life in the old lane

Found time to learn how to make a very easy very cute origami fly today. Actually worked on some of my Unfinished Objects and Projects. Shredded/recycled a bunch of “paperwork” that I brought with me to the asylum.  Finished up my trip arrangements. I have a place to sleep every night and the necessary reservations/tickets to get from Point A to Point B. 

1. 1. 1. 1. Bus – Metro – Fly to Denver April 19
         2. Stay in Denver April 19
         3. Fly to Lewiston, ID April 20
         4. Taxi/Bus? to Clarkston WA
         5. Stay in Clarkston April 21 and 22
         6. Boat – Clarkston to Portland. On Sea Bird April 23 – April 30
         7. Amtrak – Portland to Santa Barbara  April 30
         8. Stay in Santa Barbara three nights  May 1 – 3 
         9. Amtrak – Santa Barbara – Los Angeles – Chicago – DC May 4 – 6
         10. Metro – Bus – Home – May 7

This is a totally low-stress itinerary. All the flights and trains depart or arrive at civilized hours. Slack and downtime are baked in.  Maybe not enough time in Santa Barbara. Fondly remembering many restaurants.  And I have max seven meals in Santa Barbara.

The best of my week is frequently Sunday evening dinner with my accidental family. I realized how important Sunday evening is to me today when I decided to head back east a day earlier than planned. So, I would have a chance of making it home for Sunday dinner. Two hours with friends beats another day on the road. 

The way back. After lunch on April 30, train it from Portland to Santa Barbara. (About 30 hours). Hang out in Santa Barbara, which I really like, until after breakfast May 4. Train to LA -> CHI -> WAS. (65 hours or so)  Back at the Asylum in time for a shower before dinner on May 7. Amtrak willing.

Gratitude

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Lovely warm spring day. I totally enjoyed my fitness trek.

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So, I am almost all set for my little trip. Have to get someplace to stay in Santa Barbara. Somewhere near the Train Station. Because, if the train is late, I don’t want to have to walk too far in the dark.

And a fine job it did.  And, they are all happily making new leaves. So maybe I’ll get more to bloom next winter. 

Haven’t gotten the back home part of my little trip scheduled yet. I am struggling with myself again. Having a hard time accepting the limitations of old age.  I know that after a week on a small boat with Zodiak runs, small hikes and visits to wineries, I will be exhausted and dirty at the very least. Maybe cold and wet as well. Get kicked off the boat on May 30th after breakfast with the promise of a ride to the airport or a holding pen if one has a later flight.

This is a good problem to have! 

It hasn’t been all that interesting yet. But, the day isn’t over. Those gray clouds turned into big puffy white clouds floating around the warm blue sky. I am fine with boring weather. (As long as it is warm and sunny.)

I struggled to decide how to get to Clarkston, Washington. Should I go the cheapest way, the fastest way, or the most relaxed way? In the end, I decided on the most relaxed option: fly to Denver, spend the night, and then fly to Lewiston. From there, I’ll mosey over to Clarkston.

This option is relaxed because I can get to the airport easily on public transit. I’ll arrive in Denver in the mid-afternoon, and then I can either hang out at the hotel or visit the city (public transit works here too). The next morning, have a leisurely breakfast before taking the one and only plane into Lewiston. I will  arrive in Clarkston a couple of days early, which is be fine. I’ve already booked a room at the local Holiday Inn, conveniently located near the boat’s departure point.

I’m looking forward to relaxing and enjoying the scenery. 

I had to remind myself to: eat the cake, drink the good stuff, take the trip already! Not getting any younger here in the Old Bat Cave.

Today, I accomplished getting the reservations required to get me to Clarkston before 3PM April 23. And that I have a place to sleep every night until April 30. I’ll take care of that tomorrow.

Not complaining about Another Day or Another Sunrise. Just stating the obvious.

I gave myself a lazy day today. It was supposed to just be a physical lazy day, but I was starting to lose focus on the Unfinished Objects and Obligations.  Forced myself to finish my photo book about My Covid Year. 

OH JOY. Alexa just reminded me about Happy Hour. I must be getting old if I need Amazon to tell me to go to the saloon.  Our saloon loses money. So, I am trying to support the saloon. It’s my duty as a good little asylum rat.  (A bunch of the regular drinkers died off.) The “Beauty Shop” also loses money. I leave it to my friends to support that one. (The ladies who went for weekly shampoo and sets also died off.) 

First a meeting with my lawyer. I was early and so was she. We had a good session. Sort of an 8-year check up.

Then I got my exercise in – walking around the old neighborhood. Every time I go by Carlton’s last game tennis court and see that the sign is still up, it makes me happy. 

I had a sandwich, an orange, and a bottle of water with me. So, I stopped for lunch at this fine outdoor living room/dog park.  Trust me, there were dogs. Big dogs. Little dogs. All very well-mannered city dogs. 

Then it was off to the dentist. No problems were found. Finally, back to the asylum. 5+ miles. 13,000 steps. And, two things were accomplished. The Lawyer and The Dentist. 

 

April 23 to April 30. And for my first trick. How the heck does one get to Clarkston, Washington? It will be fun. Wine and zodiacs, what could possibly go wrong?

Getting the trip nailed down and paid for was today’s primary accomplishment.  Tomorrow the lawyer and the dentist. 

Gotta say, MidJourney’s apple blossoms are better than mine. 

 

The sky was fire red for a couple of minutes this morning, but no storm materialized. 

So, howzit working out? My inside job to get my sorry ass in gear and accomplish something. Well, finish all the projects. 

I didn’t finish anything today. However, I did stuff.  Stuff was shredded. And, I didn’t even scan it before I shredded it. Stuff was pitched into the recycle bin. Stuff is ready to good to the Goodwill on Thursday when I go see the Lawyer and the Dentist. Doesn’t that sound like a fun day? 

I always had deadlines. I have to trick myself into believing that I have deadlines. I am not too very bright. So, I think I can fool myself. For a while at least. Maybe long enough to finish some things. I am too old to have many UFO – Unfinished Objects/Obligations.

The rose went into composting this morning. It wasn’t taking up any room, but it wasn’t adding anything to my life either. Carlton is not a dried yellow rose. 

The Woman Who Doesn’t Fit In… That would be me. Don’t worry about not fitting in. I have always been one of those (Wo)Men Who Don’t Fit In – for those of you who never worked in Alaska – A little Robert Service, please:

Theirs is the curse of the gypsy blood,
And they don’t know how to rest.
If they just went straight they might go far;
They are strong and brave and true;
But they’re always tired of the things that are,
And they want the strange and new.

I have never fit in – anywhere, and I am cool with that.

And, if I had taken a photo at 8 AM Sunday – the flower was a fat green bulb.

I sorta put my money on the line for the boat trip down the Columbia and Snake rivers. But, I haven’t gotten confirmation that it’s a go. So, I am in a holding pattern while the boat decides if they want my money bad enough to take a grumpy old woman. Stay tuned. 

Figured out why I have not completed any of the many tasks and projects that are haunting me. None of them have drop-dead due dates. My entire life was run by due dates and schedules. And me being in panic mode trying to get everything done on time and within budget.

In my current life, there is no on-time or due date. So I never feel any need to actually complete anything. I just keep starting stuff and finish nothing and get more and more frustrated. But, I think I understand my problem. So, maybe, I can fix myself. Or Not. Stay tuned.

 

Yesterday’s popup bluegrass concert was outstanding. Terribly young. And, of course, they all have day jobs in Appalachia. Bluegrass is alive and well. We fed them dinner. I hope we paid them well.

I was a total slug today. The only thing I did was decide on my April adventure. Since I waited until almost April to get serious about the trip, my choices are not as great as they would have been 6 months ago. I am currently in my self-imposed 24-hour cooling-off period before I make the reservations and pay the money.

And what is this adventure? Well, sort of a trial trip for the big 30-day northwest passage trip in late summer. A week-long run from Clarkston WA/Lewiston ID to Portland OR on the Snake and Columbia rivers. I read this review of The Sea Bird:

“Sea Bird is a utilitarian vessel, not a floating resort hotel. The ship has three decks, no casino and one restaurant venue. While all cabins have windows, no cabin is larger than 120 square feet. Bathrooms are teeny tiny, and the narrow twin beds are immovable, either in an L-shape or with a nightstand in between. The spa is one small room; the gym is a set of three outdoor cardio machines. At night, passengers can’t go to a show, sing karaoke or even watch TV in their cabins.”

I knew that this might be my kinda vessel. There are Zodiak trips, a jetboat run up Hell’s Canyon, little (I hope) hikes to waterfalls, visits to a couple of wineries. Seems like a good adventure. And a chance to check out my raingear.  The challenge is getting to Lewiston, Idaho. Ending up in Portland I can always catch the train back home to keep the adventure alive a little longer. Amtrak’s Empire Builder is always an adventure in reliability. 

Maybe this will all be sorted out and paid for by COB tomorrow. 

Having dinner with the entire accidental asylum family tonight. All eight of us. We all look forward to our “everyone” dinners. We manage it 3 or 4 times a month. I really don’t know how I would survive here without my asylum family. 

PS – Dinner was great. Both the food and the company.

For no apparent reason, the pool across the street prepped for summer a couple of weeks ago. It is nowhere near pool season. In this area, the pools open at the end of May. Maybe there was an Early Bird Special on pool startup.

This is with my GoPro. I could/should do the lens correction thing. But, I sorta liked the fisheye effect. 

Been ensconced in my comfy chair thinking about going somewhere. After I see my dentist and my lawyer next week. 

Pretty decent bluegrass group playing here this afternoon. What could be more mournful than bluegrass music on a rainy afternoon in an old-folks asylum?  

Finished up a little work today. Got my room cleaned. Did a very little origami. Walked up the stairs a couple of times. And, before you know it it is Happy Hour. 

And for the first good news in a long time. Michigan repealed its right-to-work law.  All in all, a good day.