Wednesday Hodgepodge

At a blog called This side of the Pond there is a series of blogging questions called Hodgepodge Wednesday where she poses a few random questions for bloggers to answer. Since during this time of Covid there isn’t a lot to blog about I thought I would try a few. If you like you can give me answers in the comment section. 

1. Tell us one thing you’re looking forward to in September. 

      I always love the fall and for this year I am looking forward to cooler weather. Our summer has been extremely hot, a lot more than we have ever been used to, and I will enjoy the nice weather of fall. I also look forward to our birthday month. My two sisters and I all have birthdays in September. We always get together and exchange presents. This will be the first year that we will all stay at home. 

2. Do you enjoy browsing second hand shops? What was something you bought or “inherited” second hand?

I love going to shops like Goodwill or antique shops. it is fun to find a little treasure that once belonged to someone else but you love to bring it home and put it in your house. I haven’t been to many places like that this year because of the pandemic but I did stop at Goodwill locally and picked up a treasure. I have some small pressed or cut glass small bowls. I love to use them for just about anything...ice cream, snacks, etc. 

3.  What’s a product or service you use that you’d rate as second to none?

     That has to be Amazon. I have depended on them for so much during this time of quarantine. They are fast and usually have everything I need. And I love streaming movies too. 

 4. Something you do so often or that comes so naturally to you it’s second nature?

         I guess playing the piano would come to mind. No matter how long it is that I stay away from playing when I sit down my fingers remember what keys to hit. I recently got some new piano books that have the most beautiful arrangements of contemporary songs. Sometimes I even amaze myself when that gorgeous music comes from my hands. 

Another book down

I have been so happy since our library opened up again. You have to make an appointment to go in and pick out a book or you can call and they will reserve your book choice for you. As you might know I like a stack of books to choose from and once I start one I can’t put it down until it’s finished. 

My latest read is We were Liars by e. Lockhart. I have seen this on the best sellers list for a while. It is a Young Adult book but don’t let that stop you from a good read. There is a secret happening just below the surface and you spend the whole book trying to guess what has happened. The ending is really a surprise. 

We Were Liars focuses on the theme of self-acceptance, family morals, and the possibly-deadly consequences of one's mistakes. It is centered on the wealthy, seemingly perfect Sinclair family, who spend every summer gathered on their private island. However, not every summer is the same—when something happens to Cadence during the summer of her fifteenth year, the four "Liars" (Cadence, Johnny, Gat and Mirren) re-emerge two years later to prompt Cadence to remember the incident.

On another note I finally rode my bike again today. I got an electric bike a few weeks ago. But my handlebars slipped while I was starting out one day and I fell on my knee. It wasn’t hurt too bad but it was scraped and bruised. It took Don a while to try to fix the bars. We took the part to Chris (my development and design engineer) who declared that the part was not designed well. He took the same part off one of his old bicycles and it worked perfectly. So today was the first time I took it out. I managed to get it in the back of my Pacifica van and take it to the University trail. I met my friend Sandy and we rode the whole trail which is mostly on the flat. Now I am waiting for a basket and fenders that I ordered. I love the electric bike which gives you a boost of power to help you up the hills. 

98 years

Happy birthday to Don’s stepmother who turned ninety eight years old on August 31. She still lives at home and is very mentally sharp. The family got together for a dinner and pie to celebrate. 

Family photos were taken.

We are very lucky to have all of them in our lives.

Sunflower art

Of course I had to play around with my apps...

Sunflowers

“Who knows what may lie around the next corner? There may be a window somewhere ahead. It may look out on a field of sunflowers.”   Joe Hill

When I saw this quote it had quite an impact on me. I know this is such a difficult time for so many people right now. We are living through a once in a lifetime pandemic with danger of Corona virus spread that scares us to gather together. Every day we are bombarded with political news with energy of hate projected. It is just before an important election and tempers are flaring. We are so inundated in the everyday that the future seems unimaginable. This quote grounded me. This too shall pass. Sometime it will come to an end. How our world will look afterwards is a mystery. It is hard to have optimism. But the quote made me realize that a better world is possible. 

Don and I took a ride yesterday to a nearby field of sunflowers. It was a hot day..ninety two degrees..and the field was about a half hour away. Lucky for us there was an ice cream stand right next door to the sunflower field where we sat in the shade and enjoyed a treat. 

This sign was hanging on the wall outside the ice cream store. I loved it.

This sunflower fascinated me. Pictures of sunflowers in full bloom are everywhere but I had never seen one just budding. 

Hello sun

“Hello sun in my face.  Hello you who made the morning and spread it over the fields...Watch, now, how I start the day in happiness, in kindness.”  

   —-Mary Oliver

It is the waning days of summer. We are experiencing a very hot spell with no rain in sight. This has been an especially hot dry summer. I think I will always remember the summer of 2020 as the hot summer that I stayed home. There has been no vacation, no family visits, no eating out or going to the movies. 

  But yet I have enjoyed this summer. Maybe this time is to teach me something. How to slow down, relax, and make the most of my circumstances. I have taken the time to play the piano, paint some pictures, learn to ride an electric bicycle, cook more, and enjoy my gardens and home. 

    And there are more new things I want to do. I want to take more pictures with my phone and use apps to make them into paintings. I want to go on a picnic before the summer winds down. I want to inspired to create more art. I want to go through my old photos and create a small album that highlights my life. I want to organize my jewelry and save just the pieces that mean something to me. I want to craft by making decals to put on glass. I want to visit an antique mall. 

    And so my life marches on. This winter of my life doesn’t feel like winter. In my heart it is spring.

What are you watching?

In a recent segment on NPR, media psychologist Pamela Rutledge shared why more and more of us are watching “comfort” television. Referring to shows from the past that we know the endings to, know the rhythm of the plot, the characters, etc., as a way of counteracting the uncertainty that is roiling in our lives.

Are you finding that you are watching more tv these days than usual?  It isn’t surprising considering that we are spending a lot more time at home during the .corona virus crisis.  Watching tv can be a distraction from the crazy things that are happening in politics and divert us from the constant rising numbers of deaths in the United States and worldwide. Sometimes I gravitate to old shows like West Wing...now there was a president!  And I have watched the Australian series Wonderland three times already..and I rarely repeat shows. 

   On the other hand it is summer and a lot of our favorite programs have been over for quite a while and because of the virus they stopped production on new episodes. So we fall back onto reruns, new programs that we hunt out or streaming. I seem to find that there is only one show a night...besides Jeopardy...that I watch. The rest of the time I am streaming.  

    Don and I find we are liking the British shows once on PBS that are on Netflix.  Currently we are watching Broadchurch, a murder mystery. 

What are you watching these days?

Some advice

It’s a wonderful feeling...having all you need and feeling blessed. Even in this time of discontentment I find warmth in just being at home. My house is my refuge. It’s a place of peace and joy. I have stayed at home more in the last six months than I have ever done. I love traveling and visiting and get great wanderlust. Now I am making the choice to stay in my little bubble of safety. And I have found that my needs are so simple now. A cup of tea becomes a ritual. Playing the piano soothes the nerves. Sitting on the porch swing with a book is relaxing. I don’t need anything more.

Happy

“If you have a body, you are entitled to the full range of feelings. It comes with the package.”
― Anne Lamott, Grace (Eventually): Thoughts on Faith

Up and down I go on the Coronacoaster. On any given day I can be euphoric and full of energy or down in a chair feeling dumpy. THere are days I miss my grandchildren so much I could cry. There are other days that seem more like pre Covid normal. I keep busy and hardy ever get bored. But I am not doing normal summer activities and for an extrovert that’s hard. I love get togethers and entertaining and there hasn’t been any of that. I know a lot of people are ignoring the mandate to not gather but I won’t take my life that frivolously. I won’t even let my family visit hardly at all. I am coping but not liking this new way of life. 

There is a happy note though. 

I ordered an electric bicycle called Sol in May. It took a long time to get here. It is made in Sweden and sold by Blix in California. I haven’t ridden a bike in a long time and wasn’t sure how I would do. This bike lets you ride as normal, have a little or a lot of pedal assist, or goes with just a throttle like a motorbike. It came in a huge box and I have to admit that it wasn’t that hard to put together but we had a little trouble figuring it out. It didn’t help that it was almost ninety degrees outside. Don can’t be out in the heat very long so we had to take many periods of rest in the house. Today I got the tires pumped up and took it out on the road in front of our house. We have very little traffic on the road and I decided to just practice riding it just like I would a regular bike. I only went up and down the lane for a few times just to get a feel about it. I will practice and practice and learn to use the electronics. I hope that this will give me some freedom to get outside and ride. 

It’s been awhile

Hello my faithful reader. I know it has been a while since I posted last Saturday. I’m on the Corona Coaster with one day up and another down. I don’t seem to have a lot to write about these days so I find myself not wanting to blog. I know you will forgive me. 

    My mornings are spent in a routine. Get up at seven, walk at 8, coffee with friends at 9. Once a week a trip to the grocery store. In between hours are spend tending to the garden, reading, watching tv or household chores. The sameness of the days is getting pretty boring (which is not a term I have ever used before about myself). Last night Don and I went out to dinner for the first time in six months. We really enjoyed this semi normal activity. 

   I am anxiously awaiting the arrival of my electric bike the Blix Sol. I ordered it in May and it is finally shipped due to arrive on Tuesday. I haven’t ridden a bike in a long time but this one has a motor which gives pedal assist or you can use the throttle and just let it ride you along. I wanted to have an activity that I would enjoy and get me out of the house. 

   Here are some pictures of my last walk on the University trail. I am so lucky to have two trails fairly close to my house. 

Sold

The boat is sold. I put an online ad in Facebook and within hours we got messages. One guy came to see it and bought it. He came back today and drove it off. We were happy ( we hated to see it just sit there unused) but sad (a lot of memories were driving away down the road). We are entering a different phase of our life. Don’s COPD is getting worse and he is not able to walk very far without losing his breath. It limits what we can do. 

  

Do you remember these little horses and men? It was a blast from the past when we saw a box full of these at a small flea market. When I was young these were my toys of choice. Each man (and horse) had a name and our imaginations ran wild. In those days westerns on black and white TVs were very popular. 

How is Covid treating you these days? I am still staying at home most of the time. There is a weekly trip to the grocery store and daily coffee in only one restaurant each day with friends. A walk each morning for a mile with my girlfriend. I must admit I am lamenting for the life I’ve lost and want to get back to normal soon. 

boat for sale

We are selling our boat. Anyone out there interested in a good lake fishing boat?  22 ft. Starcraft islander cuddy cabin? contact us at bfdgirl@yahoo.com

Summertime

It’s the middle of summer and time to put out a little beachy items on the table. We are far, far from the ocean but I like to pretend. I haven’t been to the ocean many times. We sent a week there one time at Wildwood, New Jersey but other than that and one trip to Myrtle Beach I’ve only had a few day trips to the ocean. Right now I would welcome sitting with my toes in the ocean letting the waves slap up against my body. 

    Some days I can feel the tension growing and anxiety trying to take control. The news sometimes makes me so distraught.  I am so worried about our democracy and hoping that it can weather this kind of assault. I’ve always had faith in American but I don’t understand what is happening which makes me crazy. I long for the “old days” where things were just normal. 

New decor

It’s time for a change in decor. Lavender is the theme on the table by the window in the sunroom. 

Lavender is one of my favorite flowers ever since I went to Provence France and saw the unending fields of lavender blowing in the wind. So naturally I collected several faux bouquets. They are standing in a green metal window box. 

I also changed my tablescape by using a summer shell tablecloth and coral and starfish. The blue bottles are from my husband’s collection. In his glory days he was a bottle digger. 

I am currently filling my days with reading. I just finished I Found You by Lisa Jewell and am reading Jeffrey Deaver’s The Goodbye Man. There is nothing more satisfying than to look at a stack of unread books. 

Live in the present moment

Today I will not stress over things I cannot control 

Really getting behind

It's Saturday and I just looked at my blog and realized that I hadn't posted since last Monday. I used to be so faithful about writing and taking photos every day but since Corona I have really slacked off. For one thing I am staying home all the time so there is not a lot that I want to record. I am not doing anything fabulous. I spend most of my days reading or watching tv, figuring out what I am going to cook for dinner, walking with my friend, and meeting my coffee friends in the morning. Once a week I venture out to the grocery store. We are being so careful not to be around a lot of people even though our community doesn't have any cases yet. In fact, we are invited to a graduation party in Erie in August but we are declining. I don't think that I am ready to jeopardize my life just yet. I feel protected in the bubble of my home and don't want to take any chances if we are going to survive this horrible crisis. It has been four months that I have been confined at home. I find things to do but really miss going to movies and out to dinner. 

  I hope that wherever you are that you are staying safe.

Here is a picture of us from quite a few years ago. 

Dan

It’s been a while since I posted a picture of my grandson Dan. I took this one from his wife Gretchen’s blog..Gretchen Runs where she chronicles all her exercise training. She is a runner and is very fit so she devotes her blog mostly to that. Dan joins her on some of her runs and other exercise. Her blog also catalogs their trips and vacations that they take with wonderful pictures. Here Dan is joining her on the water. 

The Fourth of July 2020

I think I need to write a little about the way this Corona Virus (Covid 19) has changed my life. It began for me in March when the virus which I had been reading about and seeing on television finally reached the United States. Pennsylvania began its “lockdown” on March 16th. That meant that we should stay at home as much as possible. Almost all the stores closed except for essential stores like pharmacies and grocery stores. When we went out we were encouraged to wear a mask to protect ourselves and others. I took this very seriously because the virus was especially damaging to older folks. With Don’s COPD I knew that if he got it he would be unable to survive so I only went out once a week to get groceries. 

    The weeks went by and our county was lucky enough to only have a few cases and none in our town. The virus was know to spread quickly in communities and New York City was reporting record cases and deaths. As the months went by more cities were reporting cases. But for some reason (mainly political since our president Trump told everyone that it would just soon disappear) a lot of people didn’t take it seriously, didn’t wear masks, and didn’t mind being in large crowds. And so the virus didn’t get under control. Meanwhile I restricted by time outside the house. 

     Now it is July and the news is not good in the United STates. While other countries have “flattened the curve” and maintain control of this virus the United States population (encouraged by the president who continues to hold large crowd rallies and tout that mask wearing is just an option) continues not to take it seriously. Now we are paying the price for that as cases rise and deaths happen. 

     I do not know what is in the future for our country but I am ashamed of how we are reacting. Our political divide is so great and full of animosity, the inequality of races has come to the forefront, our leadership has faltered, and we have failed to contain a deadly virus. Other countries who have looked to us as the gold standard for democracy are now pitying us. We are seeing our country falter. I only pray that we can hold on to the things that have always made me proud of our country. 

       Sorry for the political rant. I hope that I have not offended anyone. These are my beliefs. Happy Fourth of July. I feel like this is a turning point in history for the US.

Chris and Wendy came up for the weekend. They sold their house in Port Allegany that Wendy had lived in before their marriage and were up to gather the few things that were still left in the house. Last night we played Five Crowns out side until dark.

Looking back

I love the pop ups that FAcebook gives you so you can look back on the years. This picture popped up yesterday. I remember that day so well. Chris and the boys were visiting and we took the boat out. We always went over to the Allegheny Reservoir. We pulled the tube behind the boat as the boys took turns riding. And of course Sadie went with us. She was more human than she was a dog and never wanted to miss out on an adventure. She absolutely loved the water and when Dan went into the tube she jumped right in too. We always had a life jacket for her. Not because she couldn’t swim but because she would swim so long we were afraid she would tire out and drown.  Looking back on this picture reminds me of how much fun we used to have. And how I miss my dog.

After the rain