Saturday, September 8, 2007
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Colombia Photo
Beach at Playa Blanca, looking out at the Caribbean
CAPTAIN'S LOG
November 7, 2010. So after more than a year, perhaps it's time to start again. Maybe? We'll see. It's been so long since I have accessed this site that I'd forgotten the access information. Took me hours to figure out how to get back in. Now that I'm in, I'm afraid to log out.
December 23, 2008. Nearing five months. Still can't say I'm impressed with what I've gotten done. My single hobby keeps me busy enough but there is outside work to be done to prepare to sell. And then I plan to go looking for a buyer!
I've always had my own mental 'bucket' list - meaning the things to do before I die. I've started writing it before - and lost it - but never felt like I could complete it. Having watched the movie, I think I now can. And it's about time to start doing more of them. I've put off getting a tattoo since I was 39 (when I got my ear pierced). I have kept talking myself out of it. Now is the time to do!
November 28 - Four months into retirement. I don't really feel that much different or that much has changed. Way before I retired, I gave myself six months to do nothing - and so far, I'm keeping to that :).
Thanksgiving was a nice affair at my youngest sister's home in Oklahoma. She's the richest of the brood and has the biggest house, so we have gone there the last several years to enjoy the holiday.
Last year I had the idea that I needed to get some family history and started with my oldest brother, asking him to remember way back. Unfortunately, I was not recording so I fixed that and this year took a video camera.
After an excellent dinner (and excellent turk, little sister), I got him started, my barely 80something mother was sitting at the table and when he got something not quite right, she joined in. Then big sister (oldest sister) took part.
Unfortunately, time was too short and we didn't get nearly as much as I'd have liked but hopefully there will be more next year.
November 15 - I'm ready to skip winter and just go into spring. While there has still not been a freeze, it's just colder than I want to be! If I'd lived 100 years ago, I would have died early but thanks to all the inventions in the last 100 years, I can keep myself nice and toasty :).
November 3 - And so the first episode of the Colombia experience is done. Now back to regular retired life. I know it is cliche' but how did I have time to take care of anything while I was working...oh wait, I didn't. If you don't believe me, you should have seen the insides and outsides of the house before I retired. While it might be still shocking to those who are delicate, it is a damned site better than before.
The return home was an experience as well. The sink was stacked with more dirty dishes than I knew I even had. Number One son told me he'd cleaned the kitchen just a couple of days earlier. Looking it it, I was hard pressed to believe that tale.
Yesterday afternoon, I ran the dishwasher. After it was done, I opened it and started to empty but then decided I would wait and see if anyone would provide assistance. Number One son did ask if they were clean. I told him they were. Then a couple hours later, he asked if I wanted him to unload it. I'm thinking, 'Well, no. I want you to just let it sit there until roaches congregate and run all over it'.
October 8, 2008
Tomorrow is October 9. Six days away from the big adventure. Spent the day taking care of stuff and getting prepared. Got the Yellow Fever vaccination. The doc doesn't do that so I had to go to the County Health department. Ummm, more people spoke Spanish than English there. I thought to use it as an opportunity to practice but they didn't want to talk to me. Their kids needed vaccinations. Called the doc and got a prescription for Malaria pills which I have to take at least ten days prior to the possibility of exposure (same true of Yellow Fever).
I do worry that Baby Child will starve during the two weeks I'm gone even though at 17, he is capable of doing more than microwaving a Hot Pocket (which he has grown tired of in the last few weeks 
). He must have picked up that 'lazy' gene from the other side.
Prepared my documentation for Zero Chaos for in case the opportunity (?!?) arises to work in April. First, I didn't retire so I could return to work and Second, I wouldn't have to work if my savings were growing rather than shrinking 
. Or at least I wouldn't have to until I'm 75 or 80...hello Walmart 
.
October 4, 2008
Did a brush burn today. This is the fourth one I've done. This time Baby Child helped. Number One son has a singular particular need to control and makes me crazy when he helps. He can't let go of the water hose cause he thinks he's the only one who can control it should the fire go crazy. But then I was giving Baby Child pointers and at 17, he knows everything. But I still did it.
I've transferred ownership of feeding the dogs to Number One son. One item down, thousands to go. But I think the dogs do miss a meal or have a really late meal on occasion. But I figure it is better than the thousands of lazy people who just dump dry dog food into a container and call em fed. They do look at me with pleading eyes when I walk by so I pat em on the head and keep going. But truth, they always look at me with pleading eyes, even if I sit and pat on them, comb their hair or brush it out. It's never enough. Free dogs available...one White, one Black (no Blonde).
August 20, 2008 Update:
This is my first missed regular payday. We still have money to eat something besides Ramen Noodles or those $1 Banquet tv dinners (that last made my stomach turn).
Dear Family, Friends and Acquaintances. Please do NOT ever call my mobile or home numbers prior to 9am on any day except in an emergency. Doing so is totally unsatisfactory and I will assume that any call coming in before 9am is a dire emergency.. Course the house phone ringer is turned off, but my mobile isn't. Maybe I should see if the mobile has an automatic turn on thingy.
In spite of being awoken at an early hour (8:11am), I still did not have time to get everything done. In fact, the count for continuous days spent walking will have to start again because I did not do so today. Had to take care of financial stuff and then reading and reading and re-reading trying to understand exactly what I've invested my life savings in; some outside yard work and working on my DVDs (this was done after dark and much as I enjoy the walking, I'm not about to do it on a dark, rainy night – there are fools everywhere...and they have driver licenses – I can't figure that one out either).
The best story for this day follows: Last eve I was at Walmart (don't tell anyone) to pick up several items but primarily a keyboard to replace the one for the kids' computer. I was in such a hurry I didn't pay attention to the connection...it was PS2 and I needed USB (dirty word deleted). So tonight I go back to return and replace. Everything went smooth and quickly until I headed out the door then the thing went off telling me I'd stole something. I didn't hear it so I kept on walking. Well he caught me and we went back to do whatever they do. And here is where the fun began. As people walk through, very nonchalantly, I waved my little keyboard through the thing and watched people look up in surprise and wonder. Wondering what they had bought that set off the alarm. Well the guy at the door (and he was young, rather than the usual old fart) took care of business quickly cause he could tell I was having far too much fun with people. I hope you enjoyed the laugh. I am still laughing!
August 17, 2008 Update:
I may have to stop calling myself Lorenzo unless I start working on my Rosetta Stone Spanish again. I would think I'd be more motivated because of the cost...maybe the motivation is coming.
The temperature is cooling off. We only hit about 90 today. Feels like autumn. I hate that cause the season right following it is winter. But maybe I can hold through another one if I keep telling myself this is the last north American winter I have to endure (I say it that way because I may do one in the future, but that will be my own choosing).
Youngest son has decided he wants to go to JUCO in California. He couldn't tell me where that came from - it just popped into his head. And no, none of his friends are talking about it either. Well I told him he needed to find an Ontie (Auntie Peaches?) or Uncle so he could go live with them. To avoid paying the $170 extra per unit (whatever the heck a 'unit' is) because he is out of state, he must live there for one year and one day! Those cheap California bastages! They should give us a break since I was born there!
I think I will look into getting him a scholarship to one of them...can't be based on grades...maybe just his good looks will work. And no, he doesn't have to live on the coast (which is good) but he wants to live within two hours of it. And I'm thinking, 'good luck with that, buster'!
I got up really late this morning and did NOT immediately go walking. I told myself I could take one day off. Well, about 2pm, I decided I had to do it, so I did. It was quite warm. I ran out of water and had to stop at a convenience store to get more. I wasn't certain I was going to be able to make it back home so I checked to see if any of my kids could come get me...and no, both my older sons were at work. So I figured if I absolutely couldn't make it I would just call 911. I doubt they would have appreciated me asking for a ride home though since I'm sure I would be within a mile of home.
I did have a cop drive by me twice. They keep their windows so dark and the women are so butch it was hard to tell if it was a male or female or if it was even the same cop. Whoever it was waved at me both times. I waved back, not knowing who/what I was waving to. I considered flagging them down and asking for a lift, but I did make it back on my own legs.
I didn't work out last night and realized it about 11pm. I wasn't happy about that but I wasn't about to get up and go work out either. So I will tonight. Got too! It's 9:35pm and I still haven't.
Update August 15, 2008 (NOT MUCH TO REPORT):
This morning I didn't even wake up until about 9:30. I continue to wake up all groggy and stumble for a while. It was raining outside so I decided I wouldn't walk today. About twenty minutes later (after the early morning brain freeze wore off), I realized how absurd that was. Here I am planning to trek in the jungle and I'm afraid to go out in the rain?!? Absurd indeed, I'm sure you agree. So I put on my boots, grabbed my rain jacket, my trek pole, my (wool) hat and out the door I went. Again I return with spaghetti legs. I do get p*ssed at some drivers. I'm walking left of the solid white line which should indicate to them the end of their road and one (young) girl was so close (and whizzing by) that I felt the rush of wind from her car on my hand. I wish I had had the presence of mind to turn my stick backwards behind me and just give her car a little scratch. Course then I would have needed to fall down for the full dramatic effect (haha). But I didn't. I just said a couple of bad words about her.
The continued walking and every other night workouts are beginning to have some effect. I feel like I'm ready to take on Steven Seagal (ha)!
About Me
- El Dueno
- Denton, TX, United States
- I am an aging American with three sons. Looking to spend the last part of my life traveling the world.
