life in the old lane

A tsunami is supposed to be coming. At about 4 AM Carlton woke up with a cough. I was already awake and the mainland called. So, when the sirens went off at 6 AM I wasn’t alarmed. Nothing alarms Carlton. But “air raid” sirens always alarm this child from cold-war-days.

So what are my plans:

1. Move the rental car a couple of blocks up the hill (done).
2. We are supposed to leave the hotel at 8AM. I think we’ll sort of hide under the bed. We are on the 3rd floor. A good 30 feet above sea level.
3. But, I am packing my escape pod. That is my back pack with: water bottle, iPod, cell phone, the Airness, and a book. Also, passport, credit cards etc. Any maybe the Airness power brick. And, the expensive camera. All the batteries are charging up at this instant. And, I’ll toss in some granola bars.

All the gas stations are packed. And, the toilet paper, rice and spam is jumping off the shelves at the grocery stores.

Just in case we missed it – the alarms are going off again and the hotel banged on my door again telling me to leave by 8AM. So, I’d better pack my escape pod – just in case.

More later…

The air is really cruddy today. At least I hope it is the air that is bothering me – and not that I am getting what ever it is that Carlton has.

Carlton can not speak today. He can not get one word out. He has written a few notes. I had to “call in sick” for him this morning. Those who know Carlton know how unhappy the man is when he is speak-less.

Been thinking about this Japan thing. 30 days of rice balls and miso soup with pickles for breakfast? No bagels. No South Beach Diet Peanut Butter Bars. I don’t think they have cheese or Jiff Peanut Butter. Well, I can stuff every space in my suitcase with South Beach Diet Peanut Butter Bars. But, they do have Bento’s  and noodles. And 216 Starbucks.

About that killer whale that killed his trainer – way to go whale. Knock off a few more trainers and maybe no more whales will be captured for our “amusements”. Then again the Japanese eat killer whales. They also eat killer sashimi. But, at least the killer sashimi kills a few dinners every year.

Lunch was yakisoba noodles. Dinner will be sandwiches.

I have taken leave of my senses. I think I am going to be spending July in Japan with the oldest grand. Japan isn’t on my Bucket List – but it is on hers. It is bad enough that you have to spend a month with your grandmother – so it might as well be somewhere where you are damn sure you’ll not run into any friends 🙂

Like the geek that I am – first thing – download a Japanese language crash course for my iPod.

Carlton seems to be getting a cold. Not a good thing. Because about this time (7:30 PM) on week from now – we’ll be starting to make our way home. Oh, Carlton will be over the cold – but – I will have gotten it. Poor Peggy.

I was feeling lazy and didn’t go swimming in the ocean. Then later this afternoon – Carlton reported seeing a shark out close to where I usually swim. He was safely on the pier. Maybe I’ll confine my swimming to the pool for the next week.

Lunch was some more of that fine tuna, with rice, broccoli, tomatoes and avocado. Dinner will be something with chicken.

STEP AWAY FROM THE COMPUTER. YOUR TUMMY IS OVERHEATED.