life in the old lane

Sort of fell into a great mental rathole about 2PM. I dragged myself outside for a little walk and that helped. 

Mentally, I have about set my trip to Japan. But, I am also doubting if I am physically able to do it. And do I have enough available marbles left? One thing is for sure – I won’t be in better condition next summer. Maybe I should go in October when the weather should be more old-lady-friendly? Just wimp out, forget about Japan, and spend July in Bermuda. 

I was looking back at the Blog and my first trip to Japan in 2010 with my 17-year-old granddaughter. This is what I wrote on July 4, 2010, the day before departure.

I am getting into trip zone. Preparing for 20 hours of transit. Heading off on an adventure. A samurai tale. The old grasshopper and young cricket – each on a quest.

I always said that old age is the time to take risks. What exactly do you have to lose when you are 66 – maybe 20 years max. Years of decline. It is time to put your money where your mouth is, grasshopper.

And now I am 80. What exactly do you have to lose when you are 80 – maybe 6 years max. Years of ever-increasing decline. It is time to put your money where your mouth is, grasshopper.

If I am 100% honest… The best part of the day so far was naptime. Questioning the wisdom of heading off into the wilds of Japan. What do I have to lose? I am sure there are naps for the taking in Japan. 

Way back when Carlton and I lived in Ballston, we were surrounded by Run for the War and Rolling Thunder for 3 or 4 days late in May every year. 

No way I could run all over taking photographs like I did then. 2014 was the last year I went out to seriously take pictures. 

Three years after the Civil War ended, on May 5, 1868, the head of an organization of Union veterans — the Grand Army of the Republic (GAR) — established Decoration Day as a time for the nation to decorate the graves of the war dead with flowers. Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared it should be May 30. It is believed the date was chosen because flowers would be in bloom all
over the country.

The first large observance was held that year at Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. The ceremonies centered around the mourning- draped veranda of the Arlington mansion, once the home of Gen. Robert E. Lee. Various Washington officials, including Gen. and Mrs. Ulysses S. Grant, presided over the ceremonies. 

OK, I went into my “trip stuff” folder. I found 750,000 Japanese yen and 70 Swiss francs. I also found a Suica card – which is a strange Japanese part pre-paid credit card part transit card. Don’t know how much is on it. 

Seems like this is a sign from the travel goddess telling me to go to Japan. Now, in July, much of Japan is rainy and hot. My granddaughter Sam and I spent 4+ weeks in July-August in 2010. And we have both been back on our own since then. 

Then the Asylum management team would be a powerhouse. Today the management team spent an hour telling us how wonderful everything is. One resident asked management “OK, everything is better than it has ever been,  so why is one of the elevators broken again and why is my A/C not working?” (In our 14-year-old building all of the A/C units seem to be failing. I live in the older 35-year-old building and our A/C comes from some central cold store.)

Management fails to understand that many of us care a lot more about today than about ten-plus years from now and how good it’s going to be then.  

But, they mean well. Bless their hearts.

I got all enthused about going to northern Japan in July. Then I started feeling less than 100% confident about that plan. The problem with Japan is I don’t speak a word of Japanese past Sumimasen (which means “I am sorry”). And of course, I can not read the signs. Also, the Japanese don’t speak English. That’s my problem. Not theirs.

I am OK in Tokyo and Kyoto. I have been hopelessly lost in both cities but have always managed to find my way back to some known point. But, northern Japan isn’t urban. Outside of Sapporo, it seems to be very rural. But, interesting. Very interesting. And, they have trains and buses. But, the trains and buses don’t have apps. 

Choice 2 on my list is Switzerland. I don’t speak German, French, Italian or Romanish. But, I can read the signs. And that’s a biggie. Switzerland is also interesting. And it too has trains and buses. 

 

I had a fine time. Took public transit both ways and got in a little over 3 miles walking. But, it was warm and when I got back to the Old Bat’s Cave, it was nap time. 

My old body really doesn’t handle heat well. This distressing reality should influence my summer travel planning. I think that Singapore really has to be completely off the table for me. There’s just no time when it isn’t blazing hot in Singapore.

A nice day. Escaped from the asylum for a yoga class today. 

For a long time, I dealt with constant dizziness and mental fog. I just figured it was an inevitable part of getting older. But then, I decided to look closely at all my meds. I stopped all of them. Three days after stopping the medications, the dizziness cleared up, and I felt mentally perkier.

I restarted the blood pressure meds and continued to be fine. Next, the unnecessary cholesterol meds that I just take to make my doctor happy. I was still fine.  All that remained was an allergy medication that I have been taking since the last century. Guess what? A few days after adding the allergy meds to the mix – the dizzy foggy feeling returned. I disposed of those pills. 

Sure, it helped with the sneezing, but was it worth the constant fuzziness in my head? Absolutely not! Three days after stopping the medication, the dizziness cleared up, and I felt mentally perkier.

Intellectually, I know that old people are frequently over or wrongly medicated. But I didn’t expect that I would be one of those old people. I was wrong.

So, people. Watch those drugs. Just because they worked for you when you were 50 doesn’t mean they will still work for you when you are 80.  

I did stuff today. Very dull stuff. And, when you think about how old I am, dull is most likely a very good thing. 

I did get my lodging in Kona lined up for the coming late fall/early winter. Halloween to Xmas Day again. According to my notes, I was ready to leave after about 6 weeks last year. I believe it’s because I cannot swim as far or as long as I could before COVID. Also, the air conditioner was broken. And the place has zero cross ventilation.  And many of my friends have either died or they are no longer coming to Hawai’i in the winter. Bottom line. I’ll be ready to leave on Xmas Eve as is my custom. Maybe I’ll train it back to the East Coast again. 

Kyoto, Singapore, Switzerland, Dijon, Bermuda. All candidates for my “summer vacation”. It’s not easy being a dull old woman.

And this is an Episcopal Bishop. You know Archbishop of Canterbury. King Charles not the King Chares spaniel but The King Charles III. The National Cathedral. A serious old-school religion. And the bishop has purple hair. Guess you gotta love the bishop is female too. 

I totally behaved myself. Took 265 photos and culled them down to 25. And, I packaged them up and sent them to the chaplain. So, the job is done. 

It’s cool and damp again today. But not complaining. All too soon it will be blazing mid-Atlantic summer hot. And I managed to pull myself out of yesterday’s do absolutely nothing morass. 

This is not to say that I was a ball of energy today. Not even close. But, I did manage some yoga and an almost brisk walk.

Tomorrow I have a little photo job. I have to take some pictures at a religious service. You know how desperate they must be if they need me to take pictures. Remember, I am the person who believes that we are NPCs in a cosmic D&D community.  

But, trying to take this little job seriously, I checked the venue this morning. Well, it’s not like I actually spend any time in the chapel. But, I did know where it it is located. 

So tomorrow morning I will suit up, put my Pixel Phone in my pocket, and go off. Photos will be taken. 

Did nothing at all today. Nothing. Nada. Zero. Zilch. But, I didn’t kill anyone. And Mai Tais were $3.50 at Happy Hour this afternoon. So, it’s all good.

I really did nothing at all today. That’s pathetic. Maybe I’ll do better tomorrow.

Rarely do you score big at Goodwill. (1) they are smart enough to recognize a Prada bag – even an olive drab one – when on arrives at the donation center and (2) if Goodwill misses it – the eBay resellers will swoop in on it like the vultures they are.

But, there it was. I am 90% sure it is authentic. And if it’s not it’s a damn good copy. And it is surely worth the $4.99 that I paid for it. 

That was today’s adventure. And no, I didn’t need another little purse. But, I know I’ll use this one because it’s the right size and very light. And, it’s Prada.