Friday, April 16, 2021

This and That

 I have a bunch of random ideas that don't really make up a post.  Not that it has stopped me from writing whole posts about nothing before.  But, in the order of the 7 quick takes of old, I will sum up my life in seven takes.

1. Since receiving the vaccine and waiting the allotted period I have been doing a few things to open up my life a bit.  I feel that is necessary in part because I wonder if there might be variants that will shut it all down again.  In part I am moving slowly because my son and daughter in law haven't been vaccinated yet and I didn't want to take even the slight risk of taking them the virus. But, masked up and socially distanced I have gone to Mass in the early morning of Sundays.  I have shopped a few places. I plan to meet with a friend next week for lunch.  I have also resumed visiting doctors who could be put off. I saw the retina doctor and "graduated" and the dentist and had no cavities. I saw my spiritual director in person. It feels so good to do normal things again.  I really don't mind wearing a mask knowing that I am unlikely to get the virus and even if I do, it more than likely won't kill me.

2. The upside of this pandemic year is that I haven't had one cold.  I haven't had the flu. I haven't been sick.  I am now clearly aware of my seasonal allergies.  I haven't had to take allergy medications because I have realized that my allergies aren't really that bad. I like breathing and not catching things from other people.  The push and pull of wanting to be with people but not wanting to share their germs.

3. I have had a hard time cleaning and organizing my house as we come out of this pandemic.  I have never been the best at housekeeping and I really let things go this past year.  I need to re-watch that series on organizing.  I had watched that right before the pandemic and I had started on purging and then stopped with boxes full of stuff to donate sitting around. Now that I can drop things off again at my favorite charities, I need to get up the steam to get busy.

4. I am proud of myself for fertilizing my lawn myself.  I bought the stuff, already had a dispenser thing. and I just did it.  The dead looking grass has a spring glow.  The crab grass parts still don't look great, but overall my yard doesn't look like a pitiful wasteland. I had doubts that I knew what I was doing, but decided just to do it.  I really don't like the idea of lawn chemicals.  It feels like sending poison down the rivers to me.  That is why I wanted to do it myself.  If you hire someone they want to come back and do more and more.  I wanted a one and done for this year.

5. My imaginary dog has been suffering lately.  I haven't been quite as dedicated to walking.  This is ironic because I was totally dedicated in the cold and wet of winter.  I have thought more and more about a real dog.  But, my mind is still not sure how to proceed or whether I really want to endeavor to have a dog.  Where I am right now is--I really want a miniature poodle.  I had miniature poodles in my childhood and I favor that sort of dog.  I have looked at rescues and shelters and the vast majority of those dogs are part pit bull.  Considering my grandchildren, I don't want a pit bull. Fluffy little dogs of the type I desire do not appear often on the shelter roles.  But when I look at ones to buy, the prices are going up and up.  I found a breeder that I thought I liked and read about some puppies, but when I saw that they were $5,000, I gave that idea up. There are of course some less than that, but most breeders want a cash deposit and then you get the dog they pick for you from the litter.  If I am buying a dog, I would really like to pick it myself.  I want some say in a life companion. So, for now, I am not getting a dog.

6. I already have a tomato setting on the patio plant on my deck.  The plant was flowering when I bought it.  I hauled it inside through the last frosts of the year.  I hope that we are done with those.  I have high hopes for the cherry tomatoes I am growing this year.

7. I am trying to finish up the "pandemic" Irish chain quilts that I am making for my grandchildren.  I have decided that I really don't enjoy working with jellyrolls and doing prescribed patterns.  I like to make up my own things.  And I am still a very amateur quilter and I will probably always be.  I really don't have a huge desire to up my game.  I am happy with the game the way it is.  I like to quilt and do what I do.  I don't expect to win any prizes.

So, all ashore that's going ashore.  Having a mother who is turning 100 in June, I have been very aware of the deaths of some of the ancients lately.  Beverly Cleary passed away at 103 in March.  Prince Philip didn't quite make it to his 100th this month. I have been struck by the comments about not being prepared for the death. I realize that I am ready, but not prepared for my mom to go if that makes any since.  I know that I will cry and grieve and yet I worry and feel pity for her in her old, old age. Only God knows the day and hour of her passing.  I am gad not to know. So, there's a free 8th take as well.

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