Wed April 29

Yesterday connected w new Fl will/trust atty and emailed Frank who sent files to him (Jim Kerr).  Went thru Ancestry. com info w Kristen and Bill Danek.   Have to learn how to enroll w that. Walmaert food order arrived.  Took nap.

Today.  T/C w Dr Grace.  Need to be re tested in early June.  Spoke w Maur at pond bench.  Chris called.  need to call her back.  Called Pat, she called back but I missed it.
Tomorrow, t/c w Frank C re setting up Kerr Fl revisions to will.

Called GAVH re sentinel ( had test at Naples vet in November)

Tuesday April 28

Hot recently but cool yesterday and today.  Trying to take Zoey for long walks, and brush her frequently to get undercoat off.  Still cleaning out drawers/cabinets little by little.  Putting extras in garage.  Puttig away clothes I no longer use.  Took nap yesterday.  Very tired.  Itchy skin.  Digestive problems.  Started taking OTC stuff.

Cut bouganvillian arch some more but can't get into space over gutter.  Took nap but did not sleep just rested,  Very tired.

Sunday April 26

Took the dog for a walk this a.m. Very early since I wanted to avoid the heat of the day.  Then full of energy, I unpacked boxes delivered yesterday.  I always leave the contents out for another day.  Of course, another large box arrived this am.  A conveyor belt of seliveries.  Turned on church at 10 a.m. and was so tired I napped on the couch for 2 hours.

Saturday April 25

More sad news.  Called our friend who had the broken shoulder and wrist just as isolation began, then  horribly soon after their dog drowned in their swimming pool, then today we found out when calling him that his wife couldn't breathe at night, he called 911 and she had dangerously low potassium that could have resulted in a heart attack. She is in the hospital for a few days and he has an aide come in to help him.  He said wistfully, at least you still have your dog to walk.

Called another friend and his son just got over COVID.

Then our daughter's friend who works with her in the hospital tested positive.

I worry about our daughter.  My husband says she likely has it.  This is her second week long stint in a COVID only unit.

Not sure what day this is

It is hot here.  Even in the early morning.  I have been going outside to empty delivery boxes, pack up kitchen stuff in plastic tote boxes I ordered on line.  Need to clean out the garage, even here.  Packed up Zoey's travel bed and got rid of it.  Too much in garage needs to be donated or  gotten rid of.  Kids beach toys they never used.

Zoey's vet wants to clean her teeth of tartar next week.  I postponed doctor visit, not sick, quest lab results OK.

I'm busy all day!!!  More laundry since I wash everything I wear outside.

Spoke with a former college classmate the other day. A mutual friend called me asking me to call her since this old classmate was bereft at the loss of her son (single, living alone in a distant state)  and multiple dx of her brother,  She is a widow.  Husband died many years ago.  Lives in the same house she and husband bought 50 years ago, 3 miles from campus.  We worked on the campus newspaper together.  She was a sorority sister. Really a lovely, smart, gentle person.  I never saw her after graduation, and here I was calling her upon prompting from this mutual friend.  It was a very pleasant conversation.  Then yesterday, I got a call from another old classmate, also a friend of the woman I called, telling me she heard from the bereft friend that I had called.  Did I know of anyone else who could call her? The bereft old classmate is very much alone.  Lives alone.  This dead son was the executor of her estate, spent holidays with her.  The other son was  off in Wash State. I got the impression they were estranged.  I did what I could already...informed a mailing list of classmates, informed 3 former classmates specifically (by calling/writing).  Couldn't think of anyone else. It is thin gruel.

I wonder how many other people are out there there in comparable situations.  Alone.  Almost totally alone.

Tuesday

Hot out again.  Getting more food deliveries. I think maybe people are leaving Florida or maybe the supply chain is easing up.  Joe working on proposals.  Walk Zoey. Sit on bench.  Yesterday called an old classmate whose son had died. Awful.  He was in a distant state.  She had to make arrangements long distance.  Also talked to Joe's sister Jeanne and Joan.  Tired by afternoon.  Still cleaning out kitchen shelves.  Storage tubs for garage arrived today.  Zoey is needing a haircut!!!

Day whatever Earth Day

Cooked up veggies.  Walked Zoey.  Church showed 2 of my flower photographs during service (along with others): Bougainvillea and agave..

Meaghan and family joined Zoom

What day is This?

Oh yes, Saturday.  Yesterday I received two big local produce boxes.  We have too much.  I need to cook it up fast.  Then there is that Whole Foods order I managed to snag yesterday for delivery today.  Snagged some storage boxes on Wayfar today.  Gonna pack up all unnecessary kitchen plates, etc.  Still planning to get kitchen renovated whenever we get out of Florida. 

Sent garden photos to our Church for their garden photo display for Earth Day.

Zoey Vet appt postponed by them again Good Grief!!  Kind of sad.  Bet there are heartbreaking animal stories.  I''m bringing the vets some extra bottles of white wine I will never use.

Day 34 or so

Overcast , muggy day in Florida.  Slept very late due to being up late last night then waking at 6 a.m. and then going back to sleep.  Vet postponed routine visit for Zoey but I'm glad they did.  Zoey should get a haircut but I'm afraid to do it.  She has a flopping head of hair....she is getting old...now 7 1/2.

Last night I had a dream I had the coronavirus.  It was very real.  Woke up with a headache this a.m.  Very lethargic,

Joe finished his proposal and is now doing lightweight work stuff.  He took a walk this a.m. by himself, no Zoey.

I baked the Apple Pie jen sent.  It is wonderfully fattening.

Still need to cook eggplant and turnips from last weeks food shipment.

Need to plant end of daylilies shipped last month.  Soil here is weird concrete - sand.

Still on meds.

Day 32 or so

Joe finished his big project today.  I scored another Whole Foods purchase.  Exciting day - went to PO to mail bill check, ltr to Joan ad still another COA

Deaths still climbing

Day 31

Easter yesterday. Joe spent the day working on the proposal he has been working on for almost 3 weeks. I sat outside talking to Joan who has had tooth pain since her root canal last month.  Dentist said he can't see  her till May 6th.  Hard situation with no solution.  I urged her to call dentist on Monday.  She let a VM last week.

Zoom meeting that Jen has organized kind of unraveled.  Joe's audio wasn't working, Jody stuck at restaurant due to emergency.   Girls seemed uninterested in joining, Milla stayed in her room,  Joe had to sign off early due to proposal T/C

Will try again next week.

My Amazon Chase card was hacked.  Had to call and ask for another card.  A pain.

People out this evening walking ......85 degrees.

Trying to do one small project every day.  Today it was clean the front walk with bleach.

Day 29?

Trying to stay positive but get frustrated when I hear stupendously stupid things from friends.  A friend in NC who went to a Farmers Market with her family.  Not because she NEEDED anything but because she thought it was so much fun to walk around and see the people.  A friend who is hosting her family on her deck for Easter.  She assured me they are sitting 6 feet apart, But c'mon.  New data shows the virus can carry  13 to 27 feet .  A friend who still golfs here in Florida 3 X a week with her husband. Really?  She still goes to Publix.  She doesn't have a mask but her daughter promised to send one.  Meanwhile she (my clueless friend) was "WANDERING" around ACE Hardware looking for a Painters Mask.  When she asked a clerk where they were, he laughed at her.

Other friends (e.g., a former co worker) left Florida early because he couldn't stand the blase attitudes in his Golf course community.  We all want this to go away, yes but denying reality isn't helping.  It is harming.  Florida will explode soon.

An old friend has a nightmare problem - intractable tooth pain, necessitating TWO root canals on her tooth over the past couple months.  She can't eat or sleep.  Of course the dentists are closed .. 

I'm trying to help people who are not working - my house cleaners, my hairdresser, etc. 

I've scheduled virtual dr visits that work fine.  Now my former PT is scheduling a visit.

Day 27 or so

Old friend called last night.  She was livid about the governments irresponsible and chaotic handling of the virus.  She also mentioned calling a mutual old friend.  This old friend was widowed recently and lives alone.  She said she had such a nice time last weekend going to their local Farmers Market with her daughter, son in law and their 4 children.  Just walking around seeing the people....Farmers Market!  My friend was stunned.  I am too.  Another friend living here in Florida shops in person (OK I wouldn't do it but), then she said they still play golf three times a week but the carts are sanitized....then she said she thought she would get painters masks and went to Ace Hardware, as she wandered around she encountered a salesperson who laughed at her request.  I thought...people like this are part of the problem....

Day 26

People manage this lockdown differently.  Spoke with an old friend who is still here in Florida.  She and her husband ordered a scrabble game and are playing.  I told her about a mutual friend in another state who plays bridge on line.  Turns out this friend and her husband play bridge so I gave her the information. 

Walked the dog along CBC and no one was around much. A few sunbathers (!) in their driveways. Passed the condo of the first person we met here.  She now has Parkinsons.  Called and chatted.  They will stay as long as possible.  She has to get back to DC in late May for treatment.   Also called the friend whose granddaughter died last month.  Left a message.

My husband is working non stop on a proposal.  It is good for him to be so engaged but he needs to walk.

I started today on medicine I need to take for two weeks.  Hoping it resolves my digestive problems.  Has a telecall with my ortho guy about my miniscus.  Couldn't hear him well but I think he said there was arthritis in that knee (which I already knew).  He said no surgery which I also already knew.  No further contact needed.

Our old condo community announced its first COVID case.  Sadly, Florida will be blasted with it soon.

Day25 continued

A close neighbor from up north called.  She has a package for us delivered from Amazon.  Went through my order list and couldn't find it.  It is a mystery package.  It's good to have neighbors who watch out for things although I was on the phone when she called initially and she had her husband call my husband thinking something had happened to us. My husband was on a work call so that really panicked her.  It is good to have long term neighbors at home. 

She had some neighborhood news.  Another neighbor who owns assisted living/nursing homes is very worried.  Staff aren't showing up for work.  He is concerned they will be sued if a patient gets coronavirus.  Another neighbor violated the no boating rule and went kayaking.  My neighbor gave the kayacker a lecture.  We discussed the "individual rights" versus "collective" divide in America, the kayacker being an example of "no one will tell me what to do." 

My sister is starting to text me funny videos and memes.  I refuse to pass them on.  I'm already getting inspirational or heartwarming attachments to emails.  At least I never joined facebook.

Day 25

We had a Zoom visit with our children and their families last night.  It went reasonably well except I could not hear much since my one functional hearing aid (with rechargeable batteries) did not work. The battery died. My husband wanted to try and fix it but I wouldn't let him.

I need to get going on things I have been avoiding: taxes, filing for dental reimbursement from insurance etc.

Food delivery going well so far.  Boxes coming almost every day.  I wait one day and open them, Then sanitize the contents,

Husband wants to go back home.  No logical reason for it. Maybe to see his doctor and renew his prescription.

Day 24

A Sunday. Tried to tune in to UUN church services.  Worked OK but then I tried to sign in to google to comment and that got screwed up when I couldn't change my goggle password.

The theme this Sunday was, What Can We DO?  Some examples and recommendations were made.


I have been thinking about everything that has happened this past winter to people we know and it is astounding.  Most of these events are  part of the yin and yang of life.  There's a time for everything as the song goes.

I'm trying to connect to those who were affected.

An acquaintance's husband committed suicide. I sent a check to her charity on the obit and sent her a note.

A friend's granddaughter died of respiratory issues resulting from a birth injury. I sent a check to her charity and an email to my friend.

A friend;s son and his wife had a baby after many years of trying.  The baby developed two severe bacterial infections and is in the hospital with the mother.

A former colleague's son died of an overdose.  I emailed him and plan to make a contribution to a memorial garden in his name.

The COVID hit an employee of my husband, and her husband. They are parents of toddlers She is improving.  I sent an Easter basket  for the children and some goodies for the parents

My sister is isolated in a condo, living alone.  She has friends in her community that she would walk with, now she walks alone.  I sent her a mushroom flatbread for Easter (she is diabetic).

Day 23 or 24 who knows

Well. Whole Food cancelled me, doubtless because they, as other food delivery services, are swamped.  Although Florida is clearing out, especially in snowbird populations, more people are ordering on line. 

I am bummed because I wanted to use my old blog posts as a basis for a book.  Great time to write a book , eh?  They were erased.  Spent an hour trying to retrieve/restore it. My own fault. Google sent an email saying they would be erased last year.  I never noticed it.  Still have posts on this blog going back to 2016.  I printed them out so at least they won't be lost.

The lesson here is: never trust leaving important info on line or even a flash drive that can be thrown in a drawer.  Now I'm wondering where my old photos are......

My husband is working all day every day on the computer reviewing proposals and on the phone, responding to clients.  I take our dog for walks and catch up with bills and paperwork.

I'm organizing our files (paper) an putting important info in a book that says, I'm Dead, Now What?

I sent a check to our church and my cleaning woman today.  They can use it as can so many businesses and  service individuals, including professionals and hourly workers.

Day 22

Here's the new normal.  Hunting for food delivery.  I have on line carts at Amazon, Whole Foods, Publix, Walmart and Target.  Target seems to never have delivery dates.  Publix was Ok early on.  Not so much now.  Walmart is good for household items and will ship them separately.  They have an in house delivery service so they can ship partial orders as available.  Whole Foods is a challenge.  You have to game them,  Order early the next day to get on their schedule.  By early I mean EARLY.  At midnight they did not have any slots available.  But by forcing myself to stay awake until 1:45 a.m., I scored my cart load for delivery.   Stunning what makes us happy.

My sister tells me they don't have delivery at Stew  Leonards on Long Island.  That was always her go to food purveyor, even when she lived in Connecticut.  She tries telephone ordering and the line is always busy.  Of course.  This is the end result of not owning a computer or learning survival technology.  So now her son in law, a physician, does the shopping for his family and then for my sister and then drives 45 minutes to deliver it to her.

An employee of my husband who telecommutes has COVID.  So does her husband.  Now she thinks her young daughter has it.  Misery doesn't get any worse.  My husband is doing her work.  I'm starting to help him.

Husband had a eureka moment.  What if we run out of toilet paper?  Bingo.  He is only a month too late with that question. He has no idea of how food and supplies show up on our door.  He would shrivel up and die if I were not here.  I have toilet paper on order from a non traditional source.  That's how I found Purell many moons ago.

Today is the first of Florida's shelter in place rules.  I wonder how that will go...t has been party-hearty here for the past month.

Day 21 April Fools Day

My husband, who works from home, is busier than ever.  I woke up late (at 8!) and he was cleaning the house with an industrial cleaner.  He does this when he gets anxious.  Work avoidance and control.

We are absorbing the news that we will be here trough the summer.  Its not terrible.  We have everything we need.  Deliveries are set into place, some won't come until way into April.  I spend an hour checking my carts from Amazon, Whole Foods, Target, Walmart and Publix.  Today I ordered paper towels and toilet tissue from Office Mart.  Thinking outside the ordinary sources.

The little garden behind our condo is getting extra attention. I have some daylilies I must plant.  Trying to see if they will survive this climate.

We watch The Tudors on Netflix at night.  Henry V111, a raging, entitled egomaniac who beheaded those who disagreed with his idea or what he planned to do.  Ran the Court through intimidation and sycophancy.  "Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it"

I am reading a dissertation for my husband.  It is overdue for a response.