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Musings on anything. |
 My blog was filled up. I'm too lazy to clean it out. So I started a new one. |
| Left the Outer Banks Friday. I stayed in Salvo, bordering Rodanthe. Two blocks to walk to beach! The first time the tide splashed me, I screamed from the sheer coldness of the ocean. Gas was $4.19 in Rodanthe. I only got a few gallons because I was told it was a little cheaper further north. But I ran around a lot more than planned, and had to fill up in Hatteras. $4.17. I was shocked to see it at $4.05 in Kitty Hawk, then in Currituck, it was $3.95. But as soon as Rt 168 turned into 158 at a sharp turn, it went up to $4.15. Twenty cents more only a few miles apart. I did make it home before filling up again. My Kroger points made it $3.97. But I really needed that break. Lots of walking on flat streets. Walking barefoot on the cold sand. The roar of the ocean, the slow pace of life, casual dress everywhere. Of course, on the way home, I took a wrong exit which landed me in Friday afternoon bumper to bumper traffic. It took two hours longer to get home than it did to get there. As much as I loved being away from the computer, the house phone, and my usual responsibilities, I liked getting back to my private quarters, with my bed, my chair, my TV. I caught up on all the newspapers, snail mail, and laundry. I hope I am revitalized and ready to go.   |
| Just when I accepted an invitation to the Outer Banks, I woke up to snow today. I spent most of the day at the opera, the Met Live HD. Thousands of people all over the world supposedly watch this broadcast at the same time as the live production. Today they also showed a film of the Met chorus and orchestra performing the Ukrainian National Anthem the first day of the war a few weeks ago. Everyone in their audience stood. Everyone in my audience also stood. It's not a mellifluous tune, but it was a very moving experience. I had to wipe my eyes. I haven't had a vacation in 4 or 5 years, but most people cut back during the pandemic. I have to drive about 5 or more hours by myself, at the current price of gas. But the lodging is my brother's house at Salvo. I will keep his 9-year-old busy for a few days, while he works on the house. I might get in some mini-golf. I have to pack t-shirts and sweat shirts. Who knows from day to day? I tried to find reasons not to go. Two abandoned cats that I feed will go unfed. They're accustomed to being outdoor cats now, but I have spoiled them with warm towels to sleep on my porch and plenty of food. Then there's the newspapers piling up in the driveway and the mail. I won't have computer access to clean out my junk e-mail. I dread the long drive and making the wrong turn at the end of I-64. But I've managed to start feeling a little excited about going. I still have to water all the plants before I go, so I won't come home to dried up brown things. And I'll have to take the milk and cheese in a cooler, and some fruit, so they won't spoil. I can't pack the toothbrush and medicines (a boatload) until I'm ready in the morning. But then I'm off. I'll catch up with WDC Saturday maybe. |
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These days I just have houseplants and one lonely portulaca that came up by seed and has bloomed this past week. I've been "home" for three months and the plants have responded well. But, I long for Thailand.
. Isn't it funny how we take things like electricity and plumbing for granted... until we don't have them. Happy for you!