Covid-Themed Mother's Day For many, this is a complicated Mother's Day. Many are faced with decisions about how to celebrate Mom, with a lurking pandemic theme. I'm kind of glad my Mom Day was simple. I'm missing Mom and my kids today. That's nothing new. I would have been missing them today, regardless of quarantine-time. In recent years, Mother's Day has been a day to enjoy memories of my dear mom and to chat with far-away kids on the phone. Today is the hardest on families who live near each other, but are trying to stay apart. Brunch? I'm glad I wasn't one of those people torn with making a decision, about going to Mother's Day Brunch. Many restaurants in Texas were open and serving brunch, today. I wasn't a bit tempted. Keeping it Simple Don offered me coffee in bed and I said, "Why not?" I've never been one to even want breakfast in bed. But, these are different times. Time to try new things, like lingering a bit, with my funny little book. It was lovely outside, but we stayed inside, long enough to catch CBS Sunday Morning. The show was extra soothing today, with lots of tulips! Chinese Feast We decided to support one of our local Chinese restaurants for our noon meal. Kung Pao Chicken and Orange Chicken! I was in heaven with my tea and chopsticks. Our Chinese feast did make me miss my mom and the kids, though. We have a lot of shared memories from numerous Chinese restaurants. Mom taught the kids to love Shrimp Toast and Crab Rangoon! Gifts and Zoom In the afternoon, it was time for gifts and Zoom. Those kids of ours made me laugh, as always! I'm so glad I have 4 now! I miss the days of homemade cards and potholders. But there's nothing quite like Quarantine-inspired Mother's Day gifts! I am beyond touched that these kiddos have given me gifts that will give me hours of entertainment! Crafts and seeds! I will plant and stitch and think of them! Wine Weather I keep saying it was such a simple, enjoyable day. But I forget that it was probably more stressful for Don. He was once again in charge of making sure my pandemic celebration was enjoyable. April birthday... May Mother's Day... Father's day???? In the evening, Don served me some Clos Pegase Rose. It was from a California winery, that we had planned to visit next week. After a bit, a few little gifts slyly appeared! I absolutely can't complain about my Mother's Day. In fact, the weather was so perfect, I didn't want the day to end. Long Day So many of our shared quarantine days have felt long. (Especially in March) But, this was a good, long day. My fortune cookie told me it had to come to an end.
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My Not So Happy Blog How dare I say "I don't like pessimism", when this is my 58th complaint about Coronavirus... after 200 complaints about Cancer! But this is a venting blog. I'm allowed. I vent daily, so that I can be the optimist that I usually am. Does that make sense? Right now, I'm more delighted about the smell of my neighbor's Magnolia blossoms, than I am bothered by my itchy bug bites. But earlier this morning, I wasn't so positive. I've been easily annoyed lately. Blame it on the Pandemic! But this pandemic is really dividing people now. That's actually more scary and sad, than annoying. Today Today, I headed off on my run in a negative mood. I started at 7:30 am, which is late for me. This is how quiet my route usually looks. I go before the sun is up, to avoid people. Today, I felt stressed to find out just how many people run and walk and ride bikes, a little later in the morning. Navigating around people, just made me feel uncomfortable about everything. I was bothered by the strong smell of bat guano, when I crossed 2 bridges. I was bugged by the sound of a man playing tennis. (courts are open now) His throaty grunts were echoing in the morning air. And the air itself was so cool and breezy, it made my eyes water, which meant I kept touching my face. Then I saw 2 different people I knew, which led to two awkward greetings. I just wanted to see no one. I was a grumpy jogger today. The Ribbon is Back! Then I saw something that totally made my day! I've been running by the Hope Tree for over a month now... In early April, I added to the tree! I wrote some positive words on a ribbon and tied it on the highest branch. (which was not an easy task) A few days later, I noticed my ribbon was gone. I cringed to think it had blown away and had become trash.
Today, I saw my ribbon, tied on a low branch! Someone rescued it, risked contamination and tied it back on the tree! That Hope Tree changed my mood today! I am hopeful! Polio All this Covid news has made me curious about past pandemics. I've recently been thinking a lot about Spanish Influenza and Smallpox. After watching CBS Sunday Morning, I've been wondering about Polio. How incredibly sad, that Polio affected children more than adults. Seeing this image of a child looking at his parents through a window, reminded me of the photos I've seen of isolated Covid patients. Sad. Iron Lungs The image that haunted me most, was one of a room full of "iron lungs". How terrifying! They look like metal coffins. It still seems impossible that our world in 2020, is dealing with a pandemic. But when I imagine how hospitals dealt with past diseases, it makes me feel lucky to be alive today. Today's ventilators are like yesterday's iron lungs. Both scare me. I Love Vaccines I know there are lots of Anti-Vaxxers out there. But I love vaccines! It's helpful, to remind myself of the discovery of past vaccines. I was born in 1957, soon after Dr. Salk's polio vaccine had become widely available. I'm glad I didn't suffer from the crippling illness. I could have, if I'd been born just a few years earlier.
All this thought about Polio made me want to talk to others. I called my Dad and asked if he remembered anyone, who dealt with the disease. His adopted sister! I never knew. I texted my sister Jennifer, who is only slightly older, but has more connections. She told me a story about a doctor she once went to, who actually dealt with his patients, from inside his iron lung. Unbelievable! Jennifer has a friend, who grew up with an iron lung (her mother's) in her living room. So today, I remember so many past diseases, with all their complications and I try to be hopeful. I know it may be a year, or 4... or more, before we have a Coronavirus vaccine. But I will cheer and celebrate and take that vaccine whenever I can! National Day of Prayer - Today Today, I learned that it was the National Day of Prayer. I read that news, as I sat on the balcony, with Tibetan Prayer Flags flapping in the breeze. The flags were a gift from my daughter-in-law, a few years ago. I tucked them away, waiting for a special time to use them. I forgot about them, until recently. Tibetan Prayer Flags I can't believe I never really understood how these were to be used. Now is the time to learn, when our entire world is dealing with a crisis. There are a lot of different ways to worship in this world. Some pray and some don't. But these prayer flags offer a symbol of hope, for all. The flags are supposed to be displayed high. The breeze carries the blessings of each flag, while bringing good will and compassion to all beings. It's hard to argue with that. The five colors represent five elements. Blue for sky and space, white for air and wind, red for fire, green for water. Yellow symbolizes the earth. Selfish Prayers On this day, I hope that people who pray, do so for all people and not just themselves. I hope they don't try to pray the virus away, because we need to do more than pray. I hope prayers go out to people around the world, not just the people we know. On this day, I'm going to also think back to the Norman Rockwell exhibit that I enjoyed, just weeks before lockdown. I was moved by the four images from 1943... Freedom from Want, Freedom from Fear, Freedom of Speech and Freedom of Worship.
Nearly 20 years later, Rockwell was able to share a more worldly image, in his piece titled, Golden Rule. I remember seeing those faces from around the world and wondering about their prayers and thoughts. We are all in this together near and far... praying, hoping, wishing, together! Far Apart In the past two months, we have all learned how to connect with others. Most of us have latched onto Zoom or FaceTime or some special way, to feel closer with friends and family. Today, an interesting connection happened, when the Blue Angels did one of their flyovers, in our area. This flyover was meant to be a salute to the frontline Covid-19 responders. Don and I could see from the map, that the jets would fly over our Sugar Land hospitals, not far from our home. We thought about driving to a parking lot near I-59, for a better view. But the notice discouraged people from "traveling" to see the event. Maybe we could see from our home. Dallas Flyover I texted some of my neighbors, in case they hadn't heard. I texted my "Book Club Friends" even though we don't all live in Houston/Sugar Land, anymore. Around 11 am, the texts started coming in! Lisa and Lorrie were in different parts of Dallas, but both experienced the flyover. Lorrie, got a great video, from her balcony! Then Christy was caught by surprise on her morning walk in Fort Worth. My son-in-law's mother in Dallas texted me, to say Blue Angels were headed our way. She'd seen it on the news. Fingers Crossed At 12:30, Don and I stepped onto our balcony and hoped. We weren't sure we'd have a view, but I liked the idea of seeing this experience from home. We began to see neighbors stepping out in yards, looking up. We waved down to one family, who had walked out by the lake. "I hope we can see it!" There weren't many of us, but it was a fun connection. For a moment, I thought of the Italians singing from windows and New Yorkers, banging pots and pans. It feels good to connect. Suddenly we heard the roar! It was quick and I fumbled with cell camera and almost missed it. But it was a treat, just the same! We saw them from our home! The same 6 jets that our Dallas friends had seen! More Sharing Texts The texts continued! Friends shared bits of video and descriptions. I've seen airshows before, but there was something incredibly symbolic about why the Blue Angels were traveling in the area. My Italian neighbor a few doors down, added a different video to our thread. I'm not sure when this video is from, but it put a lump in my throat. The colors formed a rainbow... while opera played. I've been so concerned for our this special family. Their worries began much earlier. Their loved ones back in Italy, dealt with Coronavirus long before us. New Orleans I was so excited about our little bit of sky excitement, that I texted more family.I shared my short video with family in California, Idaho, Oregon, Louisiana and New York. My brother in New Orleans wrote right back. "I think they are coming our way!" Sure enough, before 2 pm, Dave was sending us video from above their home in New Orleans.
The texts continued! In the evening I messaged my friend Ann. Her son-in-law is one of the Blue Angel pilots, who flew over today. I said, "You must be so proud!" Then I let Ann know how the very quick flyover, had filled my day with little happy connections. So many people I knew were sharing their Blue Angel moments. This event was meant to salute the workers, but it lifted the spirits of so many who are staying at home! Like a full moon that our families can enjoy from all over the country, those 6 jets connected us in a magical way. What a boost!! Missing My Quilt Group Peeps Yesterday was Cinco de Mayo. I love celebrating with my senior groups each year. We get loud and silly, with our theme. Then we get thoughtful and I hear wonderful stories from many, who are closely connected to Mexico. No gathering this year. I miss them all and hope they're well. Celebrating in California Actually, this year I was going to miss my group celebration. Don and I were supposed to be in California, today. Five years ago, we were also in Laguna Beach, on May 5th. It was strange to turn on the news this morning and hear that the Main Beach in Laguna, was open... after a weekend of protesting. I'm glad we cancelled. Cinco at Home Don and I are pretty good at quarantine celebrations. We will celebrate anything. I just pull out decorations and we go from there. Don and I didn't do the Mexican Hat Dance, but I made a hat dance happened... in a miniature form. I pulled out some old sheet music, and played Malaguena on the piano. Don played it on the ukulele. Then we asked "Alexa" to play Malaguena Salerosa, which is different. It's our favorite. We had the mariachis play it in Laguna Beach, 5 years ago. My senior friends always sing it around the "Quilt Table", when we celebrate. Dos Days of Cinco Celebrating Don and I decided to celebrate Cinco, for two days. We have nothing better to do! Weather was lovely, so we sat out both evenings. Don wore his cactus shirt and I wore my embroidered dress, on the second evening. We had tortilla soup on Cinco de Mayo and carryouts from our local "Ruthie's Mexican" on the 6th! Cinco Zoom But really, the main reason for a 2-day celebration, was to have fun with the kids! They were available on the 6th. So this evening, we toasted with our margaritas from OR, CA and TX! We had some fun talking and catching up, then we took it a step further.
"House Party-Quick Draw" on our phones! Oh man, I am so bad at this! But, we're learning so much fun stuff from our millennials! Silly Decisions I'm overthinking everything these days. There's more time to think when you're sheltering in a quiet house, for 6 weeks. Don and I aren't juggling jobs or kids, or dealing with illness or job loss. If we were, I wouldn't be overthinking, I would just be doing. Life is simple, so I waste time choosing coffee cups in the morning. What is my mug-mood, today? It's silly, but I'm grateful for simple decisions. Seeing Real People We've kept it simple and safe, by staying home. There are very few decisions to be made, when you don't have to navigate the outside world. But now that restrictions are easing up, we have to start making more decisions. Shall we go out to eat? Not now. Do we go to the movies? No. It was easier when we didn't give ourselves a choice. Should we go to our cabin, 3.5 hours away? Should we actually call an exterminator? So I had my first face to face, in I don't know how long. I decided to call the exterminator for a problem. Then I asked myself. "Do I wear a mask? Is that what we do now?" It felt odd to greet the exterminator wearing a mask. At least exterminators wear masks anyway. Visiting After 6 weeks of communicating with friends and family through technology, I made the decision to have a friend visit with me in the yard. I was surprised with how stressed I felt after that decision. How do we do this? Do we wear masks? How do we greet each other? I sanitized the table and propped open the gate. I put on my mask and it felt horribly awkward to wave and not hug. We've both been quarantining, so we're probably not in danger of contaminating each other. But, I'm also just trying to do what's right. What is right?
Once seated, my mask came off and we talked a long time. It was a beautiful day and it stopped feeling like there was a pandemic in the world... except for the mask dangling around my neck. I'll probably look back and chuckle about how concerned and cautious I felt, about meeting the exterminator or a dear friend who needed to talk. I might tease myself, "Wow, what were you really worried about?" Or maybe I'll be glad that I took it slow and tiptoed back into the world, cautiously. I'm in no hurry. I cringe when I see angry Facebook posts, ranting about the Coronavirus Hoax. When people rant, that no one can make them wear a mask, I fume. I should stay away from social media, because things will get uglier as we start opening up states. Ginnie But if I stay away from Facebook, I might miss some of the positive posts that my friends are putting out there... like this one from GInnie. I've known Ginnie since 8th grade. I admired her artistic doodles on notebook paper, way back then. Now, I love how she's using her art, to share a little comfort and wisdom. Amy My Friend Amy shared a post that also impressed me. I met Amy in 5th grade, after I moved to Tallahassee. I remember doing "crafts" at each other's houses. I also recall trying to set up a craft sale of some kind. I've never sold a piece of art in my life, but Amy has and does! I applaud these two for delighting me with their art. It was a nice surprise on Facebook. I have a mask order coming my way! Appointment Reminders I kept my oncologist appointment in April and survived. Of course I took my Cancer & Coronavirus Kicking Donkey Mascot with me. Masks and healthy humor can help protect! But now that the state is easing up on restrictions, I'm starting to fret over future appointments. I'm beginning to get reminders that I'm due for dental appointments and check ups... things that aren't really urgent. Emergency I always dread doctor's appointments, but especially now. There are so many unknowns about safety. I'd rather just stay away from medical buildings, unless there's an emergency. Our son called from Sacramento a few days ago, with scary news. His wife was in ER. She is home and fine, but it was a long ordeal. Scott wasn't able to go in with Chali and he faced hours of worry, when they weren't able to communicate. Chali later told us about her scary experience, in ER during a health pandemic. After many tests and much worry, she was discharged with no answers for her sudden and painful illness. I hate knowing that Chali dealt with pain and fear, all alone. I hate it that we are far away and can't help. I hope no one else in our family has to step into a hospital, during these uneasy times.
Lately, I've caught myself pausing now and then, when climbing a ladder to clean or nearly slipping on the stairs... I guess it's time for me to slow down and be more cautious. This isn't the time for any stupid accidents. May Day Memories Today is May Day! I have fond memories from childhood. We delivered May Baskets to our friends in Iowa. In New York our school celebrated with the Maypole and dancing. Yesterday, Don and I did a May Day walk, a day early. The weather was gorgeous and we saw lots of flowers. May Day 2020 in Texas Today is gorgeous too, but it has a weird feel. Today is the day Texas begins to re-open the state. This makes me anxious because, this may backfire if people get too relaxed. Today I was also a little sad, because May first was the day Don and I were supposed to fly from Texas to California. We were to stay with Scott and Chali and also visit our friends in Oceanside. We had lots of fun stops planned, in between visits. I know, cancelling trips is not something to complain about... but I will. Last week, Don and I finished canceling all our hotels for our travels, in north and south California. We canceled 12 unique and historic hotels. Some of the more obscure ones may never reopen. Sad for us and much sadder for them. May Day Surprise Today, in the early afternoon, I heard the doorbell. I assumed it was UPS, but when I peeked out I spied a little May Day Elf dashing away! I rushed to the porch and hollered my thanks, to my dear neighbors! It felt good to be connected, talking across the yard. I was absolutely giddy with this sweet surprise! This is what I'll remember, about Pandemic May Day!
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Not-So-Happy List
Cancer, Covid & Coronary... I started this complaining list/blog, in May 2016. I posted 200 gripes about my breast CANCER and then I was done. On March 13, 2020, I started venting all over again, when another disease (starting with a C) interfered with my life. This time it was the invasion of COVID and it affected every person. I ranted for a year, until I got my COVID vaccine in March 2021. CORONARY Artery Disease was the reason I restarted this blog on September 26, 2021. This time it was my hubby Don, who was dealing with a worry that started with the letter "C". Coronavirus and Cancer, Coronary Artery Disease! All are evil, but none can totally get me down... if I vent! I usually end up feeling a little more positive at the end of each post! Navigating This Mess! The most recent post is at the top, from coronary posts in 2022, back to cancer posts in 2016. To find past posts, look below the "Archives" section, to find "Categories". Archives
January 2022
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