very much. I avoided all of my favorite stuff. The cheeses, chocolate covered almonds, sweet and spiced pecans, dried mango, all manner of cookies.  I am still on the diet. It was good to go to visit Trader Joe.

Gratitude

---

Grateful that I can make an “essential” visit to the grocery store or pharmacy.

---

I would normally start thinking about going the Hawai’i round about now. Things are too unsettled here and in Hawai’i to think about what might be going on on Oct 31. 2020 has been a great year for “living in the moment”.

Mālama pono

I did find a big old carpenter bee today. Still a shortage of insects this summer. Or maybe I am having a shortage of patience.

Do you suppose they really mean “We have a special rate for dead people”?

We are supposed to get “more freedom” today. They haven’t been announced yet. I think our jailer releases the updated list of what we are and aren’t allowed to do and then rushes out of the building. It’s what I would do.

Gratitude

---

Grateful to my CPA. Oliver Wendell Holmes said: “Taxes are what we pay for a civilized society.” For most of my life I agreed with Justice Holmes. But, I don’t think I am getting my monies worth anymore.

---

Orchie’s world view. Mine too.

Mālama pono

Our resident maintained garden is looking very good this year. We have younger gardeners. And they haven’t been able to go anywhere, so, they have worked diligently.  It was difficult for them to get new plants. But, somehow, they managed.

Rumor has it that we will be allowed more “privileges” starting next week. I haven’t been just dying to do something. I think that most anything that there is to do would be OK. But, it’s not like I want to go to church, or to the hairdresser, or to visit a friend in Bethesda, or to play tennis. I am a little leery about getting on a bus. I don’t really see much changing for me. I would feel very very guilty if I were to bring Covid to the Asylum.

Gratitude

---

Grateful for avocados. I know. It’s pretty superficial, but hey, this is me.

---

Oh, and the fresh? pineapple that they served with lunch today was brown. On the plus? side. There was lots of it.

Mālama pono

The shorts meet in the middle again. June 23. That was when I stopped trying to eat my way out of my clothes. Six weeks of diet got me back into my shorts and another six weeks should make everything fit fine. This was a fine way to start the morning.

One of the things that we are allowed to do here at The Asylum is to go to pick up stuff curbside. Well, I figured I was screwed because I don’t have wheels. Well, actually I do have wheels. Very small wheels. I wheeled my cart over to the grocery. Called and announced that I was waiting in Parking Slot #1. And out came my groceries. And, the kid put my groceries in my “vehicle”.  This was a fine discovery.

More goodness. I came back from my morning hike and grocery pickup. Took a little early morning stroll around the garden boxes. After yesterday’s rain, they smelled great. All fresh, green, lush. Then it was time to head upstairs to put the groceries away and head off to my “office”.  Where I happily worked until midafternoon.

Gratitude

---

Late this afternoon: an email arrives. Truly the finest thing to happen today.

---

And the weather is even nice

Just for today. Everything is fine. Waiting for the wheels to fall off. You know they will.

Mālama pono

Think I am about finished with this turtle! Not sure that it is a keeper. But the gold one is pretty good.

Drat. Double Drat. I am getting old! How exactly did this happen? Zoom yoga exhausted me today. It is bad enough to look old. But when you feel old as well… Well, that just sucks.

We had a little summer tropical storm today. It rained. And rained some more. And the wind blew. Then the sun came out. The Asylum didn’t lose power, but not everyone in the area was that lucky.

Gratitude

---

Grateful for electricity. I really do take it for granted, and I shouldn’t.

---

Mālama pono

Opened up a 6 pack of eggs at lunchtime. Making avocado toast with a poached egg. Good use of calories. Avocado, sourdough toast, poached egg.

Trip to Bermuda off the table for now. My Covid test had to be within 7 days of departure. Seven days will be tomorrow and the plane to Bermuda leaves at 7AM. But, it is still in play in my head. Hawai’i seems to be losing control of Covid at this instant. But, just for today. I am OK being here at The Asylum.

The turtle is getting better. This is the only one I folded today. I didn’t do much at all today, but for some reason – that didn’t bother me. Trying to enjoy what is. And not worry about what isn’t.

Gratitude

---

Grateful for french press coffee.

---

Our mensam mortuorum is getting filled up again. The good news is that none of these were Covid related. Just age-related. No one gets out alive.

Ok. The rain has arrived. Think we might be socked in for the next 18 – 24 hours.

Mālama pono

Still haven’t gotten the turtle. But, I got time. Do I ever have time. Five months of this Covid-19 shit. If I thought it was just the Asylum keeping me locked up, well, I would have broken out a couple of months ago and just rented a furnished apartment on a month to month basis. But, there doesn’t really seem to be anything to actually “do” outside the Asylum. Especially anything that is “safe” for an old woman.

But wait. There is Bermuda.  Bermuda requires a Covid test to get on the plane. A Covid test when the plane lands in Bermuda. And then a Covid test every 4 days while you are in Bermuda. And I HAD a Covid test last week. Results should be arriving soon. I could be out of here in 3 hours. Max! I see 2 problems. I would have to change planes in Atlanta. And would have 14 day quarantine when I get back to The Asylum.  Still something to think about. There isn’t much to do in Bermuda. But there is an ocean. And public transit is a boat. With lots of ventilation. Even it I don’t do this, I sure as hell enjoyed thinking about doing it.

Gratitude

---

Grateful for audiobooks.

---

 

Mālama pono

At 1:20 PM today, a friend finished up 120 hours of quarantine. Being mature women, we hung an old origami butterfly and Marti Gras Beads outside her door. Set up the camera to record her escape and went around the corner to wait.

Mission accomplished.

Gratitude

---

Grateful that being old doesn’t necessarily mean being grown up!

---

Having a goof-off day. Also charging all my devices just in case there is a storm tonight.

Mālama pono

Last evening while I was updating the blog, the wonderful black cloud showed up. And, I didn’t turn my desk lamp off so I have a flying saucer reflected in the lower left. Whatever happens is what I planned.

Gotta tell on myself. This morning I decided to “clean” under my sink. Well, Carlton always put newspaper down in the sink cabinet – so it would be really easy to detect a link. Seems like a good idea. And, it is easier to replace the newspaper than it is to actually clean the bottom of the cabinet. Well. My newspaper was dated September 24, 2015. That is the day that I moved into The Asylum. As you can see, cleaning isn’t real high up on my Shit 2DO List. Maybe I should make a note on my calendar to clean under the sink on July 31, 2025!

Gratitude

---

Grateful for things to laugh at. Like this email for The Asylum kitchen staff. “August 3 is National Grab Some Nuts Day” And this confidence-inspiring message also arrived from the kitchen today: We accidentally made Carbonara- prepared with egg, cheese and bacon- instead of Bolognese. Those who ordered Bolognese for lunch today will be served Carbonara.

---

Mālama pono