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!