April 2, 2020

I’ve got nothing.  Nothing to say.  No direction.  Nothing.  That’s how I feel today and I’m sure how many of you have occasionally felt over the last weeks of confinement.  It’s depressing enough to think about having been confined to the house for the last two weeks without considering how it is projected we will continue to be confined for an additional six to eight weeks.  I know this is necessary and if we all work together, we will slow the spread of the virus, but sometimes shouldn’t it be about me?

When I get depressed or start feeling sorry for myself, I remember the opportunities these days have provided.  I’ve been able to read and study where usually I didn’t have the time.  I’ve been able to sit and reflect where usually there were other things that got in the way.  I’ve taken the time to purposefully greet my neighbors, even if from across the street.  I’ve learned new skills and abilities to enable me to reach out virtually to others when before the technology seemed daunting.

Maybe the last two weeks haven’t been that bad after all.  Perhaps amid the silence I have found a renewal of strength.  While this is a different reality than before, it is a reality that opens new possibilities.  I think I’ll go mow the lawn.

THOUGHTS:  It’s normal to feel isolated and alone when we are deprived of human contact.  A number of episodes of the old series ”The Twilight Zone,” focused on the fears surrounding isolation.  I give thanks for the technology that allows me to stay in touch even while staying apart.  I give thanks to family and friends who are willing to virtually lift me up.  I hope you are able to find this peace in your lives as well.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

April 1, 2020

Melissa got a text this morning letting her know our grocery order of yesterday was ready to be picked up.  All we needed to do was park in the lot, let them know we were there, and our order would be brought to our car.  I was still a little skeptical but was assured everything would work.  We drove to the store and pulled into the lane normally reserved for pickup orders.  When Melissa called to let them know we were there they asked what numbered spot we were in?  There were no numbered spots in our area.  We asked an employee standing nearby and he said he didn’t know.   Apparently, they had moved the pickup area due to the large number of orders.  Once we got to the right place, we parked a safe distance from another car and very shortly received our order.

What surprised us both was the full parking lot and constant stream of people going in and out of the store.  Many of these were families.  It seemed “groceries” has become an excuse for a family outing.  About half of those entering the store were wearing masks and gloves, but age didn’t seem to make any difference.  Even though the store provided special hours for seniors, about half of the people we saw entering were older than us.

I did find it interesting as we drove to the store to see the effect of distancing.  When we drove by one grocery market cars were parked in the front of the lot away from the rest of the customers.  I assume these were workers.  They had been parked with an empty stall between each vehicle.   We also drive by a house with a waterfall built to cascade down the hill with a family of three deer statues standing nearby.  When we went by today the doe and fawn had been moved about twenty feet away from the buck.  Both cases seemed social distancing at its best.

THOUGHTS:  Every doctor and nurse interviewed makes it clear that how well we choose to stay away from each other is going to decide the outcome of the COVID-19 pandemic.  We have seen cities and countries refusing to distance and the result has been high infection rates and over-extension of hospitals.  We have seen others who voluntarily choose to distance, or are forced to distance, and the number of new infections has begun to go down.  It is not a case of young or old or sick or well.  We are all in this together.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Virtual Groceries

March 31, 2020

Our big box store in the area is offering safe zones for senior shopping.  If I get up early, I can shop with all the other seniors from 7-9 am on Tuesday and Thursday.  That’s on top of the store being located a half an hour away.  Let me be honest, I’m not much of a morning person.  I can get up early if I need to but since I retired, I prefer to sleep late and even stay in bed playing on my phone after I wake.  I knew to really beat the senior rush I’d need to be there as soon as possible to the stores early open hours.  That meant I would need to wake at six am (I know, I can hear some of you saying, Poor Baby!) in order to get ready and drive to the store by seven.  Although I wasn’t looking forward to the hours, I told Melissa I was prepared to make the sacrifice so we could get the needed supplies.

Melissa knows my habits and how I feel about rising early.  She went on-line and began to search for possible ways to get our supplies that didn’t force me to get up.  When she opened the site to the box store, she found you can order and pay for most of your needs on-line.  They even bring them out to your car.  Only a few of the items we wanted were restricted to in-store only, and that was due to demand.  What we couldn’t or didn’t want to get from this store was available locally and again the local market had started on-line shopping and pickup several months ago.  It all sounded too easy to be true.

We did run into a snag with on-line grocery shopping.  After Melissa made her selection for the items wanted, she tried to enter her order.  The web site told her the purchase was unavailable.  It seems the store only had a limited number of people per day that could be shopped for and picked up.  That made sense as someone else had to run around the store and shop for all the items we had ordered virtually. Even though she was driving to the store and never leaving the car, she was still forced to stand in line. Melissa logged onto the site at midnight to avoid the crowd and order our groceries for tomorrow. She told me nobody else had scheduled a pickup and we could have gotten the first pickup at eight in the morning.  Thankfully she scheduled for eleven.

THOUGHTS:  Retailers and groceries are not only staying open while most of their customers stay home, they are also finding innovative ways to keep safe while supplying essential services.  I realize making me feel safe is good for business, but it still means making accommodations to serve my needs.  It causes me to stop and thank not only the business owners, but also the countless workers.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 30, 2020

Melissa got her dog Bella at Valentine’s thirteen years ago.  She arrived as an eight-week-old pup who was all legs with a ball of fur on top.  At the time Melissa and her parents had four cats who also lived with them, so Bella took on many of the characteristics of the cats, especially sleeping a lot.  That’s when Bella became the “Cat Dog.”  When Melissa moved to Wichita Bella was annoyed by the squirrels who ran in her yard and would perch in the trees and chatter at her.    If there were any squirrels in our back yard I’d yell, “Squirrel Dog!” and Bella would take off after them.

After we moved to the camp Bella became much more attached to me.  I was home and checked up on her during the day.  Bella had been a registered therapy dog in Arkansas (elementary children read to her in the library), so I got her a little blue vest and made her a little badge with her name and information on it.  Bella became the “Camp Dog” and would get all excited when I took her to work with me.  She’d mostly sleep but she was also quick to patrol the lobby if someone came to visit.  One of Bella’s favorite things to do at camp was to eat cheese.  She got good at catching any cheese I threw to her.  Since I love cheese, catching cheese became one of her favorite games.  I’d have her go across the kitchen and throw the cheese to her, and she rarely missed.  Bella became affectionately known as the “Cheese Dog.”

Since we moved back to Arkansas Bella has had some health issues.  Her arthritis has increased, and it is hard for her to walk any distance.  Bella also varies in and out of stomach and pancreas problems.  I’ve quit feeding her cheese and she is on a strict low-fat diet.  Bella isn’t happy about her new diet.  She knows if she goes outside, she will get a piece of chicken jerky so even though it’s hard to walk she goes out four or five times a day.  Bella also dreams of the good ol’ days when she would catch cheese.  Every time I sit on the sofa with a piece of cheese Bella comes and watches me eat.  She doesn’t whine, just watches with that forlorn look on her face.  Occasionally it works.

THOUGHTS: We face many transitions in life.  Just like Bella I have been called an archaeologist, historian, educator, pastor, and director.  Each transition brings new possibilities.  Each bring both opportunity and tribulation.  One trait that sets humans apart from other species is our willingness to adapt.  While others adapt to changing conditions, humans change conditions in order to adapt.  During our current crisis we are being forced to adapt.  We are finding new ways to continue as social beings even while social distancing.   Let’s remember what we did after this is over, and make it work.

 

 

 

March 28, 2020

As I sat on the couch watching one of the endless shows that come on Friday night TV it happened.  I broke a deep sigh (aaaaaah).  Melissa has the ability to watch TV without paying attention to what is on, concentrating on her phone or computer while understanding the show.  I’m not as good with multi-tasking.  I even tend to struggle with whether to watch the screen or read whatever is scrolling underneath the picture.  Every time I try and do both I end up missing key parts of either.  Melissa caught right on to something not being right.  “What’s the matter?” It wasn’t until she asked that I realized I had sighed out loud.  “Nothing, I’m just bored.”  “Why don’t you go play your game?”

My Game refers to an on-line strategy game I’ve been playing longer than I’ve known Melissa.  I’m sometimes embarrassed by the hours I’ve spent playing.  It wouldn’t be so bad but it tracks how long you’ve played since your initial purchase.  I had been sitting in the living room rather than going to our office so we would be together.  It’s even worse now because Melissa purchased a 27” wide screen monitor set up as a second screen for her work.  I’ve got my computer set up back there and I export my game play to the big monitor.  I can play in other locations, but playing on the big screen makes a huge difference.  It’s similar to watching a movie on IMAX and then watching on a regular screen.

Now I’d been given a pass to play my game.  I said thanks and sheepishly I walked down the hall and flipped on my big monitor.

THOUGHTS: It’s easy to become bored as we sit in the house trying to be good at social distancing.  Some of our time can be taken up watching TV or interacting through social media.  Some can be spent in conversation or reading a good book.  Yet even trying to relax during these times can be stressful.  Therapists tell us sighing is a natural way for our bodies to ease stress.  It calms us down and helps us relax.  (((SIGH)))

 

 

 

 

March 27, 2020

I did it.  I broke out of my confines and took a drive.  I drove the five blocks to the bank and to the drive through restaurant window.  I knew neither of these visits were essential, but it gave me some peace of mind knowing I was able to go.  I cut myself some slack because both are within the social distancing guidelines.  What I was amazed by was the number of cars on the road.  I got right in at the bank window, but another car drove in while I was there.  There was a long line waiting for food (maybe I shouldn’t have gone at noon?) and I waited to both place my order and to have my food brought out to me.

Having to wait gave me time to think about how things have changed over the last 2 weeks.  Since I retired, I’m used to sitting at home or putzing around the house.  I could do that for days on end and never take a second thought.  Now that I’m being asked to stay home it’s somehow different.  It’s like when your mom tells you not to touch the stove because its hot (yes, sadly I did) and all you can wonder is, “How hot is it?”

Something else has changed.  When I went to both drive through windows, I was greeted by a cheery person who politely took my money.  They were busy doing their jobs just like they had done two weeks ago.  While they hadn’t changed what they were doing my attitude toward them had.  In both cases I smiled and thanked them for being there for me.  At first it seemed to rattle them, but then they too smiled and thanked me for supporting their business.  Maybe change isn’t all bad.

THOUGHTS: Change can be daunting, especially when we feel we are all alone.  It’s times like these when we realize how important it is to reach out and strengthen the contacts around us. We are blessed by the technology that surrounds us.  We can call or video chat and instantly feel at home with a friend or loved one.  When we do venture out, we can tell workers how much they are appreciated.  We can make the world a better place, one Thank You at a time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 26, 2020

Yesterday I felt like I’d had enough.  I knew I needed to get out of the house if only for a short walk.  When I mentioned this to Melissa, she agreed . . . and she knew what we could do.  The warm weather meant the flower beds in front of our house were completely overgrow with the flowering plants generally known as weeds.  We had weeded and mulched the beds last year, so I knew how much work we were getting into.  I told myself at least since we hadn’t gone to the store, I wouldn’t have to lay down the mulch.

Melissa set to work on the long bed that covers much of the front and I took on the task of the two smaller beds that straddle the garage.  As I cleared back the weeds, I wondered at how much easier it was to remove the overgrowth since we had done this last year.  Most of the intruding grass was gone and the weeds that replaced it were close to the surface and easy to pull.  It literally came out in handfuls.  As I worked my way through the weeds, I spotted a familiar plant.  This wasn’t a weed.  It was the first shoot of one of the Hosta we planted last year.  The shoot had been there all along but had been hidden by the mountain of weeds towering over it.

When I went out and checked on the shoot this morning it had nearly doubled in size and had begun to unfold.  It had struggled under the weight of the weeds, but now that weight was lifted, and the plant was able to flourish.  I didn’t ask Melissa if she wanted to get out today.  After all, I knew I still needed to spray the yard.

THOUGHTS: After we have struggled through a period of winter in our lives, we welcome the coming of spring.  Yet even here we can be overwhelmed by the “weeds” that grew during the struggle.  We tend to look at the long road to recovery rather than the accomplishments already gained.  When we set our hand to recovery, we find it is difficult, but often easier than we envisioned.  As we work through the process, we can see a small shoot hidden by the clutter.  When we remove the weeds from around the shoot it can flourish.  Recovery is on the way.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 25, 2020

Like most of the country my community is observing a voluntary request to stay home except for essential trips to obtain needed goods and supplies.   It is hoped that our self-isolation will curb the rising number of cases and allow medical facilities to keep pace with the demands.  I stocked up on the necessities seven days ago (including the last loaf of bread on the shelf) and haven’t been out of the house since.  While my isolation is good for the country and probably my personal safety, it’s hard on my need to be connected.  I have compensated by restarting my blog and learning new ways to connect over social media.  It is not the same as a big hug, but it does help.  I admit, even in isolation I’m not alone.  Melissa is here with me and we have been able to purposefully take time to talk and share.

I am constantly surprised how social we are as the human species.  We seem driven to find ways to connect.  As I listened to a news interview with Joe Biden yesterday he spoke of how his grandchildren lived only a few blocks away.  They were coming through the woods and stopping at his back tree line to engage in conversation from a distance.  I watched last night as an extended family in my neighborhood went for a walk together, keeping the required six feet between them.  I watched serendipitously through the window as they brought out chairs and sat on the front lawn in conversation. My own extended family lives on both coasts and in between so we aren’t able to join in walks or distanced conversation.  Still, I’ve noticed an increase in our on-line chat threads, Facetime visits and phone calls.

This morning I read an on-line interview with Michelle Obama commenting on their family’s self-isolation. This has “forced us to … have real conversations” and “figure out how to keep ourselves occupied without just TV or computers,” the former first lady said, per People. “It’s an ‘important lesson’ to ‘be grateful for what you have and be ready to share it when the time comes.”                                                                                          “Michelle Obama: Isolation Offers ‘Important’ Lesson” By Arden Dier, Newser Staff  Posted Mar 24, 2020 7:11 AM CDT

THOUGHTS: Staying connected is one of the new “essential services” we have always taken for granted.  For many, there was a connection void even prior to our virus response.  Just as we find innovative ways to connect with family and friends we need to use those same innovations to connect with others.  We are a social people.  Consider reaching out to another with a call, a card or an email.  Let them know even in isolation they are not alone.

 

 

 

 

 

 

March 24, 2020

We are in the midst of a trying time.  The COVID-19 corona virus has resulted in a pandemic the world really hasn’t seen since the flu outbreak of 1918.  There is no vaccine.  There is no real treatment plan.  The only course of action has been to use social distancing.  This means we need to stay home except to access essential supplies or services.  Everyone admits this will not stop the spread of the virus, but hopefully it will slow it down and allow it to run it’s course.

The screen shot I provided is my new reality.  I’ve begun to work from home.  If I need anything I can order on-line and it will arrive in my mailbox (thanks to all the mail and delivery workers).   If I need groceries I can order on-line and go to the drive through pickup (thanks to all the truckers and grocery workers).  If I feel sick I can access on-line medical advice to see if I need to be tested (thanks to all the  health care providers).  If I need medication I can go to my local pharmacy drive up window for my prescription (thanks to all the pharmacy workers).  If I become very sick I can go to a hospital and be helped through my illness (thanks to all the doctors, nurses and hospital workers).  If I need spiritual support I can watch virtual worship services and Bible studies from my local church (thanks to all the pastors and support workers).

As I list the vast number of people who are there to keep me going and offer their support I realize few of these “essential services” would have been possible as little as a decade ago.   The times have changed.  We are not in the same place the world was at in 1918.

THOUGHTS:  The result of the COVID-19 pandemic is a dramatic change in how we think and interact with each other.  In seeking new ways to access essential services we have been forced to define what we see as “essential” in our life.  We have also creatively found ways to stay connected with our friends and loved ones.  The virus has forced us to practice social distancing, but we are not alone.

 

 

 

 

 

11/07/2018

Having grown up in Kansas I’ve seen and fished the Arkansas River in many different forms. I’ve fly fished the headwaters in Colorado for rainbow trout. I’ve traced it’s disappearance in western Kansas as irrigation has forced the river underground. I’ve fished for channel cats in Wichita in a river you could walk across and never go more than waist deep. I’ve also seen inklings of the rivers power during flood season as it tested its banks. Driving to Arkansas over the last years I’ve driven over the river many times and wondered at the breadth of the river from the bridge.

It wasn’t until today that I was able to see the river in it’s true majesty. I knew there was a system of dams and locks to allow barges movement up and down these waters but had never seen it up close and personal. Until today. I went to one of several boat access sites near me to check it out. It is indeed a powerful river. At the place I stopped it was about a quarter of a mile across. The lazy waters of Kansas were replaced by the swirling turmoil of deep water moving fast. The bridge pictured above is actually a lock and dam construction that I’d driven numerous times and never seen. The waters stretch around the bend and off toward a destiny with the sea.

The power of water has always entranced me. I stood and watched the flow as it rushed by and wondered about the mysteries going on just beneath the surface. It was raining and cold so I didn’t test my luck but it was well worth the drive to see and stand beside this majestic river. I will be back.

THOUGHTS: Rivers are a lot like our lives. They start out small and full of energy rushing to get to their destination as quick as possible. Along the way they face trials. Sometimes they get used up by circumstances and go dry. Other times they are overwhelmed by the rains causing them to lash out at everything in their path. But No matter what try’s to stop them or block their path they move forward. It might take a long while but the river can overcome whatever try’s to stop it. Eventually they reach their potential and become a life force for the lands that surround them. And finally they grow old and join with others as they merge with the sea. Rivers are a journey just as life. We need to live it for all it’s worth.