Octo𝘣𝘦𝘳 8, 2020

It began innocently enough.  First you saw just a flash of fur across the zoom screen.  Seconds later it was a tail and part of a back.  Finally, it was the whole cat that decided it wanted to sit in its owners’ lap.  The man tolerated this distraction for a moment, but it persisted.  Finally, he pushed the cat off his lap and onto the floor.  I had to admire his composure.  The ordeal lasted almost a minute and his eyes never left the screen in front of him.  I have seen this happen several times on various Zoom calls.  In can be suddenly amorous cats or curious dogs who walk back and forth behind the camera.  What made this funny was it was on the lead in show on CNN prior to the Vice-Presidential debate.  I guess the cat just wanted her minute of fame.

I have been intrigued by repots on the number of people who have suddenly become pet people during the lockdown.  Adopting a pandemic puppy or a COVID cat helped alleviate the isolation felt in the first months of the virus response.  Pets offer several health benefits.  There is companionship, but they also create a routine and provide a purpose.  Dogs especially require regular exercise which gives an incentive to get out of the house.  Pet owners are often found to decrease blood pressure and the pets can provide mental stimulation.  According to the ASPCA, the biggest increase was not in adoptions, but in fostering.  Many wanted the companionship without the long-term commitment.  I wonder how many have been returned.

Our across the street neighbor family is one that adopted a cat.  This is a kitten, and it is trying to acclimate to its new surroundings while still exploring.  They are trying to make this an indoor cat, but I think it is a runner.  Melissa received a call last weekend asking if she could find the cat and give it something to eat.  They were gone for the weekend and the cat had run away just as they were leaving.  She has had previous interaction with the kitten, and it has always been friendly.  Melissa opened a can of tuna, and it came right to her.

𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:  The neighbor’s kitten has been more than willing to explore our garage and try to get into the house.  I have always jokingly said that you only needed one cat per neighborhood.  While some cats are content to stay inside, outdoor cats frequently do not come home and are often fed by more than one house.  My roommate had a cat that was always gone.  Talking to my upstairs neighbor I found it was also living at their house.  Adjusting to the changes of the pandemic will not be a short-term solution.  While it is still unclear what the new normal will be, it will not be the good old days.  We will not be able to return it once we get tired.  Follow the science.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

Octo𝘣𝘦𝘳 7, 2020

When we took vacation several weeks ago, we were joined on the second night by our gardener friends.  Rather than the containers that I use they grow their garden in beds in the ground.  Like me, they had concentrated on varieties of tomatoes and hot peppers.  Their tomato plants were huge, growing to a height of over eight feet with lavish foliage.  The leaves were so thick that the peppers could not get enough sun to produce fruit.  The tomato plants have begun to thin out and the preppers are finally beginning to bear.  To our delight, they brought some of the produce with them.

When my garden’s peppers came in, they all produced at about the same time.  I had harvested and made a couple of different batches of my Pico.  I cut the rest into small pieces for quick use, keeping some fresh but putting another bag in the freezer.   I learned a valuable lesson that day.  I have always been wary about cutting peppers and touching my eyes or face.  The oil is just as potent as the pepper.  What I did not realize was the oil would infuse into my hands.   After chopping for nearly an hour my hands were burning and continued to do so the rest of the day.  The lesson will not be forgotten. 

Our friends arrived with three plastic sacks filled with varieties of tomatoes and peppers.  We enjoyed them that night in a salad.  When they were leaving the next day, she asked Melissa if she would like some of the vegetables.  Melissa immediately said we would be happy to take them all!  That meant I could make another big batch of Pico de Gallo (I still have some cilantro) and looked forward to enjoying the peppers in most of the dishes I make.   We have been enjoying them for the last two weeks.  Now it was time to prepare them before they went bad.  This time I was ready and got a pair of nitryl gloves from the garage.  I have used for painting in the past.  When I used the proper protection, it went much better.

𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:  When the virus outbreak hit Italy, it was met with skepticism and many politicians refused to listen to the health experts.  The government then issued a series of decrees gradually increasing restrictions within lockdown areas which expanded to the entire country.  This ultimately led to a country-wide quarantine and over 36,000 deaths.  After observing the carnage in Italy, the United States followed the same protocol, minus declaring a country-wide quarantine.  This resulted in over 210,000 deaths (to date) and nearly 7.5 million (21%) of the 35.5 million cases world-wide.  We still say it is our constitutional right to not wear a mask and social distance.  If I can learn to wear gloves, I do not know why others cannot learn to wear a mask.  Follow the science.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

Octo𝘣𝘦𝘳 6, 2020

When we purchased our Jeep, I noticed it had green caps on all four tires.  I remember thinking, “That is sort of cool,” but did not give it any further thought.  I had no problems with my tires the first year, but when we entered the second winter the tire pressure dropped by several pounds.  No problem.  I took it to the station and filled the tires to regulation.  When spring and the next oil change came the tires were overinflated.  I asked the shop to check the tires, and while they did, they refused to change the pressure.  They informed me they did not want to remove any of the nitrogen from my tires.  As I had never been told of this by my dealer, I assured them they did not contain nitrogen.  Since they would not do it, I let air out to maintain the proper pressure.

While tires appear solid, they are more like strands of cooked spaghetti stuck together microscopically which stretch and relax every time the tire rolls.  This allows air to escape.  Compressed air is readily available but contains varying degrees of moisture which breaks down both the tire and the rim.  Pure nitrogen has been used to inflate critical tire applications for years, primarily because it does not support moisture or combustion (unlike flammable oxygen).  The challenge facing nitrogen inflation has not been its application, it’s been its method of supply and cost.

Since I now knew my tires contained nitrogen, I figured I needed to find somewhere to fill them when needed.  My sister in law told Melissa last year the shop where she bought her tires also supplied nitrogen.  They had topped her off for free.  I took the Jeep in and they told me it would be $9 for a lifetime fill.  That seemed reasonable so I gave the ok.  When they learned I already had nitrogen and just needed a top off, they said it was free.  That was an even better deal.  They brought the car into the shop and put a number on my hood.  Thirty minutes later I had a complete nitrogen fill.  I think my next tires might come from this shop.

𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:  Nitrogen is the most abundant element in our atmosphere and is crucial to life. Nitrogen is found in soils and plants, in the water we drink, and in the air we breathe.  It is also a key building block of DNA, which determines our genetics.  As with everything, balance is the key.  Too little nitrogen and plants cannot thrive, too much nitrogen can be toxic and harm the environment.  Every ecosystem on earth is based on balance.  I heard on a report tonight that if we continue to ignore the climate change occurring around us, over 40% of the plant species that now exist will be extinct in 20 years.  We need to act while we still have a choice.  We need to maintain the balance.  Follow the science.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

Octo𝘣𝘦𝘳 5, 2020

I mentioned earlier the Naked Ladies in our mailbox bed were transplanted from Melissa’s grandmother on her father’s side.   While these have died back, a second set of lilies have replaced them, the Red Spider lilies (Lycoris radiata).   The plant was first introduced into the United States in 1854, when Japanese ports were opened for US trade.  Captain William Roberts brought back three bulbs.  The bulbs were planted by his niece who found that they do not bloom until after the first good rain in the fall season.  Plants have since become naturalized in North Carolina, Texas, Oklahoma, and many other southern states of the US.

The bulbs we have come from the plants originally cultivated by Melissa’s grandmother on her mother’s side.  Her mother was one of the Cherokee people who as an infant was involved in the Trail of Tears during the 1840’s.  Her family was moved from Florida and originally settled in Arkansas but were again forced to move to Oklahoma Territory.  Melissa’s grandmother was born in Oklahoma and was essentially abandoned.  Melissa’s grandfather was in Oklahoma when he met her and brought her back to Arkansas to live with his parents.  They were married two years later.  She brought the bulbs with her, which the offspring of are now in our bed.

Melissa recalled being told the reason the plant was brought to Arkansas by her grandmother was its perceived medicinal properties in traditional medicine.  The bulb was used as a nausea and cough medicine.  A decoction of the root was used to counteract poison and was also applied to ulcers and swellings. The bulb can be made into a plaster and was then applied to burns and scalds. The plant is also said to have anticancer properties.  This seemed to be something worth saving to her.  It rooted her to the traditions of her home.

𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:  While much of traditional medicine was denigrated when we entered the era of modern drugs and scientific research, the same science has proven the worth of many remedies.  Even without an understanding of germs and viruses people found what did help or even cure our ills.  While thing do not magically disappear, there is much that can be learned from our past.  Understanding gives us further insight into how we thought and lived.  While we do not use the Red Spider lilies medicinally, they do connect Melissa to memories of her grandmother.  Our memories ground us to our ancestors.  Knowing who you were helps us decide who we want to be.  Do the work.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

Octo𝘣𝘦𝘳 3, 2020

Our local clinic has started offering drive through flu shots beginning in October.  There was no appointment necessary so after a couple of failed attempts (I got waylaid by other projects) I finally went in yesterday to receive my shot.  I ended up arriving during the noon hour and was afraid there would be a line, so I was prepared to leave and come back later.  I was surprised to see I was the only one there.  The clinic had dedicated four parking stalls for patients to wait to get the vaccine.  I called the number, they took my insurance information, and then said they would be out.  I waited another 20 minutes before the nurse arrived.  She asked some simple questions and then gave me the shot.  The whole thing only took around 30 minutes.

I heard an interesting conversation on a zoom call about why corona virus affects children different than adults.  Our antibodies learn and categorize pathogens to put up an effective fight while using the least energy.  The immune system protects the body from possibly harmful substances by recognizing and responding to antigens on the surface of cells, viruses, fungi, or bacteria.  The immune system recognizes and destroys, or tries to destroy, substances that contain antigens.  The immune system in children have not developed the learned behavior and throw all their antibodies at the threat.  This overreaction causes the inflammation and side effects.   Adults deploy the type of antibodies it has learned will fight the threat.  It is only when the initial response does not work that more antibodies come to the fight.

One of the questions I was asked by the nurse was whether I was allergic to the flu vaccine.  She was shocked when I said I had never had a flu shot.  I am in no way an antivaxxer, but I have never trusted the flu shot.  Reports say the effectiveness of the 2020 flu shot won’t be known until later in the season, but a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study in 2019 found the vaccine that year was 39% effective for all age groups, and 42% effective for people over 50.  This is typical and means you still must rely on other preventative measures to be safe.  After asking if I was allergic, the nurse told me, “I guess you will find out.”

𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:  I read online that we develop three types of immunity.  Innate immunity is the defense system you were born with and is your first line of defense in the immune response.  Acquired immunity develops with exposure to various antigens and your immune system builds a defense against that specific antigen.  Passive immunity is due to antibodies produced in a body other than your own and includes vaccines.  It provides immediate protection against an antigen but does not provide long-lasting protection.  I got my shot this year because I am in the high-risk category.  While this will not protect me from covid-19, the flu will lower my immune response and make me more susceptible.   This protects others as well as me.  Follow the science.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

Octo𝘣𝘦𝘳 2, 2020

One of the nonessential businesses that closed back in March was the recycling centers.  They have been open now for a while and I have been making periodic trips getting rid of my boxes, food tins, plastic, and glass.  I rarely buy anything in plastic bottles as I know often as not even the “recycled” plastic ends up in the ocean or a landfill.  Instead I buy canned soda or water.  Our local center accepts these tin cans and there is always at least a half full bin waiting for additions.  My problem is that I am too cheap to give the cans away.  Instead I drive 20 miles to a recycling center that pays me for my spoils.

During the copper shortage recyclers were paying top dollar to recycle the metal.  All the abandoned industrial buildings I was documenting during the 1980’s and 90’s had the wiring stripped and any machines salvaged.  This was not by the owners, but instead by copper thieves.  These scavengers have not let up as used copper is still a high market item.  We had our air conditioner stolen from behind our house seven years ago.  At the time I learned this was common on “for sale” houses and new construction.  It made me wonder why the buyers never asked where the copper came from.

It seems the new market has shifted to catalytic converters.  My brother in law lives in Seattle and had his cut out of his car.  His door cam recorded two more unsuccessful attempts.  He was forced to buy a steel plate to put under the converter to make it harder to steal.  When it came up on our family Zoom call, my brother mentioned it had happened to him as well.  When I looked online, I found a new converter ranges from around $200 to as much as $3500, depending on the make and model of the vehicle.  I heard there were several pawn shops who specialize in buying and selling convertors.  They will buy your “used” convertor for $80.  I bet they do not get many of those claim tickets redeemed.

𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:  I packed my Jeep with the cans I had been storing for the last six months and headed for the recycling center.  I realize it costs me two gallons of gas to get there so I do not go very often.  They weighed the cans and then paid me a whopping $18.  Minus the gas this was a cool profit of $14.  Melissa tells me it is not worth it, and I should drop them locally.  I know she is right, but I still do the work.  I have mentioned we completed two antiracism studies over the last months.  Both ended with a challenge to do the work.  You may do it wrong or you may not think it is enough, but it is a step in the right direction.  Apathy and inaction support the existing systemic racism.  Do the work.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

Octo𝘣𝘦𝘳 1, 2020

This has really been the year for the front bed by the driveway to take off.  I have mentioned how the Pampas Grass had bloomed for the first time in memory.  When Melissa was checking on the succulents today, she noticed they were also flourishing.  This is especially true of the Kalanchoe donkey ears (Kalanchoe gastonis-bonnieri).  The plant is about a foot across and everywhere one of the leaves had touched the group it had taken root and begun to propagate.  It had also sent out a shoot that had fallen over and rooted.  This guy was going to make it!

When I looked online it said the donkey ears is a fast-growing succulent with waxy coated, maroon-splotched leaves that extend up to 20″ long.  It is named after the long donkey ear shaped leaves.   Like many other kalanchoe the donkey ears propagate very easily and require little care.  Plantlets develop at tip of leaves which will either drop to the ground or weigh the main leaf down.  The plantlets then take root when they touch the soil.  The plantlets will even fall off and root themselves in the soil.  The one problem is they do not like the cold.

Melissa has been exploring options for taking care of the succulents during winter.  We had thought of putting them in the shed but that means a large transfer and we would need to find a way to water and get sunlight.    What we finally arrived at was to wrap the screened porch where they are now in a 10-mil greenhouse covering.  This should be cool enough to let the plants go dormant but keep them from the cold nights that might kill them.  The outside plants were selected for the ground as they are hardier.  Even here we will need to cover them to protect them from the cold.  I hope her succulents do better than my garden.

𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:  The coming fall has already begun to bring cooler temperatures.  Some of the deciduous trees on our drive north have changed colors and it will not be too long before they will all change and drop.  Fall has also brought schools and football.  We were told the virus would go away when it got warm, but this did not happen.  Now we are putting large groups in proximity and requiring physical exercise.  Several of our local schools have canceled or rescheduled games and been forced to move to online learning due to outbreaks.  The first professional game is “postponed” this Sunday and it will not be the last.  Through it all some refuse to follow the CDC guidelines.  We our covering our plants to keep them safe.  I am not sure why we cannot do the same for people.  Follow the science.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 30, 2020

I mentioned yesterday that I had separated the boxes of tax record and other financial data from the storage room as part of my cleanup.  Melissa suggested that rather than shredding the boxes of financial information I should burn it.  This seemed to be an easier solution rather than spending hours putting the papers through a shredder and then having the whole lot go to a landfill.  Our neighbor burns the trimmed limbs from his trees by putting them in a pile on his back lawn.  When we first moved here Melissa questioned the legality of his action and called the city manager to find out, as this used to be illegal.  Apparently, this is now acceptable behavior.

I read Fahrenheit 451 during my formative years in High School.   This and several other seditious books were recommended to me by a woman doing her student teacher certification when I was a Sophomore.  The novel by Ray Bradbury was first published in 1953 and is often regarded as one of his best works.  This depicts a future American society where books are outlawed, and “firemen” burn any that are found. The book’s tagline explains the title: “Fahrenheit 451 – the temperature at which book paper catches fire, and burns…”  The lead character, Guy Montag, is a fireman who becomes disillusioned with his role of censoring literature and destroying knowledge.  He eventually quits his job and commits himself to the preservation of literary and cultural writings.  The novel has been the subject of interpretations focusing on the historical role of book burning in suppressing dissenting ideas for change.

When I started burning the papers, I quickly found out that I could not get the fire hot enough.  I would get the papers to start and then they would die down.  Even the logs I threw on the fire to keep it hot did not burn.  I had tried several weeks ago to make a romantic fire in the firepit, and they did not work then (old and damp).  I am not sure why I thought they would magically work now.  I even poured a little gas on the fire to get it going (I know, not smart).  All it accomplished was I burnt a hole in my sock.  I guess I need to get some decent wood to make this work.

𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:  My brother owns a fire suppression company in the Kansas City area called Fahrenheit 451.  This is the latest of several fire extinguisher companies he bought out and now serves as his base for installation of suppression systems installed in restaurants.  Putting out fires is what we need right now, both figurative and literal.  Better forest management would be a start as controlled burns would remove some of the undergrowth.  Most of the lands burning are federally owned so this could be a directive.  A deeper problem is with the dry conditions caused by changing weather patterns.  Some call this climate change, at least the scientists.  Perhaps we should investigate this as well.  Follow the science.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 29, 2020

One of the surprises we found when we moved back to the house three years ago was Melissa’s dad decided to remodel the outbuilding without letting her know.   He basically cut the storage room in half and put a wall across the entrance to make more room for his “shop.”  The original storage room was 8’ wide and ran the entire 20’ along the back.  Melissa and her mother had stored mementos, Melissa’s wedding china, tons of Christmas items, and old tax records.  These were on racks arranged along both sides of the room.  Like most remodeling projects, this was never completed.  There were outlets dangling from the ceiling and the door was thrown across the new entrance. Even worse, the items had been taken down and the racks given away.  These carefully stored possessions had been hastily trashed in the remaining part of the room.

When we saw what happened, we immediately retrieved the racks, but were overwhelmed by the chaos left in the room.  I was working on other projects and the shed was not a priority, until now.  This was originally supposed to be my “man cave,” but that idea had not gone far either.  I decided this was the day and I would tackle the impossible.  I thought I would need shelves so that is where my task began.  When I measured to room, I noticed there were still several shelves left.  Most of the racks we retrieved had be subsumed into the succulents.  Still, I thought I should see what I needed before going out to buy more.

I removed the boxes of taxes to be shredded, the books and the few clothes to be given away, and then went about rearranging the remaining boxes on the four shelves left.  I was surprised to find many of the boxes were empty.  These were left over from tools that had been purchased and given away.  There were also a lot of empty Christmas decoration boxes, along with carefully stored Christmas items.  Sorting out what went where would have to be left for another day.  Today was about organizing the chaos.  “The first step is complete.

𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:  I have always been amazed by the Christmas decorations Melissa has.  She was a collector of several different brands of ceramic.  Many were stored in the shed, but we also have an attic full.  Melissa suggested we ought to have a Christmas in October Sale.  I had been collecting books since I began college.  I kept many of the books during my quest for five degrees and added more from library book sales.  When we moved, I narrowed my collection down to 15 boxes of “important” books.  I donated the other 42 boxes to the local library.  I have noticed we tend to keep stuff because it is easier than doing the work to decide what we really need.  The same can be said for our attitudes.  It is easier to keep the status quo than work to create reform or even justice.  Do the work.  Change is coming and it starts with you.

𝘚𝘦𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘮𝘣𝘦𝘳 28, 2020

I have been a fan of the Mercedes SL series since I was in High School.  While some of my classmates were driving Mustangs and Camaros (and even one with a Dodge 444), I was happy to have the use of our families used Chevy Impala.  When I graduated, I got a job and bought my first car, a Fiat 850 Sport Spider.  While not an SL, it was built low enough to the ground that with the top down you could drive under a semitrailer (you figure it out).  My first Benz was a used 280 C diesel sedan.  This was about 20 years old and had been donated.  It was not quite what I had been dreaming of.

As I drive down the road, I have noticed several bumper stickers that read, “My other car is a . . .”   Almost anything can be inserted.  Some insert a luxury vehicle of some sort.  This implies the driver is better off than the vehicle they drive.  Others declare their other vehicle is a truck.  I have also seen “a plane” or even “a horse.”  One of the better stickers I have seen is, “my other car is also a piece of junk,” although this had a different descriptive on the end.  These stickers make a statement about either status, hobby, or lifestyle.  They also make it clear the car is not the image the driver wants to present.

During my last year at the Conference Center where I worked, I decided to donate my 20-year-old pickup to the camp (I continued to drive it).  That saved the Center from having to pay mileage, but it also meant I needed to get a vehicle for personal use.  While I went looking for a newer pickup, Melissa mentioned I should also check out the SL’s.  I found one with low mileage, but the seating did not feel right, and it was still expensive. Next to it on the lot was a smaller SLK.  When I drove this car, it was exactly what I was looking for.  This was a sleek convertible with a folding hardtop and all the power I will ever need.  I finally found my Benz.

𝗧𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛𝗧𝗦:  When my son was in Grade School, I was driving an old Impala (a different one).  It was a piece of junk.   Alex used to ride with a pillow and would put his head inside the pillowcase.  I always thought this was odd, but kids do funny things.  It was not until 30 years later he told me he did this because he was embarrassed by my car and hoped no one saw him.   We use different possessions to project the image of who we are.  For some it is a house or a car, for others it is bling.  I was the same person when I drove my Impala as I am now when I drive my Benz.  However, others perceive me in dramatically different ways.  Neither present a true picture of “me.”  For that you need to take time to get to know me as an individual.  This is true for others as well.  Do the work.  Change is coming and it starts with you.