life in the old lane

I took a meeting this afternoon. A wine committee meeting. That is enough wine to end me under the table. So, I was moderate and restained. I did not laugh when they talked about the “coconut vanilla undertones” and a “hint of green pepper”. Not to mention “pencil lead”. Not sure if “pencil lead” is a good taste or not. I am a total wine philistine. But, the cheese was good. After the meeting – I went to the bar and had a Guinness. To cleanse the palate.

BTW – if you decide to move to an old folks asylum – I recommend a not for profit one run by the Episcopalians. Maybe they will let us have individual “medical” marijuana plots. At dinner tonight, I heard that a couple of years ago the asylum had a party on the grounds and one of the neighboring buildings called the police because the party was too rowdy. Apparently the police showed up. And the fearless leader of the asylum thought it was a fabulous that the police came to break up this out-of-bounds old folks party.

Note to Carlton: Looks like the bison, Tatanka, is going to be our “national mammal”. There are a half million of them now.

Worked from 0630 to 1500. That is a bunch of work for a “senior”.

There was a party at 1630 at the asylum. It was cold and rainy. I was going to hail Uber. But surge pricing was on at 2.4X. Decided to Bus It. Got home fine.

Spent an hour at the party. Drank wine. Ate cheese. Came back to the OBC and crashed.

Note to self: I can not change a Timex snap back watch battery. I have changed dozens of watch batteries. But, I guess I never tried to change a Timex snap back battery. At least not since I moved out of my house over 10 years ago. At that time, I had a nice vice in the garage. Snapped the back off – no problem. Replaced the battery. And then – it was time to “snap” the back back on. I tried using my handy opposable thumbs. Tried a trusty hammer. A pair of pliers. Put a lid on back and stood on it. If a first you don’t succeed: try, try, and try again. Then stop. Don’t make an ass of yourself. It is just a Timex. I bought a bunch of them on WOOT some years ago.

And that is what I did but – did not accomplish – this afternoon.

Politics continues. Ted Cruz seems to think that a novice female Veep candidate will enhance his chances. That didn’t work too good for John McCain. IMHO Teddy just gave up a big bargaining chip if comes to a contested convention. It also sends a strange message. And why would Carly want the position? She used to be the CEO of HP. I had an HP laptop that melted it’s motherboard during her tenure. I hold that (among other things) against her.

Note to self: When it comes to ice coffee – “Tall” doesn’t work. Back in the old apartment – Starbucks was in the lobby. Starbucks is .5 mile round trip from the OBC.

Work was not really fun today. I didn’t get home until 1530. And, I missed yoga. But, one good thing – we had a fine little office brunch. I got leftovers and will definitely be dining in the OBC tonight.

The asylum is having a scholarly lecture about the situation in the Middle East this evening. Don’t know if I am up for a scholarly lecture about something that I can not be anything about. Think I’d rather curl up with a nice trashy novel. In many ways, the Asylum is too classy for me.

Note to Carlton: I got a great big hug from Leila today. She is as old as you would be and still works at VHC. I am honored to have her as a friend.

Found a couple of insects on today’s wanderings around the grounds. This one is kinda cute.

Just an ordinary day. There are worse things than ordinary.

Maybe I should fold something.

After breakfast, after a folding session, after the rain stopped – I headed out for far distant Sandy Spring, Maryland. It is about 45 miles away as the car drives.

• 1350 – out the OBC door
• 1402 – on the bus heading for the Pentagon – cost 85 cents
• 1430 – on Metro yellow line to China Town
• 1440 – waiting for red line train
• 1450 – on Metro red line to the end of the line – Glenmont – total metro cost $2.35
• 1525 – Arrive at Glenmont Station.
• 1527 – On the Y2 Bus heading to the end of the line – Montgomery Hospital in Olney MD – cost another 85 cents.
• 1550 – At the hospital and the end of the line transit-wise.
• 1555 – Heading out on foot. According to Google it is 4.3 miles and I should arrive about 15minutes late. Which is about right on time.

The 4.3 mile walk is out into the country. There are “Beware of Deer” signs, horses, big fat chickens, all manner of rural stuffs. About an hour into the walk, I am hoping like hell that Google knows what it is talking about. There aren’t even cars anymore. I might as well be in Minot North Dakota. Then – a white Lexus SUV slows down and the driver asks “Do you know where Celebration Lane is?” – you bet I know. Well, at least Google knows. SO – figure they are going to the same place I am going – They have a car. I have the knowledge. A deal is made and I ride the rest of the way. Thank you Google.

It was a grand adventure. And, the occupants of the Lexus and I got a story to tell.

And, it was a nice 85th birthday surprise for a dear friend.

I mostly took it easy today. (Found these white bleeding hearts blooming in the Asylum garden.)

Nice day today. A little work. A little activity around the Asylum. A little beer at Happy Hour. Finally dinner with new friends. Now watching the Nats. They are playing the Twins – who used to be the Washington Senators. And the Nats are winning.

About 500 of us live in the asylum. Our oldest residents are over 100. Our “babies” haven’t made the big seven-O. Many of the residents are very interesting folk. Some are just crabby old people. And, a few, certified space cadets. It really isn’t place with “just old people”. It is a place with a variety of people who are closer to the end game than to the beginning.

This week’s Asylum Living Large Album:
Overheard on the elevator:

LOL #1 – “I heard The Prince died today”

LOL#2 – “And on his mother’s birthday!”

 

Somehow, this seems wrong. Especially, considering that the rest of the order (4 lens caps) ordered at the same time arrived on the same day in an identical box. Never mind that everything would fit in a small lightly padded envelop.

Soft shell crabs on the menu tonight. Add free wine. Not too shabby for an old folks asylum.

Note to Carlton: I am going to far distant Sandy Spring for Camille’s birthday via bus, metro, metro and Uber. You, my friend, used to find reasons to not go to Sandy Spring because it was “TOO FAR”. You also said the “the journey is part of the gift”. It is a surprise party for Camille – but I feel sure that you will be remembered and missed. Pretty sure, I’ll be able to snag a ride to some metro station or the other. Then I’ll come home via metro, metro, bus or if it is too late – metro, metro, uber. You really can have a car-free life.

OH, keep an eye out for Prince – he crossed over today. But we still have Keith Richards on this side.

It was too windy for photos this afternoon. But that didn’t stop me from trying.

Absolutely nothing zero zip to report. I wonder what I was doing 10 years ago? Nothing – that is what I was doing. No blog entry for April 19, 2006.

There is a “History of Underwear” exhibit at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

And and V&A museum shop has “playful tie-side knickers” by Agent Provocateur – for 35 pounds. (That would be about 50 bucks to those of you who are currency conversion challenged.)

There might be a little trip to London in my future. Those knickers – well – I think they demand an audience. I don’t see them in my future.

Have to find some good bee/insect hunting grounds nearby. Or after work, I can just wander around the old bee hunting grounds and then take the bus the rest of the way home.

I went back to work to get some much needed rest. But, I left early so I could return to the Asylum to attend the Semi-Annual Management “State of the Asylum” Meeting. The more interesting one is in October when they do the budget talk. This one was mostly happytalk and platitudes.

Tomorrow, I will have had my pesky little FitBit for two years. It says I have walked 3,440.37 miles. But who is counting? I think that is about 4.7 miles per day. Which just shows what not having a car does for your activity level.

Hau`oli Lā Hānau, Carlton. This would be 81 for you. And, I know you thought you would make it to 81. No one is promised tomorrow. You took that to heart and piled on a lot of good times in your 79 years.

It was a lovely warm day today. Spring will soon be replaced by summer.

Outside the dogwoods are blooming.

Inside, the resident artists seem to be painting wine glasses. I’d rather do something else with wine glasses.

And, another adventure in cooking. Last night, the asylum served flank steak. (I didn’t do dinner – I made faux pho.) At lunch time today a checked the salad bar – and found a bunch of flank steak. So, I got everything I needed for a great stir fry lunch. Well, everything except a gas stove. But, I got it done on the glass electric cooktop.

That was my Sunday – I also did a bunch of laundry. And I started “spring cleaning” my Mac.

 

That hammock was old in 1999. And Steve’s picture is better because of the shadow effect.

Carlton, who didn’t believe in celebrating anything – had two birthdays. We officially ignored both of them. April 16 is the day his Mother, who hated me, said he was born. Carlton said he was born on April 17 – which is what his birth certificate says.

Went to a craft fair back in my beloved old neighborhood today. It was all sclock art and photography, pottery, jewelry and this guy selling didgeridoos. It did not make me want to buy a didgeridoo. It did make me want to go to Australia. I am happy to report that I did not buy anything at the craft fair. I don’t have room for anything. Well, I do have room for more earrings. but I must have 100 pairs as it is. I never counted them. But, a trip to Australia wouldn’t take up any room.

Lousy picture – but it was a great bowl of what I call Faux Pho. Pho is a culinary state of mind more than a recipe. That is what I made for dinner tonight.

And finally –

Who would have guessed that:

1. I would live long enough to be in old folks asylum and
2. That I would run up a bar tab at said establishment.