TubaOrNotTuba

There was a time when I would have gladly gone to an outdoor concert. Wind rain cold nothing like that mattered it was the music that drew me to those horrible seats in front of the stage but I’m getting older now. Tonight I did the usual truth table of decisions: it’s sunny and there’s no wind. Hence there will be bugs. Then the wind came up. Too windy to sit outside and listen to live music. Just after that the rain began: too wet to be outside listening to music. And all the while the fear of sitting on a very solid bench.

When I was young on local television there was a program about people walked from place to place. Long distances. I think the program title was seven league boots but I’m unsure. As i said it was a very long time ago. I never get into the habit of walking long distances because by the time I was able they had already invented public transit. I could get on a city bus and go all the way to work. Actually a wonderful thing. There are others it seems that like to walk from place to place period from time to time we have welcomed these Wanderers into our homes. A chance to share a meal and conversation. Conversation with others is much more productive than talking to oneself. This evening I wondered to the car, with no intention of driving anywheres. It was just a mobile studio stereo studio. I could sit and talk to myself and the people in the neighborhood would never know the difference. The fox is however did notice. There is not much else happening right now. We emptied the refrigerator, but we have managed to refill the fridge because we have stores. That also is a wonderful thing. No need to go hungry for long periods of time. There was no mail today, as far as I know. I did not take my key and check the box by myself. Too far to walk. No public bus to take me there. I am really a failure in my own version of seven league boots.

I have something to look forward to. Today my preferred public health officer announced that there will be another round of vaccines. No real mystery because it’s been what a year? Two years? I forget the details. I understand the mechanics. My local pharmacist will stick a small pointed needle in my arm and then ask me did it hurt and I will go on my way reassured. I’m not gonna die from this pandemic. My high school guidance counselor did me short. I was never told that I could have been a meterologist. Not meteorologist, but a meterologist. Someone who spends their life measuring things. Today we did our own benchmark tests. Took the battery pack hook it up to the AC and let it run for three hours. I now know how long I can handle a heat wave. As well, the recharge cycle takes about the same amount of time as it does to deplete the bank. All is even. We also changed the fresh water in the tank.? Well, because you should. Water does not like to be held captive for any length of time. In our case we live in the country and you just let the old water run out of the ground and then you hook up a hose and you put new water in. How do you tell when it’s full? Listen for the glug glug sound. If I was a real meterologist I would have some sort of flowing gauge there measure things for me but right now I’m doing it the old fashioned way wait for water to run on the ground. This is not a sign of imminent departure. This is just common sense. Fill the tank and then if we want to go somewhere we can. Carrying enough water to make coffee and flush things. All good. It was a hot day around here and I could also check the air conditioning in the house. It ran for most of the afternoon and the house is now seasonably cool. So much better than the old days. I did watch a video about people who live in old school buses in the desert. Not how I want to spend my final days. I guess everyone has their place and for those who decide to go into the desert and wait for whatever a school bus is as good a choices any. We had no visitors today. At least, not yet. Darkness is coming. It is times like this that I missed the dog who would have barked if someone came in the yard. Now I have to do that job and I don’t bark well. 

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Not only do I stink, but I hardly can handle the word twin. Especially when it comes to identifying equipment. We have an ongoing dialogue in this house for one person every RV is a twin for the other no RV is a twin they’re all unique even ours. We were down by the beach in Souris this evening, watching the  waves as the tide was  coming in or going out, I could not see. Over pizza. And then a twin almost, was parked nearby. This one was a year older and different colours and came from a different place and had different people inside but it still merited the term since it was made by the same company. It’s all in the details I think. This afternoon we had visitors, that we know from years past in the campground. Always good to catch up with people and find out that they, too, are getting through the worst of life along with the best of life. In their case they had also had a car accident that totaled their vehicle. In their case in Florida. I think that’s a little worse than here on the island. Anyhow they are here camping and enjoying the best of life. Not much else to add about a day when the sun shone brightly and we saw people we knew and we had pizza by the seaside. Deal with life as it comes because it’s too short.

When I am asked to put on socks and shoes, a local trip goes to being something better. It means we will actually be seeing other people. Today we delivered the big new saw to its new owner. I cannot claim to have seen the person but we received real currency in return which move the transaction from barter or donation. Goodbye big star I’m glad I did not lose anything fingers to you.

Apparently, my eyes have a miracle habit. It would seem according to the advertising industry that they like me to look at things. It brings money not to me but to others. Actually, they’ve been chasing me to look at things since I was a very small child. It started with breakfast cereal and then kiss kitchen soap and then cars and all sorts of those things I’ve never bought interesting industry.
Now I use YouTube a lot more and the ads there want me to buy things that I do not need things like gold and golf clubs encouraged to carry seven passengers. None of these are on my want list. I do not know where they get their information, but they are persistent. So, what to do? Well, I realize that I am one of millions. If I look at something like a video from start to finish someone else will make a penny. Enough pennies like grains of sand will build a beach. As for the content of the ads, I do not really care as I said the idea of having a gold coated Golf Club in a car for seven people just seems silly. The industry should do better. They brag were being able to target their ads so why do not do it. Oh well. It’s only time my time and I kind of like the silly ways they try to attract my attention.

This morning I did something unusual. I actually prepared a bagel in the toaster and added cream cheese. The symmetry was a little off and I made it modern sculpture and other cream cheese but that’s not the important thing. I was able to feed myself. We had a visitor today. Home from the Boston states as my grandmother would have said after three years of absence. Came with two dogs one of them a puppy still in the wiggles and face kissing stage. I managed to find the water bowl while making a rush for the telephone and I think the puppy actually giggled. Outside it’s very bright today the fog seems to have lifted. We’re waiting for someone to come and pick up a tent that’s going out home loan. I’m unsure if you ever borrowed a tent from someone but there are so many models on the market that trying to prepare instructions is almost an act of faith. Which poll goes in which slot and what is the right form of the tent. I am past that part now after spending decades on the ground. We now have a motorized tent. So cool.

In her home in our home the level of avian interest is intense. In simple terms we are bird keen. We have knowledge about things like nutrition and predation and nesting. We even know about bird colours. A blue Jay is not the same as a blue bird. This week a newcomer to the area. A bird with a striking blue bill. A sort of Raptor. From what we know this bird is here from Central America. A refugee if you will. We do not know how long it will be in the area but interest is high. Cars coming and going with the hope of spotting the newcomer. On another track we are also intensely interested by weather. Today the local Weather Service and the news gave us a lot of information about what to do during a tornado. Let me note, there is almost no chance of having a tornado in this area. The story came from central Canada where they do things differently. What I have learned is that if the wind comes up I should not hide in the RV or in the bathtub. Rather go to the basement. I do have a basement. And back last fall when we had a big hurricane that same service offered no advice whatsoever. We were on our own in the dark.  I am so confused.

My place on my couch is very comfortable. I can see what goes on in the front yard and I can hear many different sounds. The sounds are the most interesting part actually. There is that almost inaudible rumble from a ship that passes including the ferry. There’s the throaty roar of motorcycles on the way to the point. There are the small rodents that bicker in the front yard, and there’s the high pitched beating of wings. Small sugar vultures I think. All part of my Symphony. One sound that doesn’t treat me is the sound of a fog siren. There is no longer a foghorn at the point but when ships pass in the straight they have to let the others around know that they’re coming through. Hence the horn. Long blasts with a high pitch. Makes me wonder where they’ve been and where they’re going. I went out to the RV and collected all my clothes today. The last trip is now over. The next trip is not yet set. It does not take long to repack. My needs are very simple. Where will we go next, not far. Maybe to the other end of the province. We have not been there in a while. We could take the ferry but that’s too risky. Better to wait for it to come to me.