Category: The DayBook

I lounged around the Asylum this Sunday.

A year ago today, I took Carlton’s tennis rackets to the Goodwill. August 1, 2015

Two years ago, I was having technical problems at work. August 1, 2014

Decided that I will dedicate August to “Decluttering”. Yes, yes, I downsized bigtime before moving to the Asylum. But, stuff sort of creeps in and multiples. And, this apartment is much nicer when it is sort of empty. Carlton and I had different opinions about “stuff”. His theory was “If I have a place for it then I can keep it”. My theory is – “If I haven’t used it in a year, are not going to use it next year, or if I have forgotten that I have it – it should go.” (Except Carlton’s shoebox of trinket – well, I actually knew I had that shoebox – I just didn’t know where I had stashed it.)

It is time to start thinking about going to Kona. I really like riding the train. So, I think I’ll be training it somewhere out west and fly to Kona from maybe San Diego. Or Seattle. Or anywhere in between.

Well, Carlton, we haven’t talked lately. You wouldn’t believe what has happened since you relocated.

You would be amazed that gas is about $2.25 a gallon. Don’t take this too seriously, you know I don’t buy gas!

And, you wouldn’t believe the political scene. You would be happy to know that Hillary is our candidate. And, that wouldn’t surprise you. But, the rest of it… Well, best you not know.

Bond yields are really really low – actually negative sometimes. Ed and I are doing our best to manage “your” money almost like you would have.

The usual suspects are still winning tennis and golf tournaments. The ‘Skins are still The ‘Skins and the team doesn’t seem to be any better. The Nats – well, they were doing pretty good in 2014 and they are doing OK this year. They had a 3-3-5 triple play last week. Yep, not a typo. (To my non-US and/or non-baseball friends – the firstbase player got the first two runners out and threw the ball to the thirdbase player for the 3rd out. Don’t worry, baseball is incomprehensible.)

As for me. As you would say “I am fine.”

And why exactly do I think you can read this??? Silly Peg.

 

So, what did I do this fine summer Saturday – I got a box out of my chicken coop in the basement. My chicken coop is a 4foot cube – most of it is being used by a friend who is “over stuffed”. But, when I moved in, I put a copy paper box in the coop. A box that directed me to deal with and shred contents this year. Well, for me – this year has 3 months left at this location. And, I couldn’t have named a single item that was in that box.

So, I went to get the box this morning. It had several bundles of papers neatly labeled “Trash after Jan 1, 2016”. These went off to the to be shredded pile unexamined. There was a shoebox full of “Carlton Trinkets”. I got rid of lots of his “trinkets” – these are what is left. What do you do with a man’s “Army Zippo” lighter? Especially a lighter that belonged to a man of never smoked ANYTHING. And cuff links, tie tacs and bars? Maybe I need to put the shoebox back in the chicken coop and label it “Deal with in 2017”.

Then, I had lunch with friends and went to the theater. Great show. It think it was a happy confluence of the audience and the really crappy mood of the human race that made the show seem so very good. The show was “Born For This” – about BeBe Winans Story. What’s not to love? BeBe and CeCe, and rest of the family, Jim and Tammy Faye Baker, and Whitney Houston. The house was packed. 95% of the audience black church people. 5% like me – you know the crowd – old white liberals from civil rights/peace corps days. And every last one of us, scared for our county and our planet. Oh and BeBe was in the house.

 

Well, the political conventions are over. Let the mudslinging begin. I just hope no one gets killed. But, I don’t hold out much hope for a bloodfree campaign and no hope at all for a mudfree campaign.

While swimming my laps – I decided to “retire” on Aug 1, 2017. I might not completely stop. But, I will stop being an integral part of the day to day operation. Someone else will need to keep the database all nice and tidy. Someone else will need to hack out special reports and projects. A year should give ample time for an orderly transition. I am not getting any younger. 30 hours a week is about 20 hours a week too many.

Sleepy after watching the convention. NiteNite.

Quoting the Washington Post:

Republican nominee Donald Trump pleaded directly Wednesday with the Russian government to meddle in the U.S. presidential election by finding and releasing tens of thousands of private emails from his Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton — an extraordinary and perhaps unprecedented maneuver in American politics.

Can it get any worse than this?

Somehow, I think the Republican nominee thinks he and Putin can be best buds. Or maybe go mano y mano and win. Wrong. Putin is KGB. The Republican nominee is just a thug.

It was only 98° or so today. I was happy to find a small butterfly.

The Democrats are having a normal rowdy good time. Mrs Obama spoke last night. Her speech will be one that will be remembered as one of the finest political speeches of all time. Bernie is being eloquent and gracious in defeat. And no one has been killed yet.

When I was growing up girls were raised to be wives and mothers in that order. Today girls can be presidents and astronauts. I have had a wonderful life. I did my share of tapping on glass walls – I never got high enough to tap on any ceiling – glass or otherwise. I don’t think the young women appreciate just how important this moment is to us old women. Nevermind that Hillary – is a deeply flawed candidate.

Well, yesterday it was 102° around the asylum. “Only” 100° degrees today. I sort of chilled. Except while swimming my laps. For the last couple of weeks the pool heater was busted. It was fixed today and the pool was heated to a toasty 88°. It was like being in the ocean in Samoa.

The Democrats take the stage today. I hope that no one gets killed.

It is hotter today. And, the Nats wilted. “They” say it will be hotter tomorrow.

Weather not so great on my island either. Little tropical storm overnight. High tides right now as well, so one of the glass bottom boats ended up on the rocks. Now, this boat wasn’t doing too well last couple of years – so – if it was well insured – it might not have been a really bad thing for the owners. But, our little bay didn’t need the fuel that most likely spilled.

And now for the insects.

Went out early in the morning for my daily bug hunt. Before breakfast.

Breakfast – another adventure. I ordered French toast. It is on the menu. I put my stuff on my table and went to get coffee. The cashier is talking to the cook “Do you know how to make French toast?” “No, we have cinnamon buns.” is the cook’s response. I quickly change my order to oatmeal. You gotta love it here. Some people expend a lot of energy complaining. I figure that the goddess was just telling me that French toast would make my butt look fat!

Been planning my escape to Kona. Think I’ll take the train to the coast. I love trains. I like the entire train experience. (Except the bathrooms at the end of a long segment.)

Thinking about a little mini-trip to somewhere chilly. Churchill Canada – swim with the whales maybe. You get there by train. Or Iceland. Or maybe just crank up my A/C and pretend I am some place cool.

About the knobs for my “new: chair. Thank you Amazon. On Friday I went to a old school hardware store and was told what I needed. They had one. Not two. And, they don’t order stuff for you. They did give me the manufacturer and part number of the knob. (Cost $3.99) But, it couldn’t find it online. But, I knew sort of what to look for and found knobs on Amazon ($4.70 for 2 with 2 day delivery). So, my noon on Sunday, my chair is sporting two matching knobs. So, the knob problem was solved for less than ten bucks. Thank you Ayers Variety. And thank you Amazon. It took a 1950’s era brick and mortar store and an online store to get the job done.

Gee, wonder what I was up to a year ago? – I was taking pictures and downsizing.

Hows about 2 years ago? – I was complaining about it being hot.

And 10 years ago? – Taking pictures of bees and watching Le Tour. Those pages lost something when I changed servers. But 10 years is a long time in internet years.

And now for the political section.

Let us assume that our side wins in November. How on earth are we going to get the other side back in the box? Think about it. These people are not going to turn into the loyal opposition.

A trip to the Falls Church Farm Market in the early morning was the main “activity” of the day. So far. It is free wine night – so anything can happen!

I got flowers, crab cakes – yes Carlton – the very same crab cakes that you loved when we lived in Falls Church, and tomatoes, zucchini, peaches. And sourdough bread. I ate the crab cake for lunch. With some zucchini and a peach.

My oldest blog post about the Falls Church Farm Market is from May 2001.
Check it out. Click thru to the little photos. That was 15 years ago. In dial-up time. Pictures were tiny.

And now for the insect section.

Did I happen to mention that it is HOT.

And finally, the political section:

Where did you stand?

Kristallnacht – 1938
The Saint Louis – 1939
The Army-McCarthy Hearings – 1954
Operation Abolition -1960
Freedom Summer – 1964

Where will you stand?

Donald Trump
David Duke

Has it really been over 50 years since we were at such a moral tipping point?

The Prince of Darkness is now the proud owner of the Republican Party. No one died. That was all I wanted.

No one has been killed at the GOP convention, yet. And – this is still a good thing.

I came up with these scenarios while eating lunch. The Donald must be trying to figure out how to get control of the convention – AKA “The Hootananny From Hell”.

He has one last chance. I have two possible game plans for tonight’s speak. They involve costumes, a little plagiarism and no content.

First idea – Go with a Roman theme ca 65AD. Wear togo. come into the arena on a sedia gestatoria like Popes used in bygone days. Accompanied by blond Victoria Secret models and large animals on leashes.

Second idea – Go with a German theme ca 1936. Wear nice brown uniform and jack boots. March into the arena with a phalanx of armed white males in full riot gear.

AND then from either entrance – just wing it! How hard can it be?

(Apologies in advance to underwear models, Romans, Germans, large animals, and even white males.)

BTW – lunch was good. Better than these ideas for sure. May you live in interesting times.

 

 

The GOP convention continues to be unseemly at best. But no one has been killed yet. That is still a good thing. The only good thing.

But now, I am tired and it is approaching my bed time. So, the Republicans will have to party on without me. The convention goers are waving signs that say “Anyone But Hillary”. Now, that is a raging endorsement of their candidate isn’t it?

The Party of Lincoln has fallen to a hostile takeover by The Donald. Nobody has been killed yet. This is about as good as it is going to get.

Or maybe it isn’t a hostile takeover. Maybe it is a sea-change. Maybe the Republicans will become the Grumpy White Guy’s Party.

Glad that Carlton missed this. He would be batshit crazy. He would be saying “Can you imagine Trump and Putin in charge of the world?”