life in the old lane

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

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

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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

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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.

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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

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

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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

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

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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

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

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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

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Grateful for french press coffee.

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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

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Grateful for audiobooks.

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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

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

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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

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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.

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Mālama pono

Origami turtles that is. So far they look like roadkill turtles. That was what I “did” today.

Well, I also went for a “hike”. Hiking is one of the approved off-campus activities.

And,  I did my laundry. We have assigned laundry days since Covid. But, on my floor, we don’t seem to pay much attention to our designated laundry day. However, it is an easy enough rule to follow.

Also, watched John Lewis’s funeral. Three former presidents spoke. They all spoke in complete sentences. Readers from outside the beltway may not understand our inside the beltway fascination with “important” funerals. It is a part of our culture. Going to see the departed in the Capital. Or lining the streets to see the hearse/caisson go past. It is what we do.

Rep Lewis’s funeral was equal parts early 1960’s style teach-in and political call to action with a sprinkling of old fashioned Sunday church.

Obama said. “We can’t treat voting as an errand to run if we have some time. We have to treat it as the most important action we can take on behalf of democracy — and like John, we have to give it all we have.”

Gratitude

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Grateful to have shared the planet with the likes of James Lawson, CT Vivian and John Lewis.

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Note to Carlton: You would have loved the funeral. And you will be happy to know that Elton John celebrated 30 years today. You would have approved. He remained anonymous. But, the cake and medallion sort of gave it away. You were always a big Elton John fan. It’s pretty sweet that a guy who could afford the best treatment,  was lucky enough to actually get the best treatment.

Mālama pono

 

Nice sunrise. Always a good start to the day. Just another pandemic day. Not even sure what I did.

All that I turned up on my bug hunt was this fat young robin. Maybe his mama caught all the bugs for him. The early bird and the worm thing.

Susie retired today. She held down the front desk. She worked here for 28 years. Normally there would have been a gala send-off for a woman who knew everyone’s name and where we live. (even after we have forgotten our name and address). She even remembered residents who left the building 10 years ago. No mean trick when there are 400+ of us.  Because of Covid, she just got a ride out the door in her chair. A chair that she rarely occupied.

And that boys and girls was today’s excitement.

Gratitude

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Grateful for coffee. So, I believe I will wrap up this Wednesday with a nice cuppa.

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Mālama pono

Get I little crazy locked in here. My world view is warped. Out of focus. And, most of you know, I am a stickler for tack sharp focus. And the horizon. So, today I got a little frazzled about being locked up for the rest of the year. I am worried about the economy. And the presidential election. And the future of The Asylum (it is a Ponzi scheme, and who in their right mind would buy-in). On the positive side. It won’t be boring.

A visit – Covid style.

Gratitude

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Grateful for my dishwasher. Thank-you, Josephine Garis Cochran. She invented the first useful dishwasher in Shelbyville, Ill., and received patent # 355,139 on December 28, 1886. Now you know.

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This is her pandemic pup. Just arrived today. Belgian Malinois and Great Pyrenees mix. Absolutely adorable. Potentially HUGE.

Mālama pono