Day 68

We invited our 7 year old grand daughter to spend the night with us last evening. She's been in isolation for many weeks, so we felt safe doing so.

What a joy she is to have around. Truly, to see the world through a child's eyes is a treasure and a learning experience.

We brought out games and puzzles and art projects as we prepared for a night of fun and games.

First thing we did, was open a new game called Turtles and Flips.  It's a game for kids 6+ and over. It included cards and tokens...so simple, right?

Wrong!  My husband and I spent 30 minutes trying to understand the game rules before we gave up and put the darned game away.

 WHAT????    2 educated adults couldn't figure out the rules?

Then, we opened up the Match Game box. It's a game where you mix up matched pairs of items and place them face down on a table surface as you take turns flipping up 2 cards at a time looking for matched pairs. Simple, right?

Yes, except that Anthony and I realized we were matched up against a 7 year old memory wizard that had the ability to recall the location of a particular card flipped up to 10 moves previously. 

How is that even humanly possible?

We played 3 games. The Wizard won all three games and they weren't even close. 

WHAT????    2 educated adults couldn't remember where matching pieces were located from one turn to another?

She finally got tired and as I was tucking her in bed, I sat on the bed and happened to see myself reflected in the dresser mirror that faces the bed.

That was a big mistake.  Reality hit home. Quarantine eating has taken its toll on me.

I took action.

Today Anthony was asking me why all the mirrors in the house were now "white washed" below my shoulder level.

Day 67

What can I say?

Have we descended into a world of madness?

A white police officer puts a choke hold on an African American man as he's begging to breathe.  This happens in broad daylight in full view of many people.

And not one bystander rushes over to help? No one confronts the officer.  Even though there was a risk of being arrested, no one came forward to help?

If it had been a mad dog chewing on this man's leg, are you going to tell me no one would have attempted to pry the dog off of the man's body?   

                         

If it had been a child being beaten?

If it had been someone being sexually assaulted?

It's easy to say I would have done so, but I wasn't there. Would fear of police retaliation have paralyzed me?

A man is dead.  And stores are being looted and burned.

Rioting thugs are not being confronted by the police. Store owners, property owners who are still suffering economic woes are now hit full force with economic ruin.  Many of them are people of color.

Shelves have been  stripped of electronics, home decor, clothing and  lawn equipment.

And George Floyd is still dead.  And so is this city's economy.

If this isn't madness, tell me what is.

Day 65

I just got back from the grocery store because we needed some essential items.  It's funny what I now consider an essential because 3 months ago, I would have just walked right by some of these things and never have even considered putting them in my basket.

To start....I have become a chewer.  If I were strictly an ice chewer it might be an indication that I am anemic. But it's not ice I'm craving to chew.  It's nuts, M&M's, popcorn, stuff  like that. 

I have always hated jelly beans, but now for some insane reason I'm buying bags of them and munching on them as I watch TV.   They are sweet and chewy and they are satisfying. And since I've been watching lots of TV, then it means lots of jelly beans.  I hope this is a better choice than the others I've mentioned but my clothes are telling me otherwise.

Ice cream has always been a take it or leave it until a friend mentioned  Publix Special Edition flavors available only until August 2020. With a deadline looming, you know I just had to taste at least one flavor, which then lead to my trying another flavor and another and another.

So, these are 2 new essentials always found in my shopping cart now.  I might have been ashamed to admit this before; but now, who cares?

But let me ask about behaviors that were once acceptable in a grocery store and whether they still are.

How do you feel about someone  shopping for pre-packaged meats picking up and handling several packages while looking for the correct weight or appearance of the contents ? 

Should a shopper pick up a package and then follow a policy of "You touched it so you have to buy it"? or is it okay to search until the right one is found?

Today, there was a woman standing in front of the ground beef packages and picked one up and reached for another package before making her selection when a male customer hissed at her told her she had to buy the package she touched.

 She froze; I didn't. 

I'm Sicilian. I looked right at this man and I reached around her and picked up 2 packages and put them down before selecting a different one. The man walked off without saying anything to me.  How do you feel about this?

What about loose veggies?  Is it okay to touch more than one tomato  before finding the right one? Or again......you touch you buy?

Are we at the point where we are scared to touch anything that others might have touched?  Are we at the point we're willing to intimidate others because we think we have a right to? 

Will we ever get to the point where we will be social with each other again?

God, I sure hope so.

Day 64

Interesting way to start the day this morning.

The conversation started off well

.

We were talking about what we would do for dinner this evening. After a few comments and suggestions and thoughts about cravings and what we had here to prepare, the conversation took an interesting turn.

After a pregnant pause between comments, I felt it.  I can sense when something is coming that I'm not going to be happy hearing. Maybe it's the look in his eyes.  Or the tone of his voice shifts ever so slightly.

After 56+ years of being with this man, I have become quite intuitive.

And then, he said it.

"You know, lately we haven't been eating as healthy as we should."

I looked at him and said nothing.  I wanted to let him go on to see what else he had to say.

The silence was a bit awkward, but I made no comment.  I just looked him straight in the face.

Foolishly, he went on to say that we probably should be including more salads and veggies in our daily diet.  He said that to ME, who has been in the kitchen preparing a meal every single night during this sweet period of rediscovery and togetherness.

Let me explain that his contribution to meals is simply coming to the table when I tell him the food is ready.

So, I smiled and said that I agreed. Then I went further to suggest that I would continue to prepare the main dish and sides and he could join me in the kitchen to prepare a salad  or/and some green vegetables. Now mind you, the veggies are frozen and need only to be micro-waved.  How hard is it to slice tomatoes and chop lettuce and dress the salad with a dressing I have already put together? Not difficult at all.

And then, he said it.

"I don't think so.  That's really not my cup of tea."

He should never have said that to a Sicilian woman. After all these years, he didn't know better?

Day 63

Here we are.  Isn't this where we are everyday now? For the most part, on the inside looking out.

Caught in a conundrum.....the ability to go out and safely mingle with others but tempered with the fear of doing so.

We will be celebrating our 57th wedding anniversary in July. I have to say that these last 63 days have proven to be the most difficult tests of "togetherness" we've experienced in all of the years we've known each other. 

You'll understand what I mean when I tell you that I have a good divorce attorney's phone number on speed dial.....just in case.

We are still learning lessons on a daily basis.

Some of which are:

Sometimes honesty is not the best policy.

It's good to have more than one TV in the house.

Gritting your teeth can lead to TMJ.

Biting your tongue is better than saying what you think.

My next home will not have a working kitchen.....only a microwave oven and a mini-fridge.

When I said "I do" so many years ago there was an understanding of what was expected in the marital agreement.  And that was fine.

But, I never signed on to cook meals for 63 days in a row.  Did you?

I don't EVER again want to hear the words, "Honey, what's for dinner?"

I'm ready to retire from the kitchen duties.

Day 61

Let me pick up where I left off yesterday and tell you about the rest of my day.....

My Mom loved cactus pears and considered them a delicacy and I agree.   I only got to taste them after she picked them, cleaned them and prepared them.

There are things about cactus pears I was not aware of.  They're also known as prickly pears and for a good reason.

There's an empty lot not far from our home that has several cactus type trees growing on it.  Yesterday was the first time I saw cactus pears growing on the trees and they were a beautiful, rosy color and just so tempting to pick.

So, I walked over to the lot, picked the fruits, wrapped them in cloths and placed them in the pockets of  my oversized trousers (pajama bottoms, actually)

I kinda knew right away I shouldn't have done that.  Immediately my hands started to sting and itch and so did the sides of my thighs that were directly under the pockets.

 Lesson learned...those spiny little things all over those fruits are similar to stinging nettles.  I threw away the pears, the cloths and the pajama bottoms because those things had imbedded themselves into the very fiber of the fabrics and would not come out.

I'll never pick those things again.

But, to today.....

I went through the drive through at a local bank today requesting a certified check in a larger amount than usual. Immediately I could sense this wasn't a welcome withdrawal.  I was told the manager had to approve the withdrawal.

Then I had to show several forms of identification and lots of stall tactics. And then the questions....Why was I withdrawing the money? What was I going to do with it?  Was I sure I wanted to withdraw this amount?  And finally, I got ticked off and  fed up and just told the teller that I was being blackmailed and this was pay-off money and that I needed it ASAP.

I should not have done that.

 Apparently, the teller had no sense of humor and  alerted the Bank Security Officer, who then came out to my car and searched to see if I was alone in my car or being threatened by someone hiding in the back seat.

It took a lot of talking to convince the officer that I was kidding so that they'd give me my check.

I  know ya'll think I make these things up, but I assure you this is my life.....Very few dull moments.

Day 60

Where have I been?  I don't mean physically.  I mean mentally.

I had a rude awakening yesterday. I had a reality check.

I'm  reading so much about the "vulnerable" persons that need to be protected.  The News is focused on the seniors who are frail and in need of protection from this virus. There are recommendations that they stay in quarantine even longer than the younger folk. They should have others bring them their foods and staples and not go to the stores so as not to risk contamination. They should even consider not rejoining the work force.

Yesterday was my day for grocery shopping. And since it's become my Social Event of the week, I took great pains to look presentable.

I combed my hair, applied my make-up.....with emphasis on the eyes since that's the only thing that can be seen with a facial mask on........put on a pair of big hoop earrings and was ready to go.

And I looked in the mirror.   SHOCKER.....The person looking back at me wasn't the same person looking out at the reflection.

And that's okay.

It turns out that the "They" the News is trying to protect is, in fact, ME.

I just don't relate to the age category into which I'm being lumped. Is this weird?

I "see" myself and many of my friends as persons who still have some active Life left in them.  Are we the exceptions?

To those of you in my age bracket, I ask you, " Do you see yourself as a person who should relegate yourself to sitting on the sidelines, watching the leaves fall from the trees or do you see yourself as a "kick ass" kind of person who intends to live and enjoy Life until you just can't anymore"?

I have no intention of trading my game time, kicking shoes for slippers anytime soon.

 Who is on my team?