Nobody is Promised Tomorrow. . .
Being what one of my friends calls “OWLs” or Old White Ladies, we had to have our own inside the compound George Floyd Vigil.
I got to go OUTSIDE to take a picture of the signs that were hung on our fence! I even stepped off the sidewalk.
There is more to this story. But, it was a long hot afternoon for me and I hear my bed calling…
Air Conditioning!
Mālama pono
A few days ago, I was wondering if this plant was a weed. This morning it proved that it is not a weed but Oenothera glazioviana or large-flowered evening primrose.
Stalag 2020. Periodically I get to feeling like a prisoner and I want to escape. Today is one of those days. By the time it is “safe” for us to leave the compound the second wave will be upon us.
To keep the prisoners distracted the wardens had a fiddler come play for us. And they handed out popsicles. Sort of a “bread and circuses” thing. I took lots of video, but didn’t like any of it enough to mess with.
This was sweet – when the fiddler played “Unchained Melody” the couples held hands and one pair danced.
Grateful for a nice tranquil summer evening. Way better than last Monday.
This is not as good as the famous “Daisy” ad from 1964. But, it is a contender.
Mālama pono
A friend dropped off a lovely fresh IPA this afternoon. It is the only plane I’ll be getting on any time soon! A great gift. And, I must say, when I collected it, I got envious comments from some of the peanut gallery who said that all they ever got was flowers from Gaint!
It paired nicely with mac-n-cheese which our kitchen produced for dinner this evening. Life is Good.
And yes, life is good. We survived the weekend without violence. Great to see everyone out protesting. Almost all of the signs are homemade. People are bringing their kids out. And, I suspect some of the older kids might be bringing their parents out. I was wrong when I predicted a weekend of violence. Super glad to be wrong.
I wish the election was this coming Tuesday and not in 149 days. I hope we can keep this feeling alive until Election Day.
This might be still a 3rd rabbit. Every morning of late, I have seen a rabbit while out on my fitness hike around and around the building. If I take a real camera, I am sure I’ll not see a single rabbit.
And I caught a fine bumble bee later in the day with my macro lens.
Grateful for friends. Grateful that the weekend was filled with peaceful protests.
At this very instant life is good. And this very instant is all we really have.
Mālama pono
The day started out all silky hazy and pastel. I have been really tired all day. For no reason. Just tired. I could have sprung into action if action had been called for. But, it wasn’t. So I didn’t.
I did some “nature photography” with my phone.
This is not yesterday’s rabbit. Notice, it has nodules on the ears. It is actually one of last year’s rabbits I think. But, I am too lazy to look at rabbit images from last summer to compare ears. Wild rabbits live 8-10 years, so, it could be one of last year’s rabbits.
And, I finally found a bug. We have a fine crop of milkweed this summer. Hoping for a nice crop of monarch butterfly soon.
This thing came up in my wildchild garden box. I think it is a weed. But, I am going to let it bloom. Maybe it will turn out to be a weed that I want.
Enjoying a nice iced coffee at this instant. Grateful the new fridge punched out ice cubes today.
Large protests and rallies underway all over our region today. So far very orderly and peaceful.
It doesn’t get much better than this:
Mālama pono
No bugs but bunnies. Soon after I shot this bunny, with my phone, another rabbit hopped by. Expect to see more bunnies soon.
I had to go check out the deadline again. Just got a 10-page document that essentially says unless you are going to the doctor (not the dentist) you are stuck here. If you go to the dentist or off the grounds any other reason you are quarantined for 5 days. Maybe I can turn my trip to the dentist into an all-day adventure. But, that is not until July 7 and a lot can happen between now and then.
Actually, I feel sorry for the Executive Director who is going to have to defend, support, explain, enforce the rules.
On a positive note: The saloon is now open for take-out orders on Fridays. Guess that management noticed a lack of revenue from the bar.
I got my new refrigerator this afternoon. It took 4 guys to reverse the doors. It seems to be a newer version of the cheap one that I had.
Grateful for my new fridge. I’ll be even more grateful if and when it punches out ice cubes.
This is not photoshop. It really happened. I saw it. Didn’t have a camera going. Think this might be a sign from Thor, Mother Nature, Zeus, the Weather Channel?
That deserves another look.
I am not expecting a peaceful easy weekend in DC.
Mālama pono
No bugs wandered in front of my macro lens today.
But, some firemen did. And they even came over to the fence and spoke to me. That is the first conversation I have had with a non-Asylum person – face2face since St Paddies day. And neither of us had masks on. The firemen were practicing. I was walking around and around the building.
On the protest front. I regret not being able to go down to the mall for one last protest. I am willing to take the risk for myself – but I do not want to risk bringing Covid back to The Asylum. So, I wrote checks, (Well, actually, I went on-line and dispatched money.) But, that is a poor substitute for being there. The heat, the energy, the power, the fatigue, the fear. It is a hill worth dying on. For me. But not for my Asylum-mates.
Grateful that The Orange Lord hasn’t defiled any churches with his presence or dropped napalm on any citizen today. But, there are still 6 hours left in today.
And to those who think that it is all tear gas and riot gear
Last evening.
Mālama pono
This little guy thinks that my “formal” garden boxes are his own personal salad bar. He mows down hosta leaves for sport. But, it’s really hard to get annoyed with chipmunks.
Big time lazy day today. It is currently 93°. Nice hot lazy summer weather. Since I was being really slug-like – I sent myself outdoors this afternoon to shoot bugs.
But not a single bug wandered in front of my lens.
However, an ambulance did. I think that 2 of them came today. We are an old folks asylum. And nobody gets out alive.
Remember my refrigerator saga. Management does not want to expose me to an outside repairman and the inhouse guys are not trained in refrigerator repair – so I am getting a new one. I am expecting it to arrive next week.
Grateful that there were fewer helicopters on the prowl last night. And no Blackhawks.
Mālama pono
On this sad day in America, I am proud to live in an Episcopalian Asylum.
“My” stairwell to the outside goes by the back/fire escape of the kitchen. The kitchen staff keeps a couple of prayer rugs on the landing. I am wondering if management knows? And if they did would they come up with a “nicer” location. It is hard to beat the stairwell for convenience, however.
Grateful is hard today. Grateful for naps that allowed me to miss 2 hours of today.
The news just gets better and better. Welcome to 1918, 1929, 1968.
I suspect that this new case has already died. A woman who lived on my floor, but she has been on our skill nursing floor for several months.
Mālama pono
Every morning, I expect to awaken to a mushroom cloud. Any day that there isn’t one has the makings of a Good Day.
I do not like video yoga, TV yoga, etc. If I am going to do yoga, I want an actual live teacher or I will just do it by myself. But, our much-loved yoga instructor made us 3 hour-long videos. Felt like I needed to go to the video class to support the home team. This class is at 2:15 PM. Which is my Nap Time. I skipped my nap. I am trying really hard to adapt to the new normal.
The Asylum hair salon reopened today. A few things are loosening up.
Including our transportation department. We are all curious about “hikes”. This is an old people’s asylum. You would be hard-pressed to find 5 hikers out of our population of 502. So, where would I like to be transported for a “hike”? Maybe the Violet Crown Trail in Austin Texas. It should be doable for an old woman. Now, let’s see if the house will transport me there!
Grateful to have made it all the way to June.
Mālama pono
Visit from the beer fairy this morning. In Hawai’i you are living large if you are drinking “green bottle beer”.
And also a delivery from Amazon Fresh. The selection is not stellar. But, I am not dying to go grocery shopping. After I get my refrigerator problem sorted – I’ll order some cheese, bread, veggies, and chicken from Whole Foods.
Tried to be nice to me today. To not beat up on me for gaining 7 or 8 pounds during lockdown. To not get outraged that the republic broke on my watch and I am powerless to do anything about that. To not wonder “what if we had a President”?
Tomorrow is a new month and I am sure all those demons will reemerge. And, I will fight them yet again.
How can I not be grateful for friends who leave beer outside my door? Friends: a joy in good times and a lifesaver in bad times.
America’s cities, including mine, will burn this summer. I should be safe enough here at The Asylum. But, I am not sure it will be safe after Election Day. Oh, and there is Covid coming back in the fall to worry about. This is not how I planned to spend my dotage.
Mālama pono
See, there is the light. Right outside the deadline. But, even if I could go out. Where would I go? The Sunday Columbia Pike farm market. I can walk that far. Where else? Walk up to Long Branch Nature Center. I am not ready to hop on a bus for no good reason.
A National Park Service friend of mine wrote this afternoon:
We watched the space X launch as a family. It was a remarkable moment capping the end of a truly awful week in a terrible year.
And it reminds me that America is a complicated place, and even our past space triumphs took place in the midst of social and cultural challenges.
If you’ve not heard “Whitey On The Moon” you owe it to yourself to listen, and today is a good day to do so.
Eric is Superintendent of Minuteman Missile National Historic Site. He started out in the Park Service some 20 years ago as an Interpreter. And in one sentence he certainly interpreted May 30, 2020. Thank you, Eric.
Sunshine, fluffy white clouds, brussel sprouts, delivery people, ARPANET, just for starters.
Mālama pono
Friday adventure. Wander around the first floor and look at the new flower arrangement. Fred, who did this one, always includes a frog.
Day 60 of lockdown didn’t start too auspiciously. Decided to fire up the A/C for the housekeeper and anyone who might show up to look at the fridge. After the A/C had been on for 2 hours it was 2 degrees warmer than when the A/C started. Turns out, I wasn’t special. One of the chillers broke. It got fixed. And, the Old Bat Cave was chilled.
The refrigerator adventure continues. Frankly, I don’t think any of our maintenance guys are refrigerator trained. They look at refrigerators. 4 guys have looked at mine. One took a picture of the serial number. On Monday, it will be taken away and I will get a loaner. I paid extra for a stainless steel fridge. If they end up replacing it – I want stainless.
Terminally bored this afternoon. Forced myself outside with the 600mm lens.
Just OK.
One of 3 resident dogs.
And the dog is looking better than I am! No word as to when we will be allowed out. Something like we have to be 28 days without anyone with Covid.
And 2 residents died. Management hopes that we will forget. We won’t. So, my trip to the dentist July 7 is looking like it will not happen. I am willing to take the quarantine hit to keep the appointment.
A particularly morbid thought – when society comes completely apart – not due to Covid – but due to the so called leadership of our country. I will have a damn fine view of it. Unless I make it back to Kona in time.
Grateful to have made it through 60 days with most of my marbles.
On a happier note. Another from the Friday flower arrangers.
Mālama pono