My Timeline for COVID 19

Although it’s been in the news for me the journey started with a routine Mammogram on February 26….upon arrive at the office there are signs on the doors and at the Check in window….Have you been out of the country?  Do you know anyone who has been out of the country?  Do you have any flu like symptoms?

March 10…Mike has oral surgery at VA JP…here there are 2 door being monitored one for staff and one for patients…. They  ask us have your traveled out of the country…etc.  While Mike is getting his teeth pulled I walk a quick 2 miles around the hospital outside in the sun.  As I reenter the hospital I have to be interviewed again.  There are lots of signs and sanitizer and masks.

March 11…I take Memere to PCP at Hawtorne Medical…Dr Etta comes into the room and shakes our hands….I question this but he assures me he washes his hands every time he enters and leaves a room.

March 12…I take Memere back to Hawtorne  her heart doctor, today there are lots of signs and hand sanitizer at every desk and door….I have a rubber glove on my right hand.  The nurses question why? This is my door opening, elevator button pushing hand …oh ok.  I take Memere back home and now go to the pharmacy to get her RXs…At the pharmacy there are lines designating social distancing.  I return to Memere’s and check in the office can you take the RX and give it to her…Oh no… they record my name and temperature I have to go the the nurse.  I follow instructions and go to check on Memere at her location I have to sign in and let them know I had my temperature taken.  Mike’s weekly class the VA BR they announce no more class at the VA they will be doing video conferencing.  All non-essential office visits are cancelled.

March 16…The news is getting worse people are hoarding paper.  Gov. Baker closes all schools and restricts restaurants,so our tennis group cancels…the next day he closes all gyms.

March 19…Mike and I shop at Market Basket, it was busy but, they had TP and limiting 2 paper products per shopper. We also picked up some items for my 92 year old aunt encouraging her to stay home.

March 21…Family Video chat…at which time my children remind us we are over 60 and in the at RISK category and because of his asthma so is one of the grandchildren. My youngest daughter is a nurse in VT she is on the front lines and stress safety and staying home… Yes this gets my attention.

March 23 …I start keep track of the Massachusetts stats (see image below}.. and make a YouTube video… The Ones I Can’t Be With

March 24…Gov. Baker has asked everyone but essential workers to self quarantine… Stores are designating senior only shopping hours so Mike and I go to Market Basket 6am Tuesday the 26.  I shopped for my aunt Mike shops for us.  The parking lot is full….the aisles are crowded..the lines are long…there is no TP.  Hopefully we won’t need to go back for 2 weeks.

March 26…I take my aunt to her  Dr appointment and although all restaurants are closed you can get take out…we get burgers and fries from Wendy’s.

March 27…Another video request from my VT daughter …she wants me to add a funny hat.A Worried Mamma Staying Home

March 28..Family Video chat Amy has puzzles and riddles for us to solve.  Everyone is good

March 29…Today having trouble staying focused…jumping from reading, to watch televisions, walking outside…I’m definitely snacking more.  Disappointed, I don’t have any white wine I decide to make my famous frozen Moscow Mules…discovering I don’t have any ginger beer.  I start to search the house and find 3 bottles of white wine and some Jordan Almond…perhaps I can make it another week in this house.  I know I will try!

The Quiet Fog

February 4, 2019

The weather is golden today temperatures rose into the sixties and we decided to catch the sunset at Barney’s Joy.  I’ll let the pictures do the talking…

Finding My Roots

Recently, my cousin Alexis and I set out to find great grandparents on the Ashley side of our family tree.  Alexis’ mom had taken me to some of the graves several years ago and I made some quick notes.  Using these notes Alexis and I set out… our first stop in Lakeville on Kingman Street we found the Strobridge Cemetery.  Here we found Andrew and Ana McGee our great great grandparents.  Unfortunately their head stones are broken and in very poor condition, I took a picture but it really doesn’t show anything and I did not take notes, so a return visit is a must.  There are only a few stones around them and none give us any information we can relate to our family.  So next stop Assonet Cemetery on 79.  This is a very large area with many graves old and new scattered about in no particular pattern.  We eagerly set out on foot to find: Fredrick and Lavinia Haskins our great grandparents on our mothers side.  There are lots of Haskins but we had given up for the day and were driving out when Alexis spotted them!  The stones are quite impressive and decorative …we were really excited to find them. Lavinia’s stone needs some cleaning and I’ll be visiting again soon and will clean up in the spring.

Consider the roots of a tree we don’t see them but we know they are responsible for the health and beauty of the limbs and leaves.  Today I saw some roots and I thought how beautiful.

 

Birding at Barney’s Joy

May 20, 2018
Barney’s Joy Beach Dartmouth

59 degrees foggy and windy

3:00pm high tide

Piping plovers are nesting and I spied one keeping my distance I got a decent picture…also willet, sanderlings, and egret.  We had a lone osprey fly over, several barn swallows and a few king birds that I couldn’t capture with my camera.  We were alone on the beach….  me and the birds with the sound of the surf….makes for a wonderful afternoon.

Heads or Tails

Spring is here and a young man’s fancy has turned to love!  I’ve been running into a multiple turkeys rafters  (I looked up the correct word for a group of turkeys) lately with the same thing on their minds.  I have first hand knowledge of how protective they can be so I simply huffed on by went home and got my camera and returned.  Yes! They are still there and posing a bit until they weren’t and moved along.  I met two groups of twenty or more about a mile apart. But I liked those at the RR crossing best  perhaps because they was a safe distance between us.

Summer Solstice

Enjoyed my day at the Beach, it was a bit windy and foggy. I found a few treasures.

Mother, May I Ramblings

I remember having lots of fun with my classmates at recess playing Mother, May I.  This May with the crazy weather  I’m playing Mother Nature, May I.

Some of my questions to Mother Nature….

May I go out without a sweatshirt?

May I go out without an umbrella?

May I see the sun?

May I have peaches on my peach tree?

May I walk in the backyard without getting Lyme disease?

May I see blooms on my hydrangeas this year?

Only one blossom on this dogwood tree…I’m sure she will have more surprises for me!

April in Maine

I have lived most of my entire life on the same street in Massachusetts.  It’s a nice street, with nice houses and families but I have always wanted to move to Maine. My house was close to the schools my children went attended.  It was an easy commute to my work.  We had great neighbors and gardens and chickens.  But I kept wishing to move to Maine.   In 2000 my husband and I looked for a place up there even came close a few times to buying but always found a way to procrastinate our dreams away.  But don’t feel too sorry for me because I have a “Fairy Godbrother”, he and his family have hosted us for many weekends and more.  They open their hearts, and doors, and bedrooms, and table to us every time we’ve asked.  Their hospitality is warm and loving.  What a treat to gather at their table and telling and listening to family stories!

This past week we had one such weekend, celebrating MM’s birthday.  The Grand Boys were on vacation and joined us.  His children and grandchildren were able to be there too.  That meant a table set for  15 after church on Sunday. What a blessing to be there with them all sharing stories and love!

Outside a massive trench was dug from the house to a sawmill.  They are piping electricity and water out to the mill and garden.  So after our dinner everyone was outside helping with the project. Of course digging in the dirt is like heaven to most 4-60 year old, men, boys and even the girls reveled in the dirt and mud.  After  lots of showers, a few loads of laundry and a good night sleep we headed home on Monday; with a head full of memories and  wondering when we can go back.

 

 

November Beach Day

Super low tide as result of full moon, made for a beautiful day at the beach.  Temperature was 48 but the sun was shining and there was no wind.  I thought we would collect drift wood and shells, maybe see some starfish in the tide pools but the beach was very clean and wide and long.  Great for sliding down the dunes on your belly,

drawing and rock piling

First Fall Visitors

Happy to see these feathered friends back…it has been awhile. I think they are eating my grapes and raspberries. I also noticed my raspberries bushes are missing lots of leaves, could it be these beauties or deer?

Speaking of raspberries my black ones were really bitter this year. The tiny red ones were delicious, popped them right off the cane into my mouth.