Thursday, October 29, 2020

That Old World Will Spin On

It seems that my days are filled with several hours of computer interaction.  Most of my shopping including 80% of my food shopping is done online.  I get a service to deliver and I leave a very generous tip because I am so thankful and I understand they need the money!!  I am so lucky and blessed that I can leave a good-sized tip.  Yes, they sometimes get the wrong thing or put in one thing I did not order, but it presents a nice challenge when I have to edit the weekly menu.  I do have to go to the store every third week, just to see what is there that I might have forgotten.

I order everything else online...fall bulbs, FUDs, camera storage unit, a few books, printer ribbon, etc.  You may wonder what a FUD is??  Well, we are doing more hiking and canoeing and I am weary and leary of all the porta-potties or lack thereof.  A FUD is something I can use at a hidden shoreline or hiking off-trail.  You can Google it if you like.  I also pay all bills online, negotiate business transactions via computer and all meetings are virtual.  It can be exhausting I think.



I saw the daughter's family a few weeks ago.  We met outside on her porch, although we did go inside the house briefly with a mask.  We went out for lunch to an open-air restaurant.  The kids are involved in daily athletic activities and interact with friends, so I must be careful.  I got some great(?) photos to add to my mantle.  They grow so fast even when you see them, it seems they blur the lens focus with their growth!  We will probably not meet for Thanksgiving, and all but the youngest has outgrown Halloween.  Then Christmas may be via some device.  We are working on that.  They have all apple devices and I have an android.  I did figure out an app to talk to them on my phone recently while my daughter was giving the eldest boy (Who has hair so thick and long a small army of mice could nest in it!) a hair cut.  She is the most talented daughter!  I have no idea how she got those genes. That was a bit of joy even when viewed on my small phone screen.  I am so thankful for such short moments.  My son and his wife call every so often but we have not been able to meet up.  He wanted to come down this week, but the remnants of Zeta have canceled that.


I finally was able to schedule specialist appointments for my chronic and sometimes debilitating cough.  It had gotten much worse starting this past January and not to belabor a health subject, we are working on an allergy-related premise.  ENT visit with a long camera down the nostril (that was fun!), chest, and nasal X-rays, and finally a visit to an Allergist who did the "multiple pricks of the inner arm test" and said I was allergic to "lots" of stuff.  He prescribed a nasal spray and a pill and sent me on my way for a month to see if we can treat it without shots and more tests.  Been in and out of a lot of doctor's office during this pandemic and staying lucky thus far.  Each office has a slightly different protocol and I see people who are not panicked and those who are VERY concerned.  Some of the offices let you wait in the car and call your cell phone.

We took a few days off and drove down to Charlottesville, VA to tour and try to forget about all the nastiness of 2020.  Our hotel assured us they had sterilized the room and I took wipes and spray to do a second sterilization.  We were there 3 and a half days and had no maid service to worry about.  We ate outside at restaurants or took take-out and ate in the hotel room.  Breakfast was in their breakfast room with only a handful of others.  The most dangerous part was the outdoor toilets.  But that was over two weeks ago, so perhaps we dodged the bullet there.  Montecillo is lovely even though I have been there dozens of times.  The gardens are ever-changing. The University of Virginia was a needed burst of energy, even though there were few students on campus, mostly seniors it looked like.  And catching fall in the Virginia mountains, although we were a bit early, was soul inspiring.

University of Virginia


Monticello

Here today is gloomy with Zeta hurrying our way.  We are listening to Lang Lang on the DVD to pass the time.  I am blogging and hubby is reading.  I need to exercise and have been postponing due to my cough/allergy, but that is really just an excuse as my breathing has not been impacted.  I do not sleep well at night, so it takes me some time to get my morning/afternoon/whenever energy up.

Now I am off to read your blogs, which I have certainly missed, both actually and nostalgically.  I hope you are all keeping the blues and grays at bay and staying as kind to yourself and others as you can.  There is much kindness out there, although you do not see it in the news as much as I would like.

18 comments:

  1. Glad you and yours are all right, and that you are posting.
    Doing more online is the way of life now.

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  2. I'm so sorry you are having to deal with such a nagging cough. I hope you've found the cure for it. It's wonderful to see Monticello again. It's been such a long, long time since we've been there. We've done online carry-outs, but haven't tried ordering groceries. Fingers crossed our numbers don't go up in Hawaii.

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  3. Virginia has beautiful scenery and so much history to explore. It has been quite some time since I vacationed there - my kids were young. My daughter says a trip we took to the greater D.C. area is much more fondly remembered that Disney.

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  4. Beautiful trip. Most of my groceries are online and delivered and I too try to tip well. I have a grandgirl in Colorado who is delivering for Jimmy Johns after the school she worked for went out f business. Most of her $$ comes from tips. I wander out to buy vegetables from the local farms and the local vegetarian grocery. Much better than S...way's.

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  5. I hope your cough goes away quickly! A nagging cough is tiresome. I love the way you wrote about visiting with your daughter and her family. I do almost all of my shopping online, too. It's so convenient and I need convenient.

    Love,
    Janie

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  6. sounds like you have been busy, getting out for some entertainment. I did search for FUD and my first attempt got me 'fear, uncertainty, and doubt' so I had to tweak my search request. and yes, I've heard of those before.

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  7. So glad to hear that you are both doing well, in spite of the allergies, Tabor. It must have been great to have some time with family and get away for a few days. Getting out in nature is great too. Take care.

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  8. It's a pretty positive post, which was nice to read. You are being careful but had a nice break too. All the best on the health front.

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  9. Well done Tabor, although it was camouflages.

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  10. I guess I didn't do enough tweaking to get to what FUD you are referring.
    Your get away sounded lovely. As of now I am content to be able to get out in the garden and work when I am not exercising or on the computer or phone. Screens eat up too much of my time, but then I have time to waste.

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  11. Sounds like you have things worked out as best possible given the situation. Lucky your family is reasonably close.

    On the allergy, when I was younger, we lived in a house with natural gas. I had asthma. When we moved to one without it inside, it went away. It's worth looking at what might be in your environment and, of course, food. Nightshades are my bugaboo. if that's a word.

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  12. Seeing pictures of your grandchildren brought tears to my eyes. Because I have been away for so long and just the passage of time knocks me off the rails once in a while. My sister (1944) is also having extreme ENT issues. For months. She has been in and out of the doctor offices also. Her main issue is the medical staff keep dropping the ball. She has to step up and really push them because they neglected to send this in or fax that over. She has lost all hearing in one ear and has no taste buds. (No other virus symptoms).

    I did break protocol and went to visit she, her husband (also 1944) and my brother (1942). It had been so long. We had a nice dinner and then I came home and have stayed here. She also has growing grandchildren in all kinds of sports but they live less than an hour away so they come to visit more often than they should. But parents needs help.

    I also know what you mean about tipping well. I am so grateful for those out there who are working hard and struggling. I feel if I am comfortable and well - share my bounty with those less fortunate.

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  13. Playing catch-up as i always do, it's great to see your posts again.

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  14. Glad you are back and able to visit family, something I miss. Positivity is a good sign ;)

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  15. I am very glad to see you here. Nice, artistic family photos. You should be pleased. Nice Jeffersonian bricks. I didn't have many brains when we lived there and didn't understand the importance of those structures. Quiet here today. We are still home. Dinner is now delivered every night...after we did our shopping for the week. I'll write about it in my blog later this morning.

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  16. I looked up FUD that said it meant “fear”, also referred to food. Didn't seem to make sense with what you wrote. So, I searched again adding camping and came up with what i think is what you were referring to. I had forgotten searching for such a device years ago, much less what it was called. Thought it was long past time to have such convenience for both men and women. Glad you can enjoy going out some and being with others. Allergies a real pain. Certain times of year I am plagued by certain pollens, other times desert winds bring problems. Sinus infection must be guarded against. I, too, order much more off the Internet than i ever imagined I would and had been before the virus, but it surely has been a boon to have the Internet. I haven't set foot inside a store since February. I also do pickups, go to drive thrus, benefit from much younger neighbors who pick up a few things when they go to store.

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  17. I like your fuzzy foots of the family. It is sad times not being able to hug our loved ones. We are lucky to have controlled the virus but we have had strict restrictions. Still can't travel to Sydney or Melbourne where my daughters are. I'm amazed you are still allowed to travel. Stay safe and well. Hope your cough eases too.

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  18. I do all my food shopping at our local supermarket...but anything that I can't purchase here where I live, I do so online. Delivery to my door is most convenient.

    Take good care, Tabor. :)

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Take your time...take a deep breath...then hit me with your best shot.