Again!

It is snowing again...hard. What is it with this crazy weather. It is more like December than May. I am so envious of my southern sisters who have planted flowers already. 

Guess what? It snowed..again.

Spring is coming

It has been so cold and rainy here that I haven’t even thought it was spring. But today it should be in the high sixties.  I go outside every chance I get so yesterday I took all my metal summer decorations out of the shed and distributed them around the gardens. The daffodils are still blooming along with the grape hyacinths and it is so nice to see color. I even bought a selection of bulbs to plant when I was at Aldi’s this week. I also bought a climatis to add to the gate on the right side where the old one doesn’t seem to be flourishing. I will try to keep things simpler this year but I know as soon as I get to the nursery I will go crazy seeing all the colorful flowers. Today I am planning on putting out my small patio table and chairs and planting the bulbs and climatis. 

I called my coffee friends and we are meeting this afternoon in the high school parking lot to social distance and chat. I have missed them so much. We talk on the phone but haven’t seen each other in over two months. 

Corona virus. So we don’t forget

So we don’t forget.... 🦠😷🧤😥

Today is Sunday April 26th 2020

- We are at 41 days of social isolation.

- The President of the United States is Donald Trump

- The dollar is worth $ 5.32(say what??) 😂😂 the euro $ 5.77 and the pound $ 6.54.

- gas is around $1.50/gallon at most places and $1.25/gallon at Sam's however nobody needs gas because there's no place to go.

- Schools have been closed since mid March and are teaching remotely on-line. This will continue for the rest of the school year.

- There are lines / tapes inside the stores to keep people 6 feet apart.

- Bars and restaurants only for home delivery & pick-up.

- Parks, beaches and walk-in places are not accessible to the public.

- Gyms are all closed. You cannot find a weight, weight bench or basically anything workout related in any store.

- All sports competitions have been cancelled.

- All festivals and entertainment events have been banned.

- Weddings, family celebrations and birthdays have been cancelled. Funerals limited to 10-20 people.

- People are doing drive-by parades to celebrate birthdays!

- Young kids can’t understand why they can only see grandparents & other extended family and friends on a screen or thru a window if someone visits in person.

- Hugs and kisses are not given.

- The churches are closed or online.

- We have to stay away from each other 6 ft or more

- Shortage of masks and gloves in hospitals.

- There are fewer ventilators than there should be.

- People are wearing masks, some places even REQUIRE that you wear them to enter! People are even making their own masks for sale or donation to medical facilities!

- Toilet paper, hand sanitizer, antibacterial wipes and anything Lysol or Clorox is in short supply and limited per person.... IF you can even find them!

- Stores are closing early to disinfect everything. (24 hour stores are even closing by 9pm)

- Store check outs, pharmacies and even fast food drive thru windows have added plexiglass between employee and customer. Have to reach around or under to pay!

- Stores have added 🚫 and ⬆️ on the floors to keep foot traffic going only one way down an aisle. Unfortunately no one is following it and it is not being enforced.

- You can't find isopropyl alcohol easily. .. supply per person is limited to one.

- Australia, USA and Europe have closed their borders.

- Western Australia has been divided into 9 territories & an instant $1,500 fine issued for crossing the border without a valid reason. (Transport workers, Essential services etc)

- No one is travelling for leisure. Airports empty. Tourism has the worst crisis in history.

I am posting this because next year & then every year after, this status will appear in my Facebook memories feed. And it will be an annual reminder that life is precious & that nothing should be taken for granted. We are where we are with what we have. Let's be grateful.

This text is anonymous, it's not mine, but I copied because I want to remember it too.

Project

I just realized that I haven’t blogged in almost a week. I think this is the longest that I have gone without blogging. I sometimes feel I’m in a time warp. Days are passing and even though I keep busy the days sometimes seem so long but the week passes fast. The virus has me staying at home all the time and I alternate between doing productive things around the house to mindless scrolling on the iPad to watching way too much tv.  The weather has kept me in and I long to get out for a walk. We did get our bathroom painted. 

It’s a pretty yellow. I now need some new towels. I just put that one there to see how the color looks. 

Comment

Yes, that is me at Ace hardware getting a sweep for the bottom of the kitchen door. I do have a project going on. We are painting our small bathroom. It started with sweeping a few dust bunnies from the ceiling and ended with me saying, “this room really could use a new coat of paint.”

Picture

This is the picture that appeared on the Bradford Era website. 

Poetry to get you through

And once the storm is over, you won’t remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won’t even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won’t be the same person who walked in. That’s what this storm’s all about.” — Haruki Murakami

Despite the snow all day yesterday there was this one pink cloud floating along among the grey ones. It gave me hope. 

Does this all seem weird to you too?

This world is very strange. All you have to do is step out of your house to see that there isn’t any “normal” any more. I had a doctor’s appointment next Thursday for a checkup and decided that the doctor’s office wouldn’t be a good place for me right now so I gave them a call. They told me that they could do the appointment over the phone which made me happy. But I did need to go for bloodwork. So this morning I went up to the hospital to have a blood draw. As soon as I walked in the door I was stopped by a woman checking temperatures and asking me if I had any symptoms. Since my temperature was 93.6 she made me wait until it went up a little to 95 then she let me proceed. After doing the paperwork in the lab I was directed to sit on the asymptomatic side of the waiting room. What I have noticed that there is an silence everywhere. Even the girl who drew the blood wasn’t that friendly as they usually were. 

  Then I made my weekly trip to Walmart where our governor Wolf has made wearing a mask mandatory for everyone who enters a store and all the workers. Even in Walmart the atmosphere was subdued. I didn’t hear any laughter or even conversation. Everyone was obeying the Walmart rules of going only up and down the marker aisles. There were still empty spaces on the shelves but I did notice the toilet paper aisle was getting stocked. I picked up the things on my list and some paint samples and got out quickly. 

    I am staying right at home and not leaving hardly at all. Last night was my oldest son’s fiftieth birthday and we had planned a big celebration at his house before all the Corona hit. So last night I organized a large Zoom meeting on the computer with his family and friends and we all got to wish him a happy birthday.

     I am happy to obey the requests to stay at home and stay safe but the truth is I’m worried that I may not be able to leave the house for a long time. The push seems to be to get people back to work but as long as this virus is prevalent and there is no vaccine I fear that it will continue to spread, especially with people not social distancing. I don’t trust that people realize the seriousness of this. 

      Please take care my friends.

     

GEt me out of the ho use

Yesterday was one of those days. I have been staying inside the house now for five weeks. Everyone knows how I like to keep on the go and even though I love my home I also like going and seeing new things and being around people more. This Covid is not good for extroverts.

     So I ventured out for a ride. It was only a short one downtown (five minutes), going to the hardware store...where by the way the local paper took my picture...

I never go out shopping except for food but the one time I stop for something I make the paper.

Then I circled around, down the Main Street and out to the Pitt Trail for a short walk. It was only fifty five degrees but the sun was out and I needed to let out a little built up steam. It has been one of those days where it seemed everything was going wrong. (I’m sure you’ve never had one of those, right?)

When I got home I still had some pent up anxiety so I decided to clean up a flower bed and get out my summer garden decorations. I pulled the tarp from the lion fountain and placed some of the planters around the courtyard. I am so anxious for Spring to arrive here. We haven’t had that gloriously warm weather yet. (And it won’t get out of the fifties for the next week)...with rain. 

There is still a lot to do to get ready for summer and maybe I am rushing it just a tad. Being cooped up and inside the house has made me really anticipate the time I can be outdoors. 

How are you coping with Covid? 

Covid 19

I’m staying sane at home by....keeping busy by baking, cooking, cleaning, mindlessly thumbing through Facebook, watching tv

The biggest change in my day to day life is...not going out to meet my friends in the morning. 

I’m stocking up on these foods and items... canned goods, frozen veggies, meat.

We are under these restrictions.....stay home unless it is necessary. 

I’m reading....nothing at the moment. 

Hobbies that are keeping my hands busy...playing the piano. 

I get outdoors and do....I haven’t been able to get out since it is so cold and we have had snow this week 

Covid Coping

I woke up this morning to the ground covered with snow.  Again. It seems Spring doesn’t want to get here any time soon. I am longing to get outside. I have been very faithful to the lockdown only going out of the house once a week. Otherwise I stay right inside. 

   But my heart wants me out. I am longing to get my hands in the dirt, get out all the summer things, and enjoy sitting out on the breezeway. I have been watching gardening videos on YouTube and mentally planning and designing my flower beds. 

     Meanwhile I am keeping myself busy by binge watching one of my favorite series from Amazon Prime.  Wonderland. This romantic show is about four Autralian couples who all live in one apartment building in Sidney. 

Set in an apartment building on the doorstep of one of Australia's most beautiful beaches, Wonderland is a warm, light-hearted and engaging relationship drama revolving around four very different couples as they navigate the pitfalls of love, meet the challenges life presents head on, and pursue their dreams.

With an idyllic beachside as the backdrop, the residents of Wonderland show that holding down a dream relationship, an attractive career and maintaining solid friendships is sometimes anything other than plain sailing.

View this morning

This is the view out my kitchen window this morning. It snowed all day yesterday and this morning the ground is covered. It seems more like Deeember than April. My dreams of walking outside and gardening will have to be put on hold. 

   Am I the only one who is having trouble sleeping? I either can’t get to sleep at night or wake up for hours in the middle of the night. I think my suppressed anxiety during the day shows itself subconsciously at night. There is a lot to worry about now. I am not normally a worrier but I find the state of the world now is tenuous and uncertain. Never before have I had to worry about dying but now I don’t want to leave my safe place at home.

     I need to keep busy but then find that all I want to do is eat out of stress and cuddle up with comforts such as tv and the ipad. I want to avoid the news but can’t help trying to keep informed as the days go on. 

       Today I will try to keep busier and not sit quite so much. When I first stayed at home four weeks ago I was so happy to get organizing and cleaning. There are still things that I can do so I will need to find a project for today. 

    How are you coping? Are you keeping busy?

A bit empty calendar

April’s calendar is completely empty...no appointments, no lunches, no Giggle Girls, no coffee girls in the morning, no celebrations. Just blank. Nothing but staying at home. 

Yesterday’s project was cleaning out my car. I feel as if I can do one thing each day I am productive and gives me some sense of normalcy. Each day I find something to do besides sitting or eating. The weather is improving and I try to get outside as often as I can.  After I cleaned out the inside of the car I took it to the car wash. While I was out I picked up a prescription (only going to the drive through) and stopped for milk. I tried making a mask from a napkin and rubber bands which didn’t work too well so I went on Amazon and ordered some disposable ones. There was only one person in the store wearing one besides the cashiers. I noticed they had put up a plastic barrier in front of the register but with it open on all the other sides I doubt that it offers much protection. I feel sorry for all the workers who come in contact with so many people. My grandson works at Sheetz and I worry about him.

Days go by

These are strange times. We all try to keep a little normalcy in our lives while the world is shut down. My son and his wife sat outside and remarked that there weren’t any jet trails in the sky.  It’s as if everything has been put on pause.  I don’t want to leave the house or have anyone come here either. We usually have landscape help and I don’t want them here as well. I am fighting this virus by not allowing it to invade my home.  But this means a lot of isolation. And I miss people. Zoom and Facebook are keeping me in touch. I will use this time productively.  And just wait this out. 

It doesn’t look like much now

This is my little picket fence area. It doesn’t look like much now of course. Today I weeded and dug in the dirt to get it ready for mulching. The lilies are just coming up. It will be a while before we can plant annuals, not until after Memorial Day are we frost free. It felt so good to clear away the debris of the winter and clear off the dirt. Since we are self quarantining it feels so good to do something productive. 

Flowers and more flowers

I may have overdone it this year. In my quest to have pretty pick me ups around the house I have added faux flowers and arrangements all over the house. The latest is the forsythia and pussy willows that I added to the tall jar in the living room. 

Bunny time

I need a day off. I need a day without the news, the deaths, the warnings. My anxiety is building up like a pressure cooker and I need to let off some steam. I declare this a day of peace. I don’t want to see the news on tv, thumb through Facebook with all its Covid jokes, or worry about my life.

Today I want to think about Peter Rabbit. It’s hard to believe that Easter wil be next Sunday. But there will be no family dinners and seeing grandchildren. All over America people will spend the holiday in isolation. I am lucky to have my husband with me but I know that there are lonely people who will be all by themselves in a house or apartment. We will all stay in to stay safe from this terrible virus.

This is a day to just turn the tv off or use it to watch an escapism movie.This would be a good time to watch the Amazon Prime series Wonderland one more time. It is the story of couples who share an apartment building in Australia. I loved this series. I need something that will make me smile.

It also would be a good day to take a long walk and blow off some of this tension. Getting out in the fresh air would be good for me. 

I know I will be all right. It’s just one of those days. I think we all have them. How are you coping?

Never forget

Just so I NEVER forget..... April 2, 2020

Gas price a mile from home was $1.59

School cancelled - yes cancelled.

Churches are closed.

Self-distancing measures on the rise.

Tape on the floors at grocery stores and others to help distance shoppers (6ft) from each other.

Non-essential stores and businesses mandated closed.

Restaurants are for take-out only.

Parks, trails, entire cities locked up.

Entire sports seasons cancelled.

Concerts, tours, festivals, entertainment events - cancelled.

Weddings, family celebrations, holiday gatherings - cancelled.

No gatherings of 50 or more, then 20 or more, now 5 or more.

Don't socialize with anyone outside of your home.

Our news casters are broadcasting from home.

Children's outdoor play parks are closed.

We are to distance from each other.

Shortage of masks, gowns, gloves for our front-line workers.

Shortage of ventilators for the critically ill.

Panic buying sets in and we have no toilet paper, no disinfecting supplies, no paper towel no laundry soap, no hand sanitizer.

Shelves are bare.

Manufacturers, distilleries and other businesses switch their lines to help make visors, masks, hand sanitizer and PPE.

Government closes the border to all non-essential travel.

Fines are established for breaking the rules.

Stadiums and recreation facilities open up for the overflow of Covid-19 patients.

Press conferences daily from the President. Daily updates on new cases, recoveries, and deaths.

Government incentives to stay home.

Barely anyone on the roads.

People wearing masks and gloves outside.

Essential service workers are terrified to go to work.

Medical field workers are afraid to go home to their families.

This is the Novel Coronavirus (Covid-19) Pandemic, declared March 11th, 2020.

Why, you ask, do I write this status?

One day it will show up in my memory feed, and it will be a yearly reminder that life is so precious and not to take the things we dearly love for granted.

We have so much...

Be thankful...

Be grateful...

Be kind to one another...

LOVE one another, support each other...

AND PRAY for eachother.

What are you watching?

With the solitary confinement imposed on us we are all looking for things to amuse ourselves with. And tv, which always is a go to for mindless (or great) programming, is now more important as we stay connected with world happenings. The tv is working overtime as the news holds more importance now. But we all need escapism. So I turn to the tv for entertainment and to take my mind off of the world’s problems. Each of us has our own specific taste in programs but a lot of us tend to like the same thing. There are my favorites...This is Us, A millions little things,and Blacklist. And Jeopardy for mind improvement. We are Survivor fans and look forward to that each Wednesday night. And I like Bravo programs and am a reality show junkie. Top Chef is currently my fav. Between Netflix and Amazon Prime I try to find good movies. Currently I love Self Made with Octavia Spencer on Netflix. She is perfect for the part. I hope that you are finding a distraction with tv. What are you watching?