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!

Each Week is Worse Than the Last

Where to begin? You all have probably seen the 9-minute video of George Floyd being murdered on the street, in full view, by four policemen. That has haunted me all week, especially with all of the destruction that followed, though I can understand the anger and sadness that his death caused.  It is just incomprehensible that institutionalized racism continues to beleaguer our country. And I mourn for communities of color that have suffered and been held back for so long. I am happy to report that Savannah had a large gathering yesterday and it was peaceful. Our little community had a car procession in support of Black Lives Matter and justice for George Floyd. As Rosie and I were in the procession, I realized how creative the idea was - it minimized the possibility of violence and allowed for social distancing. Cars were decorated with slogans and signs of support and one estimate was there were about 150 cars. That's a large turnout for this area. As we drove along, people on the streets cheered us, people came out of their house to wave, etc. It was very uplifting. I had signs on most windows of the car and wondered about the reaction of my neighborhood as I drive through. As luck would have it, my neighbor's grandkids (the girls who love Rosie) were walking down to my house to show me their new puppy. So, I pulled over and chatted for a minute, also explaining the signs on the car. This morning, the grandmother was out riding her bike and asked how it went. We had a nice chat about it and the general situation. So, overall, I consider it a positive experience and I'm glad to see the diverse elements of the community coming together for something like this. 

One interesting thing I've been doing lately is text banking for Jaime Harrison (running against Lindsey Graham) and some voting issues. This was an informative process that is so well organized. You have to set up an account on something called ThruText and then they will let you know when they are going to do a texting campaign. So, you sign on and are given a list of names and cell phone numbers. There is also one of those pre-set statements like "Hi, I'm Donna with the Jaime Harrison campaign. Blah, blah, blah". You send that message to everyone on the list. Eventually, people begin to reply. To make it even easier, there are pre-set replies to their questions or comments. You may occasionally have to reply personally or edit a pre-set reply, but it is so well thought out and intuitive. I've enjoyed it. And my guess is that cell phone contact may be the way to reach a lot of people.

I'm also an alternate delegate to our Democratic state convention, which is going to be virtual this year. The unexpected thing about that is that I'm receiving robocalls, postcards, etc. from those running for Democratic National Convention Delegates and Executive Committee members. Voting begins today and will be complete by the end of the week. It will be interesting to see how it plays out.

Last week, I finally ventured out to have my hair cut. It's one of the few "risky" things I've done as I continue to order groceries online and pick them up.....and keep a low profile. Kelly works in a salon with lots of other stylists but she has her own little room, which made me feel a bit better. She also had a full face shield and is conscientious about cleaning because she goes home to a compromised mother. Everyone HAS to wear a mask (and she had received grief from some!) and they keep the door locked. No one can enter until someone comes out to get you.  Kelly and I were talking about being sequestered, being bored (not me), eating too much (me), and that kind of thing. She said she was going to call it the Corona-15 - the 15 pounds put on between mid-March and the end of May!

Other than that, not much is happening. I've almost completed another puzzle. Chris, Lynn, Tom, Bogey, and I continue our little Friday afternoon "social bubble", which gives us a chance to hash out the trauma of the week. Tippy and I get together as we can, and Drinking Liberally is going to try our first live meeting in a while. We will order food from Juan, our favorite restaurateur whom we're trying to support through these difficult times, and then tailgate in a nearby parking lot. We'll see how that goes.

That reminds me that Tippy and I will be teaching a class on our second Africa trip - Zambia, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Cape Town, SA. It will be done through OLLI (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute), which is nationwide. Since they have been unable to run live classes on campus, they want us to do a Zoom class and open it up to all OLLI groups nationwide!!  No doubt we will miss the personal contact, but this is the trip that has all of the unexpected stories (elephant flatulence, unexpected storm, Black magic woman, etc.). It should be fun and in preparation, I'm taking an online Zoom class this Thursday.

And last, but not least, I think we have a definitive answer on the mystery bush. Mary commented on my last post that it is ligustrum, one of her mother's favorites. After checking it out online, I am in agreement. The small blooms of the jasmine that I found online didn't seem to form the cone-shaped flower shown to the left. Sadly, they have bloomed out and we are without that wonderful scent, but I am glad to know what it is. Thanks, Mary.

I hope this finds everyone doing well but still taking necessary precautions. I'm not sure the coronavirus has finished with us yet. It has also been predicted that it will be an active hurricane season, which I don't even want to think about it. The only things left are locusts and zombies, and the way 2020 has going so far, nothing would surprise me! 

Things Are Picking Up!

Yes, things are picking up, even with social distancing. On May 1, Tippy invited Rosie and me for a walk on Dolphin Head. It was a bit breezy, but otherwise, it was wonderful to be out.  There were loads of people there, but each group maintained an appropriate distance from the other. We were afraid that there would not be enough privacy to let Rosie off the leash but as we rounded the corner, there was no one. So, I let her off the leash. It took her a minute to realize she was free, and then she took off. It's just wonderful to see the joy she feels. She even chased some birds. It was fun for all of us. We then joined Tippy and Kieran for a glass of wine on their porch. It was delightful

This post is going to look wacky because I opened Blogger today and everything has changed - new and improved, no doubt!! One of the glitches in the new program is that I'm not able to get the text to wrap around photos. I'm not the only once as when I looked for help, many others were asking the same questions. Hopefully, it will be resolved before next time!

May 1 was also to be the day that Alex, my friend Reyna's son, graduated from college. Needless to say, the ceremony was postponed...and hopefully, reschedule for sometime in August. In any case, I was invited to a graduation party for him on April 9. Actually, it was Reyna's birthday, Alex's birthday and graduation, and Suzanne's 1st birthday - all within 3 days of each other!! I felt a lot of trepidation about being around so many people, but by and large, the kids stayed outside and Reyna, Richard, her sister and her husband, and I stayed in the kitchen. They were really a polite group of young people.....not loud, not rowdy. At least two have been accepted into dental school, one in Kentucky. One young lady, I had met at the Lowcountry Immigration Coalition. She had opened a Go Fund Me account to help her go with her school to do charity work in Peru. Unfortunately, that too was cancelled due to the pandemic. It was very encouraging to meet these young people and I certainly wish them all the best.

Last night I had Chris, Lynn, Tom, and Bogey over for wine and munchies. We maintained social distancing but, even so, it felt normal.....maybe not for Chris because she isn't accustomed to having two dogs playing, frolicking, playing with squeaky toys, howling, etc. It does take a little getting used to! It was fun.

Zoom connections have also picked up. This week I had a meeting with Lowcountry Coalition Against Hate, as well as a precinct meeting. I think folks are feeling that we should be doing something, but so far no one seems wanting to get out into large groups. That's fine with me. I'm sure you've seen the idiocy of folks showing up at government offices brandishing guns (no masks!) and trying to intimidate officials. I'm waiting for a spike in deaths in about a week and am just lying low until I feel good and ready to go out. Even then, it will be very measured.

I have continued my online grocery ordering experimentation. My first attempt with Instacart had a 3-day delay. As things ramped up, that extended to 5 days, which required more planning that I wanted to do. So, last weekend I placed a pickup order from Sam's and Kroger's. Much to my surprise, I was able to pick up both orders the next day! Both processes were well organized and easy. Though my closest Kroger doesn't offer the pick-up service, the one on Buckwalter is only 4 miles away. I like it well enough that I might continue it after the pandemic!

As I write, I'm watching the Historic Black Colleges and Universities Class of 2020 Celebration on Twitter. President Obama is to speak, which will be a great treat! There is also going to be a graduation program tonight on major networks, also featuring President Obama (little donnie will hate that!). Imagine complete sentences, thoughtful dialogue, courtesy, all those positive qualities we took for granted. I'm going to savor it while I can. If it turns out to be the same program, I'll watch it twice!

On a sad note, I was told by Ann W that Lois Law Marsh had a stroke and was in hospital for about 10 days, which does not sound good. If I am correct, her mobility was only minimally affected but her speech was more so. She's home now and I'm sure she will be getting therapy. I'm sending healing vibes her way.

Below is one of Rosie's walking routes. For a while, I've been trying to obtain the name of the bush shown (Rhonda T, you might be able to confirm this). It grows into huge bushes throughout our neighborhood and smells wonderful. I was told once that it was a Jasmine, but I wasn't convinced since I think of jasmine growing on vines. When a second person told me, I Googled it and I think that is correct. With the great weather we are having, they add to the joy of being outside.

 

The lagoon along our usual route has acquired a second alligator. The older one usually suns on the far side of the lagoon, but now this one has taken to lying between the lagoon and the pathway. Even if he isn't there, I'm wondering where he is! I'm happy to take a different path, but convincing Rosie is a different story. We have been enjoying the nice weather and this morning we were out over an hour and ran into many of our buds, both two-legged and four-legged. Rosie stops with anyone who will pet her and most people do! I even came home with five 500 piece jigsaw puzzles! Another neighbor had already given be two 1000 piece puzzles, but I think I need to stick with the 500s until I get the knack. Yes, I did finally complete the first puzzle! Proof below.

This is just Rosie with her bunny.

I loved the matching ears!

Keeping you all in my thoughts. I hope you are safe and well. Take care and be in touch.

A Whole Lot of Nothing!

A special thanks to Mary, Tippy, and Rhonda T who commented on my last post. I can rest in knowing that the comment section actually works and the directions seem to be correct. So, feel free to comment on anything you read or just let me know what you're doing. I've already gotten two book recommendations, so it's a great way to share ideas and information.

I hope this finds you and yours safe and well in this unusual and perilous time. I've touched base with friends in the UK, Spain, France, and Australia. Everyone is well and seems to be going through much the same experience as here in the US, with the exception of having reliable leadership!  While some elements of the government are pushing to open businesses, most neighbors and friends I've talked to plan to stay put long enough to see whether or not there will be a second wave. Even after that, my feeling is that people will still be reticent to be in crowded restaurants, theaters, etc. There will definitely be a new normal!

The last week has had a degree of normalcy to it. After our Drinking Liberally group had our Zoom meeting last week, David asked if he could come over for his Rosie fix. He brought over a sandwich and I had my vegetarian grub at lunchtime. He then had some playtime with Rosie, which she loved. 

As Rosie and I were out walking one day, I mentioned to a neighbor that I had borrowed a jigsaw puzzle from another neighbor and was enjoying working on it. He said they had plenty to share. That afternoon his wife called and invited me over for happy hour and to pick up some puzzles. So, I went over on Thursday and had what felt like a normal evening, even with keeping appropriate social distancing.

Then, yesterday I invited Lynn, Tom, and Bogey over so Rosie and Bogey could have a play date. It forced me to tidy up the house, appear presentable, and actually make an effort toward something. It was fun to see Bogey learn his way around the house - it was almost like he was being yanked around by his nose! Over time he settled down and delighted in the fact that he could hop up on the sofa (I ordered covers at the time I bought the sofas because I know Rosie would be on them!) By the end of the evening he was sleeping on the sofa between Lynn and Tom. We had a nice visit and it's something I should do more often. Those interactions almost made it feel like normal times.


Zoom has made it possible to get together with friends and see their smiling faces. Ann, Eileen, and I are trying to get together this Wednesday morning (my time). Later that day, our local Squad (Chris, Tippy, Lynn and Tom, David, Rhonda) + Sally in NJ and Melodee in St. Louis will get together for happy hour. Sally suggested we all do Clorox shots together!! That did make me laugh but I think I'll leave that to the Cult!!

In the time it has taken me to do this much, the neighbor I
borrowed it from has done FOUR 1000 piece puzzles!
I'm not sure I have the knack!!

Yes, I started a jigsaw puzzle and have enjoyed it. It's great because you can leave it and come back as time allows; in fact, it is better to leave it for a while and come back with fresh eyes. I'm using it as bribery - if there is something I need to get done, I can't work on the puzzle until the job is done. We'll see how long that works! This puzzle is only 500 pieces and the two I was given are 1000. That will keep me out of trouble for a long time. 

The other thing I've been doing is binge-watching some escapist series on Acorn (The Indian Doctor, The Good Karma Hospital, The Heart Guy). Two that I've really enjoyed are Ackley Bridge and Geroge Gently. Neither are current but they are timelessly produced with great plots and storylines. Jan has also recommended Caliphate on Netflix. That may be next on my list once I catch up on Bosch's new season. You would be correct in thinking that I'm not doing anything productive. I do get little bits and pieces done but not as much as I feel I should be accomplishing. It is what it is!! Let me know if you have any great series that you've enjoyed watching.

My mother would say that I"ve "gone to seed!" Rosie and I are taking our own sweet time getting up and out in the morning. As soon as we get home, I remove any restrictive garments and slob around for the rest of the day (until I walk Rosie again) in something loose and comfortable.  My hair hasn't been cut in 6 weeks and I'm doing less and less to it. Tomorrow I'm going to cut the neckline myself and just let it do what it will. I've actually always wanted to just let it grow and see what would happen and how little I could get away with doing to it. Now seems to be the time to do it! And, of course, there has been a lot of comfort food. I posted this picture on my fridge and all it does is make me laugh as I open the fridge door. At the rate I'm going I can just throw away my entire closet and start over again.

This may be more than you need to know, but something has been biting me over the last few days. It started around my growing waistline, then moved up my right side (2 more bites). I know it was a bite because the new bites had a dark center and then red inflammation emanating from that.....and itching. It was far enough around toward my back that I couldn't really see too much, then yesterday the bite was on my stomach. As I was applying alcohol to it, I noticed that the dark center lifted a bit - it was a tiny tick!! I removed that little sucker and am hoping that is the end of that. 

One positive thing that has come from this pandemic and that I've enjoyed seeing, is our planet recovering and the animals having more space as we are forced to have a smaller footprint. There should be no doubt that our lifestyle negatively impacts the planet, climate, etc. My hope is that as we define the new normal we will be willing to make some changes that will benefit us all in the future.

And finally, we continue to have glorious weather. Today was sunny, the mid-70s, and a wonderful breeze. Our winter was mild and it feels like we are having a long spring. Some/many years it feels like we have a week of spring and then one morning you wake up and it's 95F and 95% humidity - for the next two months. This year has been beautiful.

I will leave you with a little Rosie time. You are all in my thoughts - stay safe and well.

Passing Time in Quarantine!

This is what happens when I don't have an
appropriate photo!!

We have all had time to settle into our "social distancing" situation, and I have probably settled in better than most. That is possibly an advantage of having no siblings and being accustomed to amusing myself. Being at home has never been boring for me, though I'm sorry it has been imposed in this way. One of the first few days, I ventured to the DMV to get my Real ID license, which had been on my To-Do list for a long time. If there were a lot of people there, I would just skip it, but there were only about three people in front of me. They had everyone wait outside, keeping appropriate distancing, and someone came to ask why you were there. As it turned out, I didn't have everything I needed, so the lady gave me the form to fill out. The DMV is directly across Hwy 278 from me, so I went home, filled out the form, picked up my Social Security card, and headed back. This time there were two people in front of me but I had everything in order and she sent me right on in. I was happy to get it done AND they extended my license, which was due to expire in 2023, to 2028! 

I've had one take out from Olive and Fig and coffee with Lynn and Tom twice. It's great to have neighbors to get together with, and Rosie and Bogey like getting together, too! Other than that, it's been only grocery shopping, complete with mask and gloves. 

The Instacart grocery shopping experience was interesting. At the time I did it, you had to plan three days out. Now it is five days out, so it is obviously catching on. My initial delivery order had a $7.99 delivery fee, but once I added a few things that brought the charge to a certain amount, the fee dropped to $3.99, which I thought was very reasonable. I could add things virtually until she started shopping. If items were running low, the app would inquire about substitutions at that time. If an item was not in stock while the shopping was being done, the shopper would inquire online about preferred substitutions. I enjoyed seeing how it worked and it can certainly be a worthwhile service.

I'm happy to report that Rosie seems to be feeling better over the last 7 to 10 days. It is so difficult to tell how she is or to determine whether or not I'm overacting. In any case, you can see that her tail and ears are up and she's playing with a squeaky toy. None of that was happening when she was in pain. You may also notice that I have a chair (2) backed up to the bed to keep her from jumping. Not liking that setup, I found a pet bedrail online. It is a neat contraption and works well - and it looks a bit better than the chairs. She has learned how to get on and OFF the bed using the ramp, which may partially account for her feeling better. Keep your fingers crossed that this continues.

My other project is to purge my closet (which I began 10 days ago and continue on an irregular schedule!) and clean the garage, but every day I have it on my To-Do list, I find something else to do! I really do want to get it done while I have time. Keep your fingers crossed for this one, too!

The Squad (Tippy, Chris, Lynn, Melodee, Sally, and I) have gotten together once on Zoom and it was lots of fun to see and chat with everyone. On the free version, you are limited to 40 minutes and we used that easily. Last night, Drinking Liberally Zoomed for happy hour on our usual day and time. About twelve or so "old-timers" showed up for an animated chat. It was good to see everyone, but I missed Juan's Mexican food!

I don't want to put a kenahora on it, but we continue to have fantastic weather. I can't remember the last time I heard the AC or heating running and it's wonderful to get up in the morning to a perfect temperature. With everyone locked down, more neighbors are out walking, riding bikes, etc.....and much less auto traffic. The neighborhood is quieter and slower. I've been touched by several neighbors who stopped me to ask how I am doing. They hadn't seen me in a while and were concerned. That's comforting in times like this.

The pandemic and the three trump years leading up to it have shown me how much my life has changed. When this is over, we will never go back to "normal", whatever that was, and I've been thinking about what I want my remaining years to be. I'd like to live at a pace that is more comfortable for me (slower). I'd like to be able to appreciate more of the people and things around me and on this wonderful planet. And most of all, I'd like to exist in a kinder, more compassionate world.

PLAY ALONG: 

• What have you discovered in this time of quarantine? 
• What revelations have you had about reaching the other side of this pandemic?
• What changes do you hope to make when this is over?

Let me know your thoughts in comments below.
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Love to all!

Stay Safe and Well.