Life in the Time of Coronavirus, 9/2/20

Can You Believe That It's Already September?

This has truly been the strangest year of my life. The Coronavirus and COVID-19 have changed our World forever, in so many ways, both big and small.

A Shame
We're heading for seven months of quarantine, trying to avoid this virus, and we still don't have adequate testing and no vaccine is in sight.  It is such a sad state of affairs for such an advanced Country, with so many resources. I've pretty much resigned myself to know that it's up to us, individually, to keep ourselves as safe as we can be.  If we get the disease, we get it and must deal with it. The Federal Government and powers that be are doing nothing to help us. We have to go it alone. God help us to survive it, as there is no help whatsoever, just denial that it exists and snake oil cures that are touted by the current regime.  I think that the herd immunity is the de facto approach in the USA. Thousands have died, and those who could help are willing to let thousands more die, before this has passed. It is shameful and disgusting. It makes me so sad to see that our Country has come to this -- not caring about anyone or anything, except greed and selfishness. Shame on us.

On a Brighter Note, We've had Visitors
My Sister, Mary, and Brother-in-law, Dan, escaped the fire zone in the San Francisco Bay Area and stayed here with us for ten days. We took a day trip to San Juan Capistrano and San Clemente. It was wonderful to see them and to spend quality time together.  We had the chance to catch up, after many months apart.  

We also had a visit from my cousins, Scott and Shelly, from Tucson. They came from a wedding in NorCal and drove down to spend the night with us. We had a delicious dinner from our favorite local Greek restaurant and talked into the midnight hours.  It was so special to have four loved ones staying here with us overnight.  Everyone left early for home and arrived safely, for which we are thankful.

Soon, we will have a visit from our niece, Anna, from Chicago, and her friend, Megan, from Pasadena.  We are so excited to see them, as it has been several years since our last visit.

Daily Life Continues
We celebrated our 39th wedding anniversary on August 29th. It seems like yesterday. We had dinner outside, by the pool at the Carlsbad Four Seasons Hotel. It was delicious and special because we were with Mary and Dan. Next year, we will either rent a house at Lake Tahoe or travel to Europe, depending on the virus.

We stay at home most of the time. We eat out once or twice each week. Sometimes, we meet up with local friends.  We enjoy each other, our dogs, our home, pool and hot tub.  We are always thankful for our lives and where we live.  It is so beautiful here. We feel blessed.

Peace
I wish you peace of mind and soul during these trying times.  Please keep the faith. Hold on and hold fast. 
Complete your Census and Vote!

#holdfast #itwillgetbetter #buildbackbetter #staystrong

Life in the Time of Coronavirus, 4/2/20

The Lone Surfer
Carlsbad State Beach

21 Days Into Our Quarantine
Hope you're all well and hanging in there.

It's been 21 days since we decided to self-quarantine at home. As of two weeks ago, it is mandatory in all of California.  We've only taken a couple of trips out: for groceries (thanks to my Husband, Darrell), one car outing to see the Carlsbad Flower Fields, and last Sunday, we took a bike ride to Carlsbad Village and to the beach.

I am thankful that I have Darrell/Ted and our five dogs to keep me company. I can't imagine having to go through this alone. Even so, frankly, sometimes I do despair. The news is pretty much bad or horrific, and things continue to get worse every day. The USA is now getting hit very hard by this virus, and it is frightening. So many people falling ill and so many dying. It seems to at least double every day. It is just incredibly sad. We've had the advantage of seeing what tragedies have happened in so many other countries, yet we have faltered, and we are paying a tragic price with thousands, if not potentially millions of lives lost every day. God help us!

Sunday's Bike Ride
On Sunday, we took a bike ride to the Village to get out, get some money from the ATM, and to see how our locals are faring.  There were many people out in their yards, enjoying the sunshine and doing chores. Lots of other folks walking, bike riding and running.  They seem to be abiding by the six foot distance rule pretty well.  But at the beach, on the sidewalk trail, people still walk much too close together, and cannot avoid doing so, when they pass each other.  We were surprised, once again, that the roads and sidewalk areas were still quite packed.  The lifeguards, Coast Guard and police were all out watching over things and blocking off beach parking lots.  There were still a few surfers out, but they were well spaced apart.  We noticed that most of the Village businesses are closed, but it was surprising to see one local hot spot restaurant had a line of people, very close together, waiting for take-away orders. Since Sunday, things are even more locked down.  We are now at the point where beach roadside parking is completely closed, and anyone out and not safe distancing can receive up to $1,000 ticket and/or time in jail (where you don't want to be for so many reasons right now).

Yikes! Our Sewer Drain Blocked Up
We absolutely love our home here, but we have faced issues with our main sewer line from the house to the street becoming blocked, both times in the Spring.  Great timing, eh? We are staying home most of the time, and this would have to happen now.  I called Mr. Rooter on Sunday, because we had just recently received a coupon from them.  They came on Monday afternoon, tried to clear the drain, did a hydroblast, which cleared the line and revealed that we had tree roots blocking the pipes, and then came back Tuesday to put a camera down the pipes to further diagnose the problems.  They discovered that we had two big issues, the old clay and cast iron pipes had separated, allowing water to leak and tree roots to block it up. We paid a pretty handsome amount of money, for it, but they fixed it right, and they did give us a discount. They ran new, better pipes and they replaced and sleeved our existing pipe, all the way to the connection to the main street line.  The service workers worked so hard, did a great job and very quickly.  I so appreciate them providing this service, all the while, likely risking their own health. Thank you so much!

Mr. Rooter Workers Doing Such Hard Work to Fix Our Drain Pipes

Keeping Busy, Staying Entertained

We keep up with our routine and try to add new things here and there.  Enjoying our hockey table game. We even have our own Detroit Red Wings Zamboni now! BTW - Darrell wins most of the time.

Trying lots of new, healthy recipes, which is fun and mixes things up a bit. Darrell did a Costco run on Wednesday, and we are well stocked, for which I am grateful.

Still working out every day -- elliptical, yoga, walking and biking.  Really enjoy our sun room, off the garage. It's peaceful, sunny, bright and a great place to work out.

The Internet and television are keeping us up on current events.  We try to limit how much news that we watch because it is -- well -- depressing.  On the other hand, I am really enjoying the live talk shows, being webcast from the stars homes.  They are refreshing, and I think they should all do one show a week from their homes, after this blows over.  Special shout outs to:  Kelly and Ryan, The View, The Daily Show with Trevor Noah and Late Night with Stephen Colbert.  Hard to be serious and/or funny without a studio audience and high-tech television production, but they are doing it.

The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, at Home in a Bubble Bath

Also heartfelt thanks to our entertainers, whether they be famous professionals, like Joan Baez, Jon Bon Jovi, Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks, among many others, or very talented not-yet-famous musicians and singers, such as my friend Marie, a brilliant pianist who lives in Aachen, Germany and is recording daily songs to share on Facebook. You are all amazing! You make us happy.

My Heart Breaks 

My heart breaks for the sick, those who are dying and have died, their families, who can't be with them or even honor their passing, the healthcare worker (angels walking among us), those who clean up after us (janitorial, housekeeping, garbage workers, street cleaners), mail and delivery service staff, the jobless, the impoverished, the homeless, the mentally ill, the frail senior citizens, the children and those who are expecting children. This is so hard, and yet somehow we are doing it. We need to hold fast because we probably have months to go before we see brighter days ahead.

Fasten Your Seat Belts

The virus tidal wave has arrived.  New York is our 'canary in the coal mine' and it feels so awful to watch it all happen there and around the World, feeling so helpless regarding what to do.

Folks, it is here, so #stayhome, #staysafe and remember #stayhomesavelives.  We'll continue to pray for all of us.  Hold fast, take care and help others as much as possible during this strange and catastrophic time.

Blessings to you and yours.

Life in the Time of Coronavirus, 3/27/20

I Pray for the World

#PrayForTheWorld
Day 15 of our self-quarantine. We are still doing well. Both of us are taking our vitamins, exercising, and staying clear of others, except our five dogs, who are even more delighted that we are home 24/7. I still feel like this is a dream that I must awaken from.  It is so horrific and it is getting so much worse exponentially every day, especially for the USA, because we were not properly prepared, and our government has let us down, BIG time.

Our New Daily Routine
We normally get up mid-morning, watch, "Good Morning America", then, "Kelly and Ryan", and then, "The View".  I'm really glad that the daily shows and news are keeping us up with the times, even though it is challenging having the hosts working from home. There's something different and refreshing about it that makes them real, like us.

Thank You for Keeping It Real

I'm having a blast with recipes for all of our meals. We used to skip breakfast a lot, but now we look forward to it every day. I'm trying low carb and keto recipes for our meals, and they are super delicious. Our doggies eat any leftovers, so nothing goes to waste.

Before or after breakfast, we usually do some house cleaning.  I've also been catching up on more sewing and mending, which is shocking to my husband.  I've started a needlepoint project, which I've had for several years, but never took the time to start.

Long Postponed Needle Point Project Has Begun

Around 1 p.m., we begin our exercise, which for me is working out on our elliptical machine and then yoga. It feels so good to work out, and it brings so many good things to us. We are fortunate to have a lovely room to escape from our normal routine and do our workouts. So peaceful. Soon, we'll be able to use our swimming pool, and we also have our hot tub to relax in.

We feed the dogs at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. each day. Their tummy alarms go off about an hour before each meal and they get really rowdy. They are spoiled, and we wouldn't have it any other way.

It's Good to be an Easter Doggie

We have Happy Hour sometimes around 3-5 p.m., and just had a fun Facebook Messenger Happy Hour with two of our local friends. It was great catching up with them and sharing experiences, as we haven't seen them for over two weeks. We continue to keep in touch with our family and friends via phone, Facebook or chat.

We continue to watch lots of TV, movies and keep up via the Internet, especially Facebook.

We like to sit out in the sun, in our beautiful backyard, and to get our vitamin D.  We enjoy all of the Spring fling beauty, as it unfolds, with flowers and plants blooming, bees doing their work, and birds singing their songs.

Our Artichokes are Almost Ready

Grateful for Those Who Are On the Front Lines
Last week, we had groceries delivered from Sprouts and Costco, via InstaCart. Today, we had dog food from Chewy delivered via FedEx.  We should not and cannot go out, yet these folks risk their health every day to deliver essential supplies to us.  Thank you so much to the workers who continue to work every day to provide us with food, medical supplies, mail, deliveries, home services of all kinds.

Thank You for Delivering to Our Homes!

Every day, we watch as things become more dire for our healthcare workers and their patients. How do they do what they do and not give up? They are becoming overwhelmed with the sick and dying, yet they go on, even at the risk of getting sick and dying, and/or spreading to their loved ones.  I have watched so many sad videos and read so many articles and posts that tell me that we truly face a tsunami from this virus, the likes of which has never been seen. It will take thousands of lives in this Country.  Blessings to those who are trying to help.

Our Heroes Try to Take Care of Us

We Had An Outing

The Flower Fields at Carlsbad, CA

Last Saturday, we took a short, nearby trip to the Carlsbad Flower Fields. Everything was closed, but we were able to go to a road above the Fields, near LegoLand, to see them and take some photos,  It was a perfectly beautiful day. There were a lot of people there, but everyone kept a safe social distance. After that, we drove up the Coast, back to Carlsbad Village, and then home. It was shocking to see that the beaches were packed..  People were out in droves, and not keeping social distance whatsoever. The Village was busier than on a normal day. One would think that nothing was wrong, which is so wrong.

Carlsbad Beach was More Crowded than Usual

Everything is Much More Locked Down
Since we don't seem to be able to police ourselves, the State and local governments have resorted to closing all beaches, parks, trails, and even the water for surfers and swimmers. Anyone who does not comply could face a $1,000 fine and/or time in jail.  As if the police don't have enough to do.

California Beaches Locked Down

We Haven't Even Seen the Worse Yet
California is an epicenter, but we are still probably 2-3 weeks behind New York. This will be devastating to all of us. We sit helplessly and watch as the tsunami heads straight at us. We do what we can, giving to organizations who desperately need our help and try to cope to keep normalcy in a time that is absolutely crazy.  We have plenty to get us by for a couple of months, and have even bartered with our neighbors for paper towels for TP.  Everything is tightening up and locking down, which is good and scary, at the same time. All the while, we sit in our safe bubble at home. So bizarre!

Tsunami is Coming to the USA

The Market
We had a call with our Fidelity Financial Advisor on Monday. We discussed our concerns and strategies for the days ahead. Basically, we've concluded that since the virus is disrupting everything in such strange ways, it is an anomaly. We've decided to stay the course. As the virus decreases, the market will come back to normal, because it will be strong, and there will be pent-up demand. Just have to suck it up for now.

Stay the Course

#StayHome #StaySafe
Please stay home and safe. Self quarantine and pretend what you would do if you had the virus. This protects you from others and others from any exposure you may have had. We have weeks to go, so hold on and be patient.

#HoldFast
Hold fast. Keep the faith, and know that this too shall pass. It will take time and patience, as we've never had to endure anything like this before.

Bless you all. Peace and health to You and Yours.

Life in the Time of Coronavirus, 3/20/20

#StayHome
We're on day eight of our voluntary quarantine at home, which is now a statewide order in California. Gavin Newsom, our Governor, has been giving regular updates and announcements. Yesterday, he locked us down. We are to stay home, however, we can still venture out for essential errands, go for walks, be outside, but are to keep a six foot social distance from others, and are not to be in groups of more than ten people.

Governor Gavin Newsom Locks Down California

We see a few cars driving by our house, but traffic is sparse. Occasionally, we see service and delivery trucks pass by. I wonder how it must feel to still be working, going to people's homes and sometimes into homes to provide services. It must be scary for these workers.  Our pool and lawn service staff both came yesterday, at different times, and did their weekly maintenance. I would think that working outside is a good thing for those who can.  Likely, safer from the virus.

Every few minutes, my iPhone is buzzing with news updates, and most everything on the news is frightening. At times, I leave it in another room and try not to check it for hours, so that I don't have to process yet more bad news.  Despite what some would tell us, we seem so ill prepared for this catastrophe. I think the scariest thing is that our healthcare system is not ready for the coming storm, and I fear for the workers. It is sad that we had been warned and watched this virus make its way to the USA, but did not ramp up on medical supplies and Personal Protective Equipment in advance, and are now scrambling for solutions.  It's a very sad state of affairs, considering that we are one of the richest nations in the World.

Hearts Full of Thanks for Our Brave Healthcare Workers

While we watch several news updates and press conferences each day, we tune out for the rest of the day to do other things, watch shows on HGTV, the Food Network, HBO, Showtime, and anything that takes our minds off of current events. It's surreal watching the talk shows and hosts, as they have gone from studio audiences, to no studio audiences, to broadcasting sitting six feet apart, to broadcasting from home, and now to reruns of shows that were filmed just a few weeks ago, which seem strange, considering how optimistic we were and how quickly life has changed.

Forming Good Habits
While our life savings are being lost daily because of the volatile stock market, we are saving money by not going anyplace and not eating out. This is teaching us some good things about how much you can save making your own meals, as we did enjoy frequenting our local restaurants. As a result, we'll likely make an effort for a better balance when it's safe to go out again.

Our first order from Sprouts via InstaCart arrived today, Costco order will be later today.  It was all produce from Sprouts, which we washed thoroughly. The woman who shopped for and delivered our order did a good job of substituting for items that were out of stock. She wore a bandana and gloves when she came to the house, and kept a distance. They are now saying that we will likely have a produce shortage in the coming days because of the virus, so enjoy all of the fresh stuff that you have right now.  We also increased our AutoShip order for the dogs on Chewy.com, so that we get more food delivered more frequently. Even so, all of their shipments are delayed about 5-7 business days, so prepare accordingly, if you expect regular deliveries from pretty much anyplace.

We have an extra room off of our garage that we were using for storage.  We've made it into a sun/exercise room, and have started working out every day. I'm using the elliptical machine and then doing yoga. We are also walking the dogs to get out of the house. Easier to focus on the micro things in life right now rather than on the macro. We are forming good habits instead of worrying about things we can't change and that helps a lot.

Getting Outside to Walk the Dogs Lifts Our Spirits

Vanity Goes Out the Window
I haven't been out in public in days, outside of walks on our street. Haven't put on makeup, done my hair, or dressed to go out.  It will be weird to do so again. I've been thinking about my hairdresser. My next appointment was to be in four weeks. Now I'm thinking that I'll have to do my own haircolor, which is a daunting thought. I'm going to text her for advice. I'm sure all ladies who have a hairdresser are thinking the same. Yikes!

Will My New Do Look Like Phyllis Diller's? Yikes!

Trip to Spain and Portugal Becomes Local Trip to Carlsbad Flower Fields
Last week, we cancelled our May trip to Spain, Scooby (my favorite animal shelter in Spain, where I volunteer), and Portugal. We were to meet up with three friends from the East to volunteer and travel together. Sad to have to postpone, and hope to be able to go in the Fall.

This weekend, we'll probably go out for a drive to the nearby Carlsbad Flower Fields to check them out from a distance. They only bloom for a couple of months, and it would be a shame to miss out on seeing them. Not as exciting as our European trip, but we must do what we must do.

Planning to Drive Up and Take Photos of the Beautiful Carlsbad Flower Fields

Spring is Blossoming
Life goes on and Spring is in bloom in California. It is beautiful! Our trees and flowers are blossoming, and the birds are singing their lovely songs. I make sure to take time to appreciate how wonderful nature is, and that we have so many things to be thankful for. We have to hang on, stay vigilant and safe as we can be, and stay as positive as we can be. Hold fast!

Wishing You Good Health and Peace.