Monday, April 6, 2020
This day was spent mostly making face masks. These were for each member of our family, the missionaries in our ward (congregation) and a dozen for John's Hopkins Clinic in Maryland. Our friend, Betty Dixon, asked for them for her granddaughter, Courtney.
Claude and I did pause in the early afternoon to sit on the front porch and enjoy the pretty weather. Our little tree was almost at peak blossom and it is gorgeous during this time of year. The little birdhouse that Claude painted looked so pretty in the branches with all those blossoms. There was even a little honey bee buzzing around collecting nectar. I took a very brief video of that and sent it to the great grandmonsters.
Tuesday, April 7, 2020
Arose with a goal to get the packages in the mail. There were several and it felt good to get them off to family and to help a friend. You can get very shut off and out of sync when you are just to stay inside day after day. All those days run together. We've kept our days and nights in order but knowing what day it is requires a peak at the cell phone every now and then. So stepping outside of just the two of us was refreshing.
This day was our son-in-laws birthday. I posted these pictures of a vacation we took in 2012 with Todd and Nissa to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
This day felt weird. We arose early and got ready. Claude's audiologist needed masks. She wanted to open the business for emergency needs only. She put out a request for face masks on Facebook. She and I became friends on Facebook because she wanted to see our pictures of Africa and I put most of them on Facebook. So I saw her request and made her two masks. She was planning on arriving at the office in Georgetown between 9:00 and 9:30am. We got to Georgetown early to get a biscuit for breakfast. We had time before Debbie was to arrive so we went to Walmart and Claude did our weekly shopping. Then we dropped off the masks to Debbie. We also went for a walk at the park. By the time we got back home, it was only 10:30am. It felt like it should be about 3 or 4pm. Ugh. The changes for this virus really play with your concept of time.
I checked my eMail and found another one from Groupon with a cute subject line: "Like Shakespeare said, 'To deal, or not to deal. It is no question'."
The Marx family received their masks first and posted this wonderful picture of their family. (Bailey, Michael, Hayden, Andie). Love this family.
I had four really big skeins of yarn. I purchased them a couple of years ago on two different markdown racks. I have not crocheted them because I ruined my hand when crocheting for 2017 Christmas gifts. I determined I should try to crochet and make an afghan to remember this Covid-19 pandemic quarantine period. This night I got the first row completed. I think the pattern for each motif will remind me of the picture they use of Covid-19 in the media.
Thursday, April 9, 2020
Governor Beshear has asked that we ring bells, if we have them, at 10am each day to remember those who have lost their lives to the corona virus. My sweet friend Laura has a daughter named Jessie. She is going out on their back porch and ringing her bell for these people. This just melts my heart. Jessie has the purest heart of just about anybody I ever met.
Claude came across this meme and shared it with me. I really believe this one contains a lot of truth about where we are right now. I have been amazed that we have been given guidance and people have not followed it. So, the Governor has to issue an Executive Order which carries more weight and the possibility of penalties. Once again, I cannot understand why we have to make rules instead of using the good sense we were given.
Okay, this next part might be a little disturbing. It will only serve to illustrate we are getting a bit of cabin fever even though we have been out more than many others. Somehow Claude and I were speaking of painting my nails. This led to us laughing about painting Claude's nails. Which led to me actually painting Claude's toenails. We opted to paint one foot red and one purple. We then posted this for our family only asking them to pick which color was best. Purple got the most votes. We received a note from Jake that said "Red. But he should put on socks and never take them off!"
This led to a discussion of whether these were my feet or Claude's feet. and the dialogue began. Katelyn stated purple. I suggested Raelyn made that choice. Katie had to admit that vote did come from Raelyn. Claude indicated that purple was better because it would match his long toe on his left foot that he broke while we were in Tombstone. He stubbed it on the little refrigerator in our room. Andie and Claude's mother also voted purple with flourishes using gif's to illustrate their color choices.
Then Claude added fuel to this flame by texting this picture and with comment, "Look! A spring bouquet!"
This is where Bailey began to question if these were my feet or Claude's feet. Claude said, "You tell me..." Bailey replied, "Your feet." To which Claude replied, "Nothing gets past you..." To which Bailey posted this picture with the comment, "My feet are cold."
Claude counseled her to 'try the microwave. Bailey simply said, "Okay." Katelyn jumped into the mix with this picture of her feet.
Bailey responded by telling Katy her shoes were nice. Katelyn said, "Thanks Payless haha." Bailey this posted this picture asking, "You like my dog slippers??" Katelyn replied she loved them.
Claude quietly published this piece of artwork for the family stating, "Mr. Thumbly stopped by to say Hi. He did maintain the requisite social distancing, but it was a stretch." Katelyn immediately asked, "Grampa, are you ok?" I assured her we just had a bit of cabin fever but it was being channeled in a fun way.
Andie then set to work and created a thumb video using Claude's thumb and making the mouth move as she spoke in a British accent. You see, someone suggested this was Thumbkin and not Thumbly. To which Claude assured them he was British and it was Thumbly. Oh my!!
After a bit Bailey came back with this picture!! Clearly the girl knows something about photo shop. Now Thumbly is on each of Grampa's toes. She sent it and said, "Pa look!!"
Claude asked her what he was looking at? Beside 10 or so gloriously beautiful toes. Bailey assured him it was an art piece.
That was a lot of picture and dialogue but it clearly shows where we are at after three or four week inside and separated from physically being with each other.
I sent Andie some text messages in the evening alerting her to helping us with our plan for the next day and telling her it was a surprise for the Mini's. I'm not sure how it happened but I believe our very sensitive Bailey was needing a grandparent fix and Andie indicated she would see us the next day to reassure her. What I do know is that at about 11:30pm as we were beginning to drift off to sleep there was a ding on Claude's cell phone. We usually ignore these after we are nestled in bed but this one felt different so Claude picked up his phone and checked. It was a message from Bailey asking if we would bring this purple scarf when we came the next day. Hence, I knew that she found out from Andie and the need for that scarf indicated someone needed a little reassuring. When I took the Mini's to see the second Harry Potter movie with the Louisville Orchestra, Claude was out of town. Bailey wanted to go but she was just getting used to the intensity of the movies. She was concerned. I was aware of this before I went to pick them up. I wore my purple scarf that Claude gave me. Before the movie/concert started I showed Bailey the scarf and told her that it was given to me by her Grampa. He gave it to me because he loves me very much. So that scarf was full of Grampa love. I assured her if she wore it or hugged it when she was concerned during the performance she would be surround by Grampa love that would protect her from any bad feelings. She hugged that scarf the entire evening and was sure Grampa was there with us, if not in body, in spirit. That is why the late night call and why I am sure that this quarantine is wearing a bit on our Bailey.
Friday, October 10, 2020
This day we woke up and got ourselves ready for a little drive. This was the day of another worldwide fasting and prayer for relief from the Covid-19 virus. We would observe this by fasting breakfast and lunch. We would break our fast with dinner on the way back from LaGrange.
First, Claude baked cookies. Then we packed a bag of treats for Papa, a bag of cookies for the missionaries, and a bag of treats for the Mini's. We were off.
First a stop at the missionaries and dropped off their cookies. Then we went to the nursing home and left the bag of treasures for Papa. I also gave them 12 more face masks.
There are couple of things in Georgetown of which I took note. First were the new signs in on the curb in front of what had formerly been sit down restaurants. That is not allowed with the corona virus. However, restaurants can do curbside service. So, Georgetown has put these nice signs out to mark parking spaces for those helping restaurants stay in business. I loved this idea. Yea Georgetown!
The second thing is the repair work being done on the courthouse in Georgetown. They have taken the cupola off the building and are doing repair work. Just find this fascinating.
Now we headed to LaGrange with Bailey checking to see on how close we were. Love her little heart.
We usually have the Mini's for several days during their spring break. That was last week. I sent them pictures of past spring break visits to fill the void of not being together. I also ordered each of them something we thought they might enjoy. For Hayden I ordered a book about Stephen King and his writing. Hayden wants to be a screen writer so he had this book on his list of things to read. For Bailey, I ordered a Lego kit from the Harry Potter movie with the lady giant and the girls from their magic school. It was a carriage and the creatures that pull it. There were little replicas of the giant lady and her students. The carriage could be made as a carriage and then rearranged as their living quarters. These didn't come till the week after spring break. So we waited to tell the Mini's about them till both gifts had arrived.
Since it was close to Easter, I pulled out my plastic Easter eggs and filled them with candy. There were 16 of them and 4 others that were bigger. I had two Easter baskets from years past.
The plan was to drive up to the Marx home and put the eggs in the front flower bed with the baskets and gifts and cookies on the front porch. Then we would park on the street in front at the curb and call the Mini's to come out and find their treasures. I sent a text to Andie saying we were close and it was a bit cool outside so they might want coats. She said she would get Bailey out of the window. Poor little nugget.
I called after we set up everything and out the Marx family came. We had an Easter egg hunt, opened gifts and chatted from a safe distance. Here are some pictures I took and Andie took. I love the one of us social distancing safely.
I took video of the Easter egg hunting. The Mini's are getting a little older for the Easter egg hunt but they still had fun...and...they were outside for a bit. We had a good chat before we left to head back home. It was really good to see them all. A bit strange not to get a rib cracking hug from my Hayden. And Claude said quietly as we left, "Bailey needs to snuggle in Pa's armpit for a half hour." Yep, he needed them as much as they needed him.
We would have dinner on the way home at a burger place in Frankfort. Then we would stop in Georgetown for a walk in our park. We encountered this lone goose. He was not very happy we were near him but we stayed on our path and didn't bother him.
We no sooner got home than I received a call from the nursing home. I seemed Papa's glass were missing and they needed me to know as he said I had the frames. I assured them I had not seen him for a month and I did not have his frames. They had the lens which had popped out. I set to check on places that might be able to put the lens in a new frame while they looked for Glen who had the lens. Jessica, the social worker, said she would call me back after she found Glen. Dr. Richardson, the last ophthalmologist Papa saw, would not be opened until Monday. There was one other office that was had some hours. Others were closed completely. The social worker didn't call and it was getting to be 6pm. I called the nursing home and spoke with Renee, the nurse. She said she would find out what she could and let me know back. She did and they had the lens. I explained I would call Vision Works Saturday morning and see if they could put the lens in a frame. Ugh!!
Saturday, April 11, 2020
I called Vision Works as soon as they opened and explained my situation. They said I could bring the lens by and they would take it in a bag from my car and see what they could do. I hurried to Georgetown and Glen came out with a Ziploc baggie and one lens. I thought they had both lens. Nope, just the one. This would not help at all at Vision Works. I called them and explained I only had one lens, that I appreciated their willingness to try to help me. I did have a nice chat with Glen. I learned that the residents are staying in their rooms. No mingling in the dining room. No church services. They have something almost everyday from a Bible study to a worship service. I cannot complain in this big house in which to roam and a yard to work in and drive-thru's. These people are stuck in a room smaller than my living room with two people in a room and that is it. Glen did say Papa was using the magnifying glass I got him when he first went to the nursing home and a magnifying sheet that Junie mailed to him with his books for his birthday last year. With these he was able to do some reading. He said Papa is healthy. Tomorrow morning I will be calling Dr. Richardson's office first thing to see if they can make Papa a new pair. Claude suggests I get a second pair in case this happens again. That is not a bad idea.
I determined I would sit and crochet for the remainder of my day. I would finish two more rows on the afghan.
The Tylers and the Ropers received their face masks in the mail and sent me pictures.
Sunday, April 12, 2020, Easter
Throughout this day I have worked on this Blog. I was up before Claude and started to gather pictures and notes to remember what happened each day.
We paused to get our showers and breakfast. Then we had our Church service at home. We read lots of scriptures from the Book of Mormon about the Savior's Atonement and Resurrection. We are now watching the Tabernacle Choir's 2018 performance of Handel's Messiah. We received these pictures of the Ropers enjoying Easter. There was a nice video of the girls finding Easter eggs in the front room. This included Emelia walking around. So fun.
Claude fixed us a nice ham dinner for our Easter meal. It was yummy. We have recorded the Governor Andy Beshear show and will watch it after the Choir. Then I will set to crocheting another row for the afghan. Won't get that row finished tonight but will get a start on it. It is good to do this in bits as my hands are still not strong regarding the continuous motion of crocheting. We have forecasts for severe weather as the evening wears on. That should be interesting. We had several power outages again this morning. Claude read about tornadoes in Monroe, Louisiana. This is not far from Shreveport. We know many people in this area. There was even another earthquake in Montana and Idaho. The world is really rocking and reeling. It is an interesting time to live for sure.
No comments:
Post a Comment