A Body Needs A Break Now and Then in Everyday Ramblings

Because of the fires and smoke and not getting out as much lately, I am not taking as many photos as usual. I took this Monday on my way to the grocery. I enjoyed the walk, I enjoyed shopping on my own and the 10-minute bus ride home was absolutely fine.

Yesterday was beautiful with the fall light and big dramatic clouds and Charity and I walked over 7 miles midday. She is enjoying the quieter public space since Covid and didn’t want to walk the downtown loop, so we went over and walked on the east side of the river south.

That is what happens when you coop people who like to be outdoors up for 10 days.

Mrs. Sherlock has been helping an older friend with various health issues over the last 7 years periodically. She is a great advocate for her, but it has been a time-consuming project and more so in the last 18 months or so. Doctor’s appointments and coordinating with the home health nurse and the son have all factored into our plans to be together. Picking up drugs, fixing the garage door and getting railings to help keep her upright…

On Sunday early she texted that she was at the hospital with her friend and no walk was happening. Then later I got a text that hospice might be in the picture and then yesterday morning the news that her friend had died late Sunday night.

We are all glad it was quick and there was not much suffering and there she was at home in her almost mid-nineties enjoying her friends and her new big screen television, and she was safe and comfortable. Mrs. Sherlock made that possible for her.

Today is Mrs. Sherlock’s 72nd birthday. I sent her a fruit and cheese box and we plan to Zoom in a couple of hours. There is the Covid funeral to plan and the disposition of her household assets, and hopefully the son will step in and do his fair share.

I have missed her, and I am so glad that I have developed this relaxed and truly enjoyable relationship with Charity during the lockdown.

We had this big fiasco where they changed the locks on our entrance doors but were slow to get the replacement keys out. Both my odd upstairs neighbor and Charity got locked out. Now I have to go to the hardware store and get new keys made for my designated emergency crew and cat sitter.

Under normal circumstances this would not be an issue but… Pandemic.

And my doctor’s office told me this morning to just go to a pharmacy to get my flu shot. They have always had drop in clinics before now but…

We are still planning on going for 4 days to the beach in a month. My place is how do you say… very well lived in. This morning Kes and I came up with a plan. Starting October 1st and for three weeks, each day, we are going to clean for a half hour every day. And we will hold each other accountable. This will be so cool. We will be coming home to clean relatively clutter free places.

Diego has bad days and good days. Monday was a hard one for him and I locked him in the bedroom while I was teaching. He started to feel better and as I was beginning the relaxation part of the class, I let him out and he hopped up on my lap for almost the whole rest of the class. We are all getting used to these little domestic dramas with video chat.

Yesterday I participated in my first ever League of Women Voters discussion unit. Coming to consensus is the work of democracy and it is a lot harder than jumping on Facebook or Twitter and expressing a not too well reasoned opinion.

Next month we will discuss all the ballot initiatives here in our state. That will be a rich and engaging experience.

There is diversity of thought in the local chapter but not so much in terms of culture or background. So there are diverse opinions but I also need to involve myself in a group that also is actively culturally diverse as well.

Charity noted after we had walked a couple of miles that we had shown great restraint in not mentioning the Supreme Court once so far. We made a pact to not mention it at all for the rest of the walk.

A body needs a break now and then…

Last updated September 26, 2020