life in the old lane

Still trying to adjust to the drastically reduced views from the Old Bat Cave. On the other hand – wonderful fish tacos were not included in the rent at my old digs. Nor did I have a fine group of bestie neighbors. And, at this stage of life, I believe they really are Best Friends Forever. 

Finished up my most important job of the year at work today. The annual report to the feds about influenza vaccination rates. 

It is supposed to rain tomorrow and then rain even more on Sunday. But, I seem to be rather looking forward to just hanging out around the asylum. There will be a hopefully big “science march” tomorrow. My marching days are pretty much over. I really didn’t intend to have to do all this crap again when I got old. Who was it that said eternal vigilance is the price of liberty? Oh, right, it is carved on the National Archives Building. 

Maybe I’ll go to the Farm Market on Sunday in search of a nice fat basil plant for my garden box, if it isn’t too rainy. 

Almost everything wintered over. And the bronze fennel self seeded. So, I really don’t need to plant anything this year. Last year, I didn’t get the box until May 24. But, once you get one, it is yours, forever. Unless you ask for an “upgrade” if someone gives up their box. But, mine is perfectly fine. Lots of sun and somewhat protected from the wind. 

 

Came half way home from work on the bus today (walked the rest of the way). Then lunch and visiting while enjoying the nice spring weather. And a nap. And some photography. Then clean up the apartment for Elizabeth who comes in tomorrow morning to clean. Then a birthday dinner with friends. Finally a lecture on the state of the ocean. Another busy day in the life of an old woman.

Other than that it is a perfectly fine photo. I friend wanted a picture of a bird in the bird bath. I can do better. But, I disturbed this robin in his bath late this afternoon. 

 

Better late than never, for what? For the upcoming eclipse. All the “good” spaces were taken by this time last year – but – apparently some folk who made reservations a year ago are finding that they were cancelled or a not being honored. 

The only room I could find in one of the good places was $1200 per night with a 5 night minimum. Don’t think I am going to spring for that. 

Which leaves the not so good venues. Not so good mainly because of the serious possibility of clouds. For me it has to be a city. Since I am carfree. Columbia SC. Kansas City MO. Nashville TN. Oh and Charleston SC. Charleston is the most appealing option – but also the one with the greatest weather risk.

I ask myself – what is the worst that can happen? Not that I go and it rains. No the worst that can happen is – I don’t go – and the weather is glorious. The next total solar eclipse in the US will be in 2024. And I really don’t plan that far ahead! Heck, Aug 21, 2017 is way far in the future for me. 

And, I don’t want to be close to totality. I want to be right there. 100%. 

Figure that I have to make plans real soon – or all the rooms in the not so good venues will be gone too. 

BUT WAIT: an early plane on eclipse day would get me to any of those cities – except KC – with time to spare… Heck an airport might be a funky place to view an eclipse. Then hop on the next plane back to DCA. 

A nice spring day. Walk, bus, work, yoga, walk, bus, late lunch, nap, take pictures, water garden box. . . do blog, shower, dinner, read, sleep. Such is the life of a privileged old white woman. 

Frog legs on the menu tonight. I have nothing against frog legs. But, I am having a hard time warming to the idea of frog legs from the asylum kitchen. There will be no first hand report on the frog legs. 

 

 

I had 1,055 pictures of Carlton in my catalog. I am not very interested in some of them. 

Like this one, from his first wedding. I do notice the thing sticking out of his Mother’s head. Even in film-time that could have and should have been corrected.

But, in honor of his 82nd birthday – I grabbed one of the old film-time albums and digitized the first Carlton picture that I found.

This was from a road trip that we made in the fall of 1995 after working all summer at Harpers Ferry Park. We went to see all of the locations that were important in the life of John Brown, The Abolitionist. The photo is in Pottawatomie, Kansas. 

Well, Dearest Carlton, you thought you would make it to 82 since your parents did. And, after a fashion you did, in my heart. a hui hou malama pono

The Asylum is a lot like high school. We have a student council. We have a choir. We complain about the food. And we have committees. 

All of the cool kids belong to committees. And the coolest kids get elected to the student council. And, just like in high school – it really doesn’t matter what these committees and councils do or don’t do. 

But, you all know that I want to be one of the cool kids… Yeah Right! Well, the “Grounds Committee” sounded pretty harmless. Just the right committee for me. Old brown thumbed apartment dweller that I am. 

The last  grounds committee meeting was a hoot! Seems that there is a white truck that parks in the lot of the apartment building across the street.

And, one of the residents doesn’t like seeing the white truck when she is out strolling around the grounds. She wants a tree planted to hide the truck.

Think about this, boys and girls. That is a truck. It has wheels. Any day it could be driven away. Never to return. We are an OLD folks home. 34% of the folks in independent living are between 86 and 90 years old. What is wrong with this picture. Plant a tree – OK – maybe a fast growing white pine – do you really think that it will be big enough to hide said truck before the truck (or the resident) moves on? 

My idea – which I kept to myself – SPRAY PAINT. I was very mature. I didn’t laugh. Or say WTF. Stay tuned.

It is raging hot summer 89° here today. So, I went down and checked out the garden box. It is looking good. Lots of stuff made it through the winter.

 

Easter is a rather big deal at the asylum. Which, considering that this is a religious institution, really shouldn’t surprise me. Carlton and I completely ignored Easter. Which, considering that we were not religious, really shouldn’t surprise anyone. We were not adverse to partaking in a celebratory chocolate bunny. 

Which brings me to my eternal Easter mystery. Why is it call “Easter”???? 

The naming of the celebration as “Easter” seems to go back to the name of a pre-Christian goddess in England, Eostre, who was celebrated at beginning of spring. The only reference to this goddess comes from the writings of the Venerable Bede, a British monk who lived in the late seventh and early eighth century. Bede wrote that the month in which English Christians were celebrating the resurrection of Jesus had been called Eosturmonath in Old English, referring to a goddess named Eostre. And even though Christians had begun affirming the Christian meaning of the celebration, they continued to use the name of the goddess to designate the season.

So, there you have it. I am 100% behind celebrating Eostre. Especially if it involves dark chocolate bunnies. 

OK ladies. This one is for you.

Today’s Wall Street Journal had an article extolling the wonders of the 1970’s denim skirt. And, pointed out that one could buy said marvelous article of clothing for $695 – shipping extra. 

Well, check your closet, girl friends.

Now, this is my very own denim skirt. Now, it isn’t quite as shapely as the $695 version. I doesn’t have the extra seams in front. But, hey, it is still a rather wonderful 1970’s style denim skirt. 

And that is it for my trip to the zoo. 

I watched the news this evening in the Asylum Saloon. Fortunately the beer was good. The news was not.

My favorite zoo animal on the planet – the red panda. It was inside it’s glass enclosure. Not out in the yard.

And the Giant Pandas.

Eating and sleeping. That is about the entire giant panda repertoire. They were inside too. Not that it makes any difference they just sleep and eat outside as well.

One of the most interesting sights were the herons. The trees in the bird section were stuffed with herons. Apparently they checked into the zoo for a little R&R and a couple of free meals… One of the birding websites reported 200+ herons at the zoo on Monday. 

Harlene – please use the tiger. 

 

Just a couple of shots from today’s trip to the zoo. The zoo was “a zoo” today. Lots of people. Springbreak. But everyone seemed to be having a fine time. Even me.

As you might expect, I took lots of pictures. I hope I have about 10 good ones. But, my very favorite animal – The Red Panda – was hiding today. 

Back to work tomorrow. And maybe I come up with a few more photos from today’s zoo trip.

On the second day of Passover, the Press Secretary Spicer said of Hitler and Syria  – Hitler ‘didn’t even sink to using chemical weapons,’ although he sent Jews to ‘the Holocaust center’… 

Good thing for the current circus that United Airlines was an even bigger asshole and sucked some of the oxygen out of the room.

On a much cheerier note. Going to the zoo tomorrow morning.  And, there is a Floor Party tomorrow evening. Had dinner with four ladies from my floor this evening. And, there was “free” wine and bread pudding at dinner. Its all good. As long as I keep my head in the sand. 

The ambulance picks up you at the front door. The hearse at the loading dock. The hearse doesn’t have flashing lights. We always wonder “who did they take out?” It isn’t morbid or sad. It just is.

Life is very resilient. You have to admire a plant that springs up, nevermind the asphalt.

And, it is Squirrel Week at the Washington Post. What’s not to love about squirrels? Carlton’s Mother called them tree rats. She called me worse. But she was a very unhappy lady. 

Today is the 3rd anniversary of my Worse Day Ever. No, not the day I came home from work to find Carlton peacefully dead. But, the day that Carlton called me at work and said “I have Merkle Cell Carcinoma”. And, I Googled it. Of course there is a blog entry. There is a blog entry for everything. Has been since the spring of 2001. 

Nobody is promised tomorrow.

PS – I kinda like the ambulance photo.