Category: The DayBook

Having a little rest this afternoon – this guy lands on my tiny window ledge and raises holy hell…

So far so good today. I have been sort of in denial about living in an old folks asylum. I stayed in my room or went down the stairs directly outdoors. Where there were birds and flowers to amuse me.

Early morning I walked to the Columbia Pike Farmers Market. At this time of year, it is more like the Bakers and Apple Orchard Market. I got a big fat scone and a plump brioche roll. So, I felt like I had to walk back home too. No bus for me. That got my 5 miles in for the day. 

AND – and this is a biggie – I TURNED ON THE STOVE. I cooked lunch. 

I saw an elderly man at the grocery. He wanted to know where to find maraschino cherries. In 1953, I think. I don’t even know if maraschino cherries are still sold in grocery stores. What exactly is a maraschino cherry, I wondered. Well, Since 1940, “maraschino cherries” have been defined as “cherries which have been dyed red, impregnated with sugar, and packed in a sugar syrup flavored with oil of bitter almonds or a similar flavor.” But, in early days – they were apparently preserved in a wicked strong liquor. That would be before Prohibition. 

Well, it is 6PM, maybe I can finish off February 2016’s image processing. I plan on nuking something for dinner up here in the Old Bat Cave. Continuing denial for the rest of the day.

It is pretty hard to get into the spirit of April Fools when we have the Fool in Chief with his fat little fingers on the nuclear go boom button.

And I didn’t make much progress culling and doing the “final” organization to 2016 photos. I am just up to Feb 21. For some reason I thought that in 3 days I could surely do 12 months. It doesn’t look like it. On the other hand, I got my 5 miles in and I had a nice nap. And I thought about circumnavigation. East to West? West to East? North to South? South to North? Air or Water. Land? We have more options than Phileas Fogg. 

Tomorrow promises to be a nice day. Maybe I’ll go take some MORE pictures! 

 

It was chilly and rainy all day long. So, I stayed all cosy in the Old Bat Cave and ever so slowly plowed through the 2016 photos. Very slowly. I made it to Feb 3. 

I don’t think I have posted these before. 

There was supposed to be a speaker here this afternoon talking about “memory issues” apparently the auditorium was filled to capacity. The speaker got stuck in traffic and couldn’t make it. A couple of weeks ago, the Asylum nutritionist spoke. Less than 20 people were in attendance. I am not sure what this means. But, it think there is a lesson. At least for young people making career choices. We old farts are more concerned about losing our memory than losing our waistlines. 

And, I was supposed to go to a concert for a good cause this evening. It was cancelled due to a power failure at the venue. 

All in all, a chilly, damp, but pleasant day.

I did a search of my Evernote stuff – I love Evernote – I was a beta user way 10 years+ ago. Back on pointe. I searched my Evernote to find out how to change the time on a way too fancy Timex watch. Found the instructions. But, the second thing Evernote found was this article that had saved back in 2013 about packing for an around the world trip. A Timex watch was on the list – hence the hit. And, I have a waterproof Timex. One item ticked off and ready to pack!

I am taking this as a hint to get on with my bucket list “circumnavigate the globe” entry.

Going to a “do good” concert tomorrow night and will most likely take tomorrow off work because of the weather. A rain day.  

Tomorrow’s plan – assuming rain is to work on getting the 7,800+ photos from 2016 off the computer and the 2016 photobook started. There should be some time to look into circumnavigation. 

It must be spring. I carried my sweater home.

 

Not much action on the 2:07 25B out of Ballston. The bus was parked and the driver left the door open, told us to get in, and he went off the Starbucks. 

About 20 folks got on. Old people, punk looking teenagers, laborers, mothers with small kids… and every single person paid their fare. $1.85 for regular people. 90 cents for us old people. I found it rather amazing. In our system, there is no after the fact way to tell if you paid or not. Everyone of us could have gotten a free ride. But, everyone paid. 

But, it was a little busy today. No problem with that. Went to a sweet yoga class. And I am designing a new “system” at work. It should save time and eliminate printing, filling out, scanning and finally shredding about 4 reams of paper. Not much. But, still a good thing. The paperless office that we were promised in the 70’s is slowly starting to happen.

About – Windows 10. I try to be modern and to stay sort of with it techwise. I have had two close encounters with Window 10 lately. I am underwhelmed. Seriously. 

Yes one got away. One insect photo. The insect was part of my lunch – lagniappe. In my spinach. My sauted spinach. Oh yes, it was an insect. 6 legs, 2 eyes, 2 antennae. But, while I was admiring this creature – management whisked it away, before I could take a picture. Soon my plate returned. Sans insect. I am not sure if the spinach was replaced. These things happen. And the only thing worse than finding an entire insect in your spinach is finding half of an insect. After you have noticed that your spinach was a little, shall we say, crunchy. (Yesterday, I reflected that the Asylum might be too upscale for me – after the insect – not so much.)

Time to go down and get dinner soon. Pretty sure I will not order spinach!

Invited a new friend to the Old Bat Cave for dinner. Well, she brought her own food. Which, if you are coming to dinner at my house is a damn good idea. She drinks beer – there aren’t that many of us beer drinkers here at the Asylum. Mostly wine drinkers, with a few old time “cocktailers”… It is a pretty classy joint. Maybe too classy for me.

 

 

Friday was a crazy sort of a day. I logged 6.5 miles on the fitbit. BTW – Fitbit is 10 years old today. Mine is almost 3 years old and it has changed my activity level for the better. I purchased it as retail therapy during Mr C’s last months. The fitbit and the camera. I think they were the only “good” therapy purchases. 

After the unhealthy BLT with fried egg start to the day – I decided to walk the 3.2 miles to work. Admiring the flowers along the way. 

Later, after an uneventful visit to the dentist I took the bus home. 

This is up in the old neighborhood. We don’t have a fair trade coffee wagon at the bus stop near the Asylum. But, there is a damn good taco truck from time to time. Until the owner of said truck gets ICEd, that is.

Finally, back at the Asylum – I had drinks with 25 of my closest friends, a quick dinner and it was off to an unbelievably bad indie film. The woman I went with noticed the total lack of plot, dialog, etc. However, I obsessed over the computers. Specifically, how did they keep those laptops going for days on end with no apparent source of electricity. 

The weather was wonderfully warm and wind free today. But, I enjoyed a day of rest. I find that as I get older, I need more down time. 

So, I work a little on my garden box. The mint has already started trying to take over all 11 square feet of space. 

And, I did some origami – not very successful. But, restful.

By the time I got to the little one (which I made with the best paper) I almost had the model figured out. I’ll try one out of a dollar bill tomorrow. US currency is really my favorite folding paper. 

Now, it is time to venture down to dinner. Or I’ll miss dinner. And I wouldn’t want that.

DUCK. No duck for you chickies! Duck spring rolls were on the menu in the formal dining room. A friend and I decided to go and do duck. We were turned away. I try not to take these things personally. But, I do. Nevertheless we had a fine dinner – sans duck – in the less formal dining venue. We had seconds on “free” wine. 

Went to one of the funniest “meetings” ever at The Asylum this afternoon. It was about TV. Now, I don’t have a TV. So why was I even there? Well, I didn’t know the meeting was about The Asylum’s “free” cable TV service. And the upcoming changes to the aforementioned service. 

Management of The Asylum plays this little game and allows the inmates to think that we have a say in what is going to happen. Management presented 5 options ranging in price from $500,000 per year (we have 427 units) for Verizon FIOS down to a one time $5,000 charge for a roof top antenna. It was obvious that management has selected a vendor that combines satellite TV for limited “cable” and roof top antenna service for over the air for about $95,000 per year. (This was the 2nd cheapest)

You wouldn’t believe the pissing and moaning. What? No CSPAN? No MSNBC? No Turner Classic Movies? What about British PBS? And HBO…

One elegant old lady, who must have been a Mother Superior in a former life – harrumphed “Don’t these people do anything except watch TV?”  

I must add that any of us who want to shell out the bucks can get our own cable service. Or Verizon FIOS. 

This went on for an hour. It was better than anything on TV.

And, this is Four Mile Run. The only body of water that I get to see on a regular basis.

Dentist tomorrow. 

 

I am usually interested in the other bus people. Maybe I provide some entertainment for my fellow riders. 

Went down for dinner tonight. Didn’t see anyone I wanted to dine with. Didn’t see anything that I wanted to eat except something wildly unhealthy like grilled cheese sandwich or taco salad or quesadillas. And, the whole place smelled of fried liver. So, retreat back to The OBC for egg sandwich and a beer. With coffee and chocolate for dessert. Not exactly health food – but healthier than the asylum offerings and NO fried liver smells. And, that is why I always have something to eat in my apartment. 

Getting ready to do some yoga this afternoon. I get a travel yoga mat out of the closet. I give it a huge shake. And out pops my cheapass long lens. Smash, bounce, Quick as a bunny, the lens is attached to the camera. 

And, big sigh of relief, the camera/lens seems to work OK. 

Who know that when you go to see the orthopedic guy they expect you to wear these gym bloomers – in size X-Lg no less. Nope. Not me. I wore my leggings and French not granny panties. 

Seems like I have a little lumbar osteoarthritis and sciatica. Which I sort of knew anyhow. And that it just got way worse for a couple of weeks when I was in Hawai’i but everything is hunky dory. Stronger drugs were suggested and maybe a visit or two to PT. 

What is not hunky dory, is the Federal Government. And some of the states aren’t so hot shit great either. It is beyond bad.

I always cringe when our leaders or anyone says “God Bless America” – like what about the rest of the world? “Yo God, you bless us and screw everyone else.” Now, I wish they would say “God Save the Country” as in “God Save the Queen”. And while we are at it, what exactly is God supposed to be saving the Queen from? Prince Philip? The Corgis? But, this isn’t funny.