Week Nine

May 18 – 19, 2020

We had our car refrigerator all loaded and running and we had dropped off a few food items we were not taking with us to Marilyn and Steve the night before.  Since we did not go to bed until 10:30 PM we set the alarm at 5:30 AM but Jon woke up earlier. We ate our cold cereal breakfast and off we went in the dark.  This is the first time we left in the dark and I hope I did not forget to do something because I could not see as well.  We left at 6:05 AM. 

Jon had put together a list of the quarantine expectations and sent it to Rebecca.  He was just trying to make sure all of us were on the same page.  Unfortunately, I think it would have been better if he had done it earlier.  We texted Rebecca about it and she came back expressing the fact that Esme and Griffin have a wide family they are interacting with between Kevin and her house.  It made me feel like she was not thinking we should be going up.  I think Rebecca and I were probably both emotional.  Rebecca is really scared that especially Dad with his cardiac issues might get sick and she would not forgive herself.  So, what is the answer?    We did not want to spend the summer in the heat of Florida.  We felt we should come now just in case there is a surge as a result of so many states opening up.  We also felt we could help with the grandkids so when I thought she was saying we could have no contact with them I was wondering why we were coming up.

We have since calmed down and looking for the middle ground. Of course, we knew we would not be cuddling the kids!  We would be able to see them only from a distance.  We figured we could be in the back yard with them and go for walks and do things from a distance.  Yes, she did agree with all of it.  So, I do think we are on the same page but just need to make sure we do not get sick.

This is really a scary time for all of us and we just do not know what we should be doing.  It is not just the physical aspect of the disease but also the social emotional effect this is having on everyone.  Griffin is struggling and not wanting to do his schoolwork.  I wonder if it is because he has no control over his life.   He is a social child and had lots of play dates both at his house and at friends.  He also has lots of energy and with both of his parents working from home he has less opportunities to expend that energy.  How does a six-year-old amuse himself all day without his friends?

I have said all along my generation is really only dealing with being alone.  The next generation is dealing with working from home, while homeschooling their children.  The children are dealing with being cooped up inside without their friends and much less opportunity for physical activity because their parents are working and can not take them out.  None of this is normal for any of us and everyone is struggling.  We all want it to end but many of us are fearful about what will happen as we open and all mix together.      

Well back to our trip north.  We made and ate our peanut butter, jelly sandwich at a nature walking park.  It was a little off the road and we were by ourselves.  A family had left for the walk when we arrived, and they returned as we drove away.  We had a bag of snacks in the back seat and snacked several times.  We gassed up twice and every time we used the restroom.  At the beginning of the trip maybe half of the people were wearing masks.  By the afternoon somewhere in Virginia we stopped for gas at a convenience store/truck stop.  We were the only people in the whole place with a mask on! 

We got to our Marriott Courtyard Hotel at 8:45 PM. It had been a 14.5-hour drive and around 900 miles.  Jon went in to register and discovered it was cold outside.  It had also been raining off and on.  There were not very many people at the hotel.  The lobby was full of laundry the desk clerk was folding.  They had plastic divider up around the front desk.  We rode the elevator alone.  In the morning I went out of my room just as someone was getting into the elevator.  We looked at each other and I know our instinct was for him to hold the elevator but we both knew that was not possible now!

We took our small bag with cloths and toilet articles, our refrigerator and the bags of food we would need for dinner and breakfast.  We were both grateful we did not need to go get food for dinner.  We were exhausted!  We warmed up the left-over meatloaf and mashed potatoes and settled in with the TV watching a Netflix series we have been watching.

We were both awake around 5AM so we decided to get up and go.  We ate our cold cereal breakfast and were on the road just before 6 AM.  The drive-up Interstate 81 is beautiful with the Blue Ridge Mountains off to our right.  There were lots of trucks and construction all along the way.  I decided that morning I wanted a Dunkin Donut’s frozen coffee and possibly a takeout for lunch.  Going across Interstate 84 we stopped at a drive thru Wendy’s. 

We were in Pennsylvania at the time.  We noticed that things were pretty closed down.  The shopping areas had no cars in the parking lots.  We took our Wendy’s to a Rest Area at the same exit and ate at a picnic table we had sprayed down.  The restroom building had big signs saying you were not allowed in without a mask.  The people we saw outside also had masks on.  I did get my Dunkin frozen coffee before we got home.  We got to Melrose around 4:00PM. 

We were first greeted by Doby.  We could hug and cuddle him, so I did lots of that.  I am not sure how much he remembered me since he had not seen us since Christmas.  We unpacked our car, talked with Rebecca before she went to pick up Griffin.  When they were back Griffin knocked on our door and we talked from about 8 feet apart.  There is a small mud room between our houses so that provides the 8 feet if we both stay inside our door frames.  It was so much fun for me to watch Griffin’s facial expressions as he told us everything.  He was excited to see us.  We made ourselves an omelet and toast dinner and relaxed with TV.  We were both very tired.

Week 9 – May 8 – 18, 2020

Mother’s Day is usually spent up with the kids and grandkids, so this year was different.  At 8:00 AM the Ring doorbell rang as we were reading in bed, a pattern we have adopted since the Coronavirus.   There was a bag from Dunkin Donuts!  Rebecca knows I love their frozen coffee, so she had that, coffee roll and donuts delivered.  What a wonderful surprise!  Later in the day I had a nice long call from Jeff.  Jeff’s kids have flown to Utah to be with the other grandparents and cousins.  Lisa went out with them since they had several flights to get there. 

I think it was Monday that Jon decided we should consider heading north since many states between here and there are opening up.  Georgia, I think was the first.  None of us know what that will mean and if there may be a surge in coronaviruses.  We talked with Rebecca and the friend using our house to quarantine from her family has finished her time on the Covid-19 unit so just needs her 14 day quarantine before she goes home.  We have decided to leave on Monday, May 18. 

So, we put ourselves in high gear to get everything we need to do done.  First, I needed to go to the dentist to get two fillings done and my cleaning.  The appointment was for Wednesday for the fillings, possible crown.  They checked my temperature when I walked in the door, I wore a mask as did all the staff in the office.  The filling went very well, and no crown was needed.  I really liked the dentist.  On Friday I went back for my cleaning and Suzanne wore a mask and the plastic shield.  I felt comfortable with their safety measures.

Wednesday afternoon I went to have my hearing aides checked.  We both wore masks and he was able to fix my hearing aids.  The microphone cover on one of the aids was missing so that made a big different.  He also taught me a different way to clean them.  I was glad I had gone, and I felt safe.  The receptionist would wipe the door handle after each person used it. Many safety measures were in place.

I called my hairdresser who had just opened up and went in on Thursday for a haircut.  It had been 12 week!.  I told her I would wash it and come in wet and she could just cut it.  Her station was right at the door, so I did not go any further into the salon.  We cut it very short and I am going to see what my gray looks like.  Now is the time to try it out!

Socially we went to Jay and Carol’s Saturday evening and sat by their pool.  Marilyn and Steve were there also.  Each couple had their own card table separated from each other.  We ordered our own pizza and we played the card game, Hand and Foot.  Each couple played against each other with the three decks of cards they had brought with them. We then added up the girls scores and the boys.  It was fun to be with them and chat as we played. 

Wednesday, we went over to Marcia and Greg’s and spent the evening by their pool in their screen room. We played a new game, Spinner and yes Jon ordered one for Melrose.  Marcia makes a wonderful Lemon Meringue Pie and the four of us managed to eat the whole thing!

Thursday evening, we went for our final walk with Marilyn and Steve around their house and golf course. When we got back, we visited on their outside porch. 

Our final social event was on Saturday morning when Pam and Joel, friends who also happen to be from Maine, came over for buckwheat pancake breakfast. While they were there Carol and Jay brought over the African violets our house sitters will water while we are all gone.  The six of us visited for part of the time.  The new owner of Snowbirds, Gary came over so we could just go over a few things before we left. 

Sunday was the day to bring everything in from the screen room, the grill, clean the house, finish packing and load it all in the car. 

We are sad to be leaving, maybe it is because we are comfortable with the social distancing life we have established and who knows what it will be like in Massachusetts.  We can not be close to the Grandkids and Rebecca is needing to go into the hospital Covid 19 units to set things up for the pilot project she has set up.  Things will need to be much stricter about what and how we can do things. 

We are really very blessed to have places we live that we do not want to leave! 

 

Week Seven

Friday, April 24, 2020 – Saturday, May 2, 2020

This week has been a little different as we are being a little less strict with our social distancing.  On Tuesday evening we decided to go for a walk with friends Marilyn and Steve.  It was a lovely evening and we went from their house making sure we were all at least 6 feet apart, with part of the walk on a lovely golf course.  We visited for a short time in their front yard before heading home.

Wednesday, I went golfing with Carol and two of her friends.  We each had our own golf cart and I wiped it down before I got in.  It was amazing how the game went so much faster because we would each get in our cart and go straight to our ball, hit and move on.  There was no need for us to be close except on the green when we could make sure we waited for each other to hit our balls.  At the end of the game instead of shaking hands we clicked our golf clubs at the full length of each club.  It was fun to get out with other people and socialize. 

Jon was supposed to golf with Jay on Wednesday, but he went into A-Fib (first time since last summer) so he needed to stay home and rest.  Everything was back to normal on Thursday, so he and Jay went and played 18 holes. 

After watching TV all evening, we realized we are in need of getting some more food in the house.  It has been two weeks since we have done that.  Remembering that Walmart takes two days we decided we should put in an order after mid-night, so we put together our list for both Walmart and Detwiler’s where we get fresh produce.  The order went in around 12:30 AM on Friday to Walmart and we can pick it up on Sunday at 2:00 PM.  More people must be doing this ordering and pick up because it is taking a day longer. 

With our Detwiler form all made out we headed out in the rain on Friday around 11:30 AM.  It poured all the way there and we were feeling guilty that these people had to be out in the rain but when we drove up, they had a lovely tent that covered two rows of three cars and all the employees.  It again took about 5 mins and we were on our way home.   Detwiler’s is very efficient!

This week Jon received an e-mail from his cousin, Jennifer telling him his Aunt June, at age 94, died on April 4^th.  Aunt June was married to Uncle Bill who was Gramma’s (Lilian Libby Rick’s) brother.  He worked for the phone company as did his father, Clifford Libby.  They lived in Winthrop, Maine in an old farmhouse that Jon has pleasant memories of playing in the acres behind the house.  Aunt June had moved to an assisted living place in Yarmouth, Maine several years ago.  She was very happy there and always enjoyed showing us around whenever we would visit.  They plan to have a service for her when things open up so we should be able to attend.

The next day we saw a Facebook post from his Aunt Joy’s (Joy Rick Atkins) son saying she had fallen.  She was already in an assisted living place, so the family are unable to be there with her.  They were posting the note she was holding up for the family through the window saying she was good, and she missed them. 

This reminds me of Lovi and Dick, friend of ours and Jon’s parents.  Dick has been ill in the hospital and Lovi has been quarantined at their apartment, so they have been unable to be together.  As you can imagine this has been very difficult on them.  I think he was ill in the hospital even before Covid-19 and neither of them have had if thankfully.  They are now back together!

Sunday we did our virtual church, Monday we both golfed at Buffalo Creek, Jon with Jay and me with Carol.  It was a wonderful day.  Wednesday I golfed again with Carol and her friends Doris and Sue and then Friday Carol and I golfed again on a beautiful mid 70 degree day.  Jon golfed Wednesday but had an eye appointment on Friday so had to miss the golf.  He is golfing today, Saturday and it is another beautiful day. 

Thursday evening, we did another walk with Marilyn and Steve.  This time we went around our golf course and then visited in our screen room all sitting in the corners.  Tonight, we are going to cook bratwursts, put them on the table, everyone can serve their plate and go to their corners in the screen room.  It will be Jay and Carol with us.  We will then go for a walk on the golf course. Everything will be outside.   Our screen room can only handle 4 people six feet apart.

We have made phone contact with several people including, Judy Merrill, our brothers, my cousins Sharon and Debbie, NH friends Pam and Marie and some friends here in SCC.  All are doing well although wanting this to be over.

Last night, Friday, May 1^st Happy 12^th Birthday Carter!   I went to the block concert with a saxophone player and Rene, the singer.  It was wonderful.  Lots of Jazz music!  There were also a lot of people there.  While I was there, I learned that Sun City Center will be opening up the outdoor activities.  Thinks like pickle ball, lawn bowling, dog park, tennis, baseball, the pools etc.  Pools will be for swimming only no Aquacisers but I am not going to go over anyway because I figure there may be too many people. 

During this Shelter in Place Jon has written a book that was just delivered to the grandkids and Doug’s granddaughter, Hope.  It is Onawa Blessings 2019, which has lots of pictures of all five children and lovely description of each of them along with what they were up to last year.  It is wonderful!  Thank you, Jon, for using your wonderful talents to leave something for our family to cherish forever!

 

 

 

Week 5 of Shelter in Place, Monday, April 20, 2020

Thoughts and feelings at the start of Week 5:

1. Will this ever end?
2. What day is it anyway?
3. Every day is the same.
4. Will we ever be able to go to Onawa?
5. Will this coronavirus come back in the fall?
6. Will we be sheltered in place again next year?

It is hard to figure out what day it is when I no longer have Yoga on Tuesday and Thursday and Aquacisers on Monday and Friday and volunteer at Ruskin Elementary on Wednesday all at 9:00 AM.  It seems that every day finds me at noon or 1:00 PM and I say where has this day gone?  Part of it is that I don’t get out of bed until after 9:00 AM and then eat breakfast. Jon takes a walk and I usually try to do yoga in the morning but sometimes decide to do something on the computer first and all of a sudden, the morning is gone.  There is one day, Sunday, that we do attend a church service online.  It starts about 11:15 AM but you really can start it anytime, so it was noon when we started yesterday. 

Then there is the afternoon, we fix lunch but that can be anywhere between 12:30 to 2:00 PM depending on when one of us decides we are hungry.  We eat out on the screen room in the warmth of the day.  So, between the warmth and a full belly a nap is calling our names!  Jon stays right where he is, and I go inside.  The next thing we know it is 3 – 4:30 PM and the afternoon has disappeared.  Usually it is in the afternoon that I get texts or phone calls or make some of them myself.  It is the only way that we are staying connected with friends.  It is nice that we are able to do this with not only friends in SCC but also friends from all over the world. 

Around 6:00 PM, as the day is starting to cool off a little, we head out for a walk around the golf course and then have dinner.  If the weather is really hot, we eat and then walk between 7 and 8 before it gets dark.  We have not eaten anywhere but home since March 13.  Lucky for us we both do cook so we are able to take turns fixing our meals. Jon likes to find new recipes and I generally stick to my old favorites.  During dinner we watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy and then I frequently watch my soap opera, General Hospital before Jon joins me watching whatever until the 11:00 news, followed by bed.

I am getting bored as most people are.  At first, I was excited to have time to do some projects I have not had time for.  The major one for me is scanning pictures into the computer and then putting them back into the albums for Rebecca and Jeff.  I have done 1977 – 1981 and have the pictures laid out for 1982 and 1983.  That is all I have here in FL so the project will be coming to an end soon.  Then what?  I have also started making an afghan for a friend who is doing wonderful things for our family.  It is half done and I have been working on it a little over 2 weeks.  It should be done before we get up north. 

Speaking of up there, when will that be?  Next week we were supposed to have Carter here with us and in July we were taking him to Switzerland and Italy for his twelve-year-old trip.  Today we just cancelled that trip.  Bummer!  We did book it for next year so here is hoping we are not going through this again next year. We really need a vaccine!  But that will take a while for all the testing and trials that are needed.

 We normally leave for Melrose the first week of May.  We just do not know when we will feel it is safe to travel.  Rebecca is not sure she wants us in Melrose because she is worried that she or the kids might give us the coronavirus.  She has said we should go straight to Onawa, but Maine does not want us.  We have heard they are pulling “out of state” cars over at the toll booth and requiring them to commit to a two-week quarantine, giving them the address, you will be at with a phone number.  We could of course do that and just take 2 weeks of food with us.  Right now, they had snow last week and then there will be black flies so maybe now is not the time.

We will drive north in our new Kia Telluride and our new refrigerator that plugs into the car.  It is our hope we will be able to have our own food with us.  Right now, the restaurants are closed except for carry out and I guess we could do a little carry out, but we will plan to take enough food with us.   We are thinking we do not want to stay in a motel so we are thinking we will drive straight through, 21 driving hours to Melrose.  Lucky for us we both do sleep in the car when the other is driving and we also are successful sleeping on a plane so we figure we can pull over somewhere and sleep in the car for a few hours.  One little hitch we have heard from someone driving to Michigan is that once they hit the Georgia border there were no more restrooms available.  You can get gas, for which the price has gone down, but no public bathrooms.  So, we will have to see how things are in the next month.

Yes, it is getting tiring to have the same routine every day, have no idea what day it is and not be able to be with our friends doing the activities we love which is why we are in Florida.  I do realize that is exactly what most people are feeling right now so I am not alone.  I am very blessed to be able to spend this time in isolation with Jon.  We do have friends and relatives who do not have a spouse to share these long days with.  I think of them often and reach out to them periodically. 

People I am especially concerned about are the health workers, grocery store workers, police, fire and all the people who are providing us with the essential services.  My concern for them is the risk they are taking every day for themselves and their families.  I am grateful for them and keep them in my prayers. 

After writing this we had a request from our daughter Rebecca to have a friend of hers stay at our house.  We were happy to help in anyway we could.  This friend is a nurse at Mass General Hospital who has been called to work on the Covid-19 unit. She has a family of two young children and a husband with questionable lung issues.  She does not what to expose them to anything.  She can stay at our house and still be able to go and wave at the family from a distance when she is not working.  It is a small way we can help with this crisis.   

Good Friday, April 10, 2020

This morning Jon announced at breakfast that he had “a crazy idea”.  He wanted to make Hot Cross Bun for Good Friday and we could take them to our friends.  I told him I thought it was a good idea!  The recipe involved yeast and raising twice so it took most of the day, but they came out great. 

While Jon was cooking, I talked with cousin Sharon, who is alone sheltering in place and finding it especially difficult.  I listened to Suzy York, cousin Steve’s daughter, podcast where she interviewed cousin Nancy’s granddaughter, Brenna Kennedy, about the impact of the coronavirus on her and her friends who are all seniors in high school and missing all their “high school last’s.”  It is a wonderful interview if you would like to listen to it.  Humansoptimized also has other podcasts with various people and how Coronavirus is effecting their lives.

The link to the podcast is:

https://humansoptimized.podbean.com/e/the-class-of-2020-will-forever-remember-the-memories-they-didnt-get-to-make/

I texted with a friend, Jackie who taught school and was a Superintendent before she retired.  I sent her the link and she really enjoyed hearing Brenna share her experiences and thoughts.

The Hot Cross Buns were done, in bags with a card sending Good Friday wishes by 4:00 PM so we started delivering them.  First the neighbors, Rachel and Bob and then MV and Jim, both across the street. We put the buns in their screened area, rang the bell, waited and then visited from outside.  We then got in the car and drove to Marcia and Greg’s.  Their screen door was locked so I think I texted them to say we were outside.  It was then on to Marilyn and Steve’s and they saw us stop out front and came out.  Another short visit and on to Jackie and Bruce’s.  Their doorbell did not work so we put them on the hood of their car in the car port and then called.  They were home so they came out and we went out back to see their building project.  They are building a lanai onto the back of their house.  Next we drove 30 minutes to our final stop, Carol and Jay’s where we had another visit in their driveway.  It was really fun to connect with some of our friends even if at a distance and for a short time.  Thank you, Jon, for thinking of this.

    

At 7:00 PM we watched the Good Friday service which was very moving.  We sent a text link to friends in Melrose and received text messages. I think it might have been Easter Sunday that we communicated with Jeanne and Chip from Melrose.  They had Easter Dinner with their family because they all live in the same house.  Their neighborhood had Easter Egg Hunt where each family hunted in their own yard.  They said it was really fun to watch all the kids.

Saturday we received thank you from everyone mostly by text.  Everyone enjoyed their Hot Cross Buns.  Our neighbor from Windham, NH, Marie, called and we had a nice visit.  She is a widow and finding this very difficult being all alone and unable to be with her family that live close by.  She says she does go for walks in the neighborhood and is able to visit some of them on her way.  She is grateful this did not happen at the time her husband, Dennis died.  She did say their Grief group is continuing using Zoom so that is helpful. 

I texted with friends, Mary Ann and Al, from Melrose who now live on Cape Cod.  They were commenting on Jon’s post about the sandhill cranes.  They are doing fine sheltering in place. They are concerned about summer people bringing the coronavirus down to The Cape and not having the medical care needed. 

On Saturday, I had a nice text and then phone call from our friends, Pat and Dick, from Minnesota who were here when this whole thing started.  They were having a nice day and able to set outside on their deck.

Easter found us receiving text messages from Minnesota saying, “Merry Christmas oops Happy Easter.”  From Doug with an attached picture of snow.   Two of our friends received the same texts from their families in Minnesota.  We talked with Doug and they are lonesome being in Minneapolis but unable to be with their grandchild, Hope. 

Nephew, Mark and Megan, sent us pictures and videos of their Easter Egg Hunt.  It was really fun to watch Lewis, maybe eighteen months old, toddle around the yard looking for eggs.  Megan had made a treasure map for the kids to follow and Lewis had blue eggs so Harry would leave them for Lewis to find.  It was great fun to watch.  Thank you, Mark and Megan.

We had a late breakfast of Raised Buckwheat Pancakes. This was after we had gone on our walk.  Today we had a record high temperature for Easter.  It was in the 90’s.  We put on our church clothes and watched the Easter Service on the TV.   We made our Easter Dinner of ham with pineapple glaze, sweet potatoes, cranberry salad, and green beans with almonds.  We ate in the dining room with my mother’s Lenox china.

We talked with Rebecca while we were cooking, and she was not at all surprised we were making a ham dinner.  It was Kevin’s birthday, so they were all at her place and they were face timing with his parents and Uncle Bert in the background.

   

I had a nice facetime with niece, Amy, while I was drinking my wine and Jon was out hitting golf balls in our backyard.   She has been sheltered in place since March 8^th when she returned from FL.  She does have one couple that are staying home also so they had Easter Dinner together. She has ordered some patio furniture, but it got delivered without the screws.  She is looking forward to putting it together and being able to sit outside. 

In the evening we talked with Jeff and his kids.  They had a very nice dinner made by Lisa that included hot cross buns. 

We really did have a nice Easter Weekend connecting with friends and family via phone, text and social distance visits. 

 

Monday and Tuesday, April 13 and 14

I went for my walk in the evening after dinner when it was cooling down.  We are having 90-degree days and it stays in the 80’s in the evening.  We spent much of the Monday with Rebecca’s family as we were trying to help Griffin with his schoolwork and having problems with the computer.  Tuesday we were successful in helping Griffin.  I made fried rice for dinner.

I had a phone visit with my neighbor MV as I was asking her for masks for Carol and Jay to wear when they fly to Reno.   Her daughter is an ER doctor over in Jacksonville.  She says they are still staying ahead of it over there. 

This afternoon I had a nice phone visit with my friend from Pelham, NH, Pam Casazza. Her husband died a little over one year ago after they had been visiting us in SCC. She had a nice Easter with her family since they all live together.  She missed having her son, Doug with them.  He is single, living in a small apartment and sheltering at home.  On the weekends he takes drives just for some change of scenery and keep himself sane.