life in the old lane

Found this delightful little creature in my garden box this morning.  And then, this afternoon when I was tramping down to our cutting garden (I was going to help do some weeding) what should I find but earthstar mushrooms.

DO  NOT eat these. Actually, I consider anyone who eats any mushroom that they forage to be somewhat foolhardy.  

Cecil Durham – age 25 – shown here in one of his only happy memories of World War II. Taken in Finchaven, New Guinea in 1944 with his lieutenant and the chief of the local tribe of head hunters.

Today would be Cecil’s 98th birthday – if we Durhams lived that long. We don’t.

Funny thing is – one of the first people I met here at the Asylum had been a nurse in New Guinea during WWII. She still lives here, but doesn’t remember things too very well. But she is very sure about having been a nurse in New Guinea. She is also sure that she was born about 20 miles up the winding road from where I was born in West Virginia.

It was just cold and rainy today. Jeans and sweatshirt weather. Even dug out leggings to wear to dinner – in the “Formal Dining Room”. (Jeans and sweatshirts not allowed.)

Back when I lived in apartments with outdoor pools – this used to happen right before the pool season ended. When you really wanted to load up on summer – fall made an unwelcome early visit. 

As of yesterday it is legal to “open carry” long knives, machetes, and swords in Texas. Glad that I kept Carlton’s army sword over my desk. It had been over my desk for years – seemed like keeping over my desk in the old bat cave was a good idea. I think I am the only old woman in the asylum that has a sword.

If I ever have occasion to go to Texas, I’ll be sure to strap it on. But, I think I could do a lot more damage with my trusty 12 inch kitchen knife. 

To me September 1 is sort of the start of the “new year”. It just seems like the right time to start your year. Left over from school time I guess. Anyhow – the Jewish folk have it right – New Year belongs in September – not January. 

On September 1, 2013 I was scanning old film time photos and put this one:

on the blog. After the last four years – we seem even younger. We had a damn good run. 

Three day weekend. Not many plans. Frankly – no plans. But, that is OK. I am still feeling a little tired. Maybe I need 3 days of reading, resting and origami.

Not a big fan of resting. Plenty of time to rest after I am dead. Speaking of which – an ambulance just pulled into the Asylum…

Carlton used to make me rest. I guess I needed that and apparently still do.

It was a lazy day – or was I just lazy? 

I am just old and tired today. Nothing more. Nothing less. Didn’t do anything to be tired. I didn’t even go to work. Once again, I must ask myself, “what have I done that would fatigue anyone?” Maybe just being alive is tiring. 

Went to the “annual financial review” meeting this morning – they announced next year’s rates – think I’ll be paying about $90 per month more. I should still be able to afford origami paper. 

My batch of “cheap” origami paper that I got yesterday is fine enough for “cheap” paper. 

Well, that is one. One election. An obscure school board election for an at large seat that was held by a Republican… now back in Democratic hands. Every single election counts. Even school board and dog catcher. But, I don’t think dog catcher is an elected position where I live now. 

Went down to get a package today. I was expecting some origami paper. I got origami paper. But also tax paper from the tax guy. I like origami paper better. Even expensive origami paper is cheaper than tax paper!

An altogether lovely fall day. And, how do I know it is fall – well, my fall allergies showed up. And, I had to dig out long pants. Fall. ALHOA. 

Running into a clearwing moth on the Little Old Lady Eclipse Roadtrip was just lagniappe. I loves those things. But, I never see them around here. We are right smack in the middle of their range. They are not rare. We just don’t have them. Guess they don’t like politics and politicians.

And yes, I voted. In a school board election. Normally, I wouldn’t vote in a school board election. But, now, every election matters. Even for school board or dog catcher.

Had dinner with the usual suspects. Plus a “kid”. We always like having someone’s “kid” at dinner.

This was really a happy little family on the bus – never mind that they don’t look so very happy in this picture. 

I was on the 16G bus because I made an emergency visit to my dentist this morning.

Last night when I was dutifully power washing my teeth with the waterpik – a tiny little chunk of gold ends up in the sink. Fortunately, I saw it. And caught it before it went down the sink. Even more fortunate – my dentist could see me this morning and all he had to do was glue it back in place. I know that I had that tiny repair done about 50 years ago, in Hong Kong. The dentist was amazed at how small the repair was and that it had been done in gold. All the dentists in the office came and looked at it. 

Hopefully, tonight’s dental hygiene activities will be a non-event.

Everyone is asking when will I be going to Hawai’i. End of October.  

I guess I should learn to tell one skipper from another. Maybe when I get old, I’ll work on that. 

Lovely day weatherwise. Accomplishmentwise – I didn’t do all that much. Made my FitBit happy. And, I learned a new butterfly.

Maybe this year, I’ll figure out a good Origami Bat. But, I am sort of in a butterfly frame of mind right now. 

Butterflies are self propelled flowers. ― Robert A. Heinlein

There. Vintage sci fi and butterflies.

My other accomplishment was finishing Colossus – the old 1965 sci fi novel. I was struck by how like the Orange Lord is to the President in Colossus. As usual, the author assumes that everyone will still smoke in the future. And, there will be jet/air cars. 

The great thing about vintage sci fi – is that there is tons of it. 

Back to the office tomorrow. Alexa  COMPUTER wake me a 5:30AM. I decided to call Alexa “computer” – like StarTrek. 

Good time of year to catch bees in flight. 

The 3M’s… Marbles, Money, Mobility. As we get old – we need to protect them. We can not do to much about Marbles. For now, if dementia is in our future – I don’t think we can avoid it or delay it. Sudoku Puzzles be damned. We can wear our helmets when we ride our Harley’s. And not do too many cocktails, tokes, or even prescription meds. But, if dementia is headed our way…we just have to hang on and enjoy the ride.

Money. Well, as long as we have Marbles. We can damn well watch our money. And set up barriers to protect our selves when we can not. 

Which leaves Mobility. When you live in a geezer asylum –  you soon realize how important mobility is. When you don’t have a car you know darn well how important it is. I live NEXT DOOR to a supermarket. And there are people who live here – who take the Asylum shuttle bus to the supermarket. And, it isn’t like we actually need anything from the supermarket. The asylum sees to almost all of our needs.

I dread the day when I can not walk up the hill from the bus stop. (Most of my friends worry about losing their car. I worry about trading my walking shoes for a walker.)

Carlton died with his 3M’s fully functional. That is how I want to go out. 

So, today, I rededicated myself to Mobility. I believe that my mobility will be helped if I keep my weight between 120 and 125 pounds. It has creeped over the 125 pound line and now is the time to be getting back in shape. For Mobility (and skinny jeans!)

Today’s main event was to review the 2016 taxes. My tax guy emailed my taxes for “review”. And “review” I did, think I found a mistake. Even after he fixes it – and after I include his non-trivial fee – I will still pay less taxes. So, he is worth it. Sorry Carlton. This guy is just better with bond amortizations than I ever was. Remember wayback when bond amortization landed me in hospital. 

It was a lovely almost autumn like day. But, school starts in this county on Monday. So, it must be getting to be the season. Pumpkin stuff will start showing up soon. Pumpkin coffee, not in my cup. But it seems to be a much anticipated Starbucks flavor.

Made it back to the Asylum at about 2PM this afternoon. Just in time for the monthly “Town Hall” meeting. I didn’t attend. Decided that doing laundry would be much more productive. Apparently, our leader, The Lady Linda said that the wifi improvement program was “a mess”. 

I must say, I was rather spoiled by good wifi service on the road – it was fine even after running it through a VPN.

And, while I was gone the in-house TV service has been upgraded. People are coming into our apartments to “fix” our TV’s to use the new service. Wonder what they will do when they can not find my TV! I get along just fine without a TV. Maybe I should empty out a space on my bookcase, run a cable from the cable box to the empty spot and report my TV “missing”.

Don’t you just love those dead mice  with dead butterflies attached. That was “art”. At the Wilson TN County Fair. We have a mouse problem here at the Asylum.  Wonder how this would go over at our next Inmate Art Show? I have considered putting origami butterflies in a Riker box and calling it art – but dead mice would be way more fun. 

I am just full of smart-ass ideas today. Better make some camomile tea and call it a night.

No photos tonight for the lamest reason. Shamu is recharging on the other side of the home and the photos are in shamu.

We were really tired when we stopped for the night. Had grilled cheese sandwiches and beer (me) and Manhatten (Trude). Then we crashed.

Back at the Asylum tomorrow.

It is all good