City of Dreams Music.....the big AHHHHHH!!

Big Easy Blues...oh moma this is good. My neighbor put out a box with things she was giving away.  I was walking by and saw this Rounder Record Box and put it down my stretch pants and continued walking. Smooth, blues ...oh baby I am yours.

Just came in from outside. I was on our small South East deck. It has two chairs and a large wooden container for plants. The light was golden and I watched the high clouds float by. I jumped up and picked up my canon camera. I stayed out shooting clouds and trees until the first mosquito bite of the season. Then I came in to write. Our office is small but it has a large east facing window and three windows on the south side.   Also one half of the office space has a small cathedral ceiling. My deck is on the southside with the cathedral ceiling.  We have identical chairs and desks. Glenn's desk is his out EPI office desk that they gave to him when they were closing. He also got another desk that was David's desk. Dave was bipolar. I have Dave's desk. It is somewhat banged up. Glenn still has his original lock for his desk. My desk has no key. I don't care. I just love having a place to work, play and talk on the phone (land line).

I had some good size carpet samples. so out came the duck tape and I put the samples together and taped the  rugs with black duck tape. That was about 25 years ago, and the rug is still working fine. 

The chairs I found were coming off the thrift shop's pick up truck. I ask the man if I could try it out and he said be my guest. So, I asked home much and he said $20 for the two, and I said SOLD.

The chairs are high end office chairs.Now, I started this by saying the office is small. So, when I am sitting at my desk and Glenn is at his...we are about one foot apart. Luckily the chairs have wheels.

He has been studying french for longer than I can remember. Before the holidays, I told him that all I needed was a good pair of headphone. He bought me  a blue headphone. Yes, he nailed it and saved our marriage.

Japanese Melodies by Jean-Pierre Rampal and Lily Laskine

Sweet music. I had the LP. I still have the LP cover in the attic. Years ago, I replaced the LP with a CD. I treasure this CD. When I can not calm myself, listening to this talented flutist and harpist are the best medicine for me. 

Slow down, relax and be calm.

 

Looking up and down for the new normal.

Looking up and down...where is my new normal? Will our rescheduled trip in September be cancelled. I think it will. I hope it will not be cancelled. But how can Europe fully reopen by September. Next week starts the month of June. 

This slow opening is going well in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Our tall, proud governor is methodical in each and every move he takes. He wants to avoid another outbreak. 

Our president is roaring around the country. He is encouraging his followers to disrespect wearing face masks, take rifles on protest marches into state houses if they are too  slow in  reopening. They say they have their rights. Rights to bear arms, freedom not to wear masks. He and they are idiots and no good can come of it. 

Does this all scare me? Yes. What can I do beside vote for the democrat? Pray, and hope for the best outcome. Rioting over black men count? Why are so many angry people encouraged to be bad. 

I am trying very hard to fight my depression. Some days are harder than others. The news my husband watches for three hours each night scare and depress me. He watches German, French, English, Japanese and PBS each night. Then he has trouble sleeping. I want to know what is happening but, I also don't want to fall into the black hole of depression. 

They saving grace is nature, the nature of my neighborhood, and the ocean.  I meditate in my marsh down the street. I pray for calmness. 

Where are the messages for me?

Music:

Rosanne Cash......Black Cadillac

One of my favorite car CDs.  A few days ago, I unloaded all my Car CDs. You know the ones, good traveling music, uplifting, and smooth. Best of David Bowie is another Car CD, Willie Nelson, Rosanne and a french cd. Don't ask.

Strange day. For me a home day. Feels like a Sunday, ok, lets say it is Sunday. I know that it definitely is not Sunday.Who Cares? Who is around? Self Quarented don't even think this is fun anymore. You can drive places. You just can't go in any where. No cocktails, lunch on the run, or do I dare say....a coffee shop (especially one filled with one person at big  tables filled with a lap top, clothes, coffee cup, air phones, and cell phones, flip ones. big ones, small ones, broken ones, oh joy.

Started my day with a man with a tick inside his leg. His good looking legs. Love is about removing a tick with a hemastate on his leg. I am a hero at times. He is a hero at times. Sometimes, we take turns.
Hero for the day. What fun we could have.

Mom's taxes were  finished today by HRBlock. Behind the locked front door is the brains of the operations. You phone them upon arrival in the parking lot, run out give you the package. Does not matter if they only did one part the taxes, they are done. The branch in Newburyport is closing Thursday and this is Tuesday.   Need I say that someone's blood pressure is going to be high  for a few days. Let him think. Give him quiet. Let him cool down.
               Rosanne sing it... World Without Sound....

Feeling very numb today

I am tired, numb, and lethargic. Still in my pjs and bathrobe at my desk. The phoebes are back and trying to make their nest onto of the outside light next to the deck door. Sometime today, Glenn will get his ladder out and the the block of wood goes up on top of the light. It has been proven successful year after year. I do love the phoebees, but not on the deck. They make such a mess.

They will have a better home on the garden shed eves.

Train going by. I am moving slowly. There is a very dark cloud following me.

This will pass soon. I hope.

The Long Steps to The End of Self Isolation and Covid

Signs of hope that the light in the tunnel of self  isolation is starting is starting to slowly open.

Our great commonwealth is being very diligent in the slow opening of beaches, churches, and restaurants.

Caution is good. States that opened earlier are seeing a rapid increase of the illness. 

With each new allowed event will be judged. People who won't wear masks or be six feet apart from another human being will be judged and slow down the opening process. Until people take the treats of this illness seriousness, we won't make any new progress.

I am so happy to have a private refuge in my backyard. It is quiet, safe and very beautiful. The gardens need work, and work is good for the soul.  The large forest that we live adjacent to, is beyond our stone fence.

 Deer, groundhogs and rabbits  wander out of the forest and tour our gardens. It is what they do and there is no way to stop them. The racoons wait patiently from the trees at dusk and hope that we forget to bring in the delicious  hummingbird feeders. When we do forget, they come out at night and take the feeder down, drink the liquid, and then take all the parts off of the feeder. They then scatter the parts in our bushes and other various hiding places.

I do miss friends. On warm days, we invite friends to our back deck and laugh, talk and chatter about whatever pops into our mind. It is so nice to reconnect after this long isolation. 

Guide to Avoiding Crowds

All my life I have avoided crowds. I really don't like crowds. I go to quiet places, live in a quiet place and enjoy mostly quiet people. 

Learning to avoid crowds is a learnt skill. I have it on my resume of sorts. This could explain my love of libraries. I hates shopping malls, and I think it has been well over two years since I have visited one.

I shop in small stores, love small restaurants and of course, live in a small town.

So, I find this closing out of the pandemic interesting. Why would people want to go to crowded beaches, or football games?  I have been content to be here in my house with my cat and spouse.  

Its almost Memorial Day and we are still in self isolation

I really don't mind. I would rather be safe than sorry. Our governor of the Great Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is very cautious and very concerned about the after effects of opening too early and starting over the pandemic. I agree.  Two thirds of the states in the US are now opening. Some have plans, other trust the Orange President that this is almost over. Job well done. Yata yata ya.

New Hampshire our Live Free or Die state, has opened and it is a mess of people with and without masks, and no social distance. 

Slow and easy.

I am tired of this pandemic, but, what can I do? Protect myself, stay safe and stay healthy. 

It really is not that hard, I think being in the hospital on a respirator for a month would be alot worse. 

Had my first video conference with my Arthritis doctor. So I have been reading on the Arthritis Foundation website.

Do you know how hard it is to read about a conrick condition. It is bad enough that I have this condition, but spending hours reading about it so very hard. Can't do it. I live it. 

How to .......in wicked rains storm in the Pandemic

How to Wash Flags, baskets, egg carriers, monkies, and other assorted stuff hanging over the kitchen sink while listening to the Beatles #1 Hits and during a wicket rain storm in the Pandemic.

How mundane we have become, boring, cleaning, reading, doing on line jigsaw puzzles.

Preparing for the Upcoming Gardening & Tick Season

On top of being in a world wide pandemic, in which over 50,000 American have died and our economy has flatten to a pancake, our local tick season has begun.
We live in the woods and near the Great Marsh. So, we get ticks galore and mosquitoes in our gardens.
The wild turkeys love the ticks. I don't love the turkeys would try to rearrange my herb garden and cause dust storms with their large feet.
So, I am prepared for this season.  Bug spay, check, socks over the pant legs, and a nice spirits of bug spray for xtra protection.
I also wear a 50 sunscreen wide brimmed hat and work boots. 

New Green Leaves Experience the Wind

Today is the day that all winter I think about. Once winter sets into reality, I begin to miss the green leaves dancing to the wind. Each May, I try to capture the day that the green leaves dance with the wind for the first time. I am home in May this year, but, we would have been in France if it were not for Coronavirus Outbreak. The last few years, we traveled abroad in early May to the Continent, so called for many years or just Europe in my generation. I love Europe in spring time. But, the pandemic has grounded us to our home this past winter and spring. 

 

So today, I walked out onto my back deck this morning. I could see light green leaves. Slowly a wind came and that soft special sound of fresh leaves touching and reacting to the wind with a sway, a wave, and a good bye. It happined in seconds. But I smiled back at the young leaves. Hoping they could feel my joy also. Spring had come, time for celebration of all new life, love and warmth.

Pandemic Blues, May Snow, and Feeling Alone

"That’s why there is this sledgehammer of now-ness: whoa, this is this constant thing that is happening, and it is not just going away because we want it to. We’re really forced to lean into the sharp edges more than ever. We are standing on a sharp edge. We are sitting on it. [laughs] And the really cool thing about Pema Chödrön’s wisdom-style, is about — it’s about, be curious. There’s a kind of underlying, approach this fear, and approach this anxiety, and approach this heartbreak with curiosity — like, oh this is interesting. I’m an interested tourist here, checking it out, taking photos. I don’t actually live in this place." Devendra Banhart/ On Being/ When Things Fall Apart with  Krista TippettGreat show today.Lots of food for thought. Don't run away from problems, run to them, investigate them, learn from them. 

The pandemic is making me feel very lonely. No one to hug. Very few people to talk to ....the old fashioned way...you know face to face. Not computer to computer contact. Real live contact and personal contact up close and intimate. Rubbing shoulders, touching hands, and smelling the other person. For good or bad. It has always been what I have done. Hug, rub, pat, touch and make people smile or smile at people. We hid away in our homes to avoid getting sick. We go out with masks on to avoid getting sick. I long to talk to people's full face. Eye contact is ok, but, it does not give you the full communication of face contact. Full face contact, the lips, the nose, the teeth, the red cheeks, and all the above pieces of the face together. Together, right here in front of me. Yes, now I see you, I understand you, I relate to you. Oh the joy when we drop the masks and again run around with naked faces. Free to feel the air touch us. Naked faces that show wear and tear, love and hate, age and youth. 

Day one of open deck....

Saturday, we had two visitors to our deck.
Sunday, I had a morning friend visit me on the deck and an afternoon friend stop by.

People who need people are the luckiest people in the world.

What joy .... these visits have brought me. I love our huge deck, and friends with huge hearts.