I haven't counted the number of letters and eMail's I have received that have a paragraph that begins with "Out of an abundance of caution..." then explains how they are going to manage to continue or will have to discontinue their business based upon guidelines from the CDC (Center for Disease Control). They would fill volumes. They come from airlines, hotels, dentists, banks, etc. Anyone we have done business with, including the online businesses.
The term "social distancing" seems like an oxymoron to me. It simply means stay 6 feet away from whomever you are interacting. Our governor does a news update every evening at 5pm. Even the people that are there with him to speak to us are standing 6 feet apart. This is a good and needful thing.
So, my focus for the past 11 days has been to accomplish two goals. I wanted to use this 'gift of time' to get some things done that I have wanted to do that I knew would take time and so I have put off getting them done. Instead of blogging every day, I have worked on getting my quotes from my laptop to my Notes section on my Gospel Library app from Church. This has been very rewarding, if not daunting. The other is to write in a book our granddaughter, Katelyn, gave to us about our lives. It is one of the books that asked you questions and you write the answers ending with a biography about you. Katelyn gave one to Claude and one to me. So, instead of blogging regularly with all this time, I have been working on these two items. Lots of hours to do them. It is good to have 'time' to accomplish something like this.
Now, I finished the quotes goal. So I spent time this morning getting things in order to catch up on the Blog. Here we go. After going through my calendar, pictures, text, eMail's and Facebook posts, I have constructed things that have happened during the past 11 days.
Thursday, March 12, 2020
On of the items in huge demand and rationed out as it hits the shelves is toilet paper. It has become quite the point of humor when one looks at social media. People are making jewelry out of little rolls of toilet paper for others. Here is are a few of the toilet paper memes that I enjoyed. A friend took the middle one when in the grocery store and said she had a very hard time not laughing out loud. It appears the Corona virus is juxtaposed by the much needed toilet paper.
This day the Social Worker at Signature Health Care called to talk to me about Papa and answer any concerns I had. I learned that they were only using the front door of the nursing home. Everyone entering had to have their temperature taken before entering. This meant every employee every time they entered. She said they were keeping the same routine with the residents so their life was pretty much normal with the exception of visitors. We could bring things and leave them at the front desk by the front door for our family members. Grateful for this contact.
Thursday evening we were to go to LaGrange to attend the pre-KMEA Band Concert for Hayden and Bailey. The Oldham County Middle School and the Oldham County High School have a concert the week prior to the KMEA Competition so that the kids get a run through of their pieces in front of a live audience. They sell tickets and the money goes to fund both bands. This would have been Bailey's first concert and Hayden's third. That evening we were also expecting horrible storms. We had asked Andie if we could bring an overnight bag and stay at their home if the weather was too bad. She said that would be fine. We packed our bag and headed out in the afternoon with the intention of getting dinner for everyone along the way. First I got a message from Andie that the middle school was cancelling because of the weather. Claude and I were on I-75 at that point. We decided to get off the Interstate and head back into Georgetown and wait until further notice before going all the way to LaGrange (about 1 1/2 hours away). We stopped at Burger King and got Papa a chocolate shake. We dropped it off at the front door of the nursing home (so happy they will take these things to him for us) and the went to the Church parking lot to await any other notice. Not long after Andie sent the message the concert was canceled. At this point they were suggesting we stay in as much as possible. This would be the turning point where everyone was asked to stay in their homes. We pointed the Jeep back to Sadieville to ride out the storm. Now we would spend the bulk of our days in our home.
Claude determined we would eat the left over soup we had as our meal since our dinner plans with the Marx family did not pan out. It was a little earlier than we usually eat and Claude said, "If we eat sooner we can eat more often!"
Friday, March 13, 2020
Claude found a graph that shows the gravity of the corona virus. Italy was hit a week or so ahead of us. They are in dire straits with this virus. The graph compares where the United States is with where Italy was at that same time. Eerily similar. This one shows me the importance of that social distancing.
Saturday, March 14, 2020
This was our Aubrey's birthday. I posted these pictures from Aubrey's past. Such a cutie. I sewed the pink princess dress she wanted so badly. It had little sequins glued to the fabric. I will NEVER sew that kind of fabric again. The glue catches in the sewing machine needle and it takes forever to sew because you have to keep stopping to clean the needle. But it sure made our little one happy and was worth all that effort. Happy Birthday Aubrey Anne (Now known as Bre).
In the evening Claude realized it was also Pie Day. We were so wrapped up in keeping up with COVID-19 we didn't even think about Pie Day. What to do, what to do?? Then I remembered my mother making fried pies out of canned biscuits for us as children. We had one can of biscuits and we had jams in strawberry and peach. I cleared the use of the canned biscuits with Claude. Then I determined to make them ever so little a bit more nutritious by baking them instead of frying them. I think they looked great and they tasted amazing. The can had 8 biscuits in it. I made 4 strawberry and 4 peach. We had dessert for the next 4 days!
We started this day with church held in our own home with just Claude and me. It was a most tender experience. We used our study time to read the 4 versions of the First Vision in preparation for General Conference in a few weeks. Claude blessed and passed the sacrament to us. This touched my heart in a very tender way as it did Claude's. The sacrament is so very important. To be given permission to hold this ordinance in our home each Sunday until we can get back to the meetinghouse is a blessing beyond compare. I have had many profound experiences in my 69 years with the sacrament. This is one of them and will be a treasured memory and spiritual uplift for the rest of my life.
I baked some cookies and we took cookies for Papa along with a new Church News to the nursing home and left them. Then we went to the park by Elkhorn Creek and took a walk. It was good to be out in the fresh air. It was colder than we expected. No one else was on the trail so we did practice good social distancing. Our governor is encouraging people to find ways to get out and get fresh air. To not feel trapped in our homes. This will be harder for others who live in densely populated areas. We have another place to walk that will also afford us the needed social distancing. We will do this every now and then.
Monday, March 16, 2020
On this day Claude contacted our children via eMail and sent them a recipe for hand sanitizer and a new recipe he was trying for us. It was for Taco Spaghetti. Really yummy. I post the hand sanitizer recipe we found on Facebook and used. The hand sanitizer turned our really good. As a side note, due to a huge need for more hand sanitizer, the distilleries are making it. Seems they have an abundance of a much needed ingredient that the rest of us are having a hard time finding...alcohol. This is a good recipe to keep on hand for future emergency needs.
This was our Andie's birthday. I posted pictures of her at 13 and 15. These are the ages of her children. Since they are not on Facebook, I sent them each an eMail with the picture of their mother at their age and reminded them to tell her Happy Birthday.
My intention had been to take Andie's birthday gift to her the previous Thursday when we went to the Mini's band concert. Alas, that did not happen. Claude and I determined this would be a good day for a car ride. We bundled up a treat for Papa and the gift for Andie. The intent was to do a drive thru and get lunch in LaGrange to drop off at the Marx home with her gift. Andie was calling us the 'senior Door Dash'!! Then Andie had to go to school. She still has to work as a 1st grade teacher. They had things for her to pick up and do. So, we did our drive with instructions for Bailey to take the food and gifts. Claude took the items to the door and he and Bailey had window hugs. How sweetly pathetic is that?! Andie sent me this picture of our window hugs.
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
This was an eventful day. I opened Facebook to check it and found there had been a 5.7 earthquake in Magna, Utah. Some serious shaking going on there. I send a text to my sister-in-law, Julie, asking if they felt in in northern Utah. She called me back and said she and Cordell (Claude's brother) felt it but Bonnie (Claude's mother) slept right through it. The sad thing was the Salt Lake Temple which has a huge statue of the Angel Moroni on top blowing a trumpet. The temple is under major renovations. The trumpet broke off of the statue during the earthquake. Amazing.
I found my favorite meme so far this day on Facebook. So funny.
I then laid down for a nap. I don't nap very often as it usually causes me to not be sleepy at night. This day I was falling asleep at my laptop. So after the call with the nursing home I headed to bed for a quick nap. Wouldn't you know it, Glen Redmon called from the nursing home to say he visited with Papa and Papa was tolable. I know that is spelled wrong but it is this thing that Papa has about pronouncing it without an R. Glen has known Papa the whole time Papa has lived in Kentucky and I found it cute that he would be sure in the message he left to let me know Papa was tolable.
Updates this day were that the utility companies would suspend non-payment and late fees. People are being laid off left and right and just don't have funds right now as they live paycheck to paycheck. Also the Georgetown City Offices are now closed.
I got a recipe for Navajo Flat Bread and shared it with the family. Bread is an item some of our family was needing and this is an inexpensive quick way to have bread that can be used for multiple things.
The memes for this day were:
Q: What happens when a frog's car dies?
A: 1) He needs a jump. 2) If that doesn't work he has it toad. 3) It croaks!
The Ping on our phones for this day was that Toyota was closing for 3 days. They were going to do extensive cleaning. Before long that was extended to a week or two. Ford in Detroit also closed for two weeks.
Claude had a conversation with me. He had an impression he wanted to act on and wanted my input before he did anything. We both covered his approach and I shared my thoughts about it. Then he sent an eMail to our kids and grandmonsters titled "How are we doing?" His counsel to them was that during this time particularly we needed to stay closer together and find ways to communicate with each other. He has other ideas he is going to follow up on but this was good instruction from the patriarch of our family.
Friday, March 20, 2020
This day I was slower getting my two projects I was trying to accomplish done. Slower than I thought they would be. I shared that with Laura and she sent me a picture of a sloth. I really did feel like that. Like my limbs were heavy and I was just moving really slow.
I shared a quote I found in my project on Facebook. "No snowflake in an avalanche ever felt responsible." Cool.
The Ping we got on our phones let us know that Scott County Schools would now be closed until April 20th. That means another month of NTI (Non-traditional Instruction) for the kids. Also that there was now a curfew in place for all kids 18 years of age and under. They have to be inside their homes by 9pm each evening and cannot be out before 6am in the morning unless they are with a parent.
Jake sent us a message that it was confirmed that he would begin to work from home starting Monday the 23rd.
Our family took Claude seriously. The Marx family got the Roper's on a Google Hangouts video call. They included us in that. Learned something new and had a good time seeing family.
Claude and I had a few errands that needed to happen. The grass is growing and will need to be cut. The battery on Claude's tractor was worn out at the end of the last mowing season. Claude determined not to replace it until he needed one. Now he would need one. Claude called Meade Tractor and verified they had the items he needed and that they would be open to get them. We drove first to the nursing home and dropped off a Church News and a root beer. Then on to Meade Tractor. They had their cashier's counter blocked so you couldn't get to it. Claude brought in the old battery and explained what he was getting. They had him move away and the parts department took the old battery and put the items Claude wanted to buy. The cashier rang him up and dropped off his receipt. Then Claude got his items and left. They were really doing a great job of social distancing and still keeping an important business open. We need our farmers and they need Meade Tractor in our area.
We drove to Jimmy John's drive thru and picked up dinner. Then drove to the park and ate in the Jeep. After eating, we did our walk along the creek. No one there so we didn't have a problem with social distancing.
The joke this day for Hayden and Bailey was:
Q: What's a pickle's favorite game show?
A: Dill or do Dill! Hosted by Howie Mandill!
Bailey popped me back a text really quickly. She said, "This helped me today cus when I was doing work I was in a pickle. *Enter laugh track here* The girl has her mother's quick wit.
My favorite memes for this day were:
Claude decided we needed to have a nice breakfast this morning. He brought me my pancakes with lots and lots of butter, just like I like. I don't do the syrup but I do have extra butter. My guy knows me.
Q: What do you call 52 pieces of bread?
A: A deck of carbs!
Jake sent me a text. He took his laundry and his neighbors laundry to the laundromat. His neighbor is a single lady that has serious health issues. So proud of my son for reaching out to care for others. He did say he remembered to take the change he has collected to get treats out of the laundromat vending machines. That is thinking ahead my friends.
I am also happy to report that at 9:52pm Saturday evening I completed one project with my quotes. Felt so good to get that done. Yeah me!!
Sunday, March 22, 2020
Today we had our at home Church service. Again, a very tender experience. This really makes one appreciate the freedom and ability to meet in a building with others each Sunday.
Joke for the Mini's:
Q: What do baby corns call their daddy?
A: Popcorn
This afternoon Hayden suggested our family have another Google Hangout's call. We enjoyed that time with our family. I am getting better at that.
Governor Beshear is giving his daily update as I finish this Blog. Right now the count is 103 cases of the corona virus in Kentucky. Yesterday he had the lights on the Governor's Mansion set to green. Green is the color of empathy, compassion and renewal. He also asked yesterday that the church's with bells ring them Sunday morning. Many church did this. He also announced that all non-essential retail businesses are to close by 8pm Monday. If they can do curbside service they may do that.
I think this Blog posts gives some of the feel of our living with this COVID-19. The world is a different place. There is hope for when this is over. I do hope we learn lessons as we go through this and that we are all nice to each other as we try to get our feet back under us. It is truly a learning experience. Daily I thank my Heavenly Father for the good place that Claude and I are in with regard to living through this.
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