life in the old lane

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

Begining my second week in “serious” lockdown.

When you are in prison, the worst thing that they can do is execute you. The second worst thing is they put you in solitary.

Woke up at about 6:30 AM and it promised to be a  nice sunrise. So, I popped the GoPro on the window sill and started my day.

It was a strange day. But all these days are strange. I sort of grumbled that the directions about what to do with the great big meal bags was confusing. Well, guess who ended up laying on the floor taking pictures of plastic boxes and paper bags.

Which yields this:

You would have to live here to understand why this matters. The sign will not win any design contests.

Then late this afternoon Bad Bunny from DIY Lockdown – day 11 of xx was reported MIA. Gotta make a wanted poster for him tomorrow.

Also on tap for tomorrow is plow through all the pictures I took (with the totally wrong lens) of a concert by ** news flash ** an R&B group. The concert was outside. And most likely violated the spirit of our state lockup rules. But, it was good.

The Orange One. Yes, he still exists. According to the NY Times just now: President Trump on Tuesday said that he planned to stop United States funding of the World Health Organization while reviewing its role in what he described as “severely mismanaging and covering up the spread of the coronavirus.” I would like to withhold funding from The Orange One.

Incoming email. A staff member at our sister Asylum tested positive for Covid-19. Unfortunately, that staff member worked on their skilled nursing unit.

Gratitude

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My replacement credit card arrived early this morning. Grateful to have plastic again.

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Mālama pono

 

The day started out bleak and rainy. But, it is currently in the mid-70s with glorious sunshine.

I have been locked up so long that I have even started to bore myself!

My big event of the day was frying an egg. When it was still OK to do things like go to the grocery I bought 6 eggs. Today’s lunch was supposed to be a salad and they promised that it would have hard-boiled eggs. Also pecans, and tomato. Well, there were pecans and 1 cherry tomato. But no sign of an egg. Not to worry – I can supply my own egg. Ended up making my own fried egg sandwich. Picked the pecans out of the lettuce and ate them. Along with the single cherry tomato. Put some of the lettuce on my excellent fried egg sandwich.

I am not going to complain about the food. It’s not like I have lost any weight!

And this was rather sweet. Inside my giant lunch bag with the defective salad, was a smaller bag. It contained cookies and milk. Hello smallkidtime.

Gratitude

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Grateful the sun is shining. And I have my window open. Blue sky. Fluffy clouds. National Cathedral. Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Washington Monument. Capital. Air Force Memorial. And crows.

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Mālama pono

When I came in from the exercise yard, I found a Great Big Bag Lunch outside my door. Put it on a plate. Pulled out a fine craft beer – I fear craft breweries might not weather this storm too well. But, I intend to do my part.

I am down to my last 12 bottles of beer. I never thought I would be worried about my stash of beer. Actually, I am down to 11 bottles now. Because I drank one with lunch. I was considering rationing the beer. But, “Nobody is promised tomorrow” and we are supposed to be living in the moment these days – so – I’ll worry about beers farther down the path.

The big event today was discovering some miscreant has my credit card number. Yesterday I got a charge for a subscription to Noom – which I think is some sort of diet thing. And today I got a charge for a Conde Nast Magazines. Neither for much money. And not what I would buy with a stolen credit card number. But, I canceled the card. Now, I have to go to “everywhere” and reset credit card numbers when the new card arrives. Fortunately, I got nothing but time.  I might be time to tweak up my computer security too. I get a little lax about running the VPN and some of my passwords are older than dirt.

Gratitude

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Grateful that I am adapting to this new reality. Not everyone here at The Asylum is so fortunate.

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Mālama pono

Orchids are huge fun. This little guy has survived for over a year. Thanks to Carol who gave it to me and Sally who fostered it while I was gone. Also, thanks to Singapore that showed me orchids liked sunshine.

These are strange times. The airplanes are missing. For the last 10+ years, I have watched planes come and go from National Airport. Every 30 seconds during most of the day and evening one would be taking off and another landing. Now, minutes go by with no action.

The mystery of the day. How can an old woman, who gets room-service meals have totally messed up a tiny kitchen in 24 hours? Takes real talent.

These days, cashews are more valuable around here than cash. And if this whole thing ends really badly. Well, let’s not go there. Carlton called that “wreckage of the future” and I am running this lockdown using Carlton rules. One day at a time.

Gratitude

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Grateful that I haven’t gone batshit crazy, yet.

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Mālama pono