And...the Week Flew By...

This week feels like it flew by. I was out of the house Monday and not again until Friday. This is a good thing, given that positive cases for Covid-19 are on the rise. However, when one stays at home all the time, the days really do run together. Not a lot of definition between days at all.

Monday, October 19, 2020 found Claude and I trekking back to J&L Pharmacy to get his diabetic shoes. He tried this the previous Monday but was a week ahead of himself. This time he was successful. He got back in the car where I was waiting and said, "They look really therapeutic." When we got home and he showed them to me, I did not find them that therapeutic looking. However, I have learned that you validate the person's feelings. When we got home and he showed them to me, I acknowledged to my dear hubby that I didn't find them bad looking at all. They looked good and solid to me. He was able to say he did feel they looked therapeutic but not as bad as they did at first glance.

Going to Georgetown allowed us to take a walk in the park and to drop off a treat for Papa. We also went to Fazoli's to have something to eat for our big meal of the day. Alas, they have changed their menu. The salad I love and the sandwich I love are no longer on their menu. Back to spaghetti for me. I had to have spaghetti there the entire 11 months I was waiting to get my bridge implant. I was really looking forward to a sub or their nice Italian salad. I love their spaghetti and could eat my weight in their bread sticks, so I had a good meal and was happy with the meal but very sad their don't have my favorites.

While at Fazoli's, I was sitting facing the window and could see Chick-fil-A across the street and down a ways. I was amused at their employee directing traffic in the rain. Chick-fil-A has the best systems for getting drive through traffic moving around their building. It requires an employee be out directing two lines of traffic around the store and through the drive through and out onto the highway. This day was a rainy day and they had their employee directing traffic in what appeared to be a fluorescent green plastic cone. The green would definitely catch driver's attention and would make the job safer for the employee. There were enough clear places in the cone so they could see out all over the place. I will share two pictures. The first was from far away. The second was me trying to zoom in, so it is very grainy. But you will get the idea of this clever rain gear.

As we left Fazoli's to go to the grocery store, Claude noticed that the employees taking orders were wearing the same type gear only in a bright red color. 

Off to Walmart to get some groceries. Claude went in and I waited in the car. He bought a spice cake mix and a can of pumpkin for me to try a new recipe. It is fall and that brings out the desire in me for gingerbread. Someone posted this recipe that sounded super easy and might help with that spice craving. Here is the recipe and the finished product. We both very much enjoyed these muffins. I could picture someone making them and putting a topping on them of brown sugar, cinnamon and chopped nuts. We did not do that but it would definitely be something I would consider in the future. It was not super sweet either. 

While at this, I will share another interesting idea that was on Facebook. I have not tried any yet, but if they would prove as good as the spice-pumpkin muffins, I would truly enjoy these.

My grandmonster, Hayden, sent me this brain candy to ponder:

Tuesday, October 20, 2020 we finally got Claude's Covid-19 test results. I called the Friday before and they told me I was negative. We felt sure Claude was also but they never called. Sunday the lady in their office that is the nurse practitioner called and said she still had not received results and had been in contact with the lab again to ask where they were. She said she would call as soon as she found out. Tuesday was the day the lab actually confirmed and the nurse practitioner called to confirm that Claude also tested negative. This is the second time we have used this office for a Covid-19 test. Both times they got my results quickly. Claude was several more days after before we got his results. Hmmm???

Wednesday, October 21, 2020 I found a word play meme to share with Hayden.

Claude had things to do in Lexington. He stopped at Meijer's to see if they had any briskets. He needs one more for the holidays. They did not have briskets...but they did have a seasonal favorite for me. I love the short time that Thomas' makes pumpkin bagels. He also bought brown sugar and cinnamon cream cheese to go with them. Isn't he a great hubby??? I took this picture and quickly sent it to Andie, my pumpkin season loving daughter. She was happy to see it was time...again.

Thursday, October 22, 2020 was my day to get some deep cleaning done. Wednesday and Thursday were great weather days. Temperature in the 70's with a few clouds. Just great days to be outside. I was up early and in my grubbies. I was going to clean the white railing on our deck in the back and our porch in the front. This is really hard on my legs and back because of the bent position during all this work. I got them done and swept all the decks and porches. Then I clean our big bathroom and washed all the shower curtains and rugs. Claude loves standing on the rugs after they have been through the dryer. 

I spent the rest of my day finishing up Claude's Christmas present. I have gone through all of our 50 years of pictures and put every picture of the two of us in a PowerPoint. Claude has wanted this for a long time and I am sure he will be happy when he gets it on Christmas day. I now have to make the PowerPoint pretty but the pictures are all collected. Yea me!!

I also received an eMail that TransSiberian Orchestra is doing a streaming thing this December since they cannot tour due to the virus. I purchased us a ticket to watch it at home. So happy they are doing this. This has become a highlight for Claude in December. 

Claude and I decided we should invite our Mini's over for a sleepover since they are on fall break from school. We both tested negative for the virus. So it should be okay. Andie was happy with the idea, ran it past her family, they were all happy, so it was set. We would pick up the Mini's on Friday and return them Sunday. That evening late I received a text from Hayden. He had not had a haircut since March. Not even a trim. Needless to say, this young man with thick, curly hair, has one really, really full head of hair. He is happy with it. His parents want it at least trimmed up and shaped. It seems Andie threw me under the bus to do this project. Oh My!! Hayden really doesn't want it done. I tread on thin ice on this people. Very thin ice.

Friday, October 23, 2020 we were up and ready to leave the house before 10am. We stopped for our walk in Georgetown, took Papa a treat and filled his bird feeder, Claude got me a biscuit and we were on our way to pick up our Mini's. We all agreed to stop in Frankfort at Zaxby's for lunch. Then on to the house for a Harry Potter marathon through the weekend. 

Claude said to the Mini's in the car, "There is a contest this weekend." The Mini's wanted to know what the contest was. Claude told them it was to see who would worship him the most. The Mini's are growing up and it only took Bailey a few seconds before she replied, "What is the prize...bragging rights?" This gave Claude a pause for thought. He said yes. Bailey then turned to Hayden and said, "I say we go 50/50. Deal?" Hayden said, "Deal" and that was that!! Poor Pa. It could be a long weekend for him. 

Friday we watched two Harry Potter movies, "The Sorcerer's Stone" and "Chamber of Secrets". We paused for tuna salad on croissants for dinner. The Mini's hit the places they knew would have snacks when we first went down and they carried them down to enjoy while we watched the movies. It was a good evening and we were done by 11pm. 

I received an eMail that my mail-in ballot was received!! Yea!!

Saturday, October 24, 2020 the kids slept in till noon. I woke them up then and Claude fixed breakfast. This morning before I got out of bed, I heard what sounded like water running all over the attic. Claude was out of the bedroom and I knew he wasn't running water so it gave me a bit of concern. I got out of bed and looked out our bedroom window and saw a flock of birds flying from our roof toward the creek. It must have been all those birds walking on the roof. Whew! 

We would watch the next four Harry Potter movies through this day, "Prisoner of Azkaban", "Goblet of Fire", "Order of the Phoenix" and "Half-blood Prince". This was interspersed with pizza, cottage cheese, apples, applesauce, and assorted junk foods, ending with ice cream.

Sunday, October 25, 2020 the Mini's slept until 12:30pm. I was able to get my Blog started and letters written to the missionaries and to Papa. When everyone was awake, Grampa cooked breakfast of pancakes and bacon. Then Hayden got his shower and we cut his hair!! Oh My. This picture was taken October 16th when Hayden was playing with the band at half-time at their football game. 

This picture was taken after his haircut and the hair dried naturally.

We watched the last two Harry Potter Movies "Deathly Hallows Part 1 & 2". By then it was 6:20pm. I looked at the Mini's and told them they had 10 minutes to be packed and ready to get in the car to head home. They did it!! We drove to Frankfort and found Cook Out Burgers and treated them to a burger and fries for their dinner. Then off to LaGrange we sped. We arrived in LaGrange at 8:30pm. Amazing!! The Mini's were happy to be home. The parents were happy with, as Andie said, "having a chance to miss each other". Given the virus situation we have lived with since March and the closeness to home and just our immediate family that live with us around all the time, Andie's comment is powerful. 

I want to post one little picture of a great grandmonster. It is our little Nelson by the pumpkin he helped carve. This little one is a doll and very much loved. 

Well, the virus rages on. Kentucky has a positivity rate is getting higher. Sunday, which is usually the lowest number of new cases in Kentucky, was 1462 new cases. This is the highest Sunday total ever for Kentucky. This last week we also had the most Covid-19 positive tests in a week in Kentucky with 9335 positive cases. The positivity rate will be figured today, Monday. It is a rolling average over 7 days. The nursing home where Papa resides has had one false positive test for a resident. They have now had two positive tests on staff. It has been a week since the last staff tested positive. They must have 14 days with no positive cases before they can try in-person visits. I saw a chart listing all 50 states and the number of positive cases per 100,000 in that state. The numbers were from John's Hopkins and were based on a 7-day average. Kentucky was 22nd in line. Still need to be very careful about what and how we do things and spend time at home as much as we can. Winter will be very interesting. These increases come after a time of being able to do things outside, which is supposed to be safer. Winter will keep us inside more. Interesting time to be alive. I Googled the 1918 pandemic to see how long it lasted. The History Channel said it lasted two years. If that holds true for this Covid-19 virus, we are 7 1/2 months into it. We still have a ways to go...