Nobody is Promised Tomorrow. . .
Here I sit. In my vintage recliner. Pondering what to put in the blog when i spy a large bird. I think it’s an eagle. Indeed it is. Leap out of recliner. Grab telephone. Open window. And just as the bird is flying over the building get a lucky shot.
That is much more fun than the two shots scheduled today.
All the schools were closed. And the government was closed.
Today’s event for the day. Went to the dentist. Treated myself to Uber. Both ways. My fragile old lady bones are worth it.
Started the day watching cars slide down the hill sideways. The buses were too smart to try so they just parked and waited. By the time breakfast was over, that fun had ended. So, I did some origami and looked at a work problem.
No reason to stay indoors.
It was a very minor snow event.
Yesterday it was 50° and today it is 38°. According to my watch, I had gotten sufficient exercise this week so I stayed indoors today.
I wrote that yesterday. When traveling I carry everything I need in a small 2-wheel carryon and a small backpack. I don’t take unfinished projects with me. I don’t take anything ratty and worn. Or anything that doesn’t fit “just right”. If I take it, I use it. Every day or at least every week. Except for a few totally “winter” and completely “summer” items I intend to refine my closet to those items that I wear on a very regular basis.
As for unfinished projects. Some are already out of the Old Bat’s Cave and in the dumpster. A few worn-out clothes have also made it to the dumpster while others are in the donation box in my closet.
I did the easy stuff today. The rest will be harder. But, I need to remember how wonderful is it not to be possessed by possessions.
I’m feeling mostly ok except for the occasional electric jolts of face pain. Hopefully, this will resolve itself as the sinus issue continues to improve.
I want to make another lap around The Old Bat’s Cave and do some additional deacquisitioning. The older I get the less stuff I want to have. Even if I took the stuff off to my storage chicken coop, I would still know it was there. The Old Bat’s Cave is only 590 sq. ft. I got the hard stuff done last year. Maybe this year I’ll get the clothes under control. I crave simplicity. The life that I have when I am traveling.
Today’s project was soup making. I came up with a rather bland tortellini and veggie soup.
You know, I haven’t had a boring life. Even if I seem to be in a little lull right now. There’s nothing wrong with a little downtime. Just don’t want to make a habit of it.
A wasted day. But, a fine day.
And now Alexa is reminding me that it’s Aloha Friday and that means Happy Hour in 15 minutes. I can do that.
Did that. Gin and tonic. Grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup for dinner.
Did some bookkeeping today. Discovered I spent 111 days away from The Asylum last year. Maybe I can do better this year.
Today’s adventure was a trek to see the doctor. Nothing wrong, except this sinus crap, the appointment was made back in October. I am at the point where I need to have a doctor who knows me very well. So, I check in at least twice a year. Today she wanted to know who was to make the “Pull the plug on Peggy” call if I couldn’t. That’s the relationship that I want with my doctor. She wanted to know. And to know that it was someone who might be around and able to make the call. When I told her “My lawyer”. The next question was “How often do you see your lawyer?” The sinus crap. Well, neither of us was much interested in talking about it.
There is a fine linear dog park. It gets you off a busy street for a couple of long blocks. And, you don’t even have to have a dog.
I walked to the doctor’s. Most because I figure if I can walk 3 miles to see the doctor I can’t be all that bad off. After a quick stroll around Shirlington, I bussed it home. 11,500 steps today.
For at least 4 weeks every winter, the sun is completely absent from the Old Bat’s Cave. Well, today it peeked in for about ten minutes. That’s a start.
I declared myself sufficiently recovered this morning and had a normal but light day. I have only managed about 7,900 steps today. And just a little cardio. And, I returned to attempting to eat the food. This morning they even fucked up oatmeal. They must have run out. So, the added water. Cold water. I grumbled and microwaved it. They serve a lot of cold food, so there is a microwave for our convenience.
Found this fine mockingbird on my morning walk.
Not feeling worse today. Feeling better. But I don’t want to infect anyone. And I don’t want to eat the food here. Plus it rained all day. All good reasons to stay in the Old Bat Cave. I read, went to Zoom yoga, watched YouTube, and took a nap.
Having all this reading time available, I read an article in the Journal about adjusting to retirement. Now, I haven’t had a serious corporate job in almost 40 years. Consulting, Park Service, some hourly side jobs, etc. They filled up time and the piggy bank. But Carlton and I stopped “working” when he was 50 and I was 41.
This article says that after you retire you have to “Learn how to be at home”. I don’t believe I learned this lesson. To me “home” is where I keep my clothes. You would think that I would have learned how to be at home during Covid. But, it didn’t. I fought it every single day.
Guess what. I checked my watch. And it says my resting heart rate started climbing from the mid-50s to the high-60s on January 1st. So, that must be when the sinus issue went from irritation to infection. Will see if my heart rate goes down when I start feeling better.
BUT WAIT. THERE IS MORE.
Today I got an email that was obvious a product of ChatGPT. So I submitted my Twilight Zone rambles to Bard. This is what Bard came up with:
Dusting off an old Journal from a pile of “maybe laters,” I stumbled upon an article about adjusting to retirement. Funny concept, since “serious corporate job” hasn’t crossed my radar in nearly four decades. My dance card’s been full of consulting jigs, Park Service stomps, and the occasional hourly hustle – always something to keep the clock ticking. Carlton and I even ditched the whole “work” charade years ago, him at 50, me hot on his heels at 41.
But this article hits a funny bone when it says you gotta “Learn how to be at home.” Me? Learn? Home’s just where I park my boots and hang my hats – a pit stop between adventures, not a destination in itself. Sure, Covid tried to teach me that lesson, but let’s just say I spent those months locked in a tango with cabin fever, battling boredom one rogue sock pile at a time.
It’s “better”. But it ain’t me.
Okay. I don’t have trigeminal neuralgia. That’s a good thing. But, I have some as yet undefined respiratory virus crap. If I didn’t live in a place with draconian Covid quarantine rules, I would be rooting for Covid. Because, last time I had Covid, Paxlovid helped me a lot. Quickly. I am thinking it’s a sinus infection. And it started when I was still in Kona.
Grateful that if I have to be sick that I am at home and have some homemade soup in the freezer. And a box of oatmeal. And plenty of tea and coffee. Also, books to read. And 3 splendid old Terry Brooks audiobooks narrated by Dick Hill.
There is nothing I need to do. Nowhere I need to go. It’s OK.
Pretty soon I will start wondering when the sun comes back in my windows. Bet the orchids would like some rays too.
Grateful it was nice enough for a little outdoor walk. A big walk wasn’t required. I got all my weekly steps and cardio in. Today was just a mental health stroll.
Made a lap through the Kauai trip photos. Found this fine gecko.
I suspect a chicken got the original tail.
It didn’t even snow. Just cold rain. But, I got out before it got bad for a little walkabout. And, it’s not like I have to go anywhere.
Today grateful for hot shower with good enough water pressure, coffee, oatmeal raisin cookies, and a heating pad for my vintage recliner. And there is mac&cheese on the menu tonight.
The Old Bat isn’t very perky. I hadn’t been sleeping great and have lots of sinus pain plus an overdose of GERD. It ain’t Covid. It’s just old age. And why exactly did I think that a beer, pickle, and hotdog followed up with a big coffee was a good idea for dinner last night? Except for the sinus crap, I brought most of my troubles on myself.
We finally got it right. And, Jan 5, 1973, is Carlton’s AA anniversary. So he has 51 years today. That matters. The AA triangle is on his wedding ring.
Thanks for all the great years, Carlton.