life in the old lane

This cartoon from 2001 is my traditional post. Carlton and I did nothing for New Year’s Eve – even when we were young. So, I’ll just have a normal New Year’s Eve. With my Kindle and a nice cup of tea of company.

I want to go out for breakfast tomorrow – but “my” waitperson is spoiled. She expects her tip in origami money. So, I had to make some more tip origami money.

This fish is much harder than the stars. I can make the stars while I am sitting at the table waiting for food – but fish needs to be pre-made. I may try to expand my origami skills.

I went to yoga class and walked 5.25 miles today. But that is about it. I filled up my fridge and freezer early this morning. Then, I was given a huge bag of frozen chicken katsu and a large bag of frozen beef teriyaki. They would fill up my freezer. But, my freezer is already full.

I declared it too chilly for swimming today – the water with a wetsuit would be fine. But, one has to get out of the water. And, it is cold and windy. Sunny but chilly.

And, here is the last photo of 2014 – with a little vintage postcard treatment.

(Those people on the beach are all visitors. They don’t realized that “Baby, it’s cold outside.”)

All things considered, 2014 sucked. I believe The Queen of England would call it annus horribilis. I am not going to say 2015 has got to be better. Things can always be worse.

I really shouldn’t have that picture of Mr C – getting his toe tag on the blog today – because this is the day that we always considered our anniversary. We have been together 36 years – today. That is half my life. It was a pretty good run. If only he hadn’t been so stubborn about going to the doctor – nope – don’t go there… Carlton lived his life just like he wanted to. No percentage in “if only”.

I am culling the 2014 images. There are more than a few pictures of Mr C in various stages of poor health. I think I posted most of them. I am going to keep every single picture I took of him this year.

Carlton was watching TV – actually – I think he was watching a DVD. Most likely a M*A*S*H TV show. He was into M*A*S*H in the weeks before he died.

Chilly, really windy, sunny today. Wind is blowing 81MPH up top of our mountain at this instant.

Oh, I started reading the camera manual today. It is amazing. I am sure I read it when I got the camera – but nothing sunk in. And,today,  I realized that the music stopped. I haven’t listened to any music since Carlton died. So, tomorrow – I’ll fire up the iPod. And see if I can get the music restarted.

We had dolphins today. Bottle nose dolphins. They are fun to watch, but they don’t do many aerials.  They were in pretty close and everyone and their dog – yes real dogs not figure of speech dogs – were out swimming, kayaking and paddle boarding with the dolphins. If I had had my swim gear on I would have gone out too. Carlton didn’t like me swimming out with the dolphins. But, I didn’t promise him that I wouldn’t. I would have been perfectly safe. It wasn’t that far off shore and there were lots of people and a couple of large dogs around.

It was cloudy and chilly today. So, I didn’t do the swimming and beaching thing today. I read and lounged on my lanai. After doing my fitness walk, of course.

Went out to the Old Airport in search of whales and found parrots. Our resident flock of burrowing parrots. According to the Bishop Museum, they “…possibly escaped from Kona Airport; first reported 1990. Flock of up to 14 reported through 2007, at least, includes some young indicating breeding. Flock roosts S of Kona Surf Hotel and reported S to Honaunau Bay, N to Hapuna Beach State Park, and inland to Pu’u Wa’a Wa’a. Also known as Patagonian Conure.”

Note to Bishop Museum: At least one flock is still around and they seem to be doing just fine. And, it is sort of appropriate that I found them at the Old Kona Airport.

We also have a flock or two of red headed green parrots. Maybe I’ll run into it one day this trip. The red headed green parrots are much smaller than these burrowing parrots.

I played around with manual focus today. Still haven’t broken down and checked the manual. I think I was just careless yesterday. Today’s results were acceptable.

Been in Kona almost two months. So, this morning I sort of cleaned up my stuff. Looked in all the drawers. Cleaned out my beach bag. That sort of busy work. I’ll try to keep myself here until March 1 or so. I am really want to get back to Arlington and start doing stuff. BUT, stuff doesn’t need doing yet. Tax stuff can not be started until February at the soonest. Time to chill out.

I found some red headed parrots from last February.

I thought I would like the dive boat peaking around the rock. I was wrong, I don’t like it. And, did I take a shot without the boat. Nope.

And today’s pictures have all been deleted. I am having a bitch of a time manually focusing my new camera. Which just means, I’ll have to work at it some more. Maybe even do a little research. RTFM. Since I can read again.

Lazy sort of a day today. Lazy sort of a blog entry too.

Has it been 12 weeks??? I think so. I guess since I am not absolutely sure – I must be getting better.

Decided against killer yoga this morning and went whale hunting at the old airport. Found absolutely zero whales. I did find these cute shore birds. I know nothing about birds. So, why not learn something. I found out that this guy is a ruddy turnstone. He or she is wearing non-breeding feathers. And, I didn’t see it turning any stones. They breed up around Nome Alaska and have been known to make it all the way to Kona in about 5 days. Which is pretty impressive. The ruddy turnstone was here when Captain Cook showed up. And, it is a regular winter visitor to this day. Stay tuned for more birds.

I was enjoying a chicken sandwich and a SteinLager this noon,  when the phone rings. It is the desk. I have a package. What could it be??? Well it is another huge boatload of Widow Woman Work. I just finished reviewing the pile. Some additional research is required. At least one thing will have to wait until I get back to Arlington.  And more official copies of my marriage certificate are required. So, I’ll have to order some additional copies. But, I don’t think there is anything “serious” or “threatening” in this pile. The most recent document was dated November 7. More to come or more piling up I am sure.

I have been encouraged to “move on with my life” … Moving on isn’t so easy when you are tied up in red tape!

When I get untied… I need to visit Paris, Namibia, and Singapore.

 Had an altogether fine Xmas Day. I watched the sun come up, took myself out to breakfast, did laundry, went for a swim, rested up after all that activity and finally went to an enjoyable supper with dear Canadian friends.

About the picture. Japanese love taking pictures. They take pictures of themselves everywhere. They like taking your picture and they like you to take their picture. This is not a cellphone selfie thing. This goes back years and involves cameras. Everything gets complicated when the camera involved in the “Please take my picture” exchange is really expensive. The other day I was on the pier with my expensive enough camera and the lens that cost as much as my first new car. Three Japanese were also on the pier with gear that made mine look like it was from K-Mart. But they wanted a group picture. They were going to have to hand that REALLY expensive Nikon rig over to someone. My camera must have been past muster – they asked me to take their picture. I did. Didn’t drop the Nikon. Then, they asked if I would like my picture taken. No, I said – but then I remembered – this was a little cultural exchange thing. So, I said “No, wait, please take my picture”. I handed over my camera – and this is the result. My Xmas photo.

About 3PM this afternoon, the wind stopped and the sun came out to play. So did Santa.

Went to yoga this morning. It was still cloudy and cool at lunch time. I got a turkey, stuffing, etc plate lunch and a beer. Had a good lunch and a nap.

 

We did not get much snow. Hiʻiaka will have to try harder next time. Her sister Pele is resting now too. The lava has stopped advancing – for now.

Note to Carlton: I am having one of Auntie Shirley’s cookies and coffee at this instant. But, then I never liked to share Auntie Shirley’s cookies with you anyhow, did I?

 

Note to Harlene. You can leave a comment …

Click on the number in the title bar – that takes you to the comment “feature”.

An altogether fine day. Cool, cloudy, windy, damp. All the locals were loving it. Got out our sweaters, hot cocoa, soup etc. The visitors were not so enchanted. The village was stuffed absolutely stuffed with visitors today. Hope they were spending money.

I saw my first whale of the winter today. My long held, but completely unscientific view is that whales like windy weather. No pictures. Maybe I need a longer lens???

All things considered, my decision to come to Kona as Carlton and I had planned has worked out well for me. My brain – which I now realize had been on the fritz for the last two years is starting to function again. I didn’t know that my brain had been off line. But, it had. The heart is more complicated.

 

Interesting weather today. Big surf. Big surf on our island isn’t huge more like 8 to 12 footers. And the wind was howling around – so it wasn’t good for surfing. 95 mph winds predicted for our “higher elevations”. Also snow. We’ll see if that happens. I didn’t really go swimming today. I bounced around in the ocean. Sort of like being in a washing machine. It was fun.

Today, I processed my big pile of paperwork that I got on Saturday afternoon. Some stuff needed attention. Everything has been taken care of – except for the thank-you notes. I’ll do them tonight.

Starting to feel more settled. Since I had 22 months of grieving before Carlton died – I think it is time for me to be more settled. This will be a dangerous time for me. Because I will want to “get things done”. Things that don’t need doing yet or at all.

I am also starting to feel better about moving to an old folks asylum. The plus side of  moving to the one that Carlton and I picked out is I am really sure of it’s quality and financial stability. I am sure there are fine asylums in other cities – but – I wouldn’t have the same warm fuzzy feeling that they would “take care of me” when I can no longer take care of me. I am “too young” to move to an old folks asylum. But, I am also energetic enough to do the move. Also, these places require a big chunk of non refundable entrance fee money. Moving in sooner means I get more for my money. And, frankly the monthly fees are no more than I am paying for rent. The only thing I’ll be giving up is my killer view and great location. My lease ends in April 2016.

Wishing everyone the best of the festive season – no matter what it’s called at your house. In pagan traditions, the solstice is a time to put away the things of the old year and look forward to the new. One observance of the solstice involves extinguishing all the fires in your home before midnight on the eve of the solstice and lighting a new fire the next day. This probably won’t be quite as symbolic if you have central heating.

The winter solstice falls on December 21 – the word solstice means “sun stopping.” The winter solstice is the day on which the sun reaches as far south of the equator as it gets, and is as such the shortest and darkest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. The solstice marks the rebirth of light for the coming spring.

The winter solstice also marks, among other things, the druid festival of Alban Arthuan – a time for bestowing gifts upon those less fortunate than ourselves. Out of this observance has grown the more popular tradition of gift-giving, Black Friday, Super Saturday, maxed-out credit cards and 70% off sales. May the goddess be with you during this season – but don’t blame her if you get fruitcake again.

Those of you who are friends of Carlton and Bill Wilson – know about Carlton’s famous “little book”. I am sure that Carlton would have told me what to do with the little book if he had known just how near the end was. I have the book. And look at it on a regular basis. On the Dec 21 page he underlined “I can face anything if I am sure I am on the way” and the marginalia reads 2013-CANCER. He was having daily radiation last December 21. Now, Carlton was not a religious a person. Whatever the way is/was it worked for him. I believe, for him the way was AA. For me the way is not so well defined. Nevertheless, this Yule season, I will remember the modern pagan blessing

I am grateful for that which I have.
I am not sorrowful for that which I do not.
I have more than others, less than some,
I am blessed with what is mine.

Well, Mr C is most likely spinning around in his drawer at the morgue at Georgetown. I was on my walk this morning and decided that I wanted breakfast. Eggs, rice, bacon, toast and coffee breakfast to be exact. Except for the bacon – I have all that stuff in my hotel room. But, did I come back up the my room and make my breakfast. Nope. I went to a real slow food restaurant and sat at a table and ordered breakfast. And, I left a nice fat tip. This was kind of a “declaration of independence” from 35 years of doing things the “Carlton Way”.

Note to Carlton: I know you always liked those silly college bowl games. Well, the Potato Bowl was on today. I did not watch. And, an update on the Redskins. They won today. I think this is the second game they have won since you moved to the next level. Sports wise, you ain’t missing much. Your old old tennis buddy, Mayor-for-Life Berry, he died too. He was 78. I don’t think he went to Georgetown – so you will not be seeing him around the campus.

On a more serious note – I got a bundle of mail from the apartment this afternoon. The first and most likely only shipment… Nothing looks serious. I just put things into stacks as I am wont to do. No reason to open up any envelope that might contain a problem that I can not do anything about until Monday – when I can at least call. But, nothing looks problematic or unexpected.

I know this theme doesn’t work with the large pictures – but – I still like it for a couple of days. And, I am too lazy to tweak it for just a week.