falls church
tue 1-jun-04

As you can see, little progress has been made in the “lets get rid of the last 30 years of your life cleanup”. Today’s task was to get the oldest computer (Oct 1996 – $3,800 before extras – a really hot Pentium 100 laptop) ready for recycling. I collected all it’s specific software and parts and scrubbed it down using KillDisk. And boxed it and its stuff up. Also filled up a grocery bag with unloved software and cables. Hope the Goodwill will take them.

Saw Keith Richards on TV last night. That boy is a human cockroach. No way he should still be alive. It sort of makes me proud of our species. And that feeling is hard to come by these days.

——————————————————————————–

The July 27, 2015 post

What we have above is my web posting from the last time I did a massive move. I survived that. I can survive this. (See the web posting as it still exists. I told you I have been blogging since before blogging)

Went through a little moving slump/depressed period today. I gave myself a good talking to. Packed two boxes. Contacted movers. And I am now having beer and cheese.

And like 11 years ago: I still have old computers to sanitize and get rid of. Except I am using Boot and Nuke vice KillDisk. I haven’t decided about getting rid of my Windows computer. I really only use it to make “backup” copies of DVDs. And, to drive the scanner part of my old multifunction printer/scanner. I made “backup” copies of DVDs for Carlton. And, I have a little scanner that the Airness drives nicely. SO, I might just get rid of the Lenovo. (If I don’t get rid of it my lawyer will after I die. Just do it now Peggy, when someone can still use a sweet little lenovo – windows 7 – any takers? Lenovo q150. Bring your own monitor. Mine is connected to the TV.) The funky Fujitsu 810 is already ready to go.

Did I mention? I sent my Kindles to some guy in California who says he uses them at his public school. I choose to believe him.

And Keith Richard is still a good advertisement for the human species. Plus, Sir Mick is a great grandfather.

 

Walked down to the asylum this morning. I enjoyed an early lunch in the “Formal Dining Room”. I rather enjoy having an early lunch in that room. They have some tables for one. And, likeminded antisocial old people occupy those tables and enjoy their Sunday papers. Early, you miss the after church “rush”. The trip to the asylum on foot with the bus back is a little over five miles which makes the fitbit happy.

Did nothing movewise today.

Did origami today. Masu Boxes.

Glad I remembered masu boxes. They are easy and useful.

I didn’t know that was what a bee’s wing looked like. It is rather lovely. From this afternoon’s walk.

Moving activity of the day: Some more address changes.

Note to Carlton. Glad you are dead. Because this would definitely kill you. The asking rent for the apartment is $250 per month less than I am currently paying – and that is after they redo the bathrooms, kitchen and put down hardwood floors.

I know you are annoyed that I am paying to get out of the lease early – but honest – after four months – I am ahead of the game. I did the math.

And, now I think – if it isn’t too hot I’ll walk down to the asylum for dinner. If it is too hot – I’ll bus it.

 

Last nice day before the heat returns. But no good pictures. Just this bee in lavender plants.

Dinner at the asylum was only OK. Someone in the kitchen seems to have mixed up the snow peas and the english peas. Have you noticed that I have lots of complaints about the veggies! I ate dinner with 3 other old ladies – including my next door neighbor. She says that has been lots of action in my unit.

Took a different bus to the asylum and walked around the neighborhood. It is as I thought – strip malls for as far as the eye can see or feet can walk. But, I knew that. I was just hoping I had missed something.

Today’s moving task: Got rid of one of Carlton’s pictures and a bag of medical supplies left over from the MASH unit I ran for Carlton. Not a big day. But I got something done.

Sad news – I found out that the asylum only has free wine on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. Oh well, into every life a little sobriety must fall. Had dinner there again tonight. I tested the kitchen by ordering the grilled swordfish. With pineapple salsa. Swordfish is real easy to mess up. But, it was fine. Really good in fact. And then I got a ride back home with my lawyer. Met some 70ish ladies who are nice liberal social activists. I was told that the asylum make great onion rings. I must give them a try. And acceptable burgers and good fries.

Moving activity of the day. Filled Carlton’s roll-a-board with picture frames and rolled it down to the Goodwill. That mile was likely the most it had ever rolled outside of an airport.

 

The only blemish on this lovely summer afternoon – the Pie Life ladies were not at the afternoon market in Clarendon.

Taking it one chunk at a time: The move that is… I am keeping two things in mind. Just chip away at the project little by little. And after I die – my lawyer will just haul everything to the dump. SO, they I took a load of junk to the trash room. And that covered both of my objectives.

Much better weather today. Move progress: took a peg-sized load to the Goodwill. Then I bused to the Old Bat Asylum. Where I did dinner. Salmon with an interesting garnish of sun dried tomatoes. And green beans. Lots of lukewarm green beans. And cheesecake. And wine. All that for $1.90 – which is round trip bus fare. Oh yes, coffee too. The coffee is rather wimpy. The espresso is rather wimpy too. I discovered that coffee with a double shot of espresso is a passable beverage.

Walking to the bus stop, I was thinking that life would be simpler with a car. As luck would have it – as soon as I completed that thought – a couple of cars ran into each other. Now these two folks lives just got way more more complicated. The bus is good. “My” bus is the preferred method of transit for Arlington’s Hispanic worker bees. Everyone on the bus is unfailingly polite to me – I am always offered a seat and I am watched over if the bus gets overwhelmed by young people.

Lots better today! And tomorrow is looking fine too.

 

Didn’t do much move-wise today. Too lazy for that. Didn’t go to eat at the asylum. Too hot for that. Did go for an exercise walk. Too hot for that too. Too a nap. Good temp for that. Didn’t go to the pool. Pool is closed on Monday.

I am being a pretty boring old lady today. Don’t know what I can do about that. Need to get out of this “moving” funk. I have at least 2 months before M-Day. So, what to do? I’ll think about it. A mini-vaci maybe?

I want this move crap over. It has taken up too much of my life already.

Hotter than the hinges of Hades here today. Everyone moving very slow. If at all. The pool is like warm bath water. Free cooked by someone else food with wine lagniappe did not lure me down to the asylum. And tomorrow is promised to be the same. Oh well. It is summer.

  
If i need the ladder to reach it, I sure don’t need to move it. 

By the time I was finished with the kitchen, I was totally not into fixing dinner. So, I hopped on the bus to the asylum. I did better this time. I did not get scolded by the cafeteria ladies this time. I found the silverware. And there was still unlimited free wine. And, I might add, everyone seems to have several generous glasses. It’s not like the have to drive any where. I had an exquisite seafood dish in a fine mornay sauce. And the usual cold veggies. And fair lemon pie. The seafood main course made it worth the trip. 

At least ¼ of the residents seem to be interesting folks. You just have to look past the canes, walkers, hearing aides and memory lapses. There is a great deal of tolerance shown by the residents to each other. Nobody is promised tomorrow. 

A couple of times a month, my walking takes me by this house. I love it that some cares so much for an old house – and they make it look so good.

It is almost 1900 hours. And I have done zero, zip, nada, nothing to facilitate my move. I might spring into action after dinner (Chicken, squash, lettuce and tomato salad and beer). But I am not counting on it.

Well, I have been thinking about the old bat cave kitchen. I just can not see me doing much cooking. I can see me doing some “assembly” of occasional lunches and dinners. Tonight’s dinner was assembled from things that were in the fridge. Think that tomorrow I’ll remove every thing from the kitchen. And bring things that I use back in. And what is in the kitchen come move day goes. That might be too radical. Yep, too radical. And, not necessary. I know what I will use. I just have to accept that my kitchen goddess/earth mother days are long gone. If I am honest, those days were gone over 10 years ago. Carlton’s last two years were the “enjoy every sandwich days” not the “enjoy every gourmet meal days”. And a good sandwich makes a damn good meal.

So, I will remove everything from the kitchen that I wouldn’t pack if I were packing my kitchen up next week.

Since the weather was grand this afternoon, with no rain in sight. And since I needed to make a deposit at Goodwill. And since I am paying for my dinner at the asylum anyhow – I decided to go to the asylum for dinner after dropping off some stuff at the Goodwill.

I have been to sunday lunch. And to sunday breakfast. But never dinner. It was a whole lot like middle school cafeteria on your first day as a new student. I had a near dust up with the person doling out tables in the “formal dining room” and I annoyed the person in charge of the informal bistro. On the other hand, I got along fine with the bartender. I had fish (mahi mahi) not my favorite fish – but it was nicely done. The veggies were not hot. And this being an Episcopalian establishment – the wine was free flowing and apparently lagniappe. But the desserts were fiercely guarded.  I’ll do better next time. Gotta learn the drill – that is all.  I’ll have to be careful – it would be easy to pork up.

Been thinking about what kitchen stuff to take. I really don’t see me doing much cooking. So, whilst waiting for the bus back home I came up with a little list:

1. Coffee Pot

2. Coffee Mug

3. Beer opener

4. Cork screw

5. Wine glass

6. Cutting board

7. Good knife

8. Soup bowl and spoon.

I honestly think I could get along fine with just those 9 things. Maybe I’ll come up with a “Only 25 things” policy for the kitchen.

Well, after the Guinness (did I mention the bar has a sweet little beer collection) and the lagniappe wine – think it is my bed time.