The snow is gone and the temps will be in the low sixties today. What a crazy April it’s been! I’m happy to see the sun shining and I just might take the opportunity to do some porch cleaning, as well as wash the sheets, read, and FaceTime with Rick and Doug.
And this:
I finally started this puzzle yesterday, although late in the day. This was a gift from reader Vicki a year or so ago. She sent us two puzzles; one with Nancy Drew book covers, and one with The Hardy Boys book covers. They’re 1000 piece puzzles so they should take a while to complete which is just perfect for me. A project! I tend to get obsessed by jigsaw puzzles, but thankfully, I have other chores to take care of, so it will be something I do a little work on throughout the day. In fact, I added more pieces while waiting for the coffee to brew this morning.
Don has no interest a puzzle right now, though that may change (he was playing his guitar while I worked on it) so this will be my baby. Vicki, thank you again. You are saving my sanity!
Don made the drive to the grocery store yesterday to pick up our order. He said it worked beautifully. You pull into a special parking space for pickups, send a text indicating what spot number you are in, and your groceries are brought out to you. Don put them in the trunk and off he went. On the way home, since we had no more fresh produce, he stopped at our Farm Market. He had called ahead and was told there was hardly anyone there, so he figured it was a good time to go. While he was inside, a man and his teenage daughter were walking around without masks (remember, Governor Cuomo has issued an executive order saying we must have masks on when we’re out in public). While Don was at the checkout, the girl started to walk close to him. Don turned to her and told her to back off.
He was unnerved by the whole thing. What are these idiots thinking? Don had his mask and gloves on. He was observing all the rules, so were others in the store. Just as in the insane protests going on, I am reminded that we have a segment of our population that is self-absorbed to the exclusion of the greater good. Thankfully, the good far outweighs the bad, but it does make my blood boil. These people were clueless, deliberately so. So are the nitwits out there protesting with their rifles and guns and shouting with their mouths wide open and no social distancing being practiced. How many of them will come down with Covid-19 because of this stunt? How many others, including the police, are they endangering? Someone said it in the comments yesterday, “There’s no cure for stupid.”
End of rant.
Today is the first day in a long time that I feel Spring returning. That leaves me feeling hopeful. Whatever it takes to flatten the curve, we will do it. I’ll be very happy when I can expand our shelter-in-place to include the gardens and porch. That should be soon.
Still reading Modern Nature and watching Cheers, though we both fell asleep at 9 and missed two episodes. We were tuckered out last night.
Stay safe. Stay home.
Happy Sunday.
Love the Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys…my grandson who was 8 yesterday is reading through his dad’s collection of Hardy Boys (son will be 50 this year) so imagine how old those are…he writes essays on them and we use them as part of the Facetime homeschool he does with Nana daily…his brother who is 5 1/2 will read them soon also. Love those books. My daughter has her Nancy Drew…Going on almost 40 days since my car has been moved-might need to see if it will start. Family drops off food outside when I need it. Just feel like we are doing our part…maybe saving lives…carbon foot print…who knows? Isn’t easy to be apart from family and hope soon I can go to Florida to see that group and perhaps go the 2 miles or so to see that group. I have lived in Indiana for two years now…and wonder if others-in the outside world are staying home…I know I have friends in other states-including my home state-who are ignoring all of this. Glad you are writing your inspiring blog-I don’t think I can take much more whining from some of them.
Certainly you’re lessening the carbon footprint. Don took my car to get the groceries yesterday and it was the first time it had been driven in 36 days. It’s all good.
I agree about the whining. My palm itches because I want to smack them! Stay safe, Brenda.
P. S. GOOD for you Don…as to your rant…I agree with every work…however, I told a friend of mine-it won’t be the ones acting like that who get sick-it will be the innocent ones trying to do as told…sorry…but I am hoping no one else gets it. Rose colored glasses here…
I don’t wish it on anyone but mark my words, we’ll start hearing about protestors getting infected. xo
good to hear your snow has melted and you are feeling more hopeful. sunshine, talking with family and friends (by phone as the situation now warrants) and having something enjoyable to do all help, don’t they?
you’ve got a good start on the puzzle! hope you will share a photo of it when it’s done (please and thanks).
hope that man at the market heard don and realized he needs to teach his daughter to maintain social distancing and respect people’s personal space for their sakes and her own, all the time and especially now. unfortunately some of those protesters will likely get sick and then spread the virus to others (including people they love). too bad if that’s what it takes for them to understand how serious this coronavirus is and only then start social distancing, etc. i deal with that at work every day and it is scary and maddening … ugh. anyway … good for don telling her to back off!
glad you have more groceries. getting those trips done is a relief, isn’t it?!
happy sunday.
stay safe and well!
kathy in iowa
She was, apparently, clueless, though she did back off immediately. Sigh. Stay safe, Kathy.
I’ve got a jigsaw on the go too! My brother always buys me one for Christmas. It’s a cover from The New Yorker magazine, August 1962 and is a girl in a bookstore. In order to do a jigsaw I have to like the picture first. I’ve got a few in The New Yorker series but there aren’t many available over here and they can be a little expensive. I get most of mine from charity shops.
Every September a local church hosts a jigsaw festival as a fundraiser, they ask folk to bring in made jigsaws or they can provide one for you to make from jigsaws they have been donated. Dozens are put on display and can be bought inexpensively. It attracts loads of folk.
My son has been doing our shopping and that of our elderly neighbour. She is one of the population who have received an official letter asking her to not leave her home for 12 weeks due to her health condition. She’s also been sent a list of contact numbers offering help with shopping, medication collection, priority online grocery slots and a box of basic foodstuffs.
To be fair, I do feel that Government is trying to help in difficult circumstances.
Happy Sunday
Dee Dee, I am not sure where you are in the world, but it sounds like your government is doing its best to handle the problem, not trying as hard as it can to BE the problem, which we encounter here. It sounds like you have raised a fine son. Stay safe, and stay home!!
Thank you for your kind comments, Chris. I live in England, my son had temporarily moved in with me a few months ago (thank goodness!) He works for our National Health Service and is hospital based but not on the frontline.
Take care, stay safe x
I agree with every word that you said. We will not go in a store and will only do pickup or delivery. Good for Don telling the teen to back off. And the protestors, don’t get me started. I loved when they compared the now famous Ohio zombie protestors photo to the Walking Dead.
We will do whatever it takes. Virginia’s governor will not be bullied by Trump.
Stay safe and healthy.
Love Virginia’s governor, Julie! Stay safe.
I love the covers of The New Yorker. Your son is such a good guy, Dee Dee. Bless him for helping others. Stay safe!
Puzzles are a good distraction, but puzzles and cats do not go together. So I use Jigsaw Planet on line. I dream about a vacation in a cottage on a lake in New Hampshire where we wander in and out, canoe or swim, eat tuna sandwiches and chips and drink Coke and work on puzzles as we come and go. Oh, I just cheered my self up! Thanks. As I walked into the drug store today, a woman was brazenly coming out with her cart–no gloves or mask! I wanted to do a citizen’s arrest. If you don’t care about getting Covid yourself, at least try to protect others. It was 45 and sunny today so I had the car windows down and it felt very fresh. I’m looking forward to you garden photos. Stay safe!
I don’t think people should be allowed in stores without a mask. No mask…no entry. Stay safe, Nora.
Around our house the phrase goes…”you can’t fix stupid”. I’m glad Don spoke up. I wish more people would follow his example.
We did yard work yesterday for a couple of hours…and it was so windy, it was hard to maintain one’s balance. But, it was just great to be out there with the sun shining, taking in an otherwise great day, and spiffing up the yard. Hope to get out there for a bit today, too.
I still have to open my puzzle. It’s a 1000 piece…and I haven’t done one in decades. Maybe I should’ve started smaller? But, I do have the time.
We tried take out last night for dinner…it works really well. Good food, low contact, and we felt good supporting a local restaurant.
Hope your day goes well! And, I hope Spring really has arrived…no more snow! Stay safe! ;)
It’s windy here, too, so I can’t do work outside because of my allergies. I was all set to do some work today, but it’s too breezy out there. I must admit I’m overwhelmed by the amount of pieces, but like you say, what else do I have to do?
Stay safe, Donnamae.
As Forrest Gump said, “stupid is as stupid does” and that pretty much tells it as it is!
We love doing jigsaw puzzles. During this ‘lock down’ we’ve completed six 1,000 piece puzzles. Two of those were repeats until we received the two new ones I ordered on line. Started one of the new ones yesterday. It’s amazing how the time flies by once you get engrossed working on them. They seem to be our saving grace right now.
Hope you and Don have a wonderful day!
Good to know you’re doing puzzles, too, Cathy. Enjoy and stay safe1
I know I’m paraphrasing—and probably badly—but we were taught that freedom to swing our fists ends at the tip of someone else’s nose. I don’t think these people who refuse to wear masks, who attend rallies shouting to open thing up were ever taught that. Or maybe they just refused to understand what our “freedom” really means. I hesitate to believe that they just don’t care, but I know that it’s possible and, unfortunately, quite probable. I am daily disappointed in the human race. Ugh.
So am I. But heartened as well. These yahoos need to be arrested. In NY, they probably would be as the Governor now requires us to wear a mask when in public. Stay safe, Shanna.
A friend of mine, a bio chemist researching a vaccine for Corona told me today – when you’ve seen one pandemic, you’ve seen….. one pandemic.
It’s time to be cautious- as you are doing.
It’s far from over but in the meantime, the sun is shinning, most people are kind and lovely, there are jigsaws to complete, books to read, cakes to bake, pets to love…….
Siobhan xxx
Absolutely be cautious. My friends were facetiming with us today and we all agreed we would remain cautious even when restrictions are eased. Stay safe, Siobhan.
Yes what are these people thinking in Florida?
The people on the beaches!
It is crazy and upsetting
I am soooo thankful our governor
Will not go along with this craziness
Maybe we won’t be able to use our beaches and lakes this summer but wE will do whatever it takes to flatten the curb
The Governor in Florida is an idiot. He didn’t even know how to put on his mask! My sister lives there and I don’t want them to suffer because of the people who have decided it’s okay to go to the beach. Stay safe, Linda.
So, I opened the email and checked out what day we were on, and out of the corner of my eye I saw the picture you posted. I thought for that split second that you had taken a picture of a chocolate frosted cake. Well, you can tell where my mind is these days!
And yesterday the idiot telling everyone that the VA Gov is trying to take their guns away. Why CAN’T we make a citizen’s arrest of that waste of skin? His campaign treasurer is beyond horrid. They are doing the exact same thing they did 4 years ago, but with a much angrier mass with an agenda that could affect all of us in a very bad way. It is beyond scary.
We did a grocery pick-up order on Friday. It was so easy (once we were able to get an on-line slot). They are running about 5 days out right now. AND we did a carry out for a meal on Thursday. First time to “eat out” in 5 weeks. That went really well, too. And as Donnamae said, it is nice to support some local businesses. Our daughter is coming out this afternoon for a driveway visit. It is sunny but kind of chilly out there so it won’t be a long one. Hope everyone is getting a bit of fresh air to recharge this weekend ~ if at all possible. We can do this!!
Love your comments, Chris K. I had the tube on and caught the Orange Guy making those awful comments about VA. and others. Fortunately, soon after the local station switched it off.
I have a fantasy that we arrive at the WH en masse and arrest him for endangering the citizens of this country.
Thanks, Chris. Stay safe!
Hopefully your Spring is here…the puzzles look like alot of fun. Wish we had one to work on.
I’m afraid the moron at the top is going to send us into riot action before long. It’s just getting worse and worse and the idiots listening to him are so ready to cause a ton of trouble. I couldn’t believe how many people were out yesterday without protection. It was so discouraging. At least the groc. stores are requiring masks & are providing gloves & clean baskets.
OB is gray today & we’re trying to stay busy as is everyone else. Some days are better than others…
Be well Claudia
I know. I’m worried about this crowd and their guns. You’re right, Priscilla – some days are better than others. Stay safe!
It’s windy and cool here — colder because of the wind. But I see some of the trees starting to leaf and it looks like lace blowing against the blue sky. Two pink hyacinths stand tall in the back yard and soon I’ll be baking. Life is good.
And yes, to quote Mr. Gump, “stupid is as stupid does.” And this is why covid isn’t going anywhere soon… unfortunately.
Yep. We’ll all suffer because of these idiots. Stay safe, Jeanie.
Had a nap yesterday and couldn’t stop dreaming about eating a burger and french fries so when I got up I told my husband I had to go to our nearby burger restaurant for take-out. He nicely complied and I got my Impossible burger and fries. On the way home he said he wanted to take a drive so off we went. A big two-mile tour of our burg. One wonderful site : 4 young deer crossing in the middle of one of our main thoroughfares. Long line of cars stopped for them. So sweet to see them. They never do that in daylight ordinarily. Nature taking over again. ;-))
Oh how I miss fries! I’m sure that drive was much needed, Martha. Stay safe!
Glad Don got to pick up the groceries. I had mine delivered yesterday afternoon after a day delayed. My twin sister took the garbage out and swept our front and she wore gloves and a mask. I intend to mow the front grass tomorrow. it has been sunny here but now iy has turned cloudy.
Marilyn
Yes, it just turned cloudy here, too, and it’s getting windier out there. Stay safe and have fun mowing the lawn, Marilyn.
All the protesters who are refusing to wear masks and want to “open the country” now should sign a document saying they will forego medical treatment if they contract covid-19. Why should doctors and nurses be endangered by their selfish actions. Jeez, it drives me nuts.
You’re right. That’s exactly what they should do. Thanks Terri. Stay safe.
Yes, we are having the same problem with idiots here in Oz who won’t abide by the current rules. They resist arrest by the police and spit at security guards who ask them to follow rules in supermarkets so that people remain safe from the virus. What is the world coming to – just selfish individuals? Perhaps they are uneducated or else stupid. I yell at people now who won’t follow signs that ask you to clean hands before entering grocery shops and I also yell at people who come up so close when I am getting an item off the shelf, so that they are closer than the required distance.
How is the jigsaw going? I am almost finished knitting my sleeveless vest.
We are starting to feel Autumn temperatures now. Last night was cold, and today you need extra clothes.
The jigsaw has 100p pieces, so it will take me some time, but it’s coming! I tend to get too obsessed, so I have to make myself take a break. Stay safe, Robyn.
Oi, Claudia! Faz muito tempo desde meu último comentário aqui. Mas quando vi seu quebra cabeças, resolvi participar. Vivo em São Paulo, Brasil. Aqui, talvez você já tenha visto, temos um presidente que é contra o distanciamento social. Acredita que o povo precisa voltar ao trabalho, que a economia não vai resistir à pandemia, que os riscos são superestimados. Por outro lado, o governador de São Paulo resolveu enfrentar a crise impondo o distanciamento social, fechando lojas, shopping centers, restaurantes e todo serviço não essencial. Seus motivos são puramente eleitoreiros, mas no momento é o que precisamos fazer, para achatarmos a curva e o sistema de saúde ter condições de atender quem precisar. O grande problema são os apoiadores do presidente, que promovem manifestações e carreatas por todo o país (o presidente comparece em algumas!!!!)
Meu marido trabalha em casa, no momento, e eu, aposentada, também estou entre 4 paredes. Minha filha está em tratamento contra ansiedade, agorafobia, síndrome do pânico, então o distanciamento social esta sendo muito difícil para ela. O que ajuda, e muito, são as pecinhas dos quebra cabeças que temos montado. Já estamos no sexto, este com 1500 peças. Vamos levando dessa maneira. Ir ao mercado, para abastecer a despensa, tornou-se uma necessidade psicológica, então vamos às compras (só nós duas), usando máscaras, luvas, álcool em gel a postos, para entrar em ação. Nossos números não estão tão grandes como os de vocês, mas o povo brasileiro não entende muito bem os motivos de distanciamento social, quarentena, acreditam tratar-se de exagero, então talvez tenhamos um quadro bem feio aqui. Mas, como tudo, isto também vai passar, e, quem sabe, aprendamos alguma coisa sobre empatia, que acredito, é a receita para superarmos esta crise.Aproveite esta primavera (aqui é outono). Fique bem.
I hope you can read this, Zilda – It sounds like our countries are fighting the same sort of thing; those who believe in Science and respect social distancing and staying home to help stem the pandemic, and those, like our presidents who fuel unrest. Sending you and your family love and support during this crisis. Stay safe.
Obrigada, Claudia! Que possamos passar por tudo isso com esperança no coração e que amanhã seja melhor que hoje. Muita luz pra você e Don!
I know we are going through a very terrifying and trying time. None of us really know what to do from day to day. I certainly understand why Don would react the way that he did to that young lady and I would have probably done the same.
I may not agree with the protestors but I’m trying to understand that maybe most of them are reacting out of fear. How many of them have no income now? How many of them have children to feed or rent they cannot pay? I do not know their circumstances.
I’m just trying to control my own anxiety and depression and get through this uncertain time. I think that’s all any of us are doing.
I wish more could see that we all have so much more control over our health and building our immune system just by the choices of foods we put into our bodies. Then our body would have the best chance to beat any virus or sickness.
Sending you and Don both peace, love and light. May we all rise out of this better than we were before.
Thanks so much for your daily posts!
Every negative reaction to everything is out of fear. These people, however, are coupling fear with willful ignorance. Of course they’re scared. Everyone is. And the vast majority of Americans are out of work. But they’re endangering themselves, their children, each other, and those hospital workers who are going to have to take care of them when and if they contract the virus.
Stay safe, Belinda. My best to you and yours!
I talked to a relative on Sunday who’s not being as careful as I feel she could be in terms of the virus. They go inside to (in my view) too many stores to shop; she thinks it’s overkill with all the hand sanitizer for the most part; that sort of thing. Doesn’t disinfect groceries or mail or parcels coming to the home. Very reluctantly and resentfully wears a face mask (it’s an order). Bitter because she’s lost her job; I guess applying for unemployment benefits hasn’t been without hassle and she hasn’t yet reaped a penny; speaking rather forcefully about the need to reopen the country and let people like her get back to work, especially acquaintances who have had to shut down their small businesses and lose their employees. I wasn’t getting very far with her on some of my opposing views. Her adult married son and DIL came for Easter dinner. I brought up the argument of needing to separate for now and she was hearing none of it, “We’re a family; I’m not spending Easter without my kid.” So, clearly, there’s a defiance out there among us.
(What do I do with this? I love her. She’s a good person. Not unintelligent! I was just in knots with the phone call. I can’t make her see my own need to be very careful I don’t get the virus; she thinks I’m paranoid. I think something that really set her off is that she’s had a terrible toothache, couldn’t find a dentist who was open for patients [including her own personal dentist], went thru a lot of pain over the past couple of weeks before she could get examined by some unknown dentist who finally agreed to see her; then, because she had to go outside her preferred-provider list on the insurance [even to another city!], she had to pay a $1500 dental bill out of pocket [which meant putting it on a credit card, since she’s out of work]; so, she’s just fed up and I think has reached ‘her limit’ in terms of patience and hardship and worry about livelihood. To a point, I ‘get it’. Anyway, total headbutting; let’s just say we had a very uneven conversation. She said to me, “We’ve all been trying to be ‘good’. We’ve been shut up in the house long enough. I’m not high risk as is none of the rest of my family at home. I need income. ‘They’ have to let us get back to normal.” Pointless of me trying to say AT WHAT COST ‘normal’…and might I have reminded her that her slim & athletic husband, despite being ‘young’ and in his 40s, has had high blood pressure for YEARS [did she forget he’s on daily medication for it?], which she seems to have forgotten is an underlying medical issue for complications with this virus. Even as I write this right now, I swear I could just cry. I haven’t slept a wink all night; again. What an awful, awful time in America and the world. [My husband predicted this early-on; that out-of-work/confined people will get desperate when it comes to lack of income, stress, hunger, etc. … and what you don’t want to see is civil unrest.])
My county has reopened the beaches and we’re to have really-hot weather midweek, like 90 degrees. So now, all the L.A. beachgoers who can’t be on L.A. beaches will come to MY county with their potential germs. I just feel this open-too-soon stuff is going to cause massive problems and apparently a large percentage of Americans feel the same way. It’s that other 30 percent or so who feel differently that will keep ruining everyone else’s good efforts. I feel like things are about to just…explode. I so hope I’m wrong.
I guess we all saw that news clip of the dear man in his car, was it Michigan(?) with one of those first protests/demonstrations, who did a post (filming himself at the wheel of his stopped-in-traffic vehicle; Facebook?), talking into the camera (went viral), exclaiming that he was a hospital worker and needed to make his shift because other people depended upon him, but the protesters were blocking his route to get to his job, and I think he pleaded in the piece that the morons (my words) needed to realize that people were dying; so, like what was the matter with them that they’d act like this and shut down the street; just broke my heart, he was so understandably frustrated and upset and sincere; raw emotion. The front-line workers are already under so much stress; they don’t need one more stressful thing.
Good for Don to look out for himself and push the girl-shopper back; my husband would have done the exact same thing. I’ve heard stories about this, just Sunday, in talking with various friends/relatives on the phone. One of the young sons was doing the shopping and said another shopper crowded him at the register, completely ignoring the designated ‘hold’ places for the spacing. He got really nervous over it because, although young, he’s conscientious and was trying hard to, himself, do the right things. But he’s polite and I don’t think he felt comfortable enough or confident enough to admonish this other inconsiderate and negligent shopper (who was an older person). And my husband was sharing some social media posts of specific cases in our area of other people noticing and commenting on what some others are doing, such as browsing store aisles, strolling in, ‘wandering’, taking their time, buying nothing, just to have something to do and somewhere to go (this goes along with the growing concerns for store workers who have so much exposure with people coming into the stores); I guess one browser-person was confronted when coming out of a store empty-handed and he said, “I have to get out of the house; my kids are driving me crazy.” Sorry; no excuse. We’re all supposed to act ‘as if’; in the absence of testing, we don’t know who’s spreading and who’s not (who’s a asymptomatic carrier and who’s not); too many unknowns right now. It’s why you won’t see me chancing being ‘out there’ for a LONG time yet.
Back to the cottage, so glad Spring is springing for you. Finally arriving…yay.
Also makes me feel good (gift is in the giving) to know you’re enjoying the Nancy Drew puzzle; I felt when I saw it (even if they weren’t ALL your favorite vintage book covers) that it was just made for you. It IS a lot of pieces! I hope it’s meditative for you; also fun. I can only hope you get a smidgen of good from the puzzle compared to what I get on a daily basis from your wonderful blog, Claudia. I don’t think your readers can ever thank you enough for all the goodness of you and MHC.
Thank you again, Vicki. I like the challenge of a puzzle, it’s why I love crosswords, as well!
I can’t believe the beaches have been reopened. The same in Florida. What the hell are they thinking? All of this will set us back and the curve we are beginning to flatten will be flat no longer. It makes me crazy! Stay safe, Vicki.