I take a photo like this when I’m sort of out of it, because I can take it from where I’m sitting. I haven’t taken a whole lot of photos lately – mostly because of the bleak landscape outside. Anyway, I went back to sleep this morning and had heavy dreams and it’s taking me quite a while to wake up. Time change? Partly.
My favorite contemporary actor was Gene Hackman. I loved everything he did. Never a wrong move, never an untrue moment. I mourn his loss, of course, but I cannot stop thinking about this double tragedy and what we now know about it. His devoted caretaker and wife suddenly dying from hantavirus, their dog – who was crated – dying, and Gene, with heart disease and Alzheimer’s disease wandering around that house for several days after his wife had passed away. Apparently one of the other dogs led them to Gene’s body.
It’s all so haunting, isn’t it? Betsy Arakawa was out and about running errands, wearing a mask, probably feeling like she had the flu. She came back home and, not much later, collapsed in the bathroom. Did Gene find her? Was he aware that she was gone? Or did he just wander aimlessly for 6 days? God, it’s heartbreaking. I can’t stop thinking about them.
Rest in Peace, Gene and Betsy. Rest in Peace, Zinna.
Today, will be a bit brighter, if only because the temperature is going to hit 61 degrees. And it’s sunny. We have to do some grocery shopping and we’re going to start walking again. All of our plans to keep walking over the winter were thwarted by lots of snow and extreme low temperatures. And, of course, lots of ice. I’ve gained too much weight and I want to get back in shape. We’ll start with a little walk at the library.
Also, I fully support Canada’s reactions to the Felon’s tariffs, but New York gets electricity from Canada and our bill, which is already way too expensive, will skyrocket. How are we supposed to pay for that?
Okay, time to make the second cup of coffee.
Stay safe.
Happy Monday.
It is so difficult to feel upbeat these days. I noticed that my daffodils are sending up little shoots in my kitchen garden so that made me smile. I bet you have lots of things starting to grow in your gardens. Hope that brightens your spirit, too.
Not yet! It’s been a brutal winter here. Soon, I’m sure.
Stay safe, Ellen.
I didn’t sleep well at all last night but I know it wasn’t the time change, which doesn’t affect me much. I always feel elated when we “spring ahead”, knowing longer lighter hours are ahead. No, I made the voluntary mistake of ordering a Taiwanese coffee boba drink late in the afternoon (5 pm late) and, not being a regular caffeine consumer, was awake most of the night in bed. I did have a couple of dreams so I must have slept but this morning, I feel like I pulled an all-nighter.
My daffodils and crocus are in full bloom and the cymbidium gave me one more spike than usual…4 in total. The buds are unfolding slowly.
We’ve had sunny blue skies and 50’s temps but that will change mid-week with a predicted 5-day rainstorm. We need the rain but I don’t need the gloomy skies.
I’m empathetic about the pending higher electricity bills. We’re all going to feel the bite and I get more and more convinced that he’s not working to make America great.
Thanks so much, Wendy.
I love my coffee, but my cutoff time is noon. No caffeine allowed after that!
Stay safe.
I’ve been intrigued by what happened to Gene Hackman and his wife too. It’s very sad.
We have been walking at our local indoor school athletic complex during the winter. You might check to see if a local school district has a facility seniors can use. It costs nothing for us to use.
Take care
It doesn’t. Small towns all around us – that means small schools.
Thanks so much, Marilyn.
Stay safe.
The Hackman’s story is so very sad. You wonder, did they have family? When people get to a certain age, a family does wellness checks more often, particularly when one of them had dementia.
Everything outside is so brown and dormant looking yet. The news I try to avoid. Everything we’ve ever valued or taken for granted will always be there is in danger. I’ve a container of paper whites coming up. The green is hopeful to look at and forget the world will soon be falling apart around us. I’m spending lots of time with my shy kitty too. Helps my blood pressure.
Take care,
Kay
He had adult children. But remember, she was 30 years younger than him and in great shape until she was hit with hantavirus.
Stay safe.
It’s hard to be a caregiver and still have enough energy to take care of yourself. So sad. May they both rest in peace.
Hantavirus (from cleaning up rodent droppings usually) has a high mortality rate even when treated. We always have our bleach solution at hand since it’s not uncommon in our dry Western climate. Sigh.
Yes, I’ve read the figures on deaths from hantavirus. Heartbreaking.
Stay safe, Roxie.
It’s all very sad about Gene Hackman and his wife Betsy and their dog. I’m not judging because I don’t have all the facts but one wonders why no one was checking on them regularly. I’m hoping Trump will come to his senses about the tariffs. They are bad for us and bad for you. Canada does not want to become the 51st state. That would mean giving up our health care. I was in the hospital for 5 weeks and then had home care for 16 weeks (two PSW every day, nurse, physiotherapist, nutritionist and a person overseeing everything). The only money I had to pay was $45 for the ambulance taking me to the hospital. Everything else was covered by the government (OHIP). I do know how lucky we are in Canada to have such excellent health care. It’s not perfect. A lot of people do not have a family doctor. Our emergency rooms are overcrowded. Here’s to better days ahead for both our countries. Hugs, Elaine
They were very private and Betsy was only 65 – 30 years younger than him. By all accounts, she was in great shape and perfectly capable of taking care of him until she was hit by hantavirus.
I think he’ll go too far and be removed – forcibly – from office. Not to mention there is more and more buzz about him stealing the election, something I’ve maintained since November 6th.
The sooner he is out of office, the sooner everything he did can be erased.
Stay safe, Elaine,.
I can’t stop thinking about Gene and his wife either. It is so sad, heartbreaking and very scary, imaging what he went through for 7 days.
I was just opening my light bill this morning and it always runs around $300 a month. Geez, that use to be a car payment back in the days.
Insane, isn’t it? Everything is so much more expensive than it used to be.
Stay safe, Darlene.
Dear Claudia
I’m really upset about this unbelievable tragedy involving Gene Hackman, his wife and the dogs. It’s making waves here in Germany too. Could this happen to both of us (me and my husband) when we’re really old (I mean, 80 or 90 years)? We live in the countryside, are pretty much on our own and have animals. It’s worrying. It seems like everything else in the world is going down the drain too. Let’s stay optimistic, please.
Helga
We think about the same thing, Helga. We are on our own – any family lives far away.
Hang in there, Helga.
Stay safe.
I want for Canada and the US to be friendly neighbors. This is all so bad. May Donald Trump develop a sense of peace, or just sense
He won’t. He’s a narcissist and he’s suffering from dementia.
It is so sad what happened to Gene and his wife. Yes, at 65 his wife, who was otherwise in good health, should’ve been able to take care of him. Guess there’s a lesson there to all of us, to stay in contact with our friends and loved ones. He was such a great actor.
I don’t know what to say about the tariffs. They are needless, pointless, and going to bring so much chaos and harm to so many people and businesses. The whole thing doesn’t make any sense. Not to mention…they are vengeful.
I don’t know if my brain is sluggish from the time change, or the medication I took for an MRI I had yesterday, so I wouldn’t feel so claustrophobic. Either way…it’s taken me forever to put my thoughts down just now, into semi-coherent sentences. Have a good evening! ;)
My brain is also sluggish, Donnamae. Same thing!
I hope all is okay with you.
Stay safe.
You may want to check to see if you are part of a group of communities that participate in The Hudson Valley Community Power program which negotiates electricity at a fixed supply rate and all are supplied with 100% New York State renewable power. The more communities, the better the fixed rate and while fixed at a negotiated rate and time period, it would be unlikely they would switch to Canadian supplied power at the end of the period, especially if tariffs do create a 25% increase. Hoping you are in this program, one less negative during these worrisome times.
We were in one locally and it was far more expensive. I think everyone gets some of their electricity from Canada – whether community power or power companies.
Stay safe.
We had a glorious, sunny, warm day too. My first long walk in ages. Beyond lovely. A good day all around — a nice talk by the GM of our public broadcasting station who discussed the severe funding challenges PBS and NPR will be facing and the importance of stating opinions to our Congress folk; PT. Then supposedly, a telephone town hall with our Trump-supporting rep. They were supposed to contact us with the login number and though I was registered, no one did. It wasn’t just me — my good friends had the same issue. Jan was finally able to reach someone who DID get a notice about a log-in number. I only heard the end of it (not impressed by his last bit, either). We don’t know why we didn’t get a sign in — deliberately cut off by looking at voter records or just bad planning in his office.
I’m sad about the whole batch of circumstances around the Hackman/Arakawa deaths. It really is a tragic story.
Love the photo of your living room. It’s very restful.
Thanks so much, Jeanie.
Stay safe.
Claudia, I’m very sorry to hear you are on Canadian electricity. I think they are mad and tired of the republican crap. Hang in there.
It’s not totally from Canada, but part of the electricity does come from there.
Stay safe, Verna.