Rally in Tulsa Our family lived in Tulsa for 7 years. I have fond memories of the city. Today, I'm glad I'm not in Tulsa. Crowds have been lining up for days, to attend Trump's first campaign rally at BOK Center. This is not the time for thousands to gather inside a building! No one will be required to wear masks. Covid numbers are rising in Oklahoma. It is also not the time to be taking away from Tulsa's Juneteenth outdoor celebrations this weekend. Celebrations began yesterday in the historic Greenwood District. Juneteenth is getting an extra spotlight this year. The recent focus on racial injustice has suddenly made more people aware of the special day in June, that marks the end of slavery in 1865. Tulsa's Greenwood District is also getting more focus, because more people are learning about the massacre that took place here, 99 years ago. In 1921, angry mobs torched this area and about 300 were killed. Homes and businesses were destroyed. I've been worried about what might happen with these two events occurring so near each other in Tulsa. On the news, I saw people carrying weapons. I watched the news and saw people in Maga hats and BLM shirts in the streets. How could I not think about the race riots nearly a century ago? Why did Trump need to have this rally in Tulsa, NOW? So it's late now. The event in BOK is over. Fewer attended the rally than expected. There were a million RSVPS, but only 6,660 thousand inside. That's a whole different thought.
I'm glad Tulsa came out okay. This photo with a BLM protester and a man in a MAGA hat, is a positive one. I'm feeling very relieved.
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Juneteenth Lately, we have been reminded of the not so good parts. of our country's history. Today is the annual holiday that celebrates the end of slavery in the US. 155 years ago, the news that slavery was abolished, came to Galveston, TX. That announcement came 2+ years after President Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation. I've seen the building in Galveston, where that announcement was made, but I never knew the history. I don't think I knew anything about the celebration of Juneteenth, until after we moved to Texas 20+ years ago.
This history is sad, but I am so happy that more and more people have become aware of the holiday, this year. It is a day to celebrate freedom. Here is my tiny gesture of celebration... on my porch. News in the Morning Sometimes I forget to check the local news. I watch National news and see how all the states are doing and sometimes they mention the Houston area. Texas is getting some attention, along with Florida, Arizona and Oregon. We have something in common. Rising numbers of cases. You can try to blame the rising number of cases, on all the extra testing. But rising numbers of hospitalizations, is a different story. We all want that hospital bed if we need it! A lot of people aren't worrying about these numbers. Texas is a huge state. But, 2,622 cases reported in one day! That's enough to make me stay home. But I don't stay home. I head off to walk or run. I get out and live in the moment. I watch the turtles and red-winged blackbirds and study the Cypress tree knees. I don't think about Covid or elections or anything else. Yay.
Mail Worries There's always a new worry. Now it's about mail service. We need a good mail service, especially this fall. This pandemic could make voting a nightmare in the fall. Best Mail Carrier I've been using the mail service a lot more in past months. I appreciate all the people who have made it possible for me to receive and send cards and letters. Here is my favorite mail carrier of all time. Minouz no longer delivers our mail, but I think about her and all those who have been handling our deliveries during these stressful times. Father's Day Package On Monday, I packaged up some gifts for my dad. I should have made it easy with online shopping and shipping. But after over a dozen weeks of daily phone chats with my dad... I for the first time know what would actually delight my dad. I ordered a few out of print books, related to stories my dad has told recently. I am grateful for all the memories and stories that have surfaced over these quarantine days. Worn and Weary Once packaged up, I made a trip to the post office. I could have just thrown a million stamps on the large envelope and tossed it in the box nearest my house. Just look at that sad postal box, where I mail my cards and letters. But I headed to the Sugar Land post office and parked in front of the faded building. It was a reminder that the postal service could use some money. The interior looked just as weary. Signs I wore my mask and stood at the end of a long line. There were strips of yellow tape to keep us standing apart. As I moved to the yellow line closest to the door, I studied the sloppy signs taped to the glass. Wow! Masks are required! I love it. I looked around and counted 13 people in both rooms. Everyone wore a mask. That made my day!
June 16, 2016 Four years ago today, I went in for a lumpectomy. Don went with me early that morning and my daughter drove in from Austin, to join us at the hospital. It was good to have support. There's nothing exactly fun about any kind of surgery, but Don and Heidi made me laugh. I remember hamming it up for a few pics in my hospital gown. My surgery was no big deal for the doctor, but it was a mighty big deal for me. Don and Heidi kept me distracted and relaxed before I headed in. Right now I'm thinking of all the people who have faced hospital worries alone, because of the Covid crisis. My daughter-in-law had a scary ER experience in April. Alone. My dear friend faced breast surgery alone, last week. Post Surgery I was able to come home later that day. Heidi and Don pampered me and I even managed a song or two on the uke. (my drugs must have helped) My friend didn't have it so easy last week. She was dropped off at the hospital and had to stay the night. She is just one of many in past months, who have faced scary surgeries or illnesses... or even the happy births of babies, all by themselves. Then and Now So today I'm thinking about that summer day, in 2016. I'm remembering the days and weeks and months that followed. We hunkered down and focused on health and kept fingers crossed about the future and connected with friends and family and focused on the things that were important and filled the house with upbeat, whimsical decor and read and ate and watched positive things on TV and we worried about the election in November and we lived in the moment and enjoyed the yard and looked at photo albums and dreamed of all the trips we'd take... and we played ukuleles. Just like now.
Funny. It all sounds very familiar. Whimsical Puzzles We are still staying home and entertaining ourselves. I've lost track of how many puzzles we've done. I should say, '...how many puzzles Don has done.' He has a lot more patience than me. The photo above shows my favorite kind of puzzle. It's wooden and has a very fun image, with "whimsy" pieces, in curious shapes. Oh how I love the word whimsical! 500 Pieces And give me a magical little image like these kiddos in the clouds! And please no more than 500 pieces. I just don't have the attention span these days! Puzzle Cubes This is a fun puzzle! My friend gave this to me 4 years ago, when I was going for chemo treatments. Each tiny cube has 6 sides, so there are 6 image options! Woohoo for this one. And woohoo for not having chemo... or covid. Good Places If the puzzle has more than 500 pieces, then I better have a podcast to listen to. And the puzzle better have a nice picture! I prefer the images that take me on a trip. Mountains, cottages, beaches and maps! They all let me dream of vacations! It doesn't really matter how many pieces, actually. I just let Don go at it. My quarantine buddy is the best. If I'm not around when he's close to finishing, he calls me as if I were a 6 year old... or a princess. Yep, he let's me put in the last 20 or so pieces. I'm not a bit above that!
Churches in Texas Today is Sunday and I've been thinking about churches. Many are open in our state, now. I wish people just keep praying from home. The Covid cases are rising again. The closest I got to church this week, was a drive by on Monday. I drove by Fountain of Praise Chapel, early in the morning, before they opened for a public viewing of George Floyd. The next day, I watched the televised "Homegoing" Celebration. I heard hymns and listened to Al Sharpton and local pastors and family... That was my church this week. Preaching Through Actions Every Sunday, Joel Osteen's sermon is televised from a huge arena in Houston. I've watched for a few minutes, but I've never attended. I do however remember sitting in those seats long ago, cheering the Houston Rockets and watching my daughter swoon over the boy band, NSYNC. Now I'm suddenly curious to hear what Joel Osteen has to say. The other day I saw him on the news. He was attending a peaceful protest and wearing a mask and I wondered. I am ready to start listening to all kinds of people I ignored before. Bible Photo-Op Over a week ago, I was watching live TV when I spotted our president, standing with a bible in front of St. John's Episcopal Church. This was quite a different religious moment on TV. Minutes before, I had watched peaceful protesters being cleared, before Trump's arrival. I cringed at my TV. 'Why are they using tear gas? What's going on?' Suddenly the president was standing there, awkwardly holding a bible. "Why Mr. President? Why are you standing there holding that bible?" I really wanted to ask him that. Kneeling Down It was also about a week ago, that a Facebook "friend" shared a post that sickened me. Her comment was in response to a short video showing some white folks in Houston, "begging for forgiveness..." This is a tricky subject, but that's not what upset me. This "friend" on Facebook has been sharing over 10 ranting posts per day. I only engaged once before. Then I gave up and ignored her posts. But this post was just wrong, for so many reasons. I was disgusted to see her pathetic words, especially when she thinks of herself as a good Christian. This is the kind of ugliness I'm seeing on Facebook right now. I responded to her post and then I unfriended, after her response. I have never blocked or unfriended anyone before... but I decided my mental health would be better, without her. Prayers from My Dear Friend It's been interesting seeing how religion is being used, during these times of crisis. I've decided if I need a little religion boost, I will take mine from Miss Margie. I have enjoyed the friendship of Margie for over 6 years, at the center where I volunteer. She always gives me a hug and handwritten bible verse. I haven't been able to meet with my Around the Quilt Senior Groups, since March. However, Margie has kept in touch over the phone. The last time we talked, she said she was doing well. We chatted and then she said a prayer, a very long prayer for Miss Beth. Her voice was sweet and sincere. I smiled as she spoke and we "Amen-ed" together.
I love Miss Margie. She looks much younger, but she's actually my mother's age. I pray that she stays well, so we can gather together when this is all over! View Competition For a few months I've studied window view images, posted from around the world. The Facebook group "View from my window' gained momentum, when people all over the world were under stay- at-home orders. There were images of snowy mountain scenes, kangaroos in the yard, breathtaking beach sunsets... all from windows. Anyone could contribute, but I just looked. I didn't want to compete with all those Instagram-Perfect photos. I was tempted to just share this photo of an art piece, that happens to be in the bathroom. I like pretending that's really my view! Balcony View Actually, have a pretty nice view from upstairs. This little balcony on the back of the house, hasn't had a person on it for about 10 years. The wrought iron furniture has gotten rusty and the wood is dried out. But in late March, I started taking my coffee and cereal up there in the morning. I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. Then I displayed some Tibetan prayer flags on the railing. They flutter in the breeze while I watch ducks on the water or birds overhead. Sometimes I spot an interesting bird... walking on the hedges. Happy Hour The balcony gets lots of sun in the evening, but in April the weather was still cool enough to have a little happy hour, without melting in the sunshine. Don and I have waved to a few neighbors, on their walks. We've watched strangers, strolling with their dogs or kids. I've spotted a couple of photo shoots, with young graduates in their gowns. I've seen women dressed in saris and some people wearing face masks. I guess some people have watched us too. "Look at that lady in the silly straw hat!" Entertainment We got to watch a fire truck do a little hose practice one day. We were glad they weren't needed for any emergencies. Sun and Rain The most fun, was watching the Blue Angels when they did a fly-over in Houston. They were loud and fast, but the quick show gave so many people in Texas and Louisiana a lift, on that very same day! I wish the balcony had a roof. I would love to sit out during the rain. Maybe I'll take an umbrella out there, next time. Odd Things The oddest thing I saw was in March, when I spotted an ice cream truck. It passed over the bridge, accompanied by an eerie recording of Greensleeves. It felt like a mirage at that time, because no one was leaving their homes then. We and our neighbors were hunkered down, struggling to understand what this pandemic was all about. That seems so long ago! By mid April, we started spotting more people fishing around the lake. Kids with poles wandered over from their homes. One day a few trucks arrived and teenagers set up a tent. I started to feel like nosy, Mrs. Kravitz. I wanted to march out there and remind them of social distancing. But they pretty much just fished. Spiffing up With Paint By the time May rolled around, I was tired of covering the rusty chairs with towels. Yay, for Stay at Home projects... even though many people in Texas are not staying home, once the state started opening up in May. Big Sky But I'm just going to keep enjoying the view and keeping close to home. The days are getting warmer, but the sunsets are getting better. And there's a good breeze up here! Maybe it's time for nighttime star-gazing from the balcony.
I Miss This Porch With Stay at Home Days, I miss a good front porch. I spent a lot of time playing on this porch, as a kid in Grinnell, Iowa. Now I'd love to sit on a front porch just like this and wave over to my neighbors. Little Porch People don't sit on porches much around here. But I do use my little porch. I've cleared out lots of stuff during all this home time. I recently put a few boxes on the porch for a "HAP" donation pick up. Oops! As you can see, a UPS box was delivered and placed in front of all my boxes. That could have been a big problem, when the donation truck arrived. Luckily and not luckily, the UPS package didn't get "donated". The donation truck failed to come, so I lugged those boxes back inside. Deliveries We had another problem on the porch recently. Our Blue Apron meal prep box, arrived damaged. The box was wet and torn. One of the ice packets broke and most of the goods had to be tossed. That was not a fun surprise. A Nice Surprise This photo shows my favorite porch surprise! I shared this May Day photo a while back. This little discovery took me back to my childhood days in Iowa, when kids delivered May Day baskets! My old porch in the photo above, was involved in lots of May Day deliveries. Yum! Our little porch has handled many porch goodies during pandemic days. We've had grocery deliveries and restaurant deliveries. This Black Bear Diner bag, was left on the porch on a Sunday morning. It wasn't a surprise, but it was surprisingly good! Don and I pretended we were at a diner having breakfast. It was delicious. If we'd had a big front porch we would have eaten it on the porch! Message on the Porch Nobody comes onto our porch these days, except delivery folks. UPS guys, the mail carrier occasionally and a rare food delivery. I don't know these people and I don't see them, but I made a sign the other day. I just wanted to share a message in a tiny way. I don't know if anyone has noticed.
Maybe I'll make a different message each week. Yes, I'm going to work on a new sign, since this one is falling apart. Texas in June Our state began opening more than a month ago. Memorial Day gatherings were two weeks ago. It's not surprising that the number of Texans hospitalized with Covid, hit all-time highs in the last three days. We've reached 2 million cases in the U.S., so I guess Don and I should be in no hurry to get on the road and explore Texas or anywhere. It's hard to hold back. Don and I are used to just going NOW. We never wait for the perfect time to travel. We don't go to Holland when the tulips are in bloom. We don't wait for the rains to stop to go to the beach. We like being flexible and adapting, when we travel. It's part of the challenge. But for now, we'll just think about FUTURE adventures. Maybe at some point, we'll figure out how to navigate some kind of pandemic travel. Hill Country Escape I can't really complain, because we have a cabin and we can escape. Yesterday, we headed out to spend a couple days in Sunrise Beach. There's no real beach in Sunrise Beach, but we can enjoy birds and deer and a distant view of Lake LBJ. And in the morning, I can run on a quiet road with no worries about other people. All I had was an encounter with some fawn twins. That made me smile.
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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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