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!