life in the old lane

Well another week comes to an end. But, hey, I am still alive. And so are all my besties. I can still leave my apartment. I can still leave my building. I can not leave the grounds. I wish I could get work release! Or time off for good behavior.

Working my little on brain cells to death trying to make an amusing video showing how hard everyone is working in Dining Services. So, what do they deliver me for Sunday Dinner? (And Sunday Dinner is special here at the Episcopalian Asylum.) At best, it looks like some sort of failed artwork. It did taste better than it looked.

Please Can you open this? Thanks! Thanks! Thanks! – being old isn’t easy. Even without coronavirus.

Gratitude

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Grateful to have Carlton looking out for me. Helping me through these strange days. I do believe that I depend on Carlton more now than I did while he was still alive.

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Mālama pono

The WildChild garden box is looking very happy. Which is a good thing. Because I can not go anywhere to get it anything.  I did order some plants for my 2 “public” boxes. Hopefully, we will be able to dine al fresco sometime this summer.  If not, they are perennials,  and we can enjoy them next year. Remembering, of course,  nobody is promised tomorrow.

Finished up the Bag Lady PSA this afternoon. It could be better. But, I want to get a video that I am making for the “Director of Dining Services” to showcase what his staff is trying to do to keep us fed and fat.  And, since I am one of the bag ladies, I hope my friends and neighbors will fold their bags.

My own Dining Service victory this morning was to make a perfect omelet. It even rolled over and out of the pan as a good omelet should. Just perfect.

Gratitude

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Grateful we are still free to move about the building and grounds. And also that it was “free” wine night.

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Mālama pono

Not looking for the light – found the light. The avocado fairy delivered 2 avocados this morning. And, the only thing that sounded good on today’s menus was a “large” salad. The “large” salad augmented with avocado was outstanding.

Going downstairs this morning, I noticed that the fire doors were closed on one of the nursing wings. Since there was no fire or drill, this wasn’t a good sign. And later this afternoon they told us that one of the residents on the nursing floor has Covid19. Not unexpected. Still not good news.

My life seems to be one big plastic bag after another.

The GHBC Bag Ladies. 600 big plastic bags wrangled in shape to go off to a food pantry tomorrow.  I will be putting my Bag Lady PSA together tomorrow.

Gratitude

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Grateful for avocados. Coffee. Beer. Chocolate. I have done everything except chocolate today. But, the day isn’t over yet.

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Note to Carlton: The US is really off the rails. You would quote: “I, John Brown, am now quite certain that the crimes of this guilty land can never be purged away but with blood.” We are getting perilously close to December 2, 1859.

Mālama pono

Didn’t have time to go Looking for the Light today.  I was fricking busy for coronavirus time.

Zoomed with the hospital ladies. Even did a little work. I got a new volunteer job here at the Asylum. Not hard or mission-critical. I just have to scoop up giant bags from 2 floors before they get carted off to recycling. This is an attempt to get the giant bags to food pantries. Reuse trumps Recycle.

Today’s Mask Lesson. Does your mask need a “nose wire”? Mind did. Well, these roll-up thingies from bags of coffee work great.

Just slip it in on the top of the mask. One might sew it in. But, mine stays in place OK. And, I can take the wire out when I wash the mask.

This free tip is worth what it costs.

Now for a few pictures from this afternoon’s photoshoot.  Two hours on my feet running from here to there and back is a lot harder than it was even 5 years ago! I only looked at the stills from my phone. Haven’t looked at anything from the real camera or GoPro.  That can wait until tomorrow morning.

The setup. These kids are our waitstaff. Fortunately, they are young and energetic.

The delivery.

The cleanup.

Hopefully, more images tomorrow.

Gratitude

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Grateful that my friends at the hospital and their families are still safe.

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Mālama pono

Playing with my white wine while waiting for room service yesterday. I was using a 135mm macro lens that just happened to be on the camera that I just happened to pick up.

Gratitude

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Grateful for some time in the exercise yard today. A little chilly for this Island Woman, but sunny.

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These are our once upon a time auditorium chairs. The auditorium has been repurposed for something. Maybe it is being used as an employee break room.

I actually have real honest to goodness PLANS. Tomorrow morning, Zoom Meeting with Employee Health at the hospital. Then tomorrow afternoon, I get into the kitchen here at The Asylum to capture some footage for a little video about how they manage to get us fed. And Friday, I am going to try to get video and finish up my Bag Lady PSA. Then on Saturday and Sunday, the goal will be to finish the Dining Services video.

Funny how things work out. When this LockDown started, I was going to make cranes. That didn’t stick. Last winter in Kona, I was going to try to learn about video. That didn’t work. But, here, In LockDown – I seem to have found my video groove.

Last night I finished rereading ” Silmarillion” by J. R. R. Tolkien. This is sort of like reading “Ulysses” by James Joyce, but you don’t earn any literary brownie points.

Time to get an adult beverage and be ready for zooming with the troublemakers.

Mālama pono

OK, and what did you learn from this shot, Peg? I learned that I really need to switch the camera out of movie mode when I finish making a film clip.

Why was I making a film clip? Well, I decided to sketch out my next Public Service Announcement before I started wildly recording stuff.

The Asylum goes through maybe 600-700 giant bags every day. Residents collect the bags and pass them on to various food banks. But, people seem to have trouble with the concept of folding the bags. Hence this PSA. The head bag lady will replace me in the video. And, the … well, you will just have to wait and see how it turns out.

The residents of the 11th floor still know how to while away the days in lockdown.

Gratitude

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Damn grateful that my jeans still zip.

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Looking at “outside”. Wondering if my key to the gate still works.

This just popped up on my computer:

In New York, West Texas Intermediate for May delivery dropped as low as -$1.98 a barrel. It’s the lowest in continuation monthly data charts since 1946, just after World War II, according to data from the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis.

I guess that means the oilmen will pay you to take the oil off their hands. Kind of like negative t-bill rates. Pretty unsettling.

I pretended I was a hamster and strapped my GoPro on for my morning walk. Inside. 22 minutes and .79 miles. Later in the morning I made some additional laps around outside.

Room Service rushing big bag lunches to the residents.

Gratitude

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Grateful for Zoom. Especially Zoom Birthday Parties.

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Well boys and girls, has it sunk in yet? That we are in deep doo-doo. And there is no Plan NEXT. I have no idea when I’ll be able to go buy an avocado. Or if there will even be an avocado to buy. That is about as unsettling as -$2 a barrel for West Texas Intermediate.

Mālama pono

It was time to break into my private stock and make breakfast this morning. It was outstanding. And, since we have nothing but time. Read about this wonderous breakfast. It was a staple in my kitchen when Carlton was alive. He loved it because it was almost a sandwich and I loved it because it was breakfast no matter what time of day.

I made a video today – but my back is acting up. And it hurts too much to sit properly at my desk. Which is where I need to be to properly run Final Cut Pro.

Here is our much loved for the ambiance Fireside Restaurant. Currently serving as a storeroom. I wonder how much this whole room service thing is costing The Asylum? I am expecting a larger than usual increase in my monthly fees come this fall.

Gratitude

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Grateful the food magically shows up outside my front (only) door.

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Old women are sort of interesting to photograph. The problem is most old women don’t want to look like old women. Myself included. But, sometimes the photographer wins.

Mālama pono

As I recall we used to complain about those chairs. They are all pushed into one end of our “casual” dining venue. It is now used as a cafeteria-style chow line for the staff. Our “formal” dining venue is the staging area for Room Service while the “intimate” dining area is a storeroom.

Yesterday I messed around with Final Cut Pro. The flower arrangers were my victims.

We are living in a strange time. I haven’t a clue what is going on outside of our Asylum fence. Are the banks open? Wouldn’t it seem sort of strange to go into a bank wearing a mask? And asking them to give you money?

When I wake up in the morning – there is my mask. Drying in the window.

The other mask is wait on the door. Along with my little shopping bag. It must be wondering “Why don’t I ever get to go anywhere?”.

I do lots of hall walking to try to get some exercise. At least ½ of the residents have door decorations.  When I pass this one, I wonder how much longer the resident will be able to stand it.

Gratitude

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Grateful. For this time, very late in my life to slow down. To just be.

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Mālama pono

Happy 85th Birthday my dear friend. Trust me on this. You wouldn’t like the world in 2020. You really didn’t miss much, taking the first fast train out in October 2014.

The other day I found one of your old AA talks. I know you tried to get rid of them before you died. But, I found one on a backup drive. You didn’t know about backup drives.

So, I listened to it. It wasn’t one of your best. You were in your “spiritual period”. Joel Goldsmith, I think it was. But, I was nudged by the bit about “thinking about doing the right thing wasn’t good enough”. Think I have been guilty of that I. I will work on good actions, not just good thoughts.

On the off chance, anyone wants to listen (55 minutes). This was October 6, 2004.  Carlton’s sobriety date is Jan 5, 1973.

Gratitude

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Yes, the missing bunny found her way back home.

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I think I will just stop here for the day. Let Carlton enjoy his 85th. Tomorrow is soon enough to get back to coronavirus.

Mālama pono

The days sort of mush together. Two walks around the exercise yard today. 3 miles. 7,600 steps. A little yoga. Thought about culling through my 2019 photos. Listened to an old AA talk that Carlton gave in 2004.  It is amazing how one can fill up a day with nothing. It will be OK until we get told to stay in our rooms.

I discovered that my “stimulus check” was in the bank. Well, now how could I use that money to stimulate the economy? What to do but fire up Excel and open up Amazon Fresh – now let’s see what I could buy:

I could not buy all this stuff. Just one line of stuff. I could buy 311 cans of Guinness or 10,566 Vienna sausages. But not both.  However, I think I will spend the money on Spanx which I will be in dire need of when this is over. Or, on merchandise from the Hello Kitty for President 2020 shop.

Residents make bags that go to the local food bank.  They made over 4,000 last week. Today, another roll of the netting arrived.

I don’t make bags. I don’t do much of anything. Except worry about what the world will be like 12 months from now. I am increasingly pessimistic.

Gratitude

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Grateful for friends.

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Mālama pono

I put something together out of the video that I shot yesterday. I used Final Cut Pro. I wasn’t loving Final Cut until I spent about 3 hours with it this afternoon. This group is “The Tribe Soul Band from Temple Hills, MD – Will travel up to 100 miles” They didn’t travel more than 20 miles to get here. But it was at least a very long trip. We are a bunch of old white people who listen to Barry Manilow.  It was great.

And the other project today. Someone stole this large bunny. Trying to guilt the guilty party into returning her. Doubt that it will work.

Gratitude

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Grateful to have run into friends that made the last part of my exercise walk seem like a visit.

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Mālama pono