life in the old lane

The train made up all of the lost 2 hours and we arrived in Chicago 15 minutes early. I went for a very small walk around Chicago, it was sunny but 18degrees and windy. Drinking coffee and reading in a comfortable chair in the station seemed like a better way to spend 3 hours.

I packed for my trip yesterday morning and decided to leave the Mac book at home. I really don’t need any extra weight to lug around and there’s nothing that I really need the computer for.

I also left the Google watch at home. It gets confused when it’s on the train and I sure don’t need to be nagged about walking every ½ hour. But, I did find myself checking my old school watch to see have far I walked earlier today. New habits die hard.

In about an hour I should be getting on the Southwest Chief. It should arrive in LA on Monday morning. It’s the southern yellow route on the map.

Critters. Flock of turkeys, any number of buzzards, one squirrel eating a cookie, some cattle including some very cute fluffy brown calves.

Time to get a little more walking and fresh air before 43 hours on the train.

On the train but they just announced that there was a problem and they were working on it. We may not be going anywhere.

Under way one hour late.

So far so good on the train. We are about 30 minutes behind schedule. And they sent a text saying we we’re going to lose 90 minutes in Huntington. We can get off the train. But I’m not getting off a train at 10pm in West Virginia.

There’s a 3 hour layover in Chicago, but now it’s just one hour. I will either make the connection or I won’t. For now I am just looking out the window, reading a book and drinking coffee. Life is good.

And there’s enough signal to post this. BTW, I am on the southern orange path between Washington and Chicago

Hopefully by this time tomorrow, I’ll be zipping my way through West Virginia on schedule. Yesterday’s train hasn’t made it to Chicago yet. It’s 9 hours late. And the train to LA is long gone. There is supposed to be a 3 ½ hour layover in Chicago. If I miss the train, I’ll take a plane. Not a problem.

I am taking warm clothes because getting “stuck” somewhere cold is a non-trivial possibility. Also taking some granola bars.

Pretty sure I’ll not be able to post anything tomorrow evening. There is lots of no cell-service space on this trip.

OOPS, just got a text telling me that I was needed at dinner early and in a “nicer clothes” venue. Notice, nicer clothes. Not nicer food.

Well, I was wrong. The food and the company were both excellent. The text actually said “… put asses in the other 2 seats by 5:15”. 

It’s 26°. Winter storm warning for tomorrow morning. Totally unacceptable weather. I just hope it doesn’t mess up my travel plans. It’s all about me.

Today, I did very little. I wish I could wrap up my taxes, but a big piece is still missing. So, taxes will wait until after I get back from my little train trip. I did “get ready” for my trip today. One of the good things about living at the asylum is there is almost no getting ready required. I plan on packing, showering and washing my hair, and watering the orchids on Friday morning before breakfast. Fill up my excellent travel mug with coffee. Eat breakfast. Pick up a sandwich for lunch on the train, kill some time, and leave for the station. Pretty simple.

Think I am going to take my computer.  I realize that my computer is sort of like my security blanket. Heck, it’s even warm. I am just a crazy old woman.

“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo. “So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
 J.R.R. Tolkien

Buzzed around the Asylum this morning until it was time for zoom yoga. It was too cold to take the bus. Or maybe I am too lazy.

Helped a neighbor sort out her husband’s huge collection of much-loved camera gear. He had a serious case of GAS. Gear Acquisition Syndrome.  People. Do your loved ones a favor. Get rid of your “stuff” and “collections” yourself. And, if you don’t have loved ones to clean up after you, know that all of your treasures will most likely end up in the landfill. 

Yoga was hard today. Or maybe I was extra stiff and creaky. If I am completely honest with myself, I must admit that I haven’t been 100% faithful with my daily yoga program. I can do better. 

Most days, I can not fault breakfast at The Asylum. Other meals. Well…

I am going to Santa Barbara on the southern route (Cardinal and Southwest Chief) and returning on the northern route (California Zephyr and Floridian).  Training up to Santa Barbara from LA. Spending 4 days and 3 nights in Santa Barbara. Taking the Night Bus from Santa Barbara to Emeryville, just outside San Francisco. I might be a little old for the Night Bus. But, I am a little old for a lot of things.

Sun is a great way to start the day.

I wake up early. And spend an hour without any online activities. I call that my Zebra Time for no apparent reason, other than sometimes it’s good to think you are hearing zebras. Not horses.

I am in my comfy chair. Drinking my 2nd or 3rd cup of coffee. Enjoying zebra time. And what do I see? A crow on my window ledge. (Before we got new windows resulting in skinnier ledges crows would stop by from time to time. Not anymore until this morning.) I think he was cold and was hanging on to the ledge to get out of the wind while still catching some sun.

The crow was the highlight of my day.

I did get some train tickets to Santa Barbara. Leaving on Friday. Be back in 10 days. Mostly it’s just a train trip. I have some train vouchers that will expire in September and who knows if Amtrak will survive until then. I consider this a “use or lose” trip.

Everything was peachy until about 30 minutes ago. I got an email from management saying that 43 people now have Norovirus. Maybe I should decamp to a local hotel until my train leaves at 11 on Friday morning! I can not imagine anything worse than having Noro and not having a bathroom!

It wasn’t cold. So, I made a few laps around the outside of the building. Watered the orchids, read a trashy book, did some origami, played with the light. Just a normal Sunday.

I will not be among the protestors. Honestly, I am too old. I have been to protests and marches, and even peaceful parades require more stamina than I can realistically count on having on any given day. There is no reason to suspect this will be an incident-free assembly. But, I hope it is. 

But before the rain started, I walked to Trader Joe. It’s two miles roundtrip, and that seemed like plenty of fresh air and exercise. Evil weather is on tap next week. So, I made a little soup today.

I have a tiny little trip planned to the beach for a few days just before Easter. Maybe I should look for a door to summer before then.

Dinner was not up to The Asylum’s usual low standards. However, we had a great time. An extra cocktail, a couple of glasses of wine, and six wonderful friends made up for it.

If you have to live in an old folks asylum, surround yourself with friends, insist that the asylum has a saloon that lets you run a tab and that an understanding wine merchant delivers.

 

How is that for gratitude, Carlton? BTW. I still love you. 

. . .

On some great and glorious day the plain folks of the land will reach their heart’s desire at last, and the White House will be adorned by a downright moron. H.L. Menchen,  Baltimore Sun, July 26, 1920.

It just gets better and better.

• • News from the Asylum: “We are currently experiencing several cases of gastrointestinal illness on the Health Care Center which has been confirmed as Norovirus. We currently have 14 residents and 4 team members experiencing symptoms. ”  Note that 18 = several.
  • RFK, Jr was just confirmed as Sec HHS. When Mitch McConnell votes “correctly” you know you are in deep trouble.

Gratitude

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It can’t be that hard, woman. You must be grateful for something—something positive. Okay, grateful that the sun made an appearance this afternoon, that I was able to take a walk outside this morning, and that my  Kindle is stuffed with books. I am truly grateful that I moved myself into the Asylum in 2015 when I was still young enough to do it. Grateful for my afternoon coffee and cookie. Is that grateful enough, Carlton?

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Whenever I was grumpy Carlton would tell me to make a Gratitude List. 

And for the good news. . . At least according to one of my brokers:
Life Expectancy: There’s a 50% chance Peg will live to be at least 90 years old.

Or maybe that would be the bad news. Just think. In 10 years, I could still be sitting here in this same damn chair wondering who ever thought that black-eyed pea and spinach stew was a good idea for dinner.

Gratitude

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Grateful for my good chicken soup, an excellent brownie, and coffee. Grateful that I got a nice cardio workout using the stairs and hallways. There is no need to experience winter firsthand. 

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Spent most of the day cleaning up after the huge slideshow project. I had 640 photos in my catalog and on my computer. Needed to package them up and put them on an external drive never to be seen again. I couldn’t manage to put them in the trash. I am a digital packrat.

The good thing is The Nation’s Capital has vanished! Unfortunately, I suspect that it is still there. Fuck reality.

Gratitude

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Grateful for zoom yoga, good soup, coffee, cookies, afternoon naps, cosy blankets

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When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty. T.J.