Train trip to NC Day 1

​The adventure begins! So far… we’ve waited for the train that’s an hour late. 

Finally in the train. The station attendant kept telling us to go to far end away from all the other people. We were hesitant and only went halfway and when she next came by, she emphasized we needed to go further. We said what about all of them … and she said they were coach. Oh yeah. We’re fancy with our roomettes. 

Sean and I are two cars apart. We will try to get moved closer for return trip. This would’ve been so tiny together! We’d gave hated each other after an hour.

It’s quite cozy. 

We’re headed east to Orlando. We passed Lake Alfred where we played games a week or so ago

Sean and I made plans to eat in dining car at 8. There’s no way to lock the room.

So the train WiFi is a joke. Won’t even connect. God I miss Italian trains.

Ok I finally connected to WiFi. We went to dinner. Community tables. Met a woman from DC — born in DC like me! Dinner was good — and I ate too much for so late a dinner. Must eat earlier next time. 

Settling back into room. We missed most of sunset. 

Reading Loretta’s unpublished book. I’m sure I’ll sleep well with the rocking of the train. So grateful NOT to be in coach.

Living with Peter in the fall

​So looks like I (or Sean) will be living part of the week this fall semester with Peter. He’s still terrified of driving, which Sean does with him, but Peter won’t drive solo.  No point in getting him a new car yet. I’m okay with it at least until 10/15 (when extended tax season is over). Our goal is to get him through college. So, we have to make concessions.

In December I’ll find a driving instructor that specializes in post accident trauma…? That has to be a thing. 

Anyway, poor kid. And poor us. But we’re all grateful we had the resources and flexibility to make this happen.  College is the only thing that motivates him.

EDITED TO ADD: 

I’ve started looking at graduate level classes for me to take… and I’m getting kinda excited at the prospect! Either history or personal finance. 

LOOKED UP craft school in NC

​John campbell folk school

Weekly R.E.P.O.R.T

Reading: finished Jane Austen’s Northanger Abbey; tonight starting Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter

Eating: salmon and more salmon 

Playing: Tom Lehrer parody songs from the 1950s and 60s

Obsessing Over: Cemetery Resource Protection Training 

Researching: infrared sauna and potential pacemaker issues 

Treating myself: summer sky blue manicure and a 90 minute massage

What made you happy this week?

​Asked on FB. Loving friends’ answers. Here’s mine:

Me:

-Rain

-Reading

-Movies at the Polk: Princess Bride & Blade Runner

-New bookshelves, and unpacking and decluttering in process 

-Good meeting with nutrionist

-Lovely new board gaming group

-Cat possibly past a bout of sickness without a vet visit? *fingers crossed*

A Perfect Day for us

​Today was a perfect day. It was not full of luxury or perfection, but busy with Sean and I working well together to solve problems, make life better plus some indulgences. 

We got a sorta sick Skitty off to the vet and new meds because we don’t want Peter to have to deal with a potentially sicker Skitty while we’re out of town. 

We got a new bed unpacked for Peter for his college condo and got a pile of random charger cords and ear buds sorted and weeded out. And trash thrown out and his room arranged better.

We met with a handyman who seemed efficient and knowledgeable to get a price quote on little things to fix around  the condo it up. And eventually replace counters and sinks and mirrors and lights.

Then we had a lovely small healthy lunch. And pedicure for Sean and manicure for me. I got a blue called Summer Sky. 

Then we leisurely went to the massage place and both got 90 minute massages that were blissful. I had to rush a little to pick up Skitty on time, but we made it and got Skitty home.

We had dinner at our face sushi place, then ice cream at the Palestinian ice screamin place. 

Then Sean remembered he wanted stuff at Curaleaf which was next to a comic book/game store. And we learned about their other store in Lakeland. We bought some small merchandise to show our support.

Now we’re back at condo, have fed a hungry Skitty and will settle into some books and an early bedtime.

upcoming travel

In the past year, I moved twice (once to Tampa with Peter) and once to Lakeland with Sean (and Peter). We have been exploring Tampa and Lakeland and west central Florida, and because of that we have not missed making any big trips much. But we are ready too travel again. North Carolina by train (inspired by Susan) and the Dragon Con in Atlanta.

Once the animals pass, I have three long road trips I want to do!

And we still have a Viking credit to use up. And we both want to go to the UK.

Journaling random thoughts for today

​I checked our solar panel app today for first time in awhile. Yup, still producing electric. Still saving us money.

I tried to multi-task too hard today. Eventually I had to go nap and push rest of my To Do list to later. I’m way better about doing that. Preserving my energy and health is a priority. 

I didn’t make any fuss on social media. But Peter, my baby, turned 24 yesterday. I’m still absorbing that. I love him so much. 

Here’s a photo of two things I’ve bought recently that give me joy:

• A dinosaur who holds my Apple Watch charger. It looks so adorable and keeps my charger handy.
  
• kai rose body butter. Stephen Colbert said this is his favorite smell because his wife wears it. She named it and even spelled it, I’m sure their sales took off. It really is nice lotion.
  

Second photo: I had a loaf of bread fail recently — yeah, I didn’t photograph that one. Didn’t rise. I think I rushed the process but I did worry my sourdough starter was not well. I discarded some and moved some to a clean fresh jar, then fed both. And they’re bubbling away happily — iykyk. I want my little yeasty friends to be happy! I have a new loaf to bake in morning; I can already tell it’s a good one.

I’m fairly certain my cat is senile. She’s never been smart. But she just is getting weirder. I think her little brain isn’t processing well. She’s still very cute.  

Looking forward to exploring our little town a bit more when our friend Susan is here this coming weekend. While I’m also praying for more rain, so if things go right, it could also be a weekend of jigsaw puzzles and movies.

Weekly REPORT

• ​Reading Jesus & John Wayne (audio) and Between Church & Hate (book) 
  
• Eating gummy bears, steak, boneless chicken wings, spinach quiche — too much! 
  
• Playing loads of games including new-to-me games SETI and Root and DownUp and Nana and Hot Streak and LOTR trick taking game 
  
• Obsessing Over moving my cardiac care to Tampa 
  
• Researching e-bikes in NC and religious rights 
  
• Treating myself to sleeeeep and friends 
  

Medication insurance rant

​The amount of stress due to my insurance company annually denying a really really good medication that improves my quality of life is really counterproductive. And so infuriating. I guess if they kill me with a stroke, they don’t have to provide my medications anymore? But then also, I’d no longer be a customer…? Not sure how their math works. 

Healthcare should not be a capitalist money grab. It’s so so fucking sad I have to argue every year for this medication that a medically trained doctor says helps me — also science and echocardiograms show helps me.

To be honest, I know the denial is about paperwork and bureaucracy. And my doctors office is busy helping patients and has been late with their part of the paperwork two years in a row. But my god, the number of people involved in this paperwork is asinine. The doctors office has to deal with different insurance companies wanting different answers when they are trained to take care of people . It’s not a narcotic that someone is abusing! I’m not taking this med for funsies. 

*sigh* 

Universal healthcare now. Why the fuck are people against it? How do people think it’s better to  spend tens of thousands of dollars on health insurance and just get more red tape than help.  People honestly think the government would be more bureaucracy than these for-profit companies trying not to pay out claims? 

What made you happy this week

​What made you happy this week 

• Making train travel plans
  
• Trivia night with new young friends
  
• Game day with friends, introducing people to each other 
  
• Girls & Pearls being a kinda cool group 
  
• Making adventure plans
  
• Meeting new people 
  
• Losing weight
  
• Decorating a new house 
  
• Becoming a new person myself 
  

Looked up: Raleigh museums, fascinator crafts, NC e-bikes and trails

​Raleigh Grenways

raleigh museum of art 

how to making floral fascinator

E-bike rental near Patrick and near trail 

Sourdough discard French bread recipe

​https://countryroadssourdough.com/sourdough-discard-french-bread/

Making friends and connections

​I met a lovely young person at a craft event at the library in May. She said she was new to the area and looking to meet people. She didn’t suggest exchanging contact info and neither did I. I thought about it but it seemed too forward. 🤷‍♀️ Anyway I did say: see you next month at the next craft thing and she agreed. I’ve regretted I didn’t get her contact info ‘cause since then I’ve been to or hosted a couple events with young people that she would’ve been a delight at. So I’ll be signing up for the June event soon, and I hope Brooke signs up too! I’m putting this here to put it out to the universe that I hope to see her again. Of course she and I could be friends, but also I have 8 or so people her age that I could introduce her to. 

And also I’ve met with an organized group of ladies my age — Girls n Pearls Krewe — that I’m considering formally joining. But I thought I’d put off the decision for a few weeks. I liked several of them, and I got some indication those women are liberal or at least not MAGA weirdos. But I don’t want to rush into a commitment. Then, today? The group page posted a positive, no-holds-bar supportive Pride Month post. Ok, even as a group, they’re not right-wing wackos. GOOD! I may have already started thinking about a party in our backyard for this group. 

Meanwhile, I’m organizing an outing to a board game day with at least 3 people who don’t know each other. This is tangentially related to me getting the local gamers all organized with a schedule of all the local gaming opportunities in this county. 

So I’m up to my usual tricks of creating adventure and organizing information and making connections for other people. This is my super power. 

Plus my daughter *still* wants to hang out with me, which delights me to no end. 

Six months in, I’m doing okay here socially. Not that anyone had any doubts.

Of course I believe that it helps that I’m not desperate for friends ‘cause I have such a good network back in Palm Beach. And that I genuinely like hanging out at home with Peter and Sean.

Ins & Outs for June

​In:

• Journaling 
• Summer heat and tolerating it anyway
  
• Train travel
  
• Stretching
  
• Mini vacays with massages and pedicures 
• Reminding myself that eating less is good, and I also need to keep making healthier food choices
• Putting off big commitments 
• Unpacking again! 
• Finishing Count of Monte Cristo
• Church that supports Pride and progressive causes 

Out:

• Excess carbs
  
• Candy 
• Looking at phone at home 
• Google products

Update halfway through the month: still have not added consistent stretching or journaling to day. And won’t make it to a church until July — June weekends are too busy. But I’m doing much better eating and that’s enough accomplishment.

Update 6/30: well I still ate more candy and carbs than my new nutritionist would’ve liked. But far less than I used to. Using less Google stuff. Still looking at phone incessantly, sigh.

We’re on a train! And I finished COMC. We took two trips to Tampa and had fun and got stuff done too. Got several more boxes unpacked. I hit a lot of goals.