life in the old lane

I am feeling a little guilty about the 2nd in a row lovely day that we enjoyed here in the DC area today. It was so lovely that I got off the bus a couple of stops before mine so I could enjoy it to the max. 

When I got home I plopped down on the bed and noticed that my old lamp was still standing in the middle of the room. This would not do. I call the desk. In less than five minutes “staff” arrives to remove the offending lamp. 

Plop back on the bed. “PING” goes my phone. My county is nagging be to be sure my “emergency plan” is up to date. My emergency plan is to  lay in a nice supply of chocolate. Beyond that, “staff” will take care of me and my asylum sisters. 

Then it was time for another walk. And happy hour. And dinner. And “Its Aloha Friday”

Lucky live in the asylum…

I was asked to write a story for a cancer advocacy group – the story could only be 6 words. My cancer story is from Carlton: Hope is simply faith in action. Carlton’s actual words are “Hope is faith in action” – but that is 5 words. And 6 words were requested. 

A pretty ordinary day with great weather.

The Asylum decided it would be “fun” to have an outdoor movie tonight. It didn’t seem like fun to me – but they did have darn good popsicles. I ate a popsicle – took a picture – and left.

But, there really are no ordinary days, are there? Friends in the south are under water or waiting for whatever horrors Hurricane Irma has in store for them. And, friends out west are watching their forests burn. Persons of good will everywhere are concerned about North Korea and it’s nukes. (And the Orange Lord and his nukes.) I am most concerned about and EMP attack. But, that is just because that is what I would do. Of course, Mother Nature could launch her very own EMP attack with a well placed solar flare. 

 

Didn’t want to miss dinner so I say “Computer, 15 minute timer” and

It took about 15 minutes. It puts out a heap of light – with was the general idea. And, I hope that it will sort of vanish when turned off.

Next, I am going to connect it to Alexa… So I can lay in my bed and turn it on and off – just because. “Computer, Light on”. “Computer, Light off”

Today, my starter husband got snail mail here at the asylum announcing his umpteenth college reunion. I might add that Chuckles left my bed and life 40+ years ago. And my final husband got an email today asking him to “Link In” with someone. It has been almost 4 years since Carlton left this life in my bed.

And, I still use the bed. Thank goodness this bed can’t talk. 

Now how would Carlton like to respond? Boo! 

Back to work today, and a crazy day it was. I was happy to leave at 12:15. 

Came home, ate lunch. Was lazy all afternoon, drank beer, ate dinner and now back to being lazy. 

I figure my laziness is because my leg pain is acting up. Doctor says my leg is fine. It is my back that is going bad. And I just have to accept/deal with it. For sure nobody is going to operate on the old back. Yoga, booze, drugs… that is what I am doing for the back. In that order. 

On a more positive note. We are not under a hurricane warning. Nor are we troubled by wildfires.  Mother nature may have something in mind for us. A friend suggests locus plague. Mother nature is definitely pissed.  

And I had been doing so well lately. No prima donna melt downs. But, this evening, I just couldn’t stand the crowd in the geedunk at dinner time. So, I left. Walked out. On my friends. Not in a huff. I wasn’t mad or upset. I just didn’t want to wait forever to get waited on and then wait more for food to arrive. So, I left. Came back up to the Old Bat Cave and made a perfectly fine tomato and cheese sandwich, opened a bottle of beer and had dinner. Alone.

I am pretty sure that amends are in order.

Other than that, I had a fine enough day. For the last two years, I have been wanting a new lamp. What is so hard about picking out a lamp. Seriously. So, I ordered one from Amazon. I’ll either like it fine or not. It isn’t a big deal. I was just making a big deal out of it. 

And, I ordered a little battery radio. Seems to me that it is pretty silly to not be able to tune in a AM station or NOAA without cell or wifi. Because we all know that it is only a matter of time before something goes really wrong with “online”.  Heck even that punk kid in North Korea should be able to figure out how to set off an electromagnetic pulse that will at the very least be unsettling.

And, as is my custom on Labor Day, I remind one and all the you enjoy weekends and holidays because of Labor Unions. I remain proud to have been a member of Local 142 of the ILWU.

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.