Yesterday: Big warning for a severe thunderstorm with the usual: take cover, large hail, wind damage. Normally not a fan of severe storms, I was nonetheless excited because we would get some desperately needed rain. Thunder in the distance. Skies very dark. More thunder. Lots of humidity.
Nothing.
This is the way it has been for two weeks now. Forecast for rain, sometimes a warning, and then, crickets. Today it is very gray, not as hot but very humid, and what is the forecast? Scattered thunderstorms this afternoon.
I’ll believe it when I see it.
In the meantime, I’ll have to water everything because I can no longer trust the weather forecast.
We watched Maddow last night because we wanted to get up-to-date on the state of the pandemic. It was not good news. As a former Trump official said, “We are in trouble.”
And we are. Normally, we do everything we can to avoid this sort of thing before bedtime, but we really felt compelled to watch last night. I’m glad we did. But it’s utterly heartbreaking and it didn’t have to be this bad.
Let’s see, what else? I started putting together a little kit from the long-defunct House of Miniatures. It’s a desk. The main reason for assembling it is to see how it looks in the Folk Art Dollhouse. Is it too big? Or could I make it work? I’m not sure, but I’ll have a nice piece of furniture either way. I meant to start in on the stonework for the third and final side of the dollhouse but I got to it too late, hence the fiddling with the kit instead.
The garden is beginning to look overgrown and I need to fix that, but it’s been so hot and humid that I’ve been staying inside.
Though I’m usually pretty positive, today is one of those days where I feel depressed and angry and worried and despairing. I’m sure we’re all having those days during this crisis. I want my life to go back to normal but that isn’t going to happen for a long time. If anything, we’re going to be doubling down on our social distancing and self-isolating. It would be far too easy to let down our guard and we can’t do that. We need to have our kitchen door fixed by a carpenter, for example, but that would involve someone coming here and working in our house for a prolonged stretch of time. That’s not going to happen. So we use the front door instead. Every decision is now made with social distancing in mind.
The truth is, as you know, I’m an introvert and a nester, so much of this isn’t any different than my normal everyday life. But the fact that I can’t just pick up and go somewhere in the course of a day is different. I’d like to drop in at a local antique shop. I’d like to browse in a bookstore. Some of those shops are open now and Oblong Books is opening (with social distancing in place) next week. But my immediate reaction to these bits of news is: Nope. I’m not letting down my guard. We’re still in the middle of the first wave of this virus, extended and prolonged because of selfish fools. So, I won’t go to the antique shops or bookshops. I’ll order online. I have enough to read here. I really don’t need to buy anything decorative for the cottage. Those are just activities that bring me joy. And that’s why I miss them.
My thoughts today.
Stay safe.
Happy Tuesday.
We’ve visited our now open book store a handful of times, in search of my favorite magazines (The English Home and Country Living ~ U.K. Edition) but they aren’t getting in shipments, so we keep popping in before we pick up groceries. They are all masked, a greeter is at the front door keeping track of how many are in the store (we had to wait one day as it was at capacity), they spray your hands and direct you where to go. I feel safe there but haven’t ventured anywhere else except for curb side pick ups. Worth the wait for sure. Just not taking chances.
Our weather has been the same ….. predicted huge storms that haven’t happened. We get rain but nothing else. I’m thankful as I don’t like thunder and lightening but it is making it hard to plan. I could have stained the deck yesterday but it weather warnings all day stopped that. The next 2 weeks look the same. Sigh. At least it’s quiet!
Wishing you well today as you’re feeling down. Life is hard right now. But if we keep doing what we need to do, in time, it will change.
X Chy
Hello Chy, I subscribe to English Home , English Garden and Country Living UK edition. The first two are about $30. yearly per magazine. The UK one is pricier. It used to be around 60, 70 $ annually and then went up to $100- out of my price range. I found it for $60 this year on a sale so was happy with $5. an issue. That was in January on the magazine’s website.
Hopefully. I still don’t feel very safe in stores so I tend to stay away.
Thanks, Chy. Stay safe.
Can totally relate…I have to avoid watching…keep writing…you are the voice of reason…bb
Thank you. Stay safe!
We were in search of something at Home Depot …but the closest one was north of Milwaukee. Their website indicated they had plenty…so we ventured out…nice drive, til we missed the detour sign. Thank goodness for GPS and google maps. We felt rescued. However, evidently people on the eastern side of the state don’t feel as compelled to wear masks as we do in the middle of the state. People….wear a MASK!! (And, they didn’t have what we were looking for after all, so it was a wasted trip.).
I guess I just don’t feel comfortable going into stores anymore, except for our grocery store. I do miss the thrift store. Like you, we don’t need to decorate anything, but it’s always fun to look. But, we do need to replace a few things, or fix them occasionally. Hence, the Home Depot trip. If we think can fix it ourselves, we at least try. And by we…I mean my husband, I’m just the helper.
So far at least, I have been able to stay ahead of the weeds. But, I have a few plants that could use a trim. Our rain or lack of rain, has also been a problem here. And this heat we are in, is expected to last for two more weeks…ugh!
Hope you get some rain….stay cool! ;)
Donnamae, did you mean Lowe’s? As we have 2 HD’s in Madison…. or was it just that the website claimed they had something in stock in a Milw store and not Madison? Dells has a HD, too. I really hate that they don’t keep their inventories up on-line. Nothing like wasted trips. We seem to be having the same rain situation as of which Claudia speaks. Lots of “forecasts” about rain, but nothing ever materializes. Last Friday night about 4 miles from us, in our same little town, friends had heavy rain and wind, and we had nothing. Crazy. But, oh, wow!!!!! the HEAT!! We all seem to be sharing that.
No…it was Home Depot. It was a clearance item…they said they had it…they didn’t. Grrr. So another store in Wauwatosa claimed they had it. So I had them set aside for pick-up. Still haven’t received a confirming email on when to pick up.
Did you hear? Starting Monday…masks will be required indoors in Dane County. I can hear the grumbling now! But…we’ll be happy! Watering has become a daily chore, that’s for sure. Stay safe! ;)
I did!! After I hit enter I forgot I meant to mention that.
I am listening to Gov Ever’s press conf on his update right now.
No rain. Again. Ah well. Stay safe, Donna.
Oh, sorry! Well…here, the wind has picked up. The radar is showing a big red orange blob heading our way…so I think we are going to get a storm. Fingers crossed! ;)
Hoping you get rain!
My fear after being in this pandemic a month or so was that we would get complicit about it. Most times are ok but catch myself at times getting carried away. Stay safe everyone, we need to vote in November!
We need to stay safe and not relax for an instant! Stay safe, Janet.
It’s not going anywhere anytime soon so it’s definitely best to hunker down. I’m an introvert too but it has been extremely frustrating. I hope the rain comes to you soon. Stay safe x
No rain today! It will fall just to the north of us or to the south of us, but not here.
Stay safe, Fiona.
Same . Same! I feel the same. Most of the time I’m happy here at home, but it’s a small town in red state and I long to get away from time to time. I mask up and get groceries …no “pick up” or delivery to home here. Friday we will travel to get our taxes done and hopefully a quick look-around…and back home. I know I am lucky…I can afford to hunker down and order by mail, but, I allow myself a short whine every now and then, and a GIANT angry scream at the covidiots.
Today is a day I’m screaming at them. And at His Orangeness for withdrawing from WHO. He has abandoned us.
Stay safe, Melissa.
Me too! This has been a hard week. Is it because the Fourth is usually such a wonderful, summery, social holiday and this year…so 2020. And no end of Covid19 in sight. Sometimes it’s hard to convince myself that I am from strong, resilient stock and we will prevail.
You and your readers are one of my bright spots. Thoughtful and considerate folk still do exist. Thank you!
Stay safe…
Thanks for your kind words, Roxie. Stay safe!
Luckily, we had rain three days in a row which we so needed. Now this week we are expecting 100+ degrees every day. So hot and humid. I lost a very dear and precious friend on Sunday from co-vid. She was 93 and in a nursing home and had lots of issues but I will miss her so much. So I’m really staying in and away from everyone. Tiff and girls come over some but they have been quarantined since March 1st. Stay well and safe.
I’m so very sorry for your loss, Judy. Sending my love to you.
Stay in. Stay safe. xo
hej, judy …
i am sorry for the loss of your dear friend. i hope you do something nice for yourself every day and take comfort in God’s promises, including those of peace and eternal life.
i also hope you have all you need and want, are well and stay safe.
with sympathy, a hug (if you want) and prayers,
kathy in iowa
We try to watch Rachel a few times a week. She makes so much sense to me. The news is horrible, but I understand it and appreciate the guests she chooses and shares with us. Our government ignoring this Pandemic is so beyond ridiculous, I don’t think there is even a word to describe the insanity. His base sure does love him, though. More insanity.
It is terribly hot & humid here as well. Heat indexes close to 100*. Just like you, we hear of chances of rain, and we even may hear thunder, but it passes us by again and again. Too many flowers and veggies out in our yard to not water, so we do so daily and they reward us with their beautiful blooms and bounty. Much worth the effort. We are even allowing the weeds some grace right now as it is much too hot to attack them!!
Enjoy the rest of your day. Stay cool, stay safe, stay home and wear the mask, everyone!!
I watered again today and it’s a good thing I did because…NO RAIN. It’s been a crazy spring and summer. Stay safe!
Yesterday I was feeling wretched and realized that I really really wanted to be in a room full of books. It felt like a physical need. I wanted to take a book from the shelf, look at it, feel it, open it, read a little, close it and put it back, and then take down another. I wanted to pull over one of those little Kik Step rolling stools and use it to help me stretch to the highest shelf, or sit cross legged on the floor and browse the bottom shelf. I worked in libraries for most of my life and loved them as a child. When I retired I knew I would miss the patrons but I didn’t realize how much I was going to miss a room full of books.
Anyway, a small thing compared to everything that’s happening right now, but it’s how I’m feeling. My other comment is that in my experience most people have no idea how to evaluate information, and if they teach source evaluation in school at all everybody must sleep through that 5 minutes, but it also just seems to be human nature to believe what you want to believe, no matter what.
I was reading that in British Columbia they’re saying Be Kind, Be Calm, Be Safe, so I’m trying that out as my mantra this week.
Thank all of you for being here!
I understand that feeling.
I like that saying. I’ll try to incorporate it this week even though I feel like screaming, Christy. Stay safe!
Hi Claudia, your post today is the story of my life with the exception of the “dollhouse” work. I would have to substitute “birdhouse”. And, I would love to look for stakes to tie the tall zinnias and crocosmias to, some pieces of copper pipe or perhaps something a bit more creative, but I really don’t want to go “out there”. Yesterday hubby and I went down into the woods and cut a small dead tree to make a tripod to support the elephant ears and I have used up my supply of sticks, anything over 2′ long and I have been looking in every corner. These times sure have a way of separating needs and wants.
Anyway, I am grateful for my blessings.
Take care!
Kelly
Perfectly said. Separating needs from wants. It gets down to basics, doesn’t it? Stay safe, Kelly!
Up here with no TV, t has meant no Rachel. I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing. I’m living in my own little utopia and yet I know it’s possible it’s all around me. I was pleased when Rick had to go get something for me at the drug store, hardware and Gordon’s, I stayed in the car but everyone who went in wore a mask and Rick said the same and with distance. So good. But I wouldn’t have sent him if it hadn’t been urgent.
I had to have two people in the house — the sump pump repair guy (who went straight down to the basement and wore a mask) and the internet guys — actually three people, the initial installer who wore a mask and the one who came after (no service) and boy, did he have precautions — I watched him from afar as he sanitized, masked, wore booties, stayed far from me. So that was good. I don’t want to repeat the experience but I appreciate the caution.
Your kit sounds like it will be cute. Can’t wait to see the finished product!
Living in your own little Utopia sounds rather nice!
Stay safe, Jeanie.
A new antique mall has opened just a few blocks from my home. I really want to take a walk through it. But, I will not. :-(
So tempting but you’re wise to abstain, Cindy. Stay safe!
You are singing my song. Not a happy song either. I was thinking on the 4th that I really couldn’t join in with the fun. The fun and joy didn’t make it to my heart even though I made the food, put out the flags, and watched the neighborhood fireworks. And if is how I felt during the 4th of July holiday, I am not looking forward to Thanksgiving and Christmas. Insert tearful emoji here.
Agreed. I feel the same, Tana.
Stay safe!
Hi Claudia, we are right there with you on the social distancing. I am sure you have heard about our numbers in California. We have been strictly no contact with anyone outside of our immediate family (not even our extended family!) since Monday, March 9th – after we had spent the week prior stocking up. We knew where this thing was headed (kind of!!) so we had weeks worth of necessities stocked.
No one was at Costco the week before the stay at home order. We were looking around in awe at the customers with empty baskets at noon…the people in line around us had literally run in for just one item and there we were with our TWO baskets spilling over!! Hadn’t they heard the news? How were we the ONLY ones stocking up?? We had no idea there would be stay at home orders the following week or that paper goods and cleaning supplies would become hard to find. We only knew that we were done going out when there is a virus (no one knows anything about) spreading like wildfire.
So here we are – Tuesday, July 7th – and what has changed? Nothing. We are still safe at home. I had expected to feel comfortable running errands (with a mask) this summer. As an introvert, I am perfectly content, as a human who cares about others and the state of the world, I am far from content.
The stay at home orders were lifted before we flattened the curve because of the misinformed, selfish idiots who refuse to care. Of course it would be lovely to spend a day shopping at the bookstore, a few antique stores, the garden center and my favorite thrift store (who needs a bar, massage or tattoo, haha?!) I spent an afternoon back in early June feeling really disappointed when I realized this was not going to be an option for me until sometime next year.
So, we take a drive to see what’s new & what’s blooming in the area. We go to the drive through car wash, we pick up curbside (order/pay over the phone) then our order is placed directly in the trunk, we come home, using gloves, we plate the food in the garage, bring it in and reheat – time consuming, but worth it for peace of mind, if nothing else.
We have had two tele-med appointments – much nicer than going to the doctors office. Our dogs are groomed by a mobile groomer – dogs are happier with this arrangement. Our dishwasher works, but has been temperamental since April, our dryer stopped working at the same time – we now have a clothes line in the backyard and a clothes rack in the garage. (I am truly looking forward to getting a new dryer in 2021 – first world problems, I know, haha!)
We had planned some home improvements to be completed in 2020 that have been put on hold. I have learned to give a pretty good mens haircut!! I knew I would miss my magazines so I subscribed to many of my favorites. I hope this helps to keep them in business. We order all of our groceries through Instacart, other household items through Target and Amazon (still wipe everything down before it comes in the house, because, “better safe than sorry.”) Our local garden center delivered all of the plants I needed for the raised bed garden so we have an abundance of fresh herbs, tomatoes and zucchini. We work out from home. Work meetings (and university classes) are done through Zoom. All in all, we are leading the same life we always have, minus the mundane errands!!
With the “extra” time we have watched more TV than ever before – which I have thoroughly enjoyed! Some highlights include: The Jazz Singer 1980 (Prime), The Black Stallion 1979 (Prime), a few episodes of the Doris Day tv series (Prime), Picard (Prime), Won’t You Be My Neighbor (Prime), The English Game (Netflix), Hollywood (Netflix), 11.22.63 (Hulu), Timeless (Hulu), Hamilton (Disney+), One Strange Rock (Disney+) and I am currently looking for something to watch next – recommendations are welcome!
I try not to consume “too much” news. Every few days, unless I catch a headline online, then I will turn on the news more frequently. It is important to stay informed, but, for me, it’s a fine line between informed and overwhelmed.
Do you use Goodreads? I am one book behind on my 2020 goal of 12+ books. It has been difficult for me to concentrate and set time aside to read. I will catch up though.
I have spent time on social media looking for new (to me) artists. I love Natalie Daise – I am expecting a package from her today, a beautiful gourd art “nest” that she created! I look forward to finding the perfect place in my home to display it.
Life is much the same for me and in some ways, better (I have really gotten to know our backyard birds!) However, the clear divide, the misinformation, the people who CHOOSE to call “Hoax”, “Fake News”, who protest the effectiveness of a simple mask – such a small thing to ask – cry out that their rights are being taken away, and those who will not acknowledge that black lives matter – simply wear me out. I joined our local neighborhood website “Nextdoor” a couple of years ago to keep up to date on community misc. I now know more about my “neighbors” than I care to. The hate and misinformation exchanged on that site is toxic – it is no longer a nice place to hear about backyard gardens, local birds and wildlife. Sigh. Facebook is not any better. I have come to terms with the fact that many people I know choose to be unkind. Choose bias over truth. Isn’t that sad? I have spent too much time trying to help others I care about understand how to evaluate their sources, remind them to check their bias, all for nothing. It is heartbreaking. I never could have imagined that life would feel this backward in 2020.
Best wishes to you and Don. I appreciate your daily blog posts and instagram updates. Following along with your dollhouse progress, your gardens and general observations help me to see that not everyone has lost their minds!! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
xo, Christy
Same here. We do everything we can to avoid contact with others. It’s the sensible thing to do right now.
I don’t do Goodreads. It’s just one more thing for me to handle and I keep track of my book reading in my Organizer/Filofax. Also on my other IG account for books.
Thank you for being here, Christy. Stay safe!
as i write this, it’s almost 8:00 pm your time. i hope the day has been easier for you because those feelings you listed (all very understandable) are no fun. i hope that you’ve spent the day doing relaxing and enjoyable things … and know in your heart that the time will come when you can safely wander around your favorite antique shops and bookstores. doesn’t look to be any time soon (sorry to have to say that part), but it will come!
hope the miniature desk will fit to your liking in the dollhouse.
also hope you get some rain. we need it here, too.
i am glad to be home. and that i found lysol spray (something i’ve only seen in commercials the last three months) … and there was enough that i could buy a can each for the six households of my family here. we’d rather have bleach wipes, but this will help!
need to figure out something easy and quick for dinner.
hope you and don and everyone else are safe, well and having a nice night.
kathy in iowa
Don found Lysol spray a few weeks ago. That was a blessing!
Stay safe, Kathy!
Well, this is what I have to say about your thoughts today: You Are Spot On.
Latest thing that happened to us this morning? Problem with a toilet. (Darn old house.) We’ll get along with one ‘head’. For now (for awhile!). We’ll just work it out and make do. (My husband might be able to fix it himself; he learns how to do A LOT of household tasks, thanks to youtube videos. He grew up in a big family and all they had was one bathroom anyway!) NO WAY am I bringing a plumber in here in what would likely be more than an hour-long job (even five minutes would be too much; SoCalif is in that Big Trouble of which you quoted; our Covid numbers are AWFUL [I think my friends and cousins who continue to bring their house-cleaning teams into their big houses for half a day ARE NUTS]; and we’ve got terrible contagion in my county, and guess where there are the most cases … age 25-44; it’s not we ‘seniors’). When we got the new frig a couple/few weeks ago, we had them put it in the garage, my husband bought a furniture dolly, and we moved it into the house ourselves (several days later, allowing it to decontaminate from traveling east coast to west coast [we had free shipping, so it took awhile to get here and it changed truck to truck at least twice]) so that our home interior can continue to only have my husband’s ‘air’ and mine. (Worked out just fine. Just took some forethought. That’s the thing. None of us have the luxury anymore to live spontaneously as we have in the past. Gotta do next steps; plan. As a friend of mine says, she uses mental imagery to pre-plan her shopping or when she’s had to map out going to a doctor; just rehearsing in your brain, ahead of the errand or appointment. Take the time to think it through.)
And he had to deposit a check today and we’re so happy that our bank reactivated one of the defunct/old-fashioned, drive-up teller windows which allows for excellent distancing in the public place. She’s already safe, the human teller, wearing her gloves and mask (just 2 or 3 bank employees in the closed-door bank building), sitting behind a huge glass window (with a lovely view of the sky and mountains!), pops out the tray, you put your bank slips in there; works like a charm and limits the contact. My husband said there were SO many cars in her line, an absolute traffic jam, spilling into another parking lot of another business, whereas the other line he was trying to get to (the drive-up ATM) only had one car/customer (such that he had to get out of the car and ask for a car to please wait and let him cut over, which they did and very graciously – – he deserves that; do you know last night at 9pm, he took a big box containing sacks of dry dog food that had been mis-delivered to us instead of an address three streets away and the people were SO grateful that he’d get out in the car and find them, going the extra mile).
This bank, pre-Covid, was actually hurting for business (I’m acquainted with the bank manager) due to so much online banking but SOMEthing has happened because the old drive-up window is much in demand. (I’m working out in my mind that they must have a new crop of customers who love the safety of banking from the car, like stuff you can’t do with solely an ATM, when you maybe need a cashier’s check or whatever. It’s a small town; the word got around! But it had been great for people with physical challenges [old and young], making it extra hard for them to get in and out of the car; for moms who didn’t want to leave kids in the car when needing to go inside the bank [or risk leaving your dog to get too hot in the car with summer heat], that kind of thing; I was SO disappointed with they closed that drive-up window, gosh, a couple of years ago; and now, it’s back! Yay.)
I went to bed VERY melancholy last night after watching bits & pieces of the evening news and nighttime news-chat shows and as I passed thru the room where my husband was reading I said, “If you want your daily dose of heartbreak, just watch an hour of the day’s news.” But I will say this: Go to CNN’s website and read the opinion piece they printed today which was written by the actor Robert Redford. I’ve read a few things of his before; one thing I recall was when he had his paper mail order catalog that I would like to browse and sometimes buy from (1990s? I think it may have benefited his Sundance endeavors, i.e. the film festival; just can’t remember as I write this), where he would do a short, usually light but always interesting, essay on the front page about a variety of subjects although I don’t remember anything ‘political’, but I liked the way he wrote (maybe because I like him so much as an actor) … to the point, easy to understand, conversational but not flowery-fluff, and I was reminded of that today. He’s throwing his vote to Biden but I felt he really summed up some key points as to WHY. (Not that I needed any convincing.)
But he speaks about being a kid growing up in the 40s and listening to FDR on the radio and, not sure why, but it just brought me to tears. Maybe because I remember my mother speaking of doing the same thing. They’d cluster around the radio and hang on to FDR’s every word, with the blackout curtains drawn, never knowing here in SoCalif if they’d ever be under attack from sea and air, worried about son/brother fighting in Europe; my dad in the Pacific. (Of course, Mother said she couldn’t at that point in her young life ever remember any other President, as FDR had also guided them through The Great Depression, from the early 1930s and onward, when she was a little kid and then all the way to adulthood in her 20s; WWII, almost to conclusion of the war.) This is what we need in 2020 and don’t have as we flail around in a national upheaval and threat of our very lives, leaderless. We vote for a good leader; we expect and deserve A LEADER in a time of crisis. The U.S. got gypped with Trump. We KNOW what we need if we can just get there to November before it’s too late.
An excerpt from Redford’s opinion piece: “I believe Biden was made for this moment. Biden leads with his heart. I don’t mean that in a soft and sentimental way. I’m talking about a fierce compassion — the kind that fuels him, that drives him to fight against racial and economic injustice, that won’t let him rest while people are struggling. As FDR showed, empathy and ethics are not signs of weakness. They’re signs of strength.” (But read the whole thing.)
I will read that piece, Vicki. I haven’t seen it yet. But I’ve read some of his other opinion pieces and I value what he has to say and how he says it.
Stay safe!
Thank you Vicki, the Robert Redford piece was lovely. I am also in Southern California and know all too well what you’re going through, especially in regards to living in an “old” house (one of our bathroom sinks is completely stopped up. I bought a snake and will learn how to use it this afternoon, ugh.) We need a new dryer. I thought of having it delivered to the driveway and then install it ourselves, but the set I want is larger than our current set. I would need our contractor to install an outlet on the other side of the laundry room…that can’t happen until next year at this rate.
You wrote about not having the luxury of living spontaneously…YES!! Preplanning everything is key to living as “normal” as possible. I feel that our transition was fairly seamless and I suspect many of the people complaining about losing their freedoms may not have the skills to preplan. Having to wear a mask, may on some level, magnify their feelings of ineptitude, which, they in turn equate to losing freedom?
Current events have shown us the great need for higher education and a healthier lifestyle in America. I often wonder why our news programs don’t spend any time trying to educate viewers on the benefit of a healthy immune system. (Bill Maher does this on his program.) And where are the psychologists? I am very interested in hearing their views on why people are behaving this way during a pandemic. I wrongly thought it was human instinct to want to preserve your life and that of your loved ones.
Christy, I’m glad you weighed in. Holding hands across the miles and cyberspace, praying for our hurting SoCalif, just being run over by this horrible virus.
When we got our frig, what we had to abandon was the luxury of being able, for now, to use the automatic icemaker and the function of ice water/crushed ice plus cubed ice (lah-dee-dah, we’ve never been so fancy!). We have to drill a hole in the floor and then hook up to something under the house, and my husband can get under there except for us being inundated with ants who apparently live by the millions down there (we SO need to get this house tented for termites and ants; ain’t gonna happen anytime soon!) besides which my husband has been having episodes of vertigo and I’ve put my foot down about him getting stuck under the house for any reason; this will NOT be a DIY task.
So, you do what you can do, for now. My husband went very reluctantly just as I’m typing this, to our local hardware store (but we’re trying so hard to stay in!), a block over, because he discovered our toilet problem stems from a broken handle mechanism which is an easy fix but he just needs the part; he’ll be very careful at the store, fingers crossed. I’m so relieved it’s not something worse because he was thinking the whole toilet might have to be replaced (it’s always having some sort of problem; old, old, old, old, OLD; the bathrooms are on the list for home improvements but our list has gotten stalled!).
Key point you made: “…where are the psychologists? I am very interested in hearing their views on why people are behaving this way during a pandemic. I wrongly thought it was human instinct to want to preserve your life and that of your loved ones.” I’d like to see CNN devote one of their Thursday ‘town hall’ segments to this part of the subject because it’s something that my husband and I shake our heads over almost daily. And I don’t buy that thing about masks, in general, curbing your breathing. Yes, I’ve had asthma my whole life and I’m also out of condition (lung power) at this age due to my overall poor health, such that if I’ve got on a N95 mask, sure, I can’t wear it too long without feeling stifled with my breathing, but there are LOTS of diff kinds of masks out there and even a homemade one is better than nothing; any facial covering has a positive effect. You can go to maybe a bandana that’s not even as tight as they’d like, tied at the back of the head/neck but loose over nose and mouth and chin instead of having bands which go around the ears; not ideal but, again, better than nothing and maybe facilitates freer breathing if that’s a problem for a person.
By now, no one should be ignorant about the value of masks as there are enough picture-images in store windows, messaging on the web and on TV stations, etc. Info to every segment of the population. Or just look around you and ask questions when you see others wearing a mask. Certainly word-of-mouth has filtered into every corner by now. What if it comes to the draconian measures oft spoken of by the TV news commentators, where officials would have to start fining or arresting anyone in public without a mask; why let it get to that point? But, yes, this resistance to masking and not gathering & mingling when it’s been drilled into us for months about physical/social distancing is beyond the beyond. You see somebody profiled on TV who is part of a large, loving family who gathered when advised not to … I’ve seen this in my own neighborhood … and now several members are sick or have died, your heart goes out to them but your mind cries ‘maybe it could have been prevented’ had they just followed recommendations and postponed the group ‘togetherness’ because these are times of emergency when you just have to listen to whatever expert-advice you can get, and then try to follow it; heed the warnings. Nobody is an exception to the rules. It’s obvious now that EVERYone of us is vulnerable to the virus.
It’s just all so troubling. And of course we’re all wondering if we’re going to make it out of this alive.
I have just been scrolling through your photos in the last few days. There are so many pretty green plants and colourful flowers. They are just lovely. Thankyou for including them in your blog entries. They are so enjoyable.
You’re most welcome, Robyn! Stay safe!