life in the old lane

I was hoping that the owner would show up. But, he/she didn’t. It was a lovely, perfectly restored machine. Parked at the curb by Revolution Cycles across from Whole Foods in Clarendon. (My old neighborhood. I bussed back “home” today.)

Seems that I have gained weight after one week on the train and three weeks back home in the asylum. At the current rate – I be 50 pounds fatter by this time next year. The alarm has been sounded.

The problem is the unlimited access to food that “I have already paid for”. That is Carlton-thinking at its finest. Well, there is the other problem – I just love to eat. I have to think up some sort of control mechanism. If that fails – I’ll just have to stop eating the asylum food – never mind that it is “already paid for” – and revert to cooking for myself. Will power. Or may “won’t power”. I won’t have dessert. I won’t have wine. I won’t have soft ice cream. I won’t have seafood imperial or lobster newburg.

Note to Carlton – I found your DD214 – the one I made you get years ago. So, I can stick you in the columbarium at Arlington if I am so disposed. Or I can take you back to Hawai’i and put you in the foundation plantings and flower beds at Hulihe’e like you wanted. Or I can tell Georgetown to put you in Mt Olivet. You really are dead and it really will not matter. Hulihe’e or Arlington means that someone – my lawyer I suppose – might feel like I will need to join you at one of those venues. If you are at Mt Olivet, I could “join” you. Georgetown could just leave what is left of me there too. I am pretty sure you don’t care what happens to you – just “Don’t put me in the ocean – I get seasick!” (I am thinking that Georgetown will be finished with you within the next couple of months. Or not.) And that is my Easter message.

I am hungry. Time to go downstairs and try “restraint” and “moderation”.

Interesting day at the office. I started and finished a project. All in one 4 hour day.  And, here at the Asylum – Happy Hour with new friends. This is the second week in a row. So, a new “tradition”. A good way to end the week.

Feeling more settled in here in the Old Bat Cave. Wonder what I’ll do this weekend? It might be time for another weekend technology timeout.

 

Well, I have figured out how to to get to and from work with a minimum of hassle. And, I am getting to know my way around the bus system in my new neighborhood. This is making me happier with my new digs.

Walked around the new neighborhood after work. It isn’t anywhere near as fun as the old neighborhood was for walking. (Or shopping.) But, I am dealing with it.

Think I go make an origami bunny. Then go down to dinner. Crab Cakes are the special. They make great crab cakes here.

Lovely spring day. Lots of walking. The FitBit is happy. The body is feeling a little over exercised. And, my feet are wondering why did I think it would be a great idea to walk 5 miles the first time I wore my new shoes.

One of my friends reports on the critters he sees on his daily bike commute to work. Well, here is mine: 1 rabbit. 1 chipmunk. And one unfriendly dog.

Took a few photos along the way home.

The inmates here at the asylum keep talking about “writing a book” or doing an autobiography or memoir. They asked me to join their writing club. Well, it occurs to me that I am actually writing my memoirs. One blog post at a time. Not to mention – no one would care about my life. Heck, I am not very interested in my life. And, as soon as I am not around to pay for web hosting and domain registration – well – this will vanish. Impermanence. Very Buddhist.

Another attack in Europe, Brussels this time. It is the “new normal” in the world. We have forgotten that we have seen these times before. London and the IRA. Paris and the Algerians. The US and the Weather Underground in the 1970’s. We had all of the horror but 1/100 of the media. It didn’t seem so horrible.

I feel sorry for all the peace loving Muslims unfortunate enough to be living in the non-Muslim world. How scared you must be. Scared to let your boy play soccer. Scared to send your pretty teenage girl to school in her headscarf. And heaven forbid your mother goes to the store in a jilbab. (That is most likely limousine liberal clap trap.)

Nevertheless, Peg, remember that Mother Nature is a cruel heartless bitch.

Gotta read Heart of Darkness again. Quotes from it keep bouncing around my head.

After a three mile walk chilly walk and a short bus ride home – I stopped off at the asylum Bistro for lunch. Before I even went upstairs. Got the “special” salad. It was very good.

I don’t usually do salad dressing, and I never do orange dressing. Reminds me of what was called “French” dressing back in the day. And, it surely was reason enough for the French to consider us uncivilized barbarians.

A windy, chilly, day and I am watching turkey buzzards circling around. Not cool having buzzards circling the asylum!

Walked from the hospital to the lawyer’s office. Then continued on to 7 Corners. Where I checked out Danskos. They didn’t have any. Then, I ran to catch a bus to the asylum. Would have missed the bus – except – there was construction. So, I was able to get ahead of the bus.

Interesting. For many years, I lived 2 blocks from that shopping center. And, I am sure that I always drove to the shopping center. I was SO suburban then. In 2002, the Beltway Sniper took down #12 at our shopping center.

http://www.pegbethany.org/weblog/daybook017/021015.htm

Those were really grim days for me. Mom had just been diagnosed with terminal cancer. Carlton didn’t seem to care very much. People were being shot at random. Carlton did care about that either. He said I was getting all worked up about things I couldn’t do anything about. Which was true. I wanted sympathy. Not “Put your big girl panties on!”

About shoes. I ordered a new pair of Sanita clogs from Zappos. Dansko clogs used to really be Sanita clogs. About five years ago – they went their separate ways. My hope is that the Sanitas will be exactly like my old Danskos. I figure Zappos sells lots of shoes and theirs might be “fresh”. And, at my age – how long do they have to last anywhy?

Mentally, I am better today. But, I was pretty sure I would be. It is still cold and rainy. Except for a little brisk walk to the grocery – I stayed in today. Way in. As in, in my apartment. I went to the gym at 0615 and knocked off my 10,000 Fitbit steps. Plus got some good endorphins running around the brain. Then I went to breakfast. And off to the grocery next. Then I went into my apartment – closed and locked the door and I have been in here ever since. I made my own lunch and got room service to bring me soup and sandwich for dinner. Sunday dinner in the restaurant is a zoo, because only one restaurant is open. Room service works great – it just costs $4. Well, I’ll cheerfully pay $4 to avoid having to deal with the crowd. I know Carlton – you are kicking up a fuss over there in Georgetown. Trust me. I can afford $4. For what I paid to park your car at our old apartment – I can have room service EVERY night.

So, I napped. I listened to a audiobook. I read and I messed around with my photographs from last year. Hence, the bat picture. And, the American Samoan Mickey D’s on Xmas Morning. I think I had Xmas breakfast there. Gotta love Egg McMuffin and Coffee any morning of the year.

Tomorrow is another day and another week. Lots to do at work. And, I learned a good lesson today. I can stay in my room. I don’t do group things well. I never did group things well. And, now I live in a great big group home. It is necessary for me to get away from my 500+ new best friends from time to time. And, Sunday is a good day to withdraw from the community.

This widow business sucks. Carlton was high maintenance. It was “The Carlton way or no way”. But, damn, after 18 months – I still miss having him around. Having someone who knew me better than I knew myself watching my back. Today, I feel like I am furiously swimming against the current – making no progress. But, I have to remember that soon another wave will come along and get me unstuck.

And, it doesn’t matter that there are 500 plus friendly neighbors right here at the asylum.

Positives: I got the tax stuff done today. Maybe that is why I am feeling a little depressed. And, I started the day off with an hour on the treadmill. Plus it is cold and rainy outside. Wait – this was supposed to be about positives.

Think I’ll head downstairs and see what the dinner special is… But, I am thinking I’ll eat in tonight. And read.  I miss talking to Carlton about what we were reading. Nevermind that I had to get the books for him and put them on his Kindle.

There is no dinner special tonight. I shall fix my own supper. And hopefully, by tomorrow morning – I will have escaped from this “grief hold down”.

Update on the Shoe Failure. Apparently it is not unique to Dansko. The material used for soles just “dies”.  Suddenly. Guess I am lucky that just one corner of mine turned to dust. (So far.) And, these shoes seem to die quicker if they are not used. Which makes sense – since they were left in the closet all the time I was in Hawai’i. If I get a new pair – how will I know if they are “fresh”? I would hate to get a pair that had been in a warehouse for 4 years.

My clogs were a little muddy. So, I was giving them a little wash. To my surprise – one of the heels was completely worn out. And, it seems to have a monster stone wedged in a hole.

So, I guess I need new clogs. Who know those things would ever wear out? And upon research – it seems that these things can not be resoled since neither Dansko or their arch rival Sanita sell the soles to repair shops. Also, research indicates that these soles disintegrate suddenly.

Ah, the problems of being a car-free person. Your shoes are really important.

The DC Metro was broken today. I used that as an excuse to telecommute. Getting to work is much more work than it was from my last two apartments. It is 3.5 miles to walk or 2 bus rides.

Last night a dinner, I was eating alone – which is fine with me. A couple of old ladies were discussing their adventures as Army nurses during WWII at the next table. One of the women apparently spent most of her time in New Guinea. My Father was in New Guinea during WWII. And, this same woman mentioned that she had joined the Army to escape West Virginia. I was born in WV. My Mother was born in WV.

So, I had to ask “Where in WV?”. Williamson says the old lady. She was born in 1921; so was MomIda. I tell her about my Mom being born in Williamson. Figured I shouldn’t spring my Dad and New Guinea on her. We were both a little amazed by the WV connection.  I’ll tell her about Dad someday soon. She mentioned having relatives in Ashland, Ky. I think I do too. Seems to me that Phyllis and I might share a cousin or two. Or she and Dad might have done the nasty in darkest New Guinea. Or both.

Phyllis is 95 years old. She says she has had a grand and glorious life and she is damn pissed that it is coming to an end. She circumnavigated the globe alone twice in her 80’s. Once by freighter. And, a second time by plane.

She sets the old woman bar pretty high!

 

Went to yoga after work today and then walked home. Didn’t make it home until 3PM. So, I missed my nap. Sort of missed lunch too. Soon, I’ll head down to dinner.

Waiting on the bus at O-Dark Hundred this morning, I ran into another inmate. She is only 61 and still works downtown. Her husband is “older”. So was mine.

Went to a little meeting about our “dining options” late this afternoon. Most interesting thing – they serve about 1,300 meals every day here at the asylum.

After a night over water – my first stop in Portland was Voodoo Doughnut – visit their web page and you’ll see why I had to go. It was just a little shop in a rather “sketchy” part of town – my kind of place.

Some additional photos:

I went back to work today. It was cold and rainy.