So how are you all adjusting?

Another tactic that's helping. Classic/silent movies!

A few years ago, Dear Husband bought a set of used Hitchcock DVDs for the vast sum of $5. Used book store. I'm now working my way thru about 20 short films and classic movies.

Last night: a silent film, 1928, "Champagne". Great costumes, great cinematography. Black & white, of course.

I enjoy the way the movies force me to focus. Quite the diversion. And we've always been Hitchcock fans.

Fortunately, we have a selection of classics. Also DVDs are free at our library. No Netflix nor Amazon needed.

Day by day.....

Birding has become A Big Deal in New York City. With people in retreat the birds are coming out in greater numbers and more assertively.

[Robin Garr]

Thebirds.png

[David M. Bueker]

Birding has become A Big Deal in New York City. With people in retreat the birds are coming out in greater numbers and more assertively.

Keep your dog on a leash.

Birding has become A Big Deal in New York City. With people in retreat the birds are coming out in greater numbers and more assertively.

Keep your dog on a leash.

Where posted!

Welcome, Emily

How much time are you saving by not travelling to work?

[Jenise]

Emily, welcome! And yes lots of our friends are reporting similarly. Though they miss the camaraderie, there's an uptick in productivity for groups working on the same projects. People are working in the jammies, taking care of pets and kids, keeping their own hours. The savings is more than travel time to and from a workplace. Hope that's your experience too.

I would say, making do. I really miss entertaining more than 2-3 people for a meal. During summer, outdoors, 6 at most. I realized that what I really missed was the planning and organizing and at the last, multi tasking to put it all together en suite. 2,4,6 is not really a challenge and I've not done more than that indoors. A thrill and intensity is just not there although I do enjoy thinking about how to make more ordinary staples or leftovers interesting after the fact.
Gardening with an eye to canning, pickling, freezing and sourdough rye baking have been great meditative activities. All this in the alternate months I am not a full time caregiver. Then, life is a blur of needs to be tended to so there is little time to think of anything other.

[Jenise]

I miss that, too, and we've put the same numerical caps on our social occasions. Winter, and only one couple at a time, is going to feel terribly restrictive. Sure feel for you and your caregiving role. How far do you have to travel?--I had the impression that its outside of Wisconsin, but I'm not sure of that.

Thanks, Jenise. You are correct. I travel to western Pennsylvania, a 10 hour drive because there are no direct flights and any air travel means at least one stop, plane change and time sometimes longer than the drive. With Covid we are trying to limit travel comings and goings by staying 2 or more months rather than 1. It is challenging to accomplish the necessities with an eye to minimizing exposures. The reality check is that Covid does dominate my family's life even though none have been infected.

[Jenise]

Thanks, Jenise. You are correct. I travel to western Pennsylvania, a 10 hour drive because there are no direct flights and any air travel means at least one stop, plane change and time sometimes longer than the drive. With Covid we are trying to limit travel comings and goings by staying 2 or more months rather than 1. It is challenging to accomplish the necessities with an eye to minimizing exposures. The reality check is that Covid does dominate my family's life even though none have been infected.

It dominates all our lives, but yes some more than others. And I would think that the driving option if it can be done within a single day, even a long day, makes more sense than the exposure of planes and airports. Elder care is so tough, and to do it from a distance so much tougher. I really feel for you. Thank god you have others (siblings I presume) to trade off with.

Actually, I have little fear of COVID and, on a social interaction level, I am not visiting nor seeing family and friends very often. I've had the occasional gathering of <6 and it has been a welcome interaction and diversion from our current state of affairs. But, I'm a mobile notary (essential worker - got my letter from Steve Mnuchin to prove it), and since February, I estimate that I have been in encounters with about 500 people (mon dieu). However, I follow all precautions with hand washing, sanitation (got spray in my cupholder) and masking. Maybe just lucky.

Maybe just lucky.

Lucky? Maybe that, too, but it sounds like you are simply heeding the science and taking sensible precautions.

[Jenise]

She is all that. Historically unlucky me, however, would probably be dead by now.

We're both still vertical. And I got good blood test results today. Yay! My total cholesterol is 129, and I eat at least one steak per week (bought five T-bones and ribeyes just yesterday). In fact, I had a thin T-bone and crab legs last night. Lotta hassle for little meat, which is why I don't buy them very often.

[Jenise]

Are you on a statin or do you just have naturally low cholesterol? I remember someone here long ago, Norwegian heritage I believe, and his natural cholesterol was about 88. I'd never even heard of anyone having a two-digit number. And he ate whatever he wanted. Drank lots of wine, too. Great genes!!!

A low-carb diet helps plus I'm on a low-dose statin (Crestor generic) that allows me to eat grapefruit. The combo works great on me.

Still vertical. They made me take a COVID-19 test (the nasal swab thing) as a precaution before yesterday's colonoscopy. The COVID test came out negative, and so did the colonoscopy. At my first (back in 2010) they removed a polyp that turned out to be cancerous, but the CA was confined to the polyp. They found benign polyps in the next three follow-up colonospies. Yesterday--marking my 10th year cancer-free--they found nothing at all. I opened a bottle of 2001 Chateau Rieussec to celebrate.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Paul, congratulations! Just had some polyps removed from my sinuses, one of which was especially worrisome but all came out okay. I get your relief--well-celebrated.

Bravo, Paul!

Good for you, Paul. Last year, my friend had a foot of colon removed, while I only had a couple of polyps removed. I recently had my annual wellness exam and did well on my PSA and A1C, two things I always worry about. I like to joke that I'm like an old car with parts that break and need to repaired, but I still keep on running.

Today, I feel a bit of accomplishment. I finished digging my third posthole in rock-like soil and setting three steel poles in concrete. Now it's downhill, restoring a few sections of fence that recently blew down in some ferocious winds that snapped a couple of almost-new wood posts. At least it's exercise after sitting around for months. I also discovered I can barely lift 80-lb sacks of Quikcrete (hello, dolly). Next year, I'll convert the entire rest of the fence to steel posts that should last till I croak.

I feel I'm sort of the poster child for colonoscopy screening. Catch colon cancer early enough and you can be cured by a procedure where the worst part is the prep. Let it go and it can be fatal.

-Paul W.

[Jenise]

Paul, so true. My husband goes in next and I'm overdue for one myself. Consider me needled. We've just had so many other heavy medical issues that taking care of myself hasn't been a priority.

Paul, congrats. That 10-year mark is definitely something to celebrate. Cheers!