life in the old lane

I notice a common theme in my life. I am always culling photos and always wishing I weighed 5 pounds less. 

But, culling photos found me this little gem. No photoshop tricks. Just light.

Speaking of photos, I decided not to enter any photos in the old fart’s art show. It is just not important. Maybe someday I’ll enter origami. But not photographs. I don’t know why. It is just how I feel. 

How’s this for junk mail. A free lunch and seminar about cremation. I like the “Travel and Relocation”. Well, Carlton “traveled and relocated”. Albeit in a USPS flat rate box protected by my wetsuit. And, the postage for that box was all the I paid for Carlton’s “disposition”. Wherever he is, I am sure that he feels that I was extravagant with the flat rate box. I should have put him in my carryon. Deal with it, Mr C.

Nobody gets out alive. Enjoy every sandwich.

Knew I was going to get a good day for street shooting – when not 3 blocks from the asylum – I find four blind guys making their way down the street.

As you can see, it was hot today. HOT HOT HOT. Late June weather in late April.

I doubt that the trolley pub would be a big hit here at The Asylum!

And so The Blog is launched into its 17th year. Thanks for checking in from time to time.

The blog has been around since April 28, 2001. On April 28, 2009 I went from a roll your own hand coded production to WordPress. 

 

Maybe, just maybe… Maybe I am not boring. Maybe OLD is boring.

Ah, but, if you look hard enough – there is always something happening – or not – at The Asylum.

You gotta love that sign – And do I see COMIC SANS as the font selection? I think so…

Told you this is an old folks home. A seriously design challenged old folks home. 

 

 

I am not bored. I just feel boing. Boring to myself and all living creatures. Even the pictures I took today were boring. 

Thinking about entering a photo in the Old Farts Art Exhibition. But, I haven’t printed anything in years larger than 5 X 7. And things that look great on the screen – look like crap when printed. And, I got rid of all of my “exhibition” frames. And, it has to be done in about 10 days. If I think long enough – it will be too late!

I have been looking at lamps for the last couple of months. So, of course – I get shown lots of lighting ads online. This one today amused me. “Outdoor ceiling lights” – Silly Peggy – I always thought that the outdoor ceiling was lit by Momma Nature and she used sun, moon, stars and urban light pollution to do the job.

I called out wet again today. In fact when I decided not to go to work … it wasn’t even raining. But it was going to rain; that was enough for me. 

Mostly attended to my personal bookkeeping chores. And, I remembered to send a birthday card to an old friend. 

And, I went to an “assembly” and a “club” meeting here at The Asylum – which is run a lot like a high school. Hence “assembly” and “club”. 

The most memorable thing from the “assembly” was “if the horse you are riding dies, get off”. According to Amazon that is the title of a book from the late 1990s. “This is a humorour allegory about education, well-intentioned people with unrealistic ideas, and a dead horse. Confused?”

The well-intentioned people with unrealistic ideas leads to the “club meeting”. At the Newcomers Club Meeting, management explained that they were developing a wonderful app for “your iPhone or iPad” that will let you make soon to be mandatory reservations for dinner. I am wondering how they are going to get the app on the App Store and what about us Droid people… 

Well, turns out it isn’t an app. But rather a web base application and the only iPhone/iPad part is a URL. Gotta love management’s understand of technology!

Then I realized that this isn’t the real problem. The real problem is expecting my 507 neighbors – 34% of which are between the age of 86 and 90 – to go online and make reservations for dinner. Stay tuned. Hundreds of little old ladies with walkers may die of starvation. 

My newest BFF says:

1. Naps are an activity
2. Reading is an activity
3. Carrot cake is a vegetable
4. Jelly beans are legumes and 
5. There are zero calories in birthday cake

I had a very active afternoon.

After listening to credit card horror stories… I did increase the automatic surveillances to my accounts. Did that this afternoon too. 

Finished planting the garden box this morning, with the addition of tarragon and basil. Basil being an annual and my tarragon was stolen last year. Someone dug up the plant. Some human. Or a tool using squirrel. See: The Great Tarragon Heist.

Went down to inspect my chicken coop today. I wondered if I had anything in it. Or if anyone was using it. I can never resist wandering around and looking in the cages.

I found this collection of midcentury Samsonite “Blue Marble” luggage. I think the only thing missing is the really cool round “hat box”. I hope it is in the owner’s apartment. 

I have been enjoying my bus people photography. And, I rather enjoyed taking pictures at The Asylum Spring Fling… Time to step up my people photography game. Not pictures of people. But pictures about people… Starting with me.

Still trying to adjust to the drastically reduced views from the Old Bat Cave. On the other hand – wonderful fish tacos were not included in the rent at my old digs. Nor did I have a fine group of bestie neighbors. And, at this stage of life, I believe they really are Best Friends Forever. 

Finished up my most important job of the year at work today. The annual report to the feds about influenza vaccination rates. 

It is supposed to rain tomorrow and then rain even more on Sunday. But, I seem to be rather looking forward to just hanging out around the asylum. There will be a hopefully big “science march” tomorrow. My marching days are pretty much over. I really didn’t intend to have to do all this crap again when I got old. Who was it that said eternal vigilance is the price of liberty? Oh, right, it is carved on the National Archives Building. 

Maybe I’ll go to the Farm Market on Sunday in search of a nice fat basil plant for my garden box, if it isn’t too rainy. 

Almost everything wintered over. And the bronze fennel self seeded. So, I really don’t need to plant anything this year. Last year, I didn’t get the box until May 24. But, once you get one, it is yours, forever. Unless you ask for an “upgrade” if someone gives up their box. But, mine is perfectly fine. Lots of sun and somewhat protected from the wind. 

 

Came half way home from work on the bus today (walked the rest of the way). Then lunch and visiting while enjoying the nice spring weather. And a nap. And some photography. Then clean up the apartment for Elizabeth who comes in tomorrow morning to clean. Then a birthday dinner with friends. Finally a lecture on the state of the ocean. Another busy day in the life of an old woman.

Other than that it is a perfectly fine photo. I friend wanted a picture of a bird in the bird bath. I can do better. But, I disturbed this robin in his bath late this afternoon. 

 

Better late than never, for what? For the upcoming eclipse. All the “good” spaces were taken by this time last year – but – apparently some folk who made reservations a year ago are finding that they were cancelled or a not being honored. 

The only room I could find in one of the good places was $1200 per night with a 5 night minimum. Don’t think I am going to spring for that. 

Which leaves the not so good venues. Not so good mainly because of the serious possibility of clouds. For me it has to be a city. Since I am carfree. Columbia SC. Kansas City MO. Nashville TN. Oh and Charleston SC. Charleston is the most appealing option – but also the one with the greatest weather risk.

I ask myself – what is the worst that can happen? Not that I go and it rains. No the worst that can happen is – I don’t go – and the weather is glorious. The next total solar eclipse in the US will be in 2024. And I really don’t plan that far ahead! Heck, Aug 21, 2017 is way far in the future for me. 

And, I don’t want to be close to totality. I want to be right there. 100%. 

Figure that I have to make plans real soon – or all the rooms in the not so good venues will be gone too. 

BUT WAIT: an early plane on eclipse day would get me to any of those cities – except KC – with time to spare… Heck an airport might be a funky place to view an eclipse. Then hop on the next plane back to DCA.