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.