Nobody is Promised Tomorrow. . .
Let us agree that Joe Biden has had a really shitty June and let it go at that. No matter what happens next, the Republic is fucked.
Men go and come, but earth abides. The trouble you’re expecting never happens; it’s always something that sneaks up the other way.
George R. Stewart. Earth Abides, 1949.
The sun did come up this morning.
I am my own worst enemy. Why do I go down doom-scrolling and “shopping” rat holes? I don’t shop. But, I spent too much time talking myself out of shopping. I don’t need anything. Nothing. Not clothes, books, origami paper, luggage, anything. And I truly don’t need to doom-scroll. That’s what Carlton called the wreckage of the future. Hello, my name is Peg and I am powerless over myself!
Went outside this afternoon to get away from online. The plan was to walk a little and take some photos.
That didn’t work.
There are maybe two dozen unkempt rose bushes out front. Rose bushes are very labor intensive. If it has been decided to replace them, they should be removed now. If I were trying to decide where to live, I wouldn’t pick somewhere that didn’t take care of the grounds. It’s like choosing a restaurant that has plastic flowers on the tables.
However, just a few feet away, we have a nice area that the residents maintain. Maybe the prospective inmates and their families won’t notice the dying rose bushes.
Going to go off-line now. Do some origami until dinner time.
It was over 95° today. I went out for my brisk walk around the “big block” when it was 95° and I added my 4.5-pound purse to the mix. Trying to get a little in shape for my trip to Japan.
Grateful for my Asylum Family. Old age sucks and I don’t know how I would manage it alone.
Well, I went to see the orthopod today. The great news is: my hip bones look fine. Not fine for an 80-year-old woman but fine for anyone. As for the pain. Well, I was more or less told that any of the possible medications would cause more problems than they would solve since I am an 80-year-old woman.
I can deal with this. Especially since I have known more than one person who ended up with major GI bleeds due to NSAID usage. And several who had ruptured tendons post cortisone injections.
So, yoga and walking it is. The doctor prescribed a strong 24-hour NSAID with black box warnings regarding its use in older individuals. I was instructed that I could take one on the day of my 14-hour flight if experiencing significant pain.
Oh yes, he did suggest that losing 10 pounds might help. I am currently focused on the “might” word. I do have a pair of much loved pants that don’t zip anymore. . . So, we’ll see.
This is my last day of “enjoying poor health”. Think I’ll go outside and try to stir up some rain this evening so I can maybe skip watering the cutting garden tomorrow. Then dinner with the asylum family. One is in Guatemala and another is locked up with Covid. But, we are a large family – there will be six of us.
Sleeping in happens when I have my eye mask on.
90° this afternoon. Only walked 3 miles today. Seeing the orthopod tomorrow. Spent way too much time filling out the online forms today. But, I always hated filling out those forms in the doctor’s office.
Our annual Gay Pride “Parade” was this noon. It was followed by a drag brunch which I didn’t attend. Seems to me that celebrating Pride Month with a drag brunch is like celebrating Black History Month with a minstrel show. But that’s just me. I believe it was well attended.
The weather is lovely today. Only 89°. And not too humid.
After a little nudging from an old friend, I made an appointment to see an orthopod about my hip on Wednesday. I carefully selected an almost retired doctor. One who doesn’t do surgery any longer. You know what? Just making the appointment made my leg feel better.
I played a little mental game. I made a Minimal Packing List for Japan.
1. Passport
2. Credit and Debit Card and Suica Card
3. Phone
4. Phone charger and cable
5. Power Bank
6. BP Meds for a month
7. Underdrawers (1)
8. Dress
9. Socks (1 pair)
10. Deodorant – Essential considering the wardrobe limitations.
This assumes I have pants, a Merino tee shirt, a sweater, and shoes and socks. Well, even I wouldn’t fly naked. The power bank is not essential. I am sure one could be found anywhere in Japan.
Could I do it? Yes. Would I want to do it? Well, not exactly.
It’s fun to think about.
And some of this only works because I am going to Japan. Japan uses US plugs. And, even the most modest Japanese hotel supplies PJs, slippers, shampoo, combs, toothbrushes, toothpaste, etc. But not deodorant.
Some of the hotels I’ll be staying in have laundry facilities. You put on your PJs and slippers, throw all your clothes in the washer/dryer, then head to the communal bath, get naked, shower, and relax. You just hope the Japanese washer/dryer doesn’t ruin your clothes. I’m not completely comfortable with putting all my clothes in an unfamiliar washer/dryer.
Nice hot summer day. Don’t think it made it to 100 today because some clouds showed up.
After a nice long nap – I launched an assault on Shutterfly over this quality control lapse. I figure my mental facilities are OK as long as I can go 3 rounds with “customer service” and get an admission of “it’s our problem, not yours”. Well, I knew it was their problem all along.
Next time I am feeling especially perky I’ll get my SSL certificate renewed and installed.
You are troubled by raccoons, rabbits, and deer in your yard. Your human neighbors are the problem in your Asylum garden box.
Time for a little pre-dinner walk. This leg/hip/back issue of mine is definitely helped by walking. Which, for Japan, is a good thing.
Oh, I got detained in the elevator last night. I was alone. That’s a good thing. The elevator was stopped. That’s a better thing. The elevator announced that it had a “problem” and I should call for help. HELP. I am not sure why the elevator didn’t call for help. Before long the “Open Door” button worked and I quickly exited and walked up the stairs.
Thinking about Japan and my gimpy hip. NO! not thinking about canceling. I am confident that if something goes seriously wrong in Japan between, my medical evacuation policy, medicare supplement plan F, and my Master Card – I’ll be fine. Japan has a first-class medical system.
I have been making it a point to go up those stairs daily. Sure we have stairwells in The Asylum. But these look more JR Yamanote Line-like.
In Japan, everything you want is always at the top of a set of stairs. Or it’s at the top of a hill.
Oh, how is the weather here?
Toasty. That’s how it is. But The Asylum A/C has been on the job. I doubt that we will be dining al fresco tonight.
The sun is about as far to the left of the Washington Monument as it gets. By November the sun will be gone from my view and it doesn’t return until late February. I am a big fan of the sun.
In anticipation of tomorrow’s weather, I completely soaked the cutting garden that is under my care. I also soaked my dress which I was field testing prior to my trip to Japan in two weeks and a couple of days. It will get soaked in Japan.
My wonky leg. It’s still kicking. I suspect it’s my back that is causing the problem. I only got 8,000 steps today.
Major Wakeup Call. For the last couple of weeks, my right leg has been problematic. Enough so that I considered considering scheduling an appointment with an orthopod.
Last night I went out to dinner. We had a long leisurely drink, eat, catch up, and gossip kind evening. When it was time to leave, everyone popped up from the table—everyone except me. I struggle to my feet. and catch up. Walking is challenging. Then. The stairs in the parking garage. Every step was torture. But, I made it.
So. What am I going to do? Go see an orthopod? Not yet. I plan not to sit for more than an hour without at least standing up. I walked about 9,000 steps today. Going out to dinner again tonight. Will see how I do.
Being old is a bitch.
Almost every day I run my posting by ChatGPT or Gemini. It always comes back “better”. But it isn’t me. It’s some ghostwriter, pretending to be me.
I often wonder. Would Carlton like it here at The Asylum? Of course, he would be 90 if he were here. Would he be working in the wood shop? I have a tough time imagining a 90-something Carlton. Would he be playing pickle ball or would he still be playing tennis? Most likely the last 10 years would have driven him batshit crazy and he would be a resident of The Asylum’s locked floor.
There’s more heat coming.
AND
It belongs to the Keeper of the Cutting Garden. She will be away for the next two weeks or so. And I will try to keep all of this stuff at least alive and maybe even happy.
I don’t think I’ll get much help from Momma Nature.
Don’t get me wrong. I am grateful for every new day. My origami buddy and I were talking this afternoon. We are both facing “lasts”. I am pretty sure this solo trip to rural Japan will be my last “adventure”. Oh, I hope to be able to go places. But “tame” places. Like barge trips to the south of France. Or a train trip across Scotland. Or another cruise ship. One problem is I am about to age out of my medical evacuation insurance. A more serious problem is my brain and body are wearing out. Not rusting out mind you. Wearing out.
I am not a fan of wheeled luggage. But, the time has come. I hauled out this old “rolling briefcase” I used to haul camera gear around. It’s sturdy as a battleship. The wheels are excellent. It weighs 5.3 pounds. Even when fully packed, I should be able to lug it up and down stairs. (Japan has a lot of old people. But there are many stairs and few escalators or elevators in the rail/subway system. ) And, it’s small enough to fit on a rural bus or small train.
And, I’ll take my trusty old purse. I am an old woman. I can do that. Or I might take my little backpack.
The backpack and purse are interchangeable in weight, capacity, and utility.
I have been planning this trip to Japan for a couple of weeks. Chatting away with my new best friend Google Gemini. And I made a lot of hotel reservations on Japanese language hotel sites. Trusting that Google did the translation properly.
First I had to accept that this is how the calendar for July translates. (this was pretty consistent)
Then there are all these interesting rules. And sometimes I had to decide if I wanted a “shower and toilet” or “breakfast and toilet”. (I picked breakfast every time.)
Today I gathered all of my email receipts and I have successfully reserved 11 hotel rooms for 26 nights. No overlaps. No holes. Not too shabby of an ancient old woman.
It remains to be seen if there will be a room for me when I show up. But, that’s not a problem until it is.