Summer is Here!

Yes, I no longer check the temperature before taking Rosie out in the morning because I know it's going to be hot, very hot, or damn hot.  I can tell how she feels about it by the path she chooses. If she heads straight across the street to the cul-de-sac, I know it will be a short walk. If she's up for a longer walk, we go either right or left determined by the scents she picks up in the driveway!  It has been nature week here. A few days ago I took Rosie to a shaded area for her afternoon walk and there were 6 to 8 juvenile squirrels just absolutely frolicking in the leaves and chasing one another up the trees. It was a riot to watch. Then on the way to the car, we saw a bunny. Several days ago there was a fawn in my backyard. I saw it fly past the window and I thought it might be a neighbor's dog. It stopped under the trees and lingered in the yard for quite a while. Rosie just sat and watched. I kept wondering where its mom was. I hope they reconnected.

Over the last two weeks, I've been more quarantined at home more than usual - all because of a haircut. The first time I had it cut, I felt fine and I knew that my hairdresser had a mom at home who was undergoing radiation for lung cancer and she was aware of her mom's vulnerability. This time, she began by telling me that her daughter and her co-workers had come down with something - they didn't think it was COVID, but they were tested, and days later they still had not gotten the results!! She had moved her daughter out of the house and quarantined her.  THEN, she tells me how good it felt to drive down to FLORIDA to visit her boyfriend and everything they did. Then, on the way home, they stayed overnight someplace so they could go to a CASINO!!  Well, I couldn't get out fast enough. I really didn't think I had anything to worry about, but who knows. So, I let my usual Friday social buddies know that I was going to decline for the next two weeks. I've felt fine (except being totally depressed about the state of our country!) but I really could not have run the risk. Needless to say, I'm looking forward to having everyone (Chris, Lynn, Tom, and Bogey) over this Friday. Our little group really is a nice moment of normalcy.

Thanks to everyone who voted for Rosie as Best Pet in the Hilton Head Monthly magazine contest. I haven't heard anything so I guess she didn't win, BUT I'm sure she had the most diverse and far-flung voters. Mary shared the info on Twitter and, when Pilar and Tippy tried to share it with their friends on Facebook, they got scolded by FB!!  Of all the misleading things that need to be "censored" or removed, they catch someone trying to drum up votes for a pooch!! In any case, Rosie and I thank you for your support!

Well, Tippy and I did our Zoom class about our trip to Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Capetown for OLLI. It was 2 hours for 2 days. Amazingly, we had 128 people sign up for day one and 134 for day two!! They really seemed to enjoy it and asked lots of good questions. Someone was even impressed with my photos and asked what camera I used!!!  OLLI sent us the evaluation that people had completed and it made my day! We have not yet gotten tired of talking about the trips and we love having a captive audience. They have asked us to repeat our Kenya and Tanzania class via Zoom in the fall. We have (long ago) determined that we will have to take a 3rd trip to Africa in order to have new material! With the world as it is, who knows how long it will be before we can do that.....and I don't have a lot of time to waste!! PS.....our class is based on the slideshow I shared here with you first.

Not a lot else happening here. I hope that things are good and safe where you are and that we will all see positive changes in the last half of the year.  God knows we could use it! I know how fortunate I am that I have to only look after myself and Rosie. I have friends who have had 5 kids at home this school year....and will probably look forward to more of the same; friends whose children had to postpone their wedding because the family couldn't travel;  friends whose relatives have passed away and there has not been the due respect paid and closure afforded; a friend whose husband is in a care facility and she (who usually visits daily) has not been able to see him for months. These are not normal times and we all need to count our blessing and help in any way we can. I know I'm preaching to the choir.....and I count myself fortunate to be in this choir!

July is Already Here!

I began this post in the middle of June (11th) when we were still having beautiful, mild weather. That morning I wore a light jacket to walk Rosie as it was about 69 degrees. Most of that week had been below 80 degrees. Well, that was a couple of weeks ago and summer is here. The last few days have been in the mid-90s and plenty hot. We continue to have the little morning breezes so I try to give Rosie a long walk in the morning because neither of us will want a long walk in the afternoon.

You are probably hearing about all of the Black Lives Matter protests going on here and we have had several locally. On June 7, I went to one on the island and was not even sure I would participate (due to the virus) until I got there and checked it out. Luckily, it was held at a soccer field and there was plenty of space for people to distance. Most people also had masks. There were about 1000 people there according to the police count. The speakers were very good and thought-provoking, though it did run a bit long and I left before the end. Following the speakers, there was to be a streetside march (one of my favorite things!) but I didn't stay for that as I figured the distancing would be tricky. Since then, there have been several others though I didn't attend. I'm picking my events to remain safe and well.  The following video was done by Cody Yeager and I was lucky to be able to share it with you as it is much better than anything I have.

There was also Community Conversation in Race held this past Saturday afternoon, which I did attend. The panelists were from the black community and it was interesting and informative. It, too, was held in a large outdoor space but was poorly attended, which is a shame as we need more conversations of this type. The panel was very good with diverse backgrounds including the FBI agent who went to Shelby, NC to bring Dylan Roof back to SC after the Mother Emanuel killings in Charleston! It started late and it was very hot so I didn't stay for the whole thing but the part I attended was very well done.

This past week or so has seemed as busy as before the quarantine! Liberal Ladies did a newsletter after many months of not doing one. Lowcountry Coalition Against Hate also wants one (still waiting for submissions), though it will be much shorter than Liberal Ladies. Tippy and I have been working on our Africa class to be held on the 7th and 8th. Once I finish this post, I"m going to concentrate on the class and get it under control. After that, I hope things settle down again.

Bogey enjoying the sofa!

Chris, Lynn, Tom, and I continue to have our Friday Social Bubble and it is good to get together and catch up on the previous week and, believe me, there is never a dull moment. This week we have learned that the President has known since March of last year that Russia was paying Afghan soldiers to kill US soldiers - and has done or said nothing, other than inviting Putin to the G8! And now that the EU will no longer accept American visitors, I may have missed my window of opportunity to move to Spain!!

As though we don't have enough on our plates, Lynn and I have become community organizers and I am the Belfair Precinct Executive Committeeperson! Don't even ask how that happened! So, last Sunday Lynn and I ran a Zoom meeting for known Crescent Democrats. It was attended by about 10 people but several folks who missed it have been in touch expressing interest. Since then, I've been working on a survey to determine interest and direction. I've also set up a Google Group as a means of keeping everyone informed of political events between now and the election. If we get those up and running, communication should be much easier.

Hopefully, the pandemic is lessening where you are, but you know what is happening here! We have no Federal leadership and, being a Red state, our governor is taking the trump route. So, we are on our own. There has been enough local concern/commotion that Hilton Head and Beaufort passed a mask order several days ago and Bluffton followed yesterday. I ran to Sam's this morning, thinking there might not be many people at that time. WRONG! The line to get in ran down the building and as I walked to the end, everyone had on a mask! That made me feel much better! I was in and out as quickly as possible and sanitized once in the car - just doing what most of us have been doing for months. I'm sure some people have given grief today, but I was pleased to see that those I ran into were complying easily.

A more enjoyable project has been to write Rosie's Story! Our friend Paula in Spain, who is very active with a dog rescue there, is putting together a book of dog stories. I was thrilled

I like the ears - both sets!

when she asked me to write about Rosie and the possibility that she might be included in the book. I'm getting my first draft to Paila this weekend and am eager to see how it all develops. I just hope I can do my girl justice! In doing the story, I went back to Noah's Ark (who saved her!) website and re-read their account (at that time Rosie was called Baby Ruth!). I discovered something I didn't know or had completely forgotten. In addition to her back legs and pelvis being broken, she also has a life-threatening hernia that enveloped her liver and guts! It was pressing on her inferior vena cava and could have killed her any minute. Had she not been found and treated, she would surely have died!! It makes me feel even more fortunate to have her as my sidekick. She is a real miracle girl!

On that note, I'm going to close. I hope everyone is well and making every effort to stay that way. This is proving to be a year for the books and one I'd just as soon forget. Even so, I think it is going to remain as is for the remainder of the year, but I'm hoping November will be a positive turning point!