May 21, 2020

We have a family Zoom call on Wednesday nights.  It is just another way to keep in touch during our time of separation, especially since we live in four different states.  During the call mom was asked how she was feeling, and that is when my brother ratted her out.  He said he had picked mom up earlier that day in his car.  After 67 days of confinement she was out in the world.  Not for a hair appointment, or groceries, or even for toilet paper.  She had gone to the doctor.  She was fine but needed to apply two kinds of medicine two times a day.  She had to wash her hands before and after each application.  That meant four more times of daily hand washing.  Perfect.

Last week I went to the doctor for a mandated three-month follow-up.  I thought it was interesting since my last visit was six months ago.  I figured they had been forced to close for all but covid-19 related cases, and now were reopening.  On arrival the nurse rushed outside and took my temperature, asked me questions about my health and activity, and opened the door to let me in.  I was not surprised to only see two other people in the waiting room.   I filled out another long form about my habits and then was quickly seen by the doctor.  When I told him I was now on Medicare, he informed me I would need to make another appointment for my annual wellness visit, something Medicare requires.  I went to the front and was scheduled for a visit a week later (today).

I thought it odd when the automated call told me I had two appointments today, and they were two hours apart.  I called to confirm and was told they were both for the same thing and was asked if I would like to delete one.  I deleted the early visit and showed up just before 9:30.  The mood was different today.  No one rushed to my car and the waiting room was full, although distanced.  The receptionist told me the two appointments were with two different people and I would need to reschedule.  Seriously?  She said she would check and came back saying I could see the person for the 9:30 but I needed to reschedule the 7:30 appointment.  I waited another 30 minutes before I could see the doctor.  When I finally got in, I did labs and was told how my life needed to change now that I was 65.  As I left, I got a new appointment for the soonest possible date, a month from now.  Aside from the masks, some things are back to normal.

THOUGHTS:  My doctor is a man about my age and has always engaged me in casual conversation before the end of my visit.  When I asked about the closure, he told me they had been open the entire time.  I guess I was just lucky last week.  He also mentioned how some of the smaller rural hospitals would probably need to close.  Elective surgery is their bread and butter and had previously supported the other aspects of the business.  Many had struggled before and the stoppage would send them under.  This news comes at a time when the second wave is predicted to hit the already under served rural communities.  If there was ever a time for a coordinated universal health care system, this is it.  If you venture out, stay safe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 20, 2020

When I went out for the pool skimmer yesterday, I also stopped by the Coop and picked up a bag of potting soil and three strawberry plants.  I have tried planting melons in the bed along the bay window without luck.  My watermelon is doing fine, but I have twice planted cantaloupes and they have not survived.  The first plant was in a four-inch pot I planted along with the watermelon.  It grew for two days and then died.  The second planting was a six-pack of smaller melons that I had trouble getting out of the container.  These lasted another two or three days and then they died as well.  I took the hint; I am not going to have cantaloupes this year.

After my run in with the mock strawberries and the tales of Melissa’s mom planting strawberries I decided I would try my luck.  I know the problem she ran into was a combination of the birds and rabbits.  I believe the rabbits are gone and I have a plan to mesh the plants when the berries appear to keep the birds from decimating the crop.  I purchased Arkansas Travelers which are supposed to be ever-bearing so I should be able to have berries all summer long.

Even though I had prepared the soil for the cantaloupes I decided to do the entire process again.  I weeded and then dug up the bed and spread another 40-pound bag of potting soil over the top.  I dug the holes and placed fertilizer in them and then buried the plants “pot deep.”  The directions suggested I remove the plastic wrapper but keep the plants in their biodegradable pot.  I tore off the bottom to give the roots unimpeded access to the ground.  I am looking forward to harvesting my first berries around the first of July.  I hope third time is the charm.

THOUGHTS:  Life does not always go the way I believe it should.  I planted both sets of melons the same as I had my other plants.  The others are thriving, yet the melons died.  Sometimes no matter how we prepare, bad things happen.  When they do, I tend to try again to make it work.  However, it is like the adage, fool me once shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me.  If you try and make it right the second time and it does not work, that does not mean you should quit.  Perhaps you need to try a different approach.  If you venture out, stay safe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 19, 2020

When we moved into our house three years ago, we did so with full intent of fixing the house to sale.  I came down early and cleaned most of the unneeded stuff that accumulates over three decades.  We purchased new appliances and painted the bedrooms, baths and all the ceilings.  The pool was next on our list, but this required professional help.  Then my back went out and the painting stopped, and money was tight, so we decided to wait on the pool.  We have since decided to stay in the house and have both gone back to work.  This takes additional time away from completing many small jobs around the house.

As Melissa gazed out the back window at our pool/pond last night she became despondent.  What had once been a gleaming saltwater pool was now an algae covered pond filled with frogs and tadpoles.   She innocently asked if I would be able to go to the hardware store and purchase a skimming net to begin the process of cleaning the pool.  I was willing and went to the store this morning.   Since I do not get out often, I always try and pack several tasks into the same outing.   I checked on mulch for the yard and any additional plants that might be needing a home (at 25% off).  Since there were neither at the hardware store, I went to the Coop for mulch, more potting soil, and a few plants.  Just in case.

One of the advantages of growing older is it makes you wiser (at least for some people).  It is not that I am smarter now, I just have more experience.  My experience tells me, there are no small jobs.  I figured the pool would be harder than it appeared, and I was right.  It took an hour to skim the top of the pool, and I have yet to do the deep cleaning required.  Five years of leaves piled in the bottom are waiting for tomorrow.  When I was younger, I would have tackled the deep cleaning immediately after finishing the skimming.  Now I realize there are other things I need to accomplish.  Now about that mulch.

THOUGHTS:  Many of the jobs we take on seem small and unimportant.  Just like my pool I have often found the small jobs are more intensive than I first thought.  I have also found many of these small jobs are essential for adequate completion of the more prominent things that need to be done.  This has also been the case during the pandemic.  The essential jobs we initially worried about are only made possible by the iceberg effect of small jobs that feed them.  There are no small jobs.  Perhaps we should be seeking ways to better compensate those who perform these essential tasks.  If you venture out, stay safe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 18, 2020

Amid the general chaos Melissa has started a new job in Northwest Arkansas.  While she is excited about this new venture it means she drives an hour and twenty minutes each way to work.  The Fayetteville-Rodgers stretch is also one of the busiest stretches of highway in the state.  One way to compensate for this is to leave the house by 6 am.  This puts her at work by 7:30 and allows her the option to leave by 4:30 in the afternoon.  Both times work well to avoid most traffic tie-ups.

Even without the slowdown of traffic Melissa is finding she still needs to contend with the big trucks that carry goods on this main thoroughfare.  The car she drives is a small convertible and it is dwarfed by the big rigs around her.  It has also been raining a lot lately and this makes driving more tenuous.  While most truck drivers know what their rigs can and cannot do, there are always some who ignore caution to try and squeeze a few more miles into their daily log.  Melissa has been involved in three near misses in her first three weeks of driving.  This was compounded by the wiper blades going out last week (it is a 2007).

That gave Melissa the idea to get a larger, safer vehicle.  She searched the used cars online and found one she thought would fill the bill.  This was an SUV with all-wheel drive that got 33 miles per gallon on the highway.  All three features were exactly what Melissa needed to feel safe.  We scheduled a 4:00 pm appointment with the dealer and arrived a little before time.  We called and entered with our masks, did the test drive, and were convinced this was the car.   After filling out the paperwork the saleswoman said we just needed to wait for the financial manager.  We sat for almost two hours as previous customers were sold cars.  We stopped for a bite to eat and then started home in the dark and the rain.  Melissa said the drive was reassuring.  I am glad she feels safe.

THOUGHTS:  When the world is in panic mode, we need to find ways to feel safe.  This is true with the cars we drive and with opening businesses, churches, and schools.  There is no “right” approach to reopening.  The economy has been hit hard by closure and there is a push to open.  People are tired of staying inside and there is a push to get out.  The stay at home orders have been lifted in all but a few states.  Some have responded with immediate opening.  Others are planning opening at later dates, and still others are taking a wait and see approach.  We need to follow the guidelines and do what makes us feel safe.  If you venture out, stay safe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 16, 2020

I find many of Jack Black’s movies to be inane.  It is not that they are not funny, it is more I find them nonsensical.  An exception is a movie he did with Steve Martin called, The Big Year.  I have never seen the start of the movie, but I have watched the last half at least 3 times.  The premise is two men who join forces to defeat their nemesis, played by Owen Wilson, in getting the most bird sightings in North America for the year.  While Martin’s character is wealthy and unemployed, Black’s is a full-time computer programmer.  As the year ends the race is tight.  All three men must make decisions that alter their lives.  One finds love, another family, and a third throws everything away to win.

As I thought about the movie and the birds coming to my back yard, I decided to keep track of the birds I see.  I have two lists.  One is the birds in my yard and the other is birds I see elsewhere. I just started keeping track this month, but I am already up to 14 different species of birds.  Since I do not get out of the house often, I am grateful so many types of birds are attracted to our yard.  My feeders attract some birds, but they seem more of an addition for birds that are already here.  Sadly, I have yet to see any hummingbirds, although Melissa says she has.

Yesterday as I worked on my crossword at the kitchen table a large gray bird with a reddish neck flew in and landed near the pool.  My father in law became unable to maintain the pool and left it abandoned for several years before we moved to the house.  We have not been able to repair it yet, so it sits in the back and fills with rainwater.  The moss and algae are growing fine and this attracts the frogs and turtles from the surrounding fields.  This tiny ecosystem is what brought the bird.  I watched as he dove time and again and came up with a tasty frog.  He was there almost an hour and I scoured the internet to find out what it was.  I finally found an image on the Audubon Society website.  It was a Green Heron.  I was happy to see him back again this morning.

THOUGHTS:  Life presents each of us with a series of choices, and how we choose takes us the direction we travel.  Martin’s character was laid off by his firm but rather than feeling discouraged he used this as an opportunity to start an adventure he had never had time for.  Black’s character found new meaning in life even while he kept his same dull job.  We can do the same by not letting what we do become who we are.  Wilson’s character gave up everything to win.  We are often tempted to do the same to accomplish the goals we either have set for us or set for ourselves.  Even as the crisis keeps me home, I find pleasure in the little things.  I work from home yet have time to tend my garden and watch the birds.  Melissa and I have time for conversation and “just sitting.”  Perhaps life is really about finding what makes you happy.  If it is possible, Stay home. Stay safe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 15, 2020

It seems no matter what the latest fad is someone finds a way to ruin the experience for others.  Taking selfies became the rage several years ago.  People purchased selfie sticks to get better angles and spent hours taking and posting pictures of themselves in interesting (to them I guess) poises.  I remember sitting behind one such woman when Melissa and I attended a Royals game in Kansas City.  She constantly scooted around in her seat and must have taken thirty pictures over the nine innings.  I am sure I was in more than a few.  The response to the selfie craze was the origination of the photo bomb.  A few scalawags would make a point of getting in the background of the selfie and unknown to the taker, would be digitally immortalized.

Zoom calls have now become the norm and these calls are used for both business and family conversation.  This week I was in a Zoom call with about 20 other people when suddenly a new person was added to the group.  We all stopped and wondered who this was.  Then two more people were added and then fifteen.  Then all at once all the new participants cameras came on at the same time.  Some of the people were inappropriately dressed and none of them were known.  The host commented, “O NO!  We have been Zoom Bombed!”  We all left the conversation without being asked, waited a few moments, and then returned to the call.  It happened again a little while later and we all just left.

I have never understood the logic behind bombing someone.  While I do not enjoy taking my picture and sharing it with 300 of my closest friends it must bring satisfaction to those who do.  Even when the bomb has a humorous result, it is always at the expense of the one taking the picture.  The Zoom bombs are not even intended to be funny.  They are intended solely for disruption.  With all the business that is being conducted by streaming, bombing is a way to do something at the expense of another.  Maybe I would feel different if it were not a call I was participating on.

THOUGHTS:  Getting bombed on my call did not irritate or shock me, but it did cause a disruption.  When I was in High School and College a pre-digital fad called “streaking” was all the rage.  This was essentially a live bomb performance and the results were the same, shock and disruption.  Even Richard Nixon was streaked while enjoying a dinner party in Southern California.  During my day, the bomb was generally performed by those who felt they had neither power nor voice and was often issued as a protest.  It makes me wonder if the same can be said of Zoom bombers trapped at home in a pandemic.  Or maybe it is just to prove they can.  If it is possible, Stay home. Stay safe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 14, 2020

Melissa is going to try and move some of the heartier succulents into a spot of shaded ground outdoors.  The tree will keep them from getting burned by the full sun, although they will need to compete with the croquis bulbs she had me plant in the same area earlier this year.  She has been reading online and believes they will have a good chance of surviving the moderately cold winters of Arkansas.  We have temperatures dip into the 20’s, but they rarely go lower.

Melissa explained to me this would be a process that would take over a week to accomplish.  I was told this as I am sometimes skeptical about whether the flowers and plants we buy will actually make it into the ground.  We have purchased a variety of plants that sit on the back porch until they die, and then we throw them out.  To be honest, I have been guilty of this as well.  I can start a project with great expectation and lose drive along the way. I also know even getting them into the ground is no guarantee.  All six of my new musk melons have succumbed.  Now I am banking on my watermelon.

The other reason I was told it was a process is because right now we have a box of succulents sitting on the chair at our front door.  Melissa knows they are an eyesore for the lawn I try care for.  It seems the plants need to take time to gradually acclimate to their surroundings.  They will sit at the front door for about a week to get used to being outside.  Then they will be moved to the spot under the tree for several days to get used to the morning sun.  Finally, they can be planted and begin their new life in the ground.  We realize we are taking a risk by planting them outside, but if they can survive, they will flourish beyond their ability in containers.

THOUGHTS:  The expectation Melissa holds for her small succulents is they will take over the entire plot under the tree, eventually pushing the bulbs aside.  Charles Dickens penultimate work is called Great Expectations, published in 1861.  The novel depicts the education of an orphan boy, Pip.  This was a time when the colonialism of Europe was at its peak, and many nations had great expectations of wealth and power.  Critics say the book is a statement on British Imperialism and affirms the idea of keeping the Empire and its peoples in their place, at the exploitable margins of British society.  Both dominant plants and people can overcome those around them.  For plants it is self-survival.  For people it is a choice.  We can choose to elevate others rather than use them for our own ends.  Now is a good time to make our choice.  If it is possible, Stay home. Stay safe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 13, 2020

My brothers and I had a paper route when we were in grade school that covered our entire town.  I have to say it was a small town but still, we split the one square mile area into three different routes.  My older brother got the largest area (and probably the best) but he divided the outlying areas to myself and Dan.  One of the houses I delivered to was located about a half mile outside of town and the road crossed a tree covered bridge.  Since this was a morning delivery, I had to traverse this path in the dim light of dawn.  It always made me nervous wondering what might be in the wooded area.

As I carried my papers there were several dogs along the route who were aggressive.  What I found was if it were a big dog, I could usually bluff my way past them as long as I stood my ground and let them know I was not afraid.  It is like the story of the silver backs in the jungle.  If you stand your ground, they will leave you alone.  If you run, they will chase you down and stomp you.  It was different with little dogs.  I guess one reason was they did not strike me with fear.  The other is they always seem to have something to prove.  I have only been bitten by big dogs one or two times.  I cannot count the number of times little dogs have run up and nipped me on the calf.

It is not just little dogs that I have found to be aggressive, the same is true with fish.  My favorite fly rig is a #10 black wooly bugger with #16 elk hair cadis (I know, purist do not like drops).  If that does not work, I often change the drop to a #20 bead head.   Rarely is one of these combinations not effective.  What I have found is the larger fish (and almost always the trout) tend to ignore the wooly bugger.  My thought is the larger fly gets their attention and then they strike the small trailer.  Small fish seem just the opposite.  They are more aggressive and go directly for the larger fly.  I have caught pan fish barely big enough to take the hook.  I guess small fish are like the small dogs.

THOUGHTS:  As we go about our business, we often find ourselves in situations that make us nervous or even cause fright.  Some of these situations are like walking through the woods and our anxiety is more subconscious than real.  Other situations are like the big dogs and you need to stand your ground and face them head on.  When I think about our current crisis, I see it more like the small dogs.  It is real, even if we do not acknowledge it as a threat.  That means we need to be cautious as we move forward.  If it is possible, Stay home. Stay safe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 12, 2020

Over the last 10 weeks my garage has been filling up with trash.  This is good trash, not bad trash, but it is still trash.  What I am talking about is my recycling.  I already had about three weeks stored when they closed our Recycling Center seven weeks ago.  I believe this is an important service so rather than just putting these items in the trash to go to the dump, I have been dutifully sorting, separating, and storing ten weeks’ worth of trash.  You can imagine my relief when I learned over the weekend the center was reopen for collection.

I try to be very conscientious about my recycling.  I break down my cardboard boxes so more can fit in the shredder bin before it needs to run.  I have stopped putting cardboard that contained food (like pizza boxes) in the bin since I spoke with the attendant and she told me this contaminates the cardboard.  The recycling companies have refused to accept whole loads because of intermixed food items.  I separate my glass from my tin (including taking off the lids) and pull the denser lids off the plastic bottles.  I have felt good about the work I put into recycling and believe this is one way to help save our planet.

That was until I loaded my Jeep with 10 weeks of recycling.  It filled every nook and cranny of my vehicle and did not include the tin cans I take to another recycling spot.  In my defense much of this was cardboard and most of that has arrived at our house in shipments of succulents for Melissa’s garden.  Still, I was surprised by the amount of glass, tin, and plastic I had accumulated.  At least it did not go to the landfill.

THOUGHTS:  I am amazed by the amount of trash we collectively accumulate.  There have been legal battles fought over where to dump trash on land and whether it is safe to dump trash into the ocean.   Landfills create controversy by producing smelly mountains of trash that drive down property values.  Cities transport trash to rural areas and let others deal with the problem.  We dump trash into the ocean but rather than sinking to the bottomless depths (to impact life forms there) the ocean currents accumulate the trash in areas like the Great Pacific Garbage Patch.  This vortex spans from the west coast of America to Japan.  Some are voicing concern and trying to clean these areas.  Perhaps an additional solution is to find a way to create less trash.  If it is possible, Stay home. Stay safe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

May 11, 2020

Melissa and I traveled to Northwest Arkansas yesterday to attend an appointment that could only be accomplished on Sunday afternoon.  This area is an hour and a half from our house and located in a larger city. The business she visited asked you to pull up outside and phone to let them know you were there.  We were early and sat in the car for a bit before Melissa called and went inside.  Since I had several hours to kill, I decided to fish one of the local lakes.  The lake I choose sounded promising as the description mentioned it had year-round trout.  Did I mention I happened to bring my fly rod?

The short drive through town to the urban lake was bustling with traffic.  It took twenty minutes to get to the lake, but would have been shorter if my GPS had not taken me in a huge circle that veered off to the left and then took me back to my original spot (Does this ever happen to you? )  When I arrived at the park where the lake was located, I was in dismay.  There were 100’s of people out enjoying the day.  I drove through four different parking lots and every space was filled.  I was almost to give up when I saw a single spot on an access road into the park.  I stopped, set up my rod and began the walk to the lake.

The number of people made even this difficult.  I am limited in the places I can fish because I need to account for my back cast.  That ruled out the steep treelined banks around most of the lake.  The spots I could fish were already taken by other fisher people.  As I took the half mile walk along the trail to the dam, I noticed three turtles equally spaced on a log.  It seemed they had a better concept of social distancing than any of the humans I saw.  The water in the spillway was shallow, but I could see fish darting in the water below the bridge that spanned the spillway.  I tossed out my line and immediately got strikes.  They were small.  After my ordeal I knew it would take me awhile to get back to pick up Melissa.  I left happy knowing I caught fish.

THOUGHTS:  I was surprised by the difference between my town and the city we went to for Melissa’s appointment.   Few wore masks and even less kept distanced.  The trail I took had a line down the middle and as I approached another group, I would step off the trial and let them pass.  Another difference was the lack of greeting along the trail.  Most either talked with themselves or ignored me as I walked by.  There were two notable exceptions.  On my way to the spillway I passed a man carrying a bucket and a pole.  I asked if he had any luck and he showed me the crappie he had caught.  Then on my way back another family group with poles asked if I had any luck and I assured them I had.  It seems even though the times have changed, and way of life may be different, people who fish are still bound together.  I hope you can say this about your groupings as well.  If it is possible, Stay home. Stay safe.