life in the old lane

A second rose on a different bush in a different location indicates that Summer has replaced Spring.  Too soon. 

I don’t remember when the starter husband and I purchased this rug. He was history 50+ years ago. So, the rug must be at least 55 years old. I remember we paid what we considered a lot for it. But, we told ourselves that it would become “more valuable with time”.  

Well, that was before moths attacked the rug one summer when Carlton and I were away. That was before my Asylum housekeeper repeatedly got the fringe tangled up in the vacuum. That was before home decorating fashion changed.  Now I might have to pay someone to take it to the dump.

But the rug has become “more valuable with time”.  Carlton loved that rug at least as much as I did. Every time we moved, he made sure the rug was happy. He rotated it to minimize sun damage. And when moths attacked it, he had it repaired. 

My old feral Hawaiian rescue cat played on the rug until his last day.  Some casual overnight guest’s dog crapped all across the rug to express his displeasure with me. That was the last time that particular man or his dog spent the night. To this day, I am grateful to the rug for warding off that man. If a man’s dog craps on your rug, what do you think the man will do to you??? (No the man did not apologize and offer to have the rug cleaned. He said “Bob is upset. He feels threatened by you.” No shit.)

Hello, my name is Peg and I am old. And, when I am dead the rug can indeed go to the dump. Because it will have been well worth every penny I spent on it so many years ago. There is a lesson here. But, I don’t know what it is.

It’s a lot like summer today. But, that’s this part of the planet. It goes from winter to summer in a flash. Spring  too short and winter is too long.

While talking on the phone this morning, I realized I should learn something about the Panama Canal. So, I got a book. Well, a Kindle book. The Path Between the Seas: The Creation of the Panama Canal, 1870-1914 by David McCullough.

After looking at the book,  I remember why Carlton was interested in the Panama Canal. Theodore Roosevelt was a player. And Carlton loved anything TR related. Also, Carlton’s father-in-law died working in the Canal Zone. Of yellow fever or typhoid. I didn’t spend much time worrying about his first wife’s father who died in the 1930s. 

So, now I am good to go. And at this instant, I think I might just take my computer. 14 days is a lot of time. The Canal only takes up one of the days. 

Gratitude

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Hello, my name is Peg and I am old. And I am grateful that I can still walk to Trader Joe’s. My plan was to walk and get an Uber home. Well, I forgot about the plan and was halfway home before I remembered that I was going to Uber home. But, it’s not that far. I am grateful that I can still walk home from Trader Joe’s.

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So, what will I do with the computer if I do take it? Most likely just lug it around. But hopefully get all the photos squared away. And this is a “For no apparent reason” activity”. No one except me cares if my photos are properly cataloged. No one at all.

Well, that was unpleasant. Covid Jab #7, some noticeable side effects. In addition to the sore arm. For a couple of hours last night, I had chills and muscle aches good enough to be a real case of Covid. I finally dragged myself out of bed and got an extra blanket and 4 ibuprofins. That helped. As did the passage of time. I have had several naps today and am surely not at 100%. 

However, I may never be 100% again. Hello, my name is Peg and I am old. But, being old isn’t all bad. I don’t have to waste money on anything “anti-aging”. That ship has sailed. And, I don’t have to waste time reading articles about how to “prevent/slow” the aging process. That ship has also sailed. From my perspective: the best way to prevent aging is to die. 

Tomorrow I should spring into action getting ready for my Panama Canal Trip. Frankly, it looks a little boring. But, I remember the Northwest Passage trip, I was frequently so tired that I would hope that the weather or something would cancel one of the daily activities. So I wouldn’t feel like a wimp for saying “I am not going. I need a nap”.

Today’s “adventure” was going to get a COVID shot. I believe this is #7. Plus at least one and maybe two cases of COVID.  

I don’t actually believe that this shot will do anything for me. But, it didn’t cost me anything. And, when I do get COVID again, I will at least be able to say “Well, I have had 7 shots. I did all I could do.” I feel this way about flu shots too. I get them just to avoid getting extra grief if and when I get flu. It’s my system and it works for me.

I combined my COVID shot with a nice long walk on a fine spring day.  Stopped off at a couple of thrift shops along the way. About 5 miles.  Not too shabby for…Hello, my name is Peg and I am old.

I am reading an excellent piece of God-I-hope-its-fiction. Annie Jacobsen — Nuclear War: A Scenario.  Remember that TV movie from the early-1980s, The Day After? The book is equally compelling.  Early in my career, I worked around the edges of the Single Integrated Operational Plan (for total global destruction).   Ms Jacobsen’s book rings true enough to me. Nikita Khrushchev said that in the aftermath of nuclear war, the living would envy the dead.

I love these fluffy pink flowers. Decades ago I dated a man with a couple of Kwanzan cherry trees in his yard. And that’s about all I remember about the guy. His name was Charles. My friends called him Charles the Second. Because Charles the First was my starter husband. Charles the Second wasn’t a keeper.

“Normal” cherry trees bloom a few weeks earlier than Kwanzan Cherries. So the weather is usually much nicer when the Kwanzans appear. 

Hello, my name is Peg and I am old. But, it’s Friday and I am off to Happy Hour. 

Excellent dinner with my hospital “boss”. She is a dear friend. AND, no longer “boss”. That’s a good thing because I have apparently produced the last CMS-required batch of Covid data. And this is a good thing. Because, Hello, my name is Peg and I am old. And I don’t want to be in the ED waiting to die and have someone run in and ask me where is the May data?

Peg is also a recidivist. I slipped back into online shopping, doom scrolling, social media, YouTube, and games. Must do better. 

I have zero interest in any of the ports. I am spending 14 days at sea for one day of the Panama Canal. I’ll have no trouble amusing myself, doing nothing much. 

I would love to think that I could use the time to get completely caught up on photo culling, processing, and editing. But, I don’t want to take my computer. I can travel happily with a phone, iPad, and Kindle. No need to add another 3 pounds to my bag. And, no need to risk my computer and all of its data. (My data are all backed up. But, I hate to think that someone would gain access to it.)

Note to self: These are first-world problems. Enjoy them. 

Now. There is an hour until dinner. Why don’t you cull and catalog some photos?

 

The First Rose of Summer, looking good today.

Today. Ten years ago today, Carlton was told he had Merkel Cell Carcinoma and maybe 6 months to live.  He didn’t quite make 6 months. He died a week shy of 6 months.  But, they were good months.  Of course, I would have preferred a different outcome.  However,  I didn’t get a vote. 

Slept on my friend’s sofa last night. Another friend has the duty tonight. We have a “Health Care Unit” where we could go if we must. But we all want to stay in our own rooms. And we try to make that happen for each other.

Hello, my name is Peg and I am old. Too old to consider going to Egypt to see the total eclipse in August 2027. But, a total eclipse in Karnak would be awesome. 

Sprung my friend out of the hospital this morning. We have sort of been ignoring her all day – which is what we would all want. But, I am going to sleep on her couch tonight. It’s a “just in case” thing. Mostly to make her many friends feel better. 

 Feeling old and fat today. I think it’s because I have been eating everything in sight with total disregard for nutritional content or lack thereof. As a result, my joggers are fitting more like leggings. 

Saw this great dump truck en route to the hospital this morning.

Hello, my name is Peg and I am old. And spending the day in a hospital waiting for a friend having hip replacement surgery has made me rather tired. So, this will be brief.

No. I did not see the eclipse. Didn’t even look in fact. In 2017 I went to Tennessee to see that eclipse. It was great and hope that everyone in the path of totality had a fine sunny day. 

I did see the inside of a hospital.

I also fed The Princess Cat. If looks could kill I would be dead.

Warning. Cat picture.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Not one single whimper of a complaint about today’s weather. Walked a lot and worked on my garden box a little. 

Also spent way too much time thinking about taking/not taking my computer on the upcoming Panama Canal trip. I already sprung for Wifi.  14 days with no Wifi might be too much of a digital detox. 

Gotta admit that the phone doesn’t take acceptable fireworks photos. But, I don’t regret getting rid of my photo gear last year. That was early-stage Hello, my name is Peg and I am old. 

Going to the hospital (not my hospital) with my friend who is getting her hip replaced tomorrow. She has to have someone stay while she is having her “procedure” as the medical folk like calling surgery which involves saws and hammers. So two of us are going with her. She is supposed to stay overnight and when I get back to the Asylum I will feed her cat its dinner. On Tuesday morning, I will feed the cat breakfast and we will spring her out of hospital. I will spend Tuesday night on her sofa. And another of our circle will spend Wednesday night. Hopefully, by then, she can safely be left Home Alone. And, I have volunteered for catbox cleaning duty. 

The crab apple blooms are almost finished. Some will produce crab apples to the delight of the squirrel population. 

Some times the mindless babbling of the political class manages to penitrate the filters I have constructed for myself. 

Hello, my name is Peg and I am old.  One friend had a heart scare last night and went to the ED, and another is having hip surgery on Monday. These situations are a real wake-up call about our age, but they also remind us just how lucky we are.

Even though we moved into the Asylum for assistance as we age, the truest support comes from each other. We’ve built wonderful friendships here, and that’s something to be truly grateful for.

While I was hiding inside and complaining about the rain – the lilacs started blooming. 

Nice easy old woman kind of a day today. Boring but nice.

Expect a blizzard tomorrow. I washed my so-called winter clothes today and put them in the “Off-season” storage box. And put the summer clothes into play. 

Hello, my name is Peg and I am old. I don’t think that I will ever “need” to buy any more clothes. I am sure I have enough to last until the end of my days.  However, I am equally sure that I will acquire more clothes. Just trying to live by “One In One Out”. 

And hey, it’s the weekend.