Okay. My first question – maybe my only question: Has anyone had the RSV vaccine yet? If so, how was it? They recommend getting it in September, so we’re contemplating doing that. At the same time, I’m masking now whenever I go out, so maybe I don’t have to worry?
Interestingly, after a stretch of time where weren’t masking, I’ve had to work hard to persuade Don to mask. He’s so used to not doing it. And he wasn’t really reading the information about the new variant or the numbers of people getting Covid. I kept mentioning all the people I knew who had it for the first time after 3 years of avoiding it. He would sort of wave me off because I think he didn’t want to deal with that reality. But he’s masking now. Obviously, when he has a gig, he won’t wear a mask while performing.
This will be our future, I think. A new variant every year. All thanks to those who insisted on not wearing a mask. Who thought only of themselves and not the greater good.
I have yet to pick a new subject to paint, I’ll force myself to make a choice today.
My favorite spider, weaving his web down by the road. He was in my main garden bed a couple of weeks ago – that’s a first.
Big news on the doll front, Mei has bangs.
An online Blythe friend suggested it. Her gorgeous angora hair is very fine and flyaway and it’s always been hard to keep it out of her face. I thought about it yesterday, talked to Don about it, and then….I just did it. I also trimmed the length of her hair about a 1/4 of an inch. I liked it very much, but then, when we were sitting on the sofa, I could see her with her eyes in this position “looking” at me. Was she angry? Was she saying “What did you do??” And ,as I reminded Don, they’re not going to grow back.
This morning, though, I looked at her and had no qualms about cutting them. I really like the way they frame her face. And her hair is much easier to handle.
That’s it. I’m so, so close to the end of War and Peace! I think I’ll get there this weekend.
Stay safe.
Happy Saturday.
Yes, Mei looks good with bangs. You got them the perfect length. I remember having bangs as a child and my mom trimming them too short, ugh!
I am undecided about the RSV vaccine. I am also undecided about getting another covid vaccine. The last 2 made me quite sick. I actually felt worse from the vaccine than I did when I actually had covid. I will probably mask in crowded situations but not all the time.
Have a good weekend.
Take care
My Mom did that, too,
If you’re not masking all the time, I’d recommend getting the vaccine. Just my two cents!
Stay safe, Marilyn.
We have never stopped masking.
We are over 65 and from what I have read it is a concern for older people.
Are you concerned about Don doing gigs again with the uptick in the virus.
Obviously no one there will be wearing a mask.
I know he enjoys it and the money helps but it is really something to think about.
We will be getting the upcoming the booster and Rsv
Big decisions
No, I’m not concerned. He’s always at least 6 to 8 feet away from the audience and as soon as he’s done singing, he’ll put on his mask. Actually, people are beginning to wear masks around here so it’s very possible that some people in the audience will be masked.
Stay safe, Linda.
We have never stopped wearing masks but have loosened, for want of a better word, our strictures as to when they’re worn. For example, I realized early on that my deaf-with-cochlear-implants granddaughter could not understand me if I wore a mask. My voice is soft with a Southern accent, and she absolutely needed to see my mouth. I ordered those masks with a plastic insert, supposedly good for this instance, but the gap along the top that should have been touching my cheeks was way too wide. This 19-year-old is taking it upon herself to drive here every three weeks and cut my husband’s hair, and run errands or drive me on mine. So, I mask when I greet her at the door or when we’re in the car together. The rest of the time, we keep a distance of at least eight feet as best we can, and I remove my mask. I cannot not have a conversation with her for the rest of my life, and I decided that the risk was worth it in this instance. I employed the same method when my husband’s cousin, whom he hadn’t seen in decades, and her husband stopped off to see us for thirty minutes as they drove through town. It’s a risk, but a moderated one, I hope. When my husband and I walk in our quaint downtown to get from a parking lot to the vegan bakery, we remove our masks if it’s not crowded, figuring that a quick crossing of the path of someone else outside is not a high-risk event. With our high yesterday still at 107, it’s hard to be outside for any length of time in a mask, but those visits downtown are not frequent. We don’t eat at the bakery, but rather bring home their lunch of the week or a brownie, and we mask when we’re inside the small space. With dentists’ visits, Mohs surgery on my nose with a flap and skin graft reconstruction, etc., I weather the necessity to remove my mask with as much peacefulness as I can. I think this will be with us forever, too. Before Covid, I was already avoiding groups in flu season since immunologists will not okay my taking flu vaccines, either, so it’s my hope that Covid will at least settle into a “season.” I think it’s a dim hope, though.
By the way, I like the bangs.
I understand about your granddaughter – of course she has to understand you.
We were pretty strict about masking before and will do the same this time around. It doesn’t bother me to wear a mask, so I’m fine with it.
Stay safe, Linda.
We plan on getting the RSV, Covid, and flu shots. Neither one of us has ever had a bad reaction to any shots. Our motto…better to be safe than sorry. And we do mask when the need arises, but not all the time. I am quite sure Covid will continue to be with us unfortunately. I think we just have to learn to live with it, and make accommodations. And those accommodations will be different for everyone.
I like Mei’s bangs. Unfortunately, I can’t remember what she looked like before. Would it be possible sometimes to include a before/after pic once in a while for the memory challenged…lol?
Has the weather started to cool for you yet! It’s gonna be a cool day here…and we are basking in it.
Enjoy your day! ;)
We don’t tend to have reactions, either. The most is feeling a bit achey and with Covid vaxx – I take a long nap that day.
I can publish a photo next week, but you can just use the search function on the blog and search for “Mei.” That’s how I find information that I need to remember.
No, it’s still hot here, but should be a bit better tomorrow.
Stay safe, Donnamae.
I really like Mei’s new haircut – so much better! I had to search “Mei” to remind me of her “before” pic!!!
That search function is what reminded me of exactly what went on on closing night of Margaritaville.
This blog is the chronicle of my life!
Stay safe, Wendy.
My husband gets severe reactions to the vaccines so far (significant fever, chills, body aches, fatigue, nausea; I can’t remember right now all the rest; he has to just go to bed and stay in bed for at least 24 hrs as a rule), but it doesn’t last longer and, in a couple-more days, he’s fine; and he still gets the vaccines. Most everybody I know does NOT get a bad reaction. My own have been relatively mild.
I do have one friend who got the shingles vaccine and it knocked her out for five days to where it took everything in her to go back and get the second/companion shot. She almost didn’t do it. This is one vaccine I haven’t gotten yet and it keeps coming up but I keep putting it off. And I don’t know why, because my mom had shingles and it was AWFUL. The doctor said, considering the quite-bad case of it she got (didn’t help that she waited five days to get a doctor’s advice on it), she was lucky to not get recurring or permanent side effects from shingles; it’s nasty, nasty stuff. Alternatively, a mutual friend of mine and hers (my friend who got the bad reaction), got no reaction from the shingles vaccine at all; wasn’t affected by Shot 1 or Shot 2. (Both of these gals are in their 70s; when my mom actually got shingles, she was 80.)
I’ve heard that about the Shingles vaccine.
xo
Donnamae, hasn’t this change to some cooler weather been lovely?? I am so glad to hear you will be getting the RSV vax. As you know, I had it last year and ended up at UW Hospital and the the NH for rehab. What an ordeal. It lasted for about 9 weeks. So glad the new vax is available. Take care.
My schedule of when I’m getting vaxxed/boostered:
Sept 13 RSV
Sept 26 Covid booster (I’m hoping it’ll be available)
Oct 10 Seasonal flu shot (I’m hoping it’ll be available)
I love the bangs!
That’s close to what we’re doing. We don’t need to make appts locally, so we’ll do RSV in Sept. Covid in October, and Flu shot a couple of weeks later.
Stay safe, Vicki.
I once had a really good family doctor; internal medicine. I couldn’t stand him but he was really good; retired now. No bedside manner and very caustic but really, really smart. He told me years and years ago (I’ve always had a flu shot from the time I can recall as I’ve always had asthma, basically since birth although they couldn’t diagnose it fully til I was a little older) to try never to wait past October 12 for the seasonal flu shot, so I try to adhere to this although, one year, I waited too late and couldn’t get it til November as the supply of the vaccine was ‘out’.
My current primary-care doctor who also is an internal-medicine doctor and not just a GP, says the trick is to not get the seasonal flu shot too early or too late, so that it can be beneficial for the worst months for flu. She cautioned me against getting the seasonal flu shot this month; that September is too early for the seasonal flu shot. A friend of mine argues this and ALWAYS gets her flu shot in September. One of the worst flus my husband and I ever got was in August when we apparently had no protection from the year’s vaccine; it had run its course.
I read that September is too early for the flu shot, as well. We always get it in October or very early November.
xo
Comments on another blog about a month ago indicated several had been admitted to hospital for Covid and several actually said they did not think they would make it out alive. I wondered then, what were their symptoms etc. About a year ago I ended up w/ Covid/pneumonia that took me out for two months, I lost two months of my life. I had just been for my AWV in Aug. and convinced my PCP to order chest exam. When I tried to get in for help w/ Covid etc., I was turned away due to Covid and I questioned the chest exam from Aug. and low and behold, the attendant said there were indications of pneumonia then and this was missed. You can imagine how pissed I was and the office did finally call in scripts for me and eventually, I beat the Covid/pneumonia. But believe me when I say, there were days during those two months that I really got to a point I just didn’t care if I woke or not. I was so pathetically weak, needing help up constantly. That bout I believe came from a visit to a major dairy operation that while there, a bus load of senior citizens from a nursing home came in and pretty sure I got the cootie at that time. I remain thankful, however, that at no point did I feel I could not breath or that I was not getting enough oxygen and this has always been my biggest fear with Covid.
Fast forward to this past month. Joined family in Ithaca NY for cottage vacation on beautiful lake. Several days in my husband was sick and w/in two days, so was I. He stayed away from everyone for about two days, I did the same and for whatever reason, I masked. When we left, to return home, two of five family members who live in NY tested positive so we knew then we had it and after much rethinking, know we did not bring from Ohio but rather got it at gas stop in NY where only clerk working was sniffing and hacking etc. Since we had stayed a day in Ohio w/ other family on our way to NY and none of them got sick, and w/ typical incubation 2-14 days and average of 6.5 days, we are fairly certain when and where we got it. Of course, there is still the very real issue of those carrying and spreading the cootie that never get sick or have any symptoms so I can’t just paint everyone w/ a broad stroke and be angry at anyone really, for not masking. As we read daily now, Covid is here to stay. Based upon our symptoms, pretty sure we had the EG.5 aka as Eris as the latest BA.286 was just acknowledged in the US around 8/28 for which there is no vax yet. In fact, I can’t find definitive info that any existing vax available covers the Eris. I find the lack of information and confusion from changing info since this all started beyond frustrating.
And then I read several days ago that Jill Biden has had Covid twice in 30 days and having Eris does not produce very strong immunity and in fact, you can be re-infected. What I do know is that my sister and a very close friend of mine both specifically take vitamin C and D3 and both told by their PCP this is best route to help immune system. Typically hubs and I take vit C in the winter only but from the onset of Covid, we have been taking it year round and as of yesterday have added vit D3. My friend has yet to get Covid and my sister had in once after reopening the senior citizen center she was the director of-this after the state of NY lifted any restrictions.
I do like to believe that by masking I am potentially protecting myself from cooties but in reality, masking is to keep one from spreading any cooties they may have. My sister did report to the host of the cottage the fact four of seven ended up w/ Covid and the host’s concern was about disinfecting before her next guests. Then again, remember when we were told the cootie does not live on surfaces but for a very brief time? Also remember when they reduced quarantine from 14 days to ten and then eventually 5 from the onset of symptoms? Upon return we had to reschedule colonoscopy intake visits and here, their protocol is no rescheduling for a min. of 14 days.
My point is, info is confusing and lacking and none of us have any real answers, just lots and lots of questions. The real problem as I see it, they are pushing existing vax but lack vax for the most current variants and this does not sit well with me. Not wanting to alarm and anger readers here, just wanted to share my experiences and concerns. At the end of the day, how much of living our lives do we relinquish? Yes, as new retirees, this entire Covid mess makes me and hubs very angry and not likely in our lifetimes will we know the real truth about origins etc.
Good luck to everybody and wishing all to stay healthy with some good amounts of hope and happiness thrown in there as well.
My understanding is that the Covid booster that will become available in October will cover the new variant. At least, that’s what I’ve read. We tend to stay close to home and I have avoided anything involving a group of people. You just can’t control that sort of thing. And I wear a mask when I go inside a gas station. The only time we didn’t wear a mask was at the Premiere of Spoiler Alert and we were freaked out a bit afterward, because we should have. Thank goodness we were fine.
Stay safe, Chris.
Chris, thank you for your detailed comment which I found very interesting.
My cousin is age 75 and is currently battling aggressive bladder cancer. He has just finished seven rounds of chemo and is suffering a lot of fatigue. I couldn’t even count on my fingers how often he’s been at the ER or in the hospital as an admitted patient since last May. Before he has another exploratory surgery come Weds, he is going to a BIG retirement party for a former co-worker tonight with scads of people indoors. He lives in Texas with no mask mandates and he won’t be wearing one nor I doubt will any other attendee. His immune system is shot from the chemo. He’s already gotten Covid once (in the larger pandemic, after vaccinations; he was boosted but got the virus anyway). I fear the worst. But I have to relinquish the dread because it’s something for which I have zero control. And he’s one of the most intelligent people I know.
This is the kind of thing happening in America, which is happening in my own family. I might mention, too, that my cousin’s nephew DIED of complications from Covid during the worst of the pandemic because he refused to mask or get vaccinated. I’ve heard firsthand (from someone who was at his bedside in the hospital) that it was a very, very unpleasant death despite all the care he was getting in the ICU. He lived in Tennessee; I have no idea what kind of mandates the state had at the time. He was only in his early 50s. He’d just been gifted with a new granddaughter who, now, will never know her grandpa. And, get this, he was married to a DOCTOR; a pulmonologist; her specialty is lung disease. Imagine her frustration and pain and sorrow that, in the end, she couldn’t help her own husband, stricken with the Covid virus, to breathe.
My husband just now got back from our lone big-box grocery store in where we live in small-town Southern Calif. The store was packed with customers on a Saturday-noon (a time he usually avoids, just for that reason) but, as always, my husband was masked. He, this time, made a particular point of looking around and he said from as much as he could see, he was the ONLY person wearing a mask. It’s so disappointing because I could swear a few weeks ago that I was seeing masks; must have been an illusion.
Think of all the people out there, unmasked, positive with infection but asymptomatic for Covid, who are infecting other people, spewing out their ‘bad’ aerosols into the environment. People like me, at the ‘senior’ age and with lifelong respiratory disease (and I’m struggling right now with a lot of heat and humidity weather-wise, which are two of my worst asthma triggers; breathing is tough and I have to mostly stay under filtered air indoors), we don’t stand a chance of staying safe from Covid or RSV without a mask (I don’t need people breathing on me!) and without whatever vaccines we can get. It has really told me a lot since 2020 of how much my ‘fellow man’ can be very selfish, not caring a whit for somebody like me.
So, I have to protect myself (since my ‘neighbor’ won’t), which is why I still don’t get out much, we stay away from people in general, we’re always masked in public; and, while some think my husband and I are obsessive about it, I’ll keep putting these limitations on my life and turning down invitations from friends for dinners out in restaurants, going to the theater or various goings-on here and there, like at the museums or whatever … because I want to LIVE, not DIE. I didn’t go thru all I did ten years ago to survive life-threatening cancer, only to get bitten by the Covid bug. I’ll do EVERYthing to prevent that from happening.
Vicki I totally agree with you
My husband an d and I are not taking any risks
People are not thoughtful of others
Good for you
Thank you for your comment it makes one feel they are nit alone
Linda, you could’ve been judgmental about me overtaking Claudia’s blog today with too much chatter but, instead, you are kind. Thank you. I pray for you and your husband’s safety as we all head into ‘that time of year’ with colds-flu-virus upon us worse than what has become our new ‘usual’.
See, thing is, I personally can live a quiet life at home and be essentially alone and isolated (of course I do have my husband; we do take a short drive out in the car once a week, not always, but there are the inevitable appointments and errands). I’m an introvert; always a bit of the loner. I am comfortable at home, a homebody most of the time. I have work to do in the home since we’re downsizing, but I also am surrounded by everything I enjoy; I have a lot of quiet interests with writing, reading; hobbies; etc. Home is my happy place. I live in a modest house but I’d feel the same way if I lived in a smaller apartment. I would feel the same way if I rented a bedroom from someone, as long as they were respectful of my space and afforded me courtesy as a roommate. (By the way, I’ve lived in every environment I just mentioned.)
What I’ve had to remind myself of, though, is that other people feel like they’re rotting at home. They are extroverts. I’m thinking of the ones in my life who need stimulation of people face-to-face on a daily basis. They have to be on the move, have forward motion; they need somewhere to be, a destination … going somewhere away from home, doing things away from home; very much IN (and involved with) the larger world, day in and day out. To them, that’s what keeps them alive; I get it!
I’m speaking of people who look to outside-outdoor-public life as to what makes their engine run. Two friends of mine are women who fit this kind of description. They have no real hobbies and aren’t too interested in their homes; their home is not really a part of their soul; it’s just a place where they hang at times; where they sleep, where they can have people over. They don’t have a connection to it. One doesn’t do anything with decor; the other paid to have somebody else decorate. She’s surrounded by furnishings, wallpaper, a few decorative objects which were all picked out by somebody else. (It was like, ‘here, you do it; I’m not interested’.)
They have no real hobbies; nothing they sink their teeth into. One does read a little; the other does listen a bit to talk radio. They’re not into social media, spend very little time online; they don’t even watch much TV. Both have everything done for them in terms of housecleaning, gardening, etc (have wealth in retirement). Neither of these gals have adult kids or adult grandkids. What they DO have is lots and lots of friends with whom they spend a lot of time, on the phone and in person. Their daily life includes shopping in brick & mortar stores; must get out in the car, must go shop, every day. For every little this or that and, whatever you do, don’t ever combine an errand; instead, get out in the car and go somewhere more than once a day. This is part of what what fills the day (or else they’re restless and twiddling their fingers, and they can go crazy with that restlessness, which is why they ‘medicate’ with these other activities).
The one gal does cook. She goes to the grocery store every morning, even on Sunday. With only maybe three things in her freezer and nothing in the pantry, she cooks fresh every day (remember when the rest of us were trying NOT to shop, then bringing home everything and wiping it down …?.. not her, she never did that, and as long as a grocery store was open, she was there, even in 2020); I guess you could call cooking a hobby but it’s nothing she explores like learning a new recipe or anything. She does devote several hours per day to exercise like swimming at the club; walking; working out on the Peloton and with weights. Point is, she can’t be home; she gets out. It’s what she does; she has to go out every day, to fill her day. It’s her life; she’s allowed! It’s not all bad! She’s a healthy retiree!
But she is very neutral on mask-wearing; both of these friends of mine are (and the one got Covid because she refused to not gather last Thanksgiving). So is their extended family of siblings, etc. All throughout 2020 to date, they’ve always gathered in large groups in the various homes or other venues for Thanksgiving, Xmas, Easter, birthdays, weddings, baby showers, etc.; they don’t deny themselves. (I have yet another cousin on the other side of my family who’s the same, and she’s really pissed that I have missed so many of the family get-togethers [and let’s me know about it].) Also, these two friends of mine are so accustomed to entertainment, going out to eat at restaurants, to plays, to wine fests, etc. that, even when so much was shut down back in 2020-21, if there was ANYthing open and happening, they’d flock right to it. How the one has not gotten Covid by now is beyond me, but she is never sick, not in the fifty years I’ve known her; she must have that kind of DNA that gets people to over age 100. She does have a husband and he got Covid, but it’s because as soon as they could travel out of the country, they did. He was exposed while they were traveling, then sick on the plane coming home, so God knows how many people he infected that day.
But the reason I’m saying all of this is to try indeed to understand my ‘fellow man’ because we’re all so different. You’ve got people in a ‘pandemic’-type of world who will take the risks because, for instance, they could never live MY life (at home). If they had my life, they would (to them) die from that before they’d die of Covid.
My cousin who just finished chemo which destroyed his immune system is going to that big party tonight without a mask because, to him, and I know this without him telling me, staying home and missing the party is a worse fate than risking Covid in his weak condition. To him, staying home and never going anywhere he wants to go, or doing the stuff he wants to do, seeing who he wants to see, is its own type of ‘death’.
It’s complicated. It’s BEEN complicated for most of four years now. It won’t get less complicated; it’ll get even more complicated. This is our normal.
In my humble opinion. (Which took too many words today to try to articulate; sorry!)
But if you are one to take the risk, you must (morally) wear a mask. If you can’t live without parties and gathering in large groups and travel, then be responsible about it. Because what you do directly impacts others. Right?
xoxo
Absolutely. As always, Claudia, you nailed it. I don’t want to acknowledge this about people I know and love, but some of them I’ve painfully discovered are incredibly self-indulgent, and selfish. What happened to the moral conscience; the moral compass? It’s really been a surprise. You just don’t sometimes really understand who people are til they’re shoved against a wall.
When somebody is fighting for their existence, their identity, they can get zeroed in on ‘self’ really quickly whereas, at any other time, I had perceived them completely differently. I equate it to when my aging mother continued to deteriorate physically, losing one thing after another which also came to include her sight and also her speech, just hanging on by her toes, hanging on for dear life, she couldn’t ‘see’ beyond her own situation and had zero ability from then on to put herself in anybody else’s shoes but could only focus on her own. And I was floored. She had never before fought for a ‘position’; to be the center of attention. (I mean, at one point, my dad was dying but all she could talk about was missing her hair appointment. This was NOT the mother who had loved me and taken care of everybody but herself, her whole life til then.) It’s when a social worker said it wouldn’t change and this shouldn’t be how I remember my mom, that I needed to think back to the good things and just MAKE those be the memories I kept and cherished; to not have all that go to waste just because her last years were somebody I almost could no longer recognize.
xoxo
I like Mei’s bangs. I always remember my grandmother cutting my bangs when I was young…she had her own salon…but she always cut them way too short, but they grew back quickly enough! I pretty much wear a mask whenever I’m in a closed area with people around. I’ll definitely be getting the next Covid shot when it comes available! Lots of puffy little clouds right now, but no rain!
I think we all suffered from the too short bangs. I certainly did!
Stay safe, Barrie.
Love the picture of Mei. I think she is thinking, “wow, I was pretty before but now I’m beautiful.” These dolls are so much fun. I’m trying new fall outfits on Jessie and Walter today as it has cooled down quite nicely here. We never stopped wearing masks. Now they have made it mandatory again to wear masks in all medical facilities. I’m in. Enjoy the rest of your weekend. Hugs, Elaine.
We are still feeling heat and humidity with thunderstorm warnings every day. Sigh.
Stay safe, Elaine,
Hi Claudia,
I’ve been making a royal purple mess in my kitchen the last few days. I’m making grape jelly, ouch. My beans are done and I disposed of my plants yesterday. Mike is pulling out my greens as I write. It wasn’t the best garden ever. I think I’ve had my own garden 30 years or so. Learned from my grandma and mom. It’s nice to go out to the garden at suppertime and bring in the meal.
Mei looks just gorgeous with her new bangs!!
I have another Blythe doll coming. Number 3. I just love dressing them up and loving on them. When I have zoom meetings or watching TV I usually have one with me.
I’m so glad I met you!
– sorry you have such a crappy lawnmower
Yay for a new Blythe, Irene!
They are such fun and they’re very comforting, too.
The lawnmower works, it just needs some parts!
Stay safe.
had two covid vaccines and first booster. no second booster or rsv at present. oddly and sadly, no mention of them from doctors for family members and me (maybe because we have continued to wear masks? or need new doctors?). and no big push for those shots after asking doctors. will do some checking.
did get two shots last year to greatly reduce chance of getting shingles. earlier this year got what my doctor said should likely be my last pneumonia shot (due to my age and how long the shot is to offer protection).
i haven’t stopped wearing masks in stores and when workers, landlord have been in family members’ homes or my apartment. don’t expect that to change anytime soon.
i have growing dread about going to see gino vannelli in chicago on september 21. didn’t have this big worry when i ordered the ticket months ago, but now, given the increase in covid numbers (and knowing they are likely low due to home-testing, lack of testing, lack of reporting, etc.), i worry about sitting by people for hours at the show as well as the rehearsal and meet-and-greet. i would for sure wear a mask (or two), but think many people likely would not. and i would for sure have to stay away from my family for at least five days after the show in order to watch for symptoms and test. i’ve had to wait 47 years to see gino (since i first heard his music at 18) and i would hate to miss it … but as much as i love gino, i love my family much more. and i want to see them, help them and one has been having health changes (prayers requested for him and are very much appreciated). what to do? i don’t know, but i hate this position. i hate covid.
ugh.
on a brighter note, you did a great job cutting mei’s hair (bangs suit her) and in being almost done reading “war and peace”!
hope you keep painting, too!
happy, safe saturday and sunday to you, don and everyone else.
kathy
I think we’re encouraged to get boosters even if we wear masks. I know I certainly was.
I’m sorry you have to struggle with what to do about the Gino Vanelli concert, Kathy. I know how much you want to see him. I hope the right answer comes to you.
Stay safe.
…hi, kathy…have just read your entire comment…as Chris said in the other comment(s), ” Yes, as new retirees, this entire Covid mess makes me and hubs very angry..” I feel the same as you about hating to be in positions where we have to make hard choices of where we go and what we do, just taking the enjoyment out of life a lot of the time for simply choosing to be safe, feel safe; absolutely, it is okay to feel hate for Covid; I hate it, too… because, despite being that ‘homebody’, I still hope some day to do a bit of traveling domestically, sooner than later if I can possibly pull it off, and it’s hard to think of everything to be safe enough to do it when surrounded by these negative factors like contagious virus … I was thinking and wondering to myself the other day if your Gino concert was upcoming because I was looking forward to you telling us about it … I’m sure you paid a fair price for the tickets and it’s a shame to think of giving up that money AND the chance to see wonderful Gino sing ‘live’ … I need to mull what I’d do in your case but my first thought is that if you didn’t suffocate yourself with double masking (you won’t; I remember when the dentists and doctors were doing it, and sometimes even putting one of the clear shields over the two masks), maybe you’d be okay (take some hand sanitizer, too, to be careful of germ transfer hand to mouth or nose) but I’d sure then dump those masks as soon as you were safely back in your car … and, don’t laugh, maybe wash off in the shower when you get back home; peel off your clothes to not be worn a second time and instead go right into the laundry basket (I don’t want to sound TOO much like a freak or reveal any ignorance here; just thinking of how to be xtra-xtra careful, although haven’t ‘they’ said that surface contamination dissipates pretty quickly) … and, yes, definitely test before being around anybody again like your family … but do you have a family doctor right now, before the 21st, with whom you could discuss this, and get the professional medical advice on it … ? … might offer a measure of assurance … if you can’t get an appointment that quickly for an in-person chat, ask if you can email the doctor or nurse and have them get back to you by phone … in the meantime, I will definitely keep your family member with the health changes in my prayers (as I will you)… hang in there, kathy, you’ll come to the right decision about Gino!
Hi Claudia, my hubby and I will be getting the new vaccine. We mask in places with lots of people and try to avoid large indoor gatherings. My family had a reunion last month. We did not attend because 8 people were flying in from different areas. All ended up with flu or covid. They all had vaccines and came out fine, thank goodness.
RSV, no. But RSV is ticking up where I live. I’m supposed to get my pneumonia vaccine as I just turned 65. So my question is which should I get first?
Oooo Claudia, we had big beautiful garden spiders like yours for so many years, but haven’t seen any for the last 3 years. That is a great spider and a great photo. Thanks for sharing!!
I don’t know. I’ve never had the pneumonia vaccine.
Don’t you love those spiders? Here’s hoping you see them again soon.
Stay safe, Verna.
Verna, your doctor might have some advice about which vaccine to do WHEN. Like how you might stagger it. I’ve had the pneumonia vaccine a couple/few different times; I think an exception was made prior to me turning age 65 because I was victim already to respiratory disease and have had a bout of pneumonia on the heels of severe bronchitis several years ago. I will continue to have a pneumonia vaccine for the rest of my life; I forget how many years between boosts of it but I don’t remember getting any reaction to it. My grandmother died from complications of pneumonia while still in her sixties so I’m very aware of the dangers of pneumonia; I think it’s good you’re going to get the vaccine.
As for RSV, ever since I heard of Claudia’s reader Chris from Wisconsin getting the virus earlier this year and being so concernedly sick from it (I was very worried when she hadn’t left comments for a really-long time because I really like her comments!), I decided to learn more about it, besides which my husband has participated for a year in an RSV trial specifically for senior-aged adults. He’ll never know the results, but he’s cleared enough now to where he can get the RSV vaccine when I do next week on Weds; before this, and again he’ll never be told which, he hasn’t known if he got the placebo or the real-deal vaccine in the trial (he thinks he got the placebo; had zero reaction or changes in his body and he has checked in with that drug manufacturer every week since fall of 2022).
Vicki, thank you for this information. I will contact my doctor. Interesting your husband participated in a study!
Verna, as someone who had RSV last winter, I recommend the new vaccine! It was a horrible illness and the cough etc lasted for about 9 weeks. 4 months previous to RSV I had Shingles. That, too, was a very very painful experience. Medicare Part D now pays for the Shingles vaccine as of 1/1/23. So much to worry about especially as the seasons change!! Take care!
My husband and I will be getting all 3 vaccines; waiting to hear from our doc about optimal sequence and timing. I am very careful about masking indoors (picking up books at the library and groceries mainly; he basically does not mask other than when required (e.g. in a medical center late August) AND he works in a high school setting a few days a week. So in some ways I am doomed – had covid once in ’21 catching it from him, and will potentially get it again. But I can only control me and my actions, so there it is.
We are lucky not to have had an adverse reaction to any covid shot/booster, flu shot, etc. Shingles is the only exception – we were both under the weather for a couple days. Much better than actual shingles I’m sure.
Thanks for sharing your bangs cutting adventure – most becoming. Like everyone else I was traumatized by too short bangs in my youth, and now stray hairs getting in front of my eyes drive me nuts so I haven’t had bangs for years, I quite miss them!
ceci
I’ve had to get on Don about masking. He was resisting it even yesterday. But we had a long talk, and he finally looked up the most recent statistics, so he’s not resisting any longer.
Thanks, Ceci!
Stay safe.
I am so concerned not only for myself but also my Mom who will be 93 in Oct. We seldom go anywhere and do mostly grocery pickup and shop online. I do see my Grands and I’m cautious around them also now that they are back in school. We always get our flu shots in Oct (which is Mom’s birthday month). We will see about the Covid booster and the RSV. I worry more about me in many ways as I have more reactions to vaccines then my Mom does. Still after getting Covid and having long covid I’m VERY careful. I fear another bout of covid might really be dangerous for me. So far my Mom has not had covid. I’m glad Don is doing gigs and of course I’m sure he is being safe. Love the bangs!
Be careful, Linda. But I don’t really have to tell you that, my friend.
Stay safe.
When I had a kid, about five, I had a doll almost as big as me with long hair. I cut it because I thought it would grow back. Ugliest haircut of all time, I’m not sure even mom could fix it!
I haven’t had the RSV vaccine yet but my infectious disease doc told me I should get it this month because of age and asthma/lung disease. I’ll do the same with the Covid vaccine when the new one comes out. I’ve read they can be done together but my pharmacist didn’t recommend it. I think I’d rather have three jabs and spread them out.
I did that with my Patty PlayPal (I think she was actually a ripoff of the original doll.) Anyway, that hair never grew back!
I think I’ll get the RSV simply because I tend to have allergy/sinus/congestion problems.
Stay safe, Jeanie.
I don’t know anyone who has gotten the RSV vaccine. It’s on my “to do shot list” but the list is so long it’s way at the bottom. I’m due to get the 2 shingles shots, seasonal flue, Covic booster, and pneumonia before considering the RSV. Dean got the shingles a couple years ago and has been on my case. The second one affected him quite badly so I’m not exactly looking forward to it but time marches on. I’d better stop putting it off.
I wish I knew what variety of Covid he brought back from Singapore that we both had in June. It wasn’t a bad round, thank goodness, as Covid goes. We’d been so careful for almost three years that I would have been quite angry to be sick enough to need the hospital. #2 son has had Covid twice, exactly one year apart and this time his was so much milder too. I’m not really worried about getting it now. In fact, I read it’s really not a thing in our state right now.
I’ve been a life-long bangs wearer so I love Mei’s bangs. Family movies of the period in my early twenties when I grew them out show me constantly whipping my head back to keep my hair out of my face. I think I’m just made to wear bangs.
Take care,
Kay
Covid will most likely be a thing in your state and every state. The numbers are rising daily. I’ve dodged it so far because I’m careful and I’m boosted, so I will definitely get the booster in October. In fact, we just tested ourselves yesterday to start with a clean slate. We are negative.
I used to wear bangs for years and I liked them.
Stay safe, Kathy.
Kay, we live about 25 miles from Madison and Covid is quite rampant here. My hubs had to cancel church choir tonight because 4 of the 20 member have Covid, And 3 others said they have bad colds……….. a lot of people no longer have access to the free Covid at-home test kits, so they seem to be reverting back to assuming it is just a cold, A terrible sore throat is a common symptom with everyone I know who has tested positive in the last few weeks, I had RSV last winter and it was just terrible. The cough and subsequent aches lasted for about 9 weeks. Ended up in the hospital and then a NH for rehab. Wouldn’t wish it on anyone. About 4 mos previous to that I had Shingles which was incredibly painful. It was quite the year. I will be getting all of them just to be safe!! I had received the “old” Shingles vaccine about 10 yrs ago so figured I didn’t need the new one……….HA!!!!
I have not had the RSV vaccine yet. However when we were traveling we both came down with something that was similar to RSV. By the time we got home it was too late to test for it so the doctor managed our systems. He just said it was a virus. The cough lasted for two months. We are very healthy people with no underlying conditions.
I have never been sicker. It was 10 times worse than COVID.
So I can’t tell you what to do but I will probably get the vaccine even though I may have had RSV already.
Well, that’s reason enough to get the vaccine, Kay. I’m sorry you were so sick! Since I have allergies and occasional respiratory issues, I think I’ll get it.
Stay safe.
Hi, Claudia. I am just catching up on your blog. I am so glad to hear you will get the RSV vax. That is a horrible thing!!!!!! And Covid is rampant here. Hubs had to cancel church choir tonight because 5 members have let him know they tested positive for Covid. And a few others said they had bad colds. Not sure if we believe that. The most common symptom we hear is a really bad sore throat which seems like it could be Strep. So many don’t test at home anymore because they don’t have access to the free Covid tests. I just hope everyone takes care this year and keeps up with the vaccines appropriate for them and their kids. We never stopped wearing masks, either. Seeing more of them now.
Mei looks adorable with those bangs. I remember an especially bad bang cut right before school pictures. I wouldn’t trade pics that year with anyone!! Take care.
We got the RSV Vax yesterday, along with our flu shot. Covid next month, as the pharmacist said he didn’t have the Covid vax on hand yet.
Stay safe, Chris.