Covid-19/20....???????

 

It's been a, well, let's say "interesting" five months.

I always go back to the movie Parenthood, with Steve Martin.  It's about the ups and downs of parenthood.  Great movie.  In one part of the movie, the Grandma is dispensing her advice (and boy should we LISTEN to Grandma's advice, with all their experience!).  She says, "Life is a roller coaster.  There are UPS. And there are DOWNS.  There are Merry-Go-Rounds.  They go round, and round, and round.  They are boring.  Everything is the same all the time.  I'd rather be on a Roller Coaster."  Not an exact quote, but you get the gist.

So here we are.  FIVE months on a roller coaster.  Right now I'd rather be on a merry-go-round.

I take this pandemic very seriously.  Maybe TOO seriously in some peoples eyes.  I am scared to death...to lose someone else I love. (Kind of having PTSD about this...who will I lose next?)  While the first question I always get is "do you KNOW anyone who tested positive?"  Not personally.  Yet.  But as of today, (Worldometers) over 154,000 people in the United States has died of Covid 19.  It's coming our way.  

I have tried to be very careful about wearing a mask (which for some seems to be a problem...like it's "taking away their freedom". ?????????

We do eat inside restaurants (have gone to a patio at a restaurant twice-in five months.)  We do order carryout though.

We had to cancel our Yellowstone vacation, but bought a pool for the backyard for a "staycation".

It took awhile, but eventually we started seeing Nick, Mere and the boys face to face, and we booked a friends cottage at Indian Lake for a week.  

(Just a note here...when I updated my computer last time, Blogger was updated as well.  Everything is different.  I'm surprised I figured out how to write a new post.  Uploading pictures is different too, and I have no one to help me figure it out now.  Another thing I miss about my daughter...but that another BOOK.  So I had to post all the pics at once, in no particular order, until I figure this out.)

    

                                                   We meet every Thursday on Houseparty.  

Patti, Susan, Karen me.  For some reason, Sharon is missing this day.

Donny getting his first haircut after lockdown. I wouldn't let him go to the barber shop,

too busy there.  So Nick brought his clippers over.  WALA!  And he's a lot cheaper!

Another thing we've been doing, cleaning out the attic and basement.  Donny found

this wig in one of Melissa's boxes.  Must have been her Halloween box. 

Met some friends at Carillon Park, got to see the Eagles that are nesting there, Orv & Willa.

Donny's birthday

Took the kids (and their friend Max) to Woodland Cemetery to see Orville & Wilbur

Wright's grave, and the best view of the city of Dayton.

Me and Max.

We have a neighbor who keeps us entertained with her driveway chalk art.  

She's really talented!

Used our stimulus money to have the trees trimmed (put our money

RIGHT BACK into the economy.

They did a great job, and got three more jobs in the 

neighborhood.

Boys enjoying our new pool.

Max, exhausted after a long day at Pamma and PopPop's.

Andrew needed a new bike, and their were NONE to be found.

Another anomaly of this pandemic.  So PopPop came to the rescue.

He gave Andrew HIS bike. (We eventually found a pretty decent 

bike at a garage sale on one of our daily walks, so Donny got 

his bike back).

Picking up pontoon boat at Indian Lake.

Relaxing on pontoon boat.

Stopped at the Tilton Hilton on the lake for lunch - outside dining,

and no one was there when we got there.  Exactly what my requirements

were.

Andrew, PopPop, Pamma

Fishing at Sunset (Max)

Andrew

Max and Daddy

Andrew and Daddy

Nick caught the only fish that week.

Andrew and Pamma...he's finally taller than me.  

Where did time go????

Relaxing in the lake in front of our cottage.

Our campfire, of course.

Father and Son on Father's Day.

The Fortener boys.

Ohio Caverns.

Playing euchre.

We've made new friends since we've been shut in. 

This guy (or girl?) is pretty friendly.  Climbed upon the chair

and was looking in the window of the deck door.

(Yes, we feed them.)

I think this one is Melissa.  She got really close to me

when I was sitting out front responding to a text from a friend.

Almost TOO close.

Max is bored.  Got his hair dyed blue.

More of our neighbors driveway chalk art.  She's really good!

So that was pretty much this UPS.   A roller coaster ALWAYS goes down.  And that's where I am right now...UGH. 

Because I have been so cautious the last five months, I'm driving people crazy.  My own family in particular.  

"Wear a mask"

"Are you wearing a mask???"

"Keep your distance"

"Don't get too close to anyone."

"I'm really anxious about being inside places".

"Why aren't THEY wearing a mask?"

I'm too the point where maybe I might be better off secluded somewhere, where I don't bother anyone?

Trying to figure out where that might be.

So I've also abandoned Facebook.  Couldn't take the division anymore.  When I started blocking people I love, I knew it was time to let it go.  My last gift from my daughter.  And THAT makes me sad.

But right now, I have too much anxiety when I'm there.

But interestingly enough, I've stayed on Twitter.  I'm a browser.  Not much of a "tweeter".  Although occassionally I will retweet something.

So today started with a funeral for one of Melissa's best friends from high school's brother.  

Stephen was a good guy. At the last Fort 5K, he was there.  His first one.   He walked with me for about a half a mile or more  We had a good talk.  He really loved Melissa - said she was part of his family.  I loved that.  He talked about wanting to starting a Basketball Tournament in memory of his uncle, Dan Gerhard, who was a local, well known Basketball coach who had passed away.  He sent me a message about it and we were planning on getting together to help him get started....but for some reason we never did.  Makes me sad that it might have been something that would have helped him.  I'll never know.  

RIP Stephen.  You will be missed.   There were lots of people at the mass this morning - I tried to sit far away from everyone, but it was difficult because there were so many people there - a good sign that he was loved by many. 

Stephen Frick.  The last Fort 5K was a color run.  He ran through the color, he loved

to have fun.  At least that day he did.  

Stephen at the finish line.

I didn't stay to talk to anyone - struggling lately.  A lot.

Then I get home and start scrolling through Twitting and I come across a tweet from a guy (I think a politician in Indiana) WHINING that his son just found out his (high school) football season might not happen this year. (along with EVERY other sport).  And for good reason.  People are dying.  154,000 and counting so far - in just five months.  Might be you.  Or someone you love.  This virus does not discriminate...young, old black white.  

As I read his tweet, it was all about "don't let fear control your life.  We all die sometime."  Basically.

All I could think was IF I had the amount of information about breast cancer that I have about this coronavirus and there were ANYTHING I could have done to save my daughter (short of selling my soul to the devil) I would have done it.  We have SO much information...enought information to save lives.  But we aren't doing it.  We live in a country that is SO selfish and self serving, that (some) refuse to wear a mask - to either help themselves OR others.  It's not about the greater good any more.  The United States is the "ALL ABOUT ME".  At least enough people that we can't tame this virus down.  Life could have been back to close to normal had we all taken a step back to control it.   We have a LONG road ahead of us at this point.

I just want to live long enough to vote.

I hope I'm around in November.

and I hope this roller coaster starts going up soon.