Category: covid-19

Days 351-353: The Lodge With the In-Laws

~ Dona ~ 1 Comment

Dean’s family always rent a vacation home near where my brother now lives (my family’s lake house) and we often would visit the lake house the same week as the in-laws visited their rental property. This year the “first week of the month” turned out to be the “second week of the month” so, while Andrew and Alex were planning on going, they were not able to because Alex had to be back in her classroom that week.

So it was just Dean and me and thankfully we chose to only stay a few days. Don’t get me wrong, the lake is delightfully lovely and the place the in-laws rent is delightfully rustic. It’s an old resort with a main lodge (in part of which the owners live) and several rentable cabins. According to their website the lodge is over 100 years old and was built to house loggers. It has nine bedrooms and sleeps up to 18. Dean and I slept in a bedroom called Ducks something. (Ahoy maybe?) It was comfortable enough. Luckily there were two beds because one was only a full.

They always rent a pontoon boat and there are canoes, kayaks and a paddleboat the renters can use. I went out on the pontoon boat the day we arrived and had a delightful chat with Leanne, Dean’s brother’s daughter. (she was my flower girl and we have a special relationship. Leanne is in a relationship with Paul, a delightful fellow (and the one I wanted her to marry many years ago when they were roommates).

Nights around the fire were also delightful, for the most part. Chatting with my sister-in-law’s niece and her wife was delightful. Sharing Aperol Spritzes with Leanne, Carol and Sue was also delightful.

One night we ate out — not a supper club, but I did divulge in a delightful old-fashioned.

It could have been the fact that I’d had enough of the Midwest or was missing being home, but the overall stay at the Lodge was not as delightful as it could have been. I felt as if I were intruding on someone else’s vacation. Also the fact that while the men relaxed, the women did all the work — cooking and washing up afterwards — was (and always has been) unfair. This time there was more grumbling than other times about this. I was delighted to hear it.

Sleep was difficult, at least sleeping-in. Dean arose at 5:00 am or earlier and noisily searched for his phone or computer. If I fell back asleep, I was always awakened again around 6:30 am when the TV (just below our room) was turned on, volume very high. Then my twin brothers-in-law would debate whatever was on the TV at the time, also on high volume.

Finally, there were the trumpets and science deniers and Fauci-haters. Granted this was only two people — a couple — it was uncomfortable for me to be around them. I tried to get to know them better, but I don’t know that they cared. One night when Dr. Fauci was on television this couple screamed profanities at the television. Then the morning we left there was a Covid scare. One sister-in-law had some classic Covid symptoms and several of us suggested she get a Covid test. Her daughter (one of the trumpets) became livid, shouting profanities at those of us who suggested that her mother be tested.

At least Rupert and Chum had a delightful time.

Day 269: Critical Thinking Can be Delightful

~ Dona ~ 1 Comment

I spent most of this morning online, reading more about the CDC’s new guidelines about mask wearing. I started a blog about it on CCL but probably won’t post anything. Some of the reading was actually watching. I watched part of the Senate Health Committee hearing where some republicans grilled the CDC director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, over the CDCs guidelines two days before the guidelines were changed. While that seemed suspect — that maybe her decision to sign off on the guidelines was influenced by these asses — it turned out that she’d actually signed off on them the day before the hearing.

Anyway, going directly to a primary source is much better than using the filters of media, including the social variety.

Feeling better, but not 100% after the shingles shot. — that’s delightful.

Day 266: Maskless Dining

~ Dona ~ 2 Comments

On March 1, 2020 Dean and I spent some time in Alexandria, VA. We stopped at a furniture store that my friend, Catherine, recommended and perhaps we went to Huntly Meadows after that. That evening we drove to the Del Ray area where we used to live and had a drink at the Evening Star. Then we went to RTs for dinner. We suspected it wouldn’t be long before the new virus showed up in our area, perhaps closing down restaurants, so we knew this might be our last dinner out in a while. We never expected it to be over 14 months until we (I — Dean’s been less cautious) felt safe enough to dine indoors at a restaurant.

Last night, being fully vaccinated, we went back to RTs. While I wore a mask inside most of the time, I felt so much safer when I wasn’t wearing a mask than even a month ago. We started out at the bar (imagine sitting at a bar again!!) and then ate in the dining room.

Needless to say, it was delightful!

Also: Cicada Report — about 8 more seen today!

Day 265: Maskless Entertaining

~ Dona ~ 1 Comment

We had a small but delightful, spur-of-the-moment dinner party with old friends. No masks were worn.

I saw two more cicadas today!

*She worked with Dean and is now in my book group, he is currently Chief of Staff (new position — not mentioned on the website yet) for the director of NIH (and regularly talks to Our Favorite Doctor — even as much as hanging out with the Good Doctor and his wife, another Good Doctor, for her birthday.)

Day 264: Happy

~ Dona ~ 2 Comments

As is my semi-regular habit I awoke in the early hours of the morning and couldn’t get back to sleep. I went to the living room and poured myself a large glass of water and looked at my phone and then read more of Life After Life. I’d not read in a while, so it felt good.

After a couple of hours and more glasses of water I went to bed to read a little more and suddenly realized I was very happy. It could have been the water — perhaps I was very dehydrated. It could have been the reading. Perhaps it was having gotten out of the house yesterday. Whatever it was, it was delightful.

When I awoke a second time, this time at a more reasonable hour, I still felt happy.

Another delightful thought is that as of 12:30 pm I am fully vaccinated. While I received my second dose on the 29th, today marks the end of my two week waiting period. And as of 2:00 pm the CDC stated that fully vaccinated people can lose their masks in most cases, inside and out.*

The peony bloomed. That’s a delight!

*This is a double-edged sword of a delight. It goes without saying that many, if not most, anti-vaxers are likely to also be anti-maskers and since no one knows if they are vaccinated or not, they might not wear masks either. This is a problem for children (who at this time cannot be vaccinated) and many other people including those who are immunocompromised. While I understand that the CDC is only stating facts and is not a policy making organization, hopefully individual jurisdictions and businesses will either keep the mask policy or require anyone who doesn’t want to wear a mask to show proof of vaccination.

Day 259: Shamrock

~ Dona ~ 1 Comment

I wrote about repotting my pandemic plant, the Shamrock (Oxalis), a while back. Its roots were growing through the holes in the bottom of the plastic container I bought it in. A year after buying it, the plant was only putting out a couple leaves and fewer flowers.

Here are before and after and after photos. Delightful after-after!

When I first bought the shamrock
  • One year later
  • Getting ready to repot
  • Look at those roots!
  • About a month after repotting
  • New shoots and flowers