life in the old lane

5 or 6 people enjoying the pool across the street. Before Covid the pool would have been packed with kids. That was then – this is now. Speaking of now. Covid is well under control at The Asylum (and in our neighborhood). That could change tomorrow – all of the residents will be tested.

I had a fine day. Morning hike, watered my garden boxes, tried hard to crash my hospital database by throwing all manner of crap data at it. (A test version. Not the production version.) Did a little computer favor for a friend. Yoga. Sat outside in the hot shade. Missed my nap.

We are back in the oven.

Gratitude

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Grateful that hurricane Douglas sort of bounced off Hawai’i.

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Exciting downtown Kailua-Kona was living up to its reputation as Kailua-Coma at 0700 hours this morning.

Mālama pono

It’s hard to be really optimistic about “what’s for dinner” when you notice that one of our Dining Services “kids” is eating take out and not food from our kitchen which he gets for free.

I had no complaints with my lunch. I got overcooked salmon and a salad. With a little help from my avocado – it was turned into a pretty good  salmon salad.  I saved some salmon to put in the fish soup that I ordered for dinner. Last week I ordered what turned out to be “Bean-free” Black Bean Soup. That took serious help!

Big chatter on the Frequent Flyer Circuit about the Huge Surplus of First Class Nuts. Read All About It. The fact that I know about this means that I have not been 100% successful in putting my Before Covid life behind me.

Gratitude

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Grateful for a nice boring day. Lots of worse ways to spend a day.

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I did finish cataloging photos from August and September 2019.

Not a single bug today. It is wasn’t for paper bugs there would be no bugs at all.

How about some old photos? Hey its my blog. I can recycle old film-time photos if I want to.

Mālama pono

To say that it is a little boring today would be beating a dead horse. But, I am looking forward to a nice cold beer soon. I cut my beer consumption way back while I attempt to gain control of my expanding waistline. But, it is still Saturday. And, for some reason weekends are still “special”.

Went off in a different direction on my “hike” this morning. Had a nice socially distant visit with friends from the Asylum this morning. Asylum friends are the only people we are allowed to “visit” with. Then I ordered groceries, read, napped. The usual.

Gratitude

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I didn’t plan of having friends here at The Asylum when I moved in almost 5 years ago now. I hoped to maybe have acquaintances. But I have real friends. For that, I am forever grateful.

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This afternoon’s bug hunt turned up a skittish cabbage white. I hope to finish cataloging the photos from August 2019 before August 2020 rolls around. So, I think I’ll do that until it is “craft beer time”.

Mālama pono

After a well-deserved nap this afternoon, I picked up my macro-lens and went out for a bug hunt. It was still, overcast, and muggy. Usually good bug conditions. But, all I found was “my” praying mantis.

Note to Carlton: The Redskins are now The Washington Football Team.  Don’t think I am going to buy a t-shirt.

Last night I put my Go-Pro on the window sill and just started recording. This is 3 frames run through LightRoom’s HDR process.

Gratitude

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Grateful that The Asylum provides housekeeping services and my room got cleaned, my bathroom blitzed and bed linens and towels replaced. It happens every Friday.

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Does this make me a great-grandma to a porcupine? It’s pretty cute.

Mālama pono

Ok world. I have spent 139 days or so waiting for something to happen, waiting for something to change, waiting to get my old life back. Actually mourning the loss of my old life.  And what it get me?  10 pounds of excess weight. Period.

Time for a new plan. By the time Carlton had been dead for 139 days, I was well on my way to finding a new path. Of course, I knew that he wasn’t going to be coming back. It was sort of over and done. Now, that I think about it. It was easier. So, I’ll not beat myself around the ears with this stick.

Time for a new plan. Time to embrace the chaos that is life in 2020. And accept that it will most likely get way worse on many fronts. Medical, economic, politically. All of this will be exacerbated by my advancing age.

It is going to be one hell of a ride.

The Covid version of fuzzy dice or air freshener trees!

Gratitude

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Grateful to have made it this far into 2020 with most of my sanity.

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The power came back on yesterday after an outage of about four hours. It was a good checkup for a potential longer outage. I found my flashlight and little radio. Both fired right up. My powerbrick would have recharged my phone about 4 times. As long as the building has generators – there are plugs that will recharge electronics. Inventoried batteries good shape for radio batteries. Should lay in additional flashlight batteries. Possible chaos with the electricity: Weather-related failure, civil unrest, infrastructure hack, EMP event. The list is endless. I always believed in being prepared for a fairly substantial power outage.

Mālama pono

Big old storm came thru about 30 minutes ago. And out with the power. Doubt that it will return soon.

So, no news tonight.

Gratitude

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Grateful that I wasn’t caught out in the weather. And glad that my devices seem to be 80% charged.

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Mālama pono

144th Day of March in Covid Time.

Heading out on my hike early early this morning – the sun is glinting off the neighborhood’s only glass building. Once upon a time, the neighborhood had delusions of urbanization and even a Metro stop. It didn’t happen. Heck, it couldn’t even get a streetcar. Before I moved here, I had a real moral dilemma with the streetcar. It would have benefited my carless self. But would have screwed all the people who lived in modest apartment buildings along the way greatly. So, we right thinking Arlingtonians got the streetcar stopped. Which served the greater good. Just not mine.

Loved watching all these shiny red dump trucks all day. How can they be so very shiny and clean? For goodness sake, they are dump trucks.

A good new normal day for me. Did some work for my hospital. Zoom Yoga at noon. A good walk early. The afternoon was reading and a fine nap. Zoom with my Asylum friends at 5:30.  And, that is really what I would have done on any given day back Before Covid. I would have gotten my walking in going to the hospital. I would have done yoga at the hospital. Since it was really hot, I may have Ubered home. Then I would have read and napped and eaten dinner with the friends that I just Zoomed with this evening.

Gratitude

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This strange new world both Covid-19 and our frightful government are hard on my old soul. So, I am really grateful for any good new normal day that happens.

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A little chill in the air this afternoon.

Mālama pono

143rd Day of March in Covid Time.

Well, it was monday. So, I “went” back to work. Think I actually accomplished something today. So, it is all good.

Headed out early this morning for my “hike”. Looks a lot like yesterday doen’t it? Fitness walking is heaps better in Hawai’i. It was better where I lived before moving to The Asylum. But after over 3 months behind bars – even strip mall parking lots are great.

It is nice and toasty today. No complaints. The air quality is good. Funny have the air got better when the planes and cars stopped. After we humans wipe ourselves out, Mother Earth will get along nicely.

Gratitude

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Grateful for thunder in the distance. It might signal rain.

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Mālama pono

Actual date: March 142, 2020

Actually, I was gardening when I took that picture. Sitting under an umbrella watering one of my garden boxes. Thinking that I overprocessed that image. Oh well. Not thinking that I am going to change it.

I was out and going on my “hike” well before 7AM this morning because it was going to be hot. Actually it was already rather toasty.

And, by late afternoon – it has achieved HOT. Not by Dubai standards. But still HOT.

Here at The Asylum, they serve the Sunday main meal at noon. Some manner of salmon is always offered. And, I am extremely picky about fish – but I am not so fussy about salmon. Hence, I always order salmon. Since I have been on my diet, I have been having salmon and salad. And do not order any of the sides, desserts, or other distractions. Well, today – I got extra salmon. Yeah for me! So, I can have salmon and salad again tomorrow.

Got a delivery from Whole Foods today. The usual stuff:  bread, broccoli, coffee beans, blueberries, etc. Today’s special treat is a chunk of real Parma cheese. I really don’t mind cooking.

Gratitude

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Air Conditioning. How can I not be grateful for A/C. Thank you Mr Carrier. On July 17, 1902, Willis Haviland Carrier designed the first modern air-conditioning system.

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And tomorrow starts a whole new week. My objective for the week is to not do anything that will get me back in solitary.
Mālama pono

By my calculations today is March 141, 2020.

I gotta get outta this place. If its the last thing I’ll very do. AND. Since no one gets out alive – that is most likely what will happen.

At exactly 11:00 AM I bounce out of my door all squeaky clean buffed and polished. Four of my friends were hiding and they scared the shit out of me. It was great!

After taking out the trash, and a visit with my friends, picking up the mail, etc. I took a walk around outside. It was over 90°. Then, I did laundry. If you don’t have a washer/dryer and you are locked in your room, well you don’t get clean clothes. It’s not like you actually need clean clothes. And, since Covid, we have been assigned laundry days. My laundry day is Thursday. Fortunately, Saturday is my “makeup day”.

Gratitude

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“Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble, necessary trouble.” – John Lewis 2018.

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Had a nice end to the day visiting and drinking for a friend outside on a 95° evening. We both like it hot. As long as we are lounging in the shade. And, we had the entire space to ourselves. No surprise.

Mālama pono

Waiting for me, with a coffee chaser. If I make it to 8PM without becoming a raging assholebitch.

Since nothing is happening in the Old Bat Cave. I decided to look back at some other July 17th’s in my photo archives.

I love that photograph. It just so perfectly illustrates the difference between Carlton’s youth and mine. Notice the sword. Who wears a sword to a dance. Wouldn’t that be dangerous?

And what about all those roses? Did she just win a horse race? If Carlton had given me that many roses, I would have known he got them from his buddies the grave diggers at Columbia Cemetery.

Gratitude

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Grateful for chocolate. And coffee.

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And about those copyright dates. I meant to just say ©Peg Bethany. But I am too lazy to go find the images and export them again.

Mālama pono

Ever since a friend gave me 3 pounds of oatmeal I have been eating oatmeal for breakfast.  Honestly, there is some oatmeal under the blueberries and yogurt and cinnamon.

Last night I got an email that said “Your photo is in USA Today!”.  So, I scuttle off and look at a long article with lots of photos. I don’t see any of my photos. Figure my friend was mistaken. I sure hadn’t given them permission to use any of my images.

Well, this morning I got another email worded differently – I went back and looked again. There was a photo of me. Back when I could still fit in my jeans.

It was in an article about helping your elderly parents stay mentally alert in isolation. At least Susan, Sally and I are all looking pretty good for “elderly”.  In fact, Susan and Sally just brought a 6-month-old kitten home yesterday. Curbside pickup from the Shelter.

Gratitude

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Grateful for blueberries. And grateful to have made it through another day of solitary with my sanity mostly intact.

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Mālama pono