Another Hiatus

 It's that time again...

 As March draws to a close, memories of 2020 are a reminder of simpler times in SWFL. One year ago, the world came to a halt as Covid19 threatened global health. Lockdowns were initiated and many took to the outdoors for fresh air and exercise. Not a whole lot has changed in that regard. People are healthier than a year ago, with positive steps taken to curb the spread of viruses in general. We are still trying to make the most of restricted times by enjoying this beautiful weather and all the nature available for viewing in the area. The Everglades provide myriad venues for exploring. We visited Big Cypress Bend for a fun adventure in the wild this month. I'm taking a break from the bicycle during this peak, crowded season and will resume when the snowbirds head out. The Island Country Club is preparing for a multi-million dollar renovation beginning in April. To celebrate, they hosted a fun party featuring the famed SWFL Ben Allen Band. It was a good time. The Marco Island Nature Preserve and Bird Sanctuary's educational outreach program resumed this spring and, as a volunteer, I helped educate the younger school children in the area on conservation and the amazing bald eagle. Finally, the family started playing tennis!! Can't wait to see what fun April brings. 

A Spectacular Season

The fabulous winter weather continues. It's great to spend so much time outside exercising and dining in perfect temperatures. Still staying so close to home, improvements and beautification efforts continue around the house. The camper is finally out of the shop; ready and waiting for our next departure. I had a 164 yard drive at Island Country Club on Friday. A personal best. Life is good.

Bill seems to have turned a corner this week with improved vision, stabilizing pressure and assurances from the doctor to partake in more activities. He is now fully vaccinated from Covid19 and feeling relieved as a result. Many friends and neighbors are getting the vaccine and feeling empowered to do more socializing. We enjoyed Patty and Mike's visit mid-month and Maggie and Kevin's at the end of February. There are lots of people in the area. Covid has convinced many people to secure full-time residency in SWFL. NY, NJ and other states up north are still in serious coronavirus lock-downs, while FL is wide open. It's crazy busy here and the real estate market is on fire with activity. Home values have soared across the state. 

Our Little Corner of Normalcy

 

Working around the Blogger platform in order to post more pictures on each blog post, I decided to experiment with a little slideshow movie. You can enlarge the movie by clicking on the "full screen" icon inside the box on the lower right.

We've been spending a lot of time at home these days, which means lots of meal prep. Bill has been absolutely ravaged on a temporary medicine to control the soaring glaucoma pressure in his eye. It was a hardship we both endured for a few weeks while waiting for a permanent surgical solution. Now, eye-patched and mending, life is getting somewhat back to Covid normal. In fact, Bill was a lucky recipient of the first Moderna vaccine injection. We drove to Miami. The second, and final shot, is coming up mid-month. 

Luckily, February started out on a high note with electrical enhancements around the house nearing completion. We now have some fun outdoor lighting on the lanai and the abutting landscape near the canal. We modernized and repaired some indoor components, too. 

The winter in SWFL has been the best yet. Perfect day and night temperatures. It feels like a real season rather than a continuation of summer as in past years. The kids up north are getting clobbered with back-to-back snow storms this month. 

We're still living in a political nightmare, as divisive and unpleasant as ever. Fears of Covid still dictate decisions over our lives. Florida has been operating pretty close to normal, but there are plenty of states still under serious controls. The repercussions from continued lockdowns are mounting and taking a toll on civilization. 

The Arranged Presidency: New and Old

 

Lots of bad karma out there these days

And so it begins, like an arranged marriage, a sigh of relief has been expended and the union is confirmed. It was not passionately sought after, nor won, by the individual, but arranged by political collaboration. Joe Biden, the 46th President of the US, was sworn into office on Wednesday. All but approximately 75 million voters were absolutely thrilled. The media is back to fawning covering important news, such as, bringing American fashion designers back into the White House and of course, those darling Biden grandchildren. Reporters are once again asking hard-hitting questions about, among other irrelevant news, the family dog and the artwork selected in the Oval Office. No questions were asked about the 15 executive orders signed by the new president on his first day in office.  

Granted, President Trump asked for much of the unfavorable treatment he received throughout his term. While he has been publicly shamed and badly ridiculed for four years, he has been increasingly berated and alienated since the riots at the Capitol on January 6th. There has been no pretense of civility or decorum, just incessant scorn, contempt and distain since, what many believe, the fabricated and prearranged civil unrest in DC. 

During his last days in office, the House voted to impeach President Trump again. This time for his role in inciting a riot at the Capitol; the final and ultimate disgrace and demise of this vastly hated public servant. In fact, there is a movement to erase Trump's presidency all together. The media greatly assisted in disseminating the vilification of Trump and cancelling his existence, past and present. There is a frightening double standard, which is obvious to anyone who cares to explore our recent history of unrest. 

The fabrication of an insurrection story at the Capitol is a fascinating collaboration that will no doubt join the ranks of great American conspiracy theories for years to come. Add Covid 19, voter fraud and censorship to the mix and we have the perfect arrangement for a political win. 

New Year, New BS

 

Photo from Slate.com

For those who were feeling optimistic about 2021, um, perhaps 2022 will be your year. Haha. It's been another wild week in politics with the electoral certification of the general election taking place on Wednesday. Joe Biden was officially confirmed as the next president of the US. By way of brief background, a "Stop the Steal" protest march in DC was planned weeks ago to coincide with the certification. Disenchanted voters were encouraged to voice concerns over the election fraud, which allegedly took place within a handful of critical states, thus giving the winning edge to Biden. Wednesday's protest culminated with pro-Trump imposters storming the Capitol and mob behavior ensued. 

It appears as if the GOP was set-up by the usual players: Democrats, Antifa, media, Capitol Police and who the f*ck else knows, for their narrative's grand finale. Washington may have intentionally failed to protect US citizens and secure DC property. For the first time this year, the media used the word "rioters." Meanwhile, half of the country's cities have been burning for months by the media's description of "protesters." Facebook and Twitter have shut down POTUS from engaging on their platforms "indefinitely." Plenty of people have turned on Trump and want him out of office NOW. Too bad the coup had to take four years. Ugh. I'm just appalled at the censoring, the double-standard, the spin, the hate and the incessant negativity.

Stateside for Christmas 2020

 The stockings were hung in the wine cellar with care... 

It was fun to decorate this year after not having one sign of Christmas in my home last year. Antartica turned out to be our favorite trip ever. Africa was pretty special, too. And then, the shit hit the fan in March or should I say COVID-19. PANIC!

Luckily, our family and friends have escaped illness so far. Everyone seems to be taking the pandemic seriously, although, folks up north seem to have way more challenges with lock-downs and mandates. We were able to follow CDC guidelines and do some traveling and attend small gatherings throughout the year with our quaranTEAM. The Sprinter van has been super fun and provides the prefect venue for social distancing travel. In fact, five of our friends bought RVs this year. 

2020 has been very positive in many ways. I have become a better cook, baker, well read, binge-watcher, journal writer, deepened spirituality, budding digital artist, cycling fan, beach walker, average golfer and an all-around healthier and stronger person. It was not a bad year at all really. Although, the general election of 2020 was a miserable time to be alive. 

With Trump fading into oblivion (is that possible?) it's a kinder, gentler media and world. There is no question in my mind that the election was rigged beyond all integrity and honesty. But, it's over and now we can only hope President-Elect Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris can keep the US afloat.

Merry Christmas to all and to all a better 2021!

The Final Episodes of a Most Bizarre Year. Hopefully.

The final episodes of this bizarre 2020 seem to be underway in the US. First, as anticipated, there is no clear winner of the presidential race, which took place on Tuesday. There is, however, plenty of speculation regarding voter fraud, voter suppression and election tampering. Sadly, a general assault on the integrity of this year's voting process, due to Covid-19 protocol initiatives, has left countless Americans discouraged and disgruntled. President Trump is incensed, Mr. Biden remains low-key and behind the scenes, social media ignites with conspiracy theories and rioters are ready to go with any sign of a tipping point -- either way.

It appears that the GOP kept their majority in the Senate and gained seven seats in the House. A record amount of votes were cast. It's anyone's guess how this will shake out, but the consensus is that the GOP had a strong showing across diverse demographics. The Democrats suffered material losses in key races. Oddly, we haven't heard much about the pandemic since the election. 

And finally, another storm is brewing and presenting a threat to SWFL. Category 4 Hurricane Eta is trying to regroup after plowing into Nicaragua earlier in the week. How much can we take?  

On the brighter side, it's a great time to escape in a book and stay away from the Internet and TV. I started reading "Desert Rescue" this week. It is a fictional story about Iraq and the chemical warfare program under Saddam Hussein. It was written by Bonnie Bozzo, a Marco Island resident.

Against All Odds

It is six days before the general election and the country is fragile and divided. If President Trump is reelected, it will be nothing short of a miracle. With old and new media working double time for Vice President Biden’s election campaign, Trump has been managing a grassroots-style operation to secure four more years in the White House. Video coverage around the Internet shows enthusiastic supporters and well-attended rallies for President Trump. If lawn signage is any indication, I can first-handedly report, after driving 5,000 miles cross-country this month, the 2020 winner will be Trump by a landslide. But, despite an impressive list of domestic and foreign policy accomplishments and an exhausting schedule of appearances, the president has a near insurmountable task of overcoming perceptions relating to:

• incessant media attacks 
• impeachment
• Covid-19 ineptitude and a resulting failed economy
• riots, unrest, BLM, ANTIFA
• disgruntled minority on SCOTUS appointments
• voter fraud accusations 
• inauspicious political polls 

After Mr. Biden’s 47 years in DC, most supporters can’t articulate a notable accomplishment or legislation attributed to the longterm politician. Biden looks increasingly unfit for office by frequently exhibiting incoherent speech, bewilderment and grievous gaffes. However, Joe is largely protected by the media and securely sheltered from unscripted events during this critical lead-up to November 3rd. In fact, Twitter and Facebook are in the hot seat for censoring and suppressing a major and consequential news story. On October 14th, the New York Post headlined what turned out to be the October surprise: Hunter and Joe Biden’s alleged illegal and profitable business relationships with foreign countries. Going forward, there will probably be legislation regarding social media’s editorial role, but for now, the platforms continue to support their liberal bias while silencing conservative voices. This does seem to give Mr. Biden a strong advantage at the polls. 

Regardless of who wins the general election, the campaign has been divisive. Over the next few months, we can be assured of special investigations, appointed attorneys, major mayhem and general upheaval. It will take a very special leader to bring the country together. Perhaps the prominent signage witnessed in the the Bible Belt this month is most telling. 

Highlight Photos from Colorado

 Yeah, so this is what I mean about the Blogger platform. So old school with pictures. Wouldn't it be nice to have a neat grid-like page to display photos? Anyway, here's some of the standouts on our Colorado adventure.

Mesa Verde NP

Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP

Lake Sylvan SP

Great Sand Dunes NP

Garlic Mike's on the Gunnison River 

Sweet Baby James

Great Sand Dunes NP

Aspen trees in Aspen

Rocky Mountain NP

To Blog or Not to Blog

With technology changing as rapidly as the sky on a September afternoon in Florida, I keep holding out for the optimal blogging platform. I've been on Blogger since 2008 and have muddled through the deficiencies of mobile uploads, photo formats, video capabilities and other limitations in hopes of moving on to a simple and better option. There are plenty of other blogging solutions but they require an investment of time and money. I don't want to be that committed. Add traveling to remote destinations, where internet is weak or nonexistent, and I struggle with the idea of keeping my blog current.

I feel that I have to make a decision on my blogging future soon. After all, maintaining a blog requires more frequent posting to be relevant. But for now, I'm happy to report we are safe and sound in Missouri. After three weeks in Colorado, we are working our way back to Florida. Once again, hurricane activity is determining our route southeast.

Catch Up in Colorado

(Connectivity is once again an issue. Hopefully, I can attach pictures to my posts as the trip goes on. I thought I'd do a catch-up post here to bring me to the present: Saturday morning.) 
 
Heading into Texas we realized that the odometer passed 40,000 miles. Yippee! Yahoo! The Sprinter is running like a champ; just really breaking into optimal performance. The Airstream however...a constant punch list of mostly minor quirks on any given day. It’s a great way to travel though. Especially in a pandemic. We haven't had to put on a mask since leaving Marco on Monday. 

We enjoyed being back in TX on Wednesday. It is such a diverse state with a legit feeling of distance between us and home. We stayed outside of Wichita Falls at the Ole Cotton Gin RV Park. It was fine. 

After an easy day of driving on back roads Thursday, we stopped in Amarillo for groceries before crossing into NM and then CO and setting up camp at Lathrop State Park outside of Pueblo. Lathrop was the first designated state park in Colorado. It is a beautiful park, well maintained and super clean restrooms. Plenty of daytime activities, too. Colorado is my spirit state. This is the first time in over 40,000 miles that we actually camped in CO. We've passed through all corners of the state, but first overnight in the Sprinter. 

After a lazy morning at camp and a three mile walk around Lathrop SP, we checked out and drove back south to Trinidad Lake State Park where we were able to get reservations for the weekend. Colorado is on a reservation only system with the pandemic and we've been really lucky picking up campsites at these beautiful places. The Carpios Ridge Campground is situated on a ridge 150 feet above the lake. We are enjoying great views from camp and the smoke from the wildfires in CA and OR is making for a moody, hazy backdrop on the mountains. We hiked the Levsa Canyon before showers and a wonderful steak dinner at camp. 

It's Saturday morning, I'm at camp with my iPad, all bundled up in long pants and a hoodie. Oh I love this weather!

Dodging Another Hurricane

 

Tuesday was a marathon day of driving. We really don’t like to push it generally, but we were on a mission to get far away from the wrath of Hurricane Sally. Sadly, she hit Gulf Shores AL Wednesday morning as a Cat 2 storm. We hunkered down in Gulf Shores during our evacuation from Irma in 2017. We had a blast in that area and pray the folks along the coast will rally soon.

After over nine hours in the van, we stumbled on Lake Claiborne State Park in LA. It was beautiful. The park had just recently opened after the Covid shutdown so there were plenty of campsites available. We settled into a lake front property and enjoyed the view after a long day on the road.

The Rainy Season in the Subtropics

Tropical Depression Sally formed outside of Marco Island and slowly moved through SWFL on Saturday and Sunday. We seized the opportunity to hit the road, confident in the Sprinter van, after nearly two weeks of emergency experimental repairs and reconfigurations to the solar energy components in Naples FL. It was a wet ride out of Collier County, with intermittent showers all the way up the peninsula.

 
One of the most notable moments of the ride was passing through Sylvester, GA. After a quick (wth?) Google search, we discovered that the 300 US flags decorating Highway 82 was a collective town effort to elevate the spirits of its citizens during the Covid pandemic. Shortly after that uplifting view, we arrived at the first camp of our September adventure. Chehaw Park & Zoo in Albany, Georgia. The $18 a night fee, for a reasonably well-maintained county park, was well worth the wooded parking spot. We opted out of showers though. Haha. We still have yet to stay in a paved parking lot off the highway, praise the Lord.

Tropical Depression Sally turned into Hurricane Sally and is expected to reach the Louisiana/Alabama coast Tuesday night. It’s been a busy Hurricane season, the likes of which has not been seen since five Atlantic cyclones in 1971 tied the 2020 season for activity. Global warming then and now, I guess. 

The Heat of the Summer

It took me awhile to get through "Next Year in Havana" but thanks to some insomnia, I was able to read on in the wee hours of the full moon Thursday. Bill asked me if the book made me want to visit Cuba. My answer: No. Although, I enjoyed the historical fiction and multigenerational romances spanning the 1950's to 2017, the country still seems kind of depressing. Beautiful but depressing. 

And speaking of depressing, instead of hiking mountains in cooler climes, we are back in Marco waiting out Covid-delayed parts and service for our Sprinter van. A major malfunction in the solar energy component has mechanics baffled. We high-tailed it down I-95, with drama-packed weather, to be back for Will's 27th birthday. I was thankful not to have to miss the first 9/2 celebration in his life. 

Despite the van woes, our fun getaway to the NJ Shore was packed with exercise and relaxation. Long Beach Island is a great place for long bike rides and walks. Cyclists and pedestrians own the beach roads. We even enjoyed some responsible Covid-era socializing with immediate family and friends. It was great to see a couple of Lapland ladies, too, while in NJ. 

Back in New Jersey

It’s mid-August already and we find ourselves at the NJ Shore. Long Beach Island (LBI) is currently home to a family reunion, some fun in the sun and good vibes for a couple of weeks. We drove the camper van up. Will drove the Audi up. Ally, Paul, Chris and others will make cameo appearances while we’re here. It’s nice to be out of our routine in FL. As expected, the Covid situation is a little more intense in NJ. All restaurants are closed for indoor dining, but creative outdoor venues have popped up. It’s good to be back!

Is It Over Yet?

Thursday Meditation on Procreate

I'm over it. I'm over covid, BLM, WFH, CHAZ, CHOP, social distancing, masks, maskholes, Trump, Biden, Fauci, Brix, CDC, WHO, defund the police and all the other drama consuming 2020. WTF!??!

The Beat Goes On

KF Rogers

I've been happily immersed in online education for the past couple of weeks. Procreate tutorials have been a perfect pastime as I recuperate from July 1st bladder surgery. I am so grateful to be feeling the benefits of both successful undertakings.

Summer is in full swing with Covid19 still dominating the country's narrative. It's been a confusing "pandemic" with medical expects floundering on many aspects and protocols of the virus. The political divide deepens, three months to the US general election, as the president wants to move the economy forward and get kids back to school and parents back to work. There's a rather large media push to hype the highly contagious nature of the disease, and seemingly inflated death counts so as to continue the economic and social shutdown indefinitely. For what? It's hard to understand what's motivating the divisive situation and contradicting information. Capitalists vs. Socialists? I don't know. Two camps are becoming more distinct: Pandemic vs. Scamdemic. 

Meanwhile, Bill risked his life and actually took a jet plane to Dallas. It was his first flight in months and he felt totally safe and protected onboard. The Airstream is back in Florida thanks to Bill's marathon drive. We will have to reevaluate storage options for the camper going forward, but for now...

Photo credit: @kellycreates

Building Immunity to Covid19

Home Sweet Home taken with Bill's new GoPro

While cities open up across the country with the phasing-in of normalcy, cases of covid are on the rise. States once applauded for keeping the disease under control are now the focus of media reports for having the highest incidents. Florida, Texas and California are the present hot spots for the virus. Testing has accelerated, which many experts say may account for the increase in cases. Hospitals are reporting increased activity, especially among younger victims, but not necessarily deaths.  Nonetheless, it's important to continue to be diligent about social distancing, wearing a mask in public places and keeping your immune system strong. In my humble opinion, the key tenets of a strong immune system are diet, exercise, meditation, good sleep, and Vitamin D. We're still taking it pretty seriously in June.

Birthday pic with my dinner companions

As the country continues to be in a state of civil unrest spurred by racial tensions, we took a road trip to Miami to celebrate my birthday at a favorite Japanese restaurant: Zuma.

It was nice to get away but the exposure to germs in a hotel room was a little unsettling. We've been watching our diet as we find ourselves dining out and entertaining visitors a little more. Steph and DeWayne came by for a few days to help celebrate Father's Day. We're killing two birds with one stone with our bike rides: exercise and Vitamin D. (And by the way, they say bicycles are the new toilet paper.) As for meditation, that's prayer. It's my daily ritual that I find comforting and effective for the nourishment of my soul.

So, feed your body, move your body, nourish your soul and moderately expose yourself to new venues. Building a strong immunity to help fight this crazy flu bug may just get us safely through time as we wait for a covid vaccine. And that's a whole other hot topic.

It's Still a Simple Life

Chris and Dracco with Nixon

July 4th beauty

Candy making at home

June finds us still immersed in a covid19 dictated kinda lifestyle. The virus seems to be the all encompassing excuse for general mediocrity in all things relating to business as usual. It's important to stick to a positive routine: exercise, diet, recreation and social distancing; otherwise one could easily go NUTS. Cooking, baking, biking, golf and pool time continue to dominate my agenda. With June being such an important family birthday and occasion month, I've taken to a powerful little app called Procreate to make some fun greeting card designs on the iPad.

Fun visit with Jill

We did have visitors to lift our spirits, too. Jill and Doug popped over to Marco in their new RV. Collier-Seminole State Park provided a close respite for their maiden voyage. It was great to hang out, golf and even go to a restaurant. Perhaps we'll see them in PEI someday soon.

Slowly, but surely, we are putting some dates on the distant calendar in hopes of resuming some normalcy soon.

Cool head Ally

 














And by the way, Black Lives Matter will continue to be a meaningless movement until we can have a truthful and meaningful discussion on race.

Launch

Launch is an optimistic word. It is movement. Initiation. Upward and onward. Going places. It is May 30 and some historic launches are underway this week:

• Many more local governments have launched a reopening campaign for Covid19 stricken areas to resume some sort of normalcy. 
• Protesters have launched demonstrations, some violent and destructive, supporting the Black Lives Matter movement after the horrific murder of African-American George Floyd by white policemen in Minneapolis. 
• President Trump has launched a series of controversial orders and plans concerning social media and our relationships with Hong Kong and the World Health Organization. 
• Finally, Elon Musk, entrepreneur and CEO of SpaceX, together with NASA will make the second attempt this week to launch two astronauts into space today. The launch is the first in nine years for NASA and the first commercially built ship to carry humans.

It's been a dizzying news week, and not necessarily promoting optimism. We are in the throes of change and it may be threatening our comfort levels. 

What a Time to be Alive

Mother's Day Selfie

It's mid-May 2020 and feels like 2023. Haha. Most of the world is still in Covid -19 lockdown. President Trump is allowing US governors to use discretion for reopening states. Florida's Governor DeSantis is being hailed as a visionary and true leader. His ability to flatten the curve, preserve health and curtail deaths is exemplary, especially considering the vulnerable demographic of the state. Florida beaches, restaurants, stores, hair and nail salons are slowly opening under CDC guidelines for social distancing. Doctors can resume elective procedures. What a time to be alive!

Marco Resident's Beach reopened 4/30

We didn't have much in the way of April showers, but May flowers are just beautiful. There's nothing quite like the bright orange Poinciana trees in full bloom all around the island. We've been appreciating the Spring flora at the golf course and on the bikes because there's nothing else to do. Lol.

Zoom has become a regular source of joy in our lives now. Between calls with friends and family near and far, we are so grateful to be able to laugh and visit via the screens. Will came down for a Mother's Day brunch at ICC and a sleepover. We miss golfing with Will and can't wait until ICC opens up the tee sheets for immediate family again.

Poinciana in bloom at ICC

It is a difficult time for many people. Little frustrations become magnified in these deprived conditions. Small disappointments become big, infuriating setbacks. The Covid crisis is definitely not bringing people together. In fact, it is fueling suspicion, anxiety, separation and distance. The political divide is increasingly more pronounced as people look to the government for direction. By and large, people are reclusive, sad and mad.

It's not always easy but we must try to focus on the beauty of the moment.

Peaceful easy feeling at ICC

Safe at Home

Easter Bouquet

The social-distancing effort to flatten-the-curve seems to be effective. Slowly but surely, the cases of Covid19 are decreasing across the country. Luckily, the Marco cases have remained low throughout the month of April. We currently have 12 reported cases of coronavirus and zero deaths in Marco.

Pool Zoom

Despite the tedium of isolation, time has been flying by. We enjoyed a sleepover with young Will for Easter. The bunny was good to all of us. My Easter bouquet stayed fresh for nearly two weeks. Will continues to work on the frontlines at UPS with loads heavier than usual for this time of year. We're all so happy to be in the warm climes of SWFL. It is still pretty cold up north, making for a tough quarantine indoors all the time.

Bill has been doing weekly Zoom calls with his partners. They really get a kick out of their poolside gatherings.

Lobster& fennel salad with Merry Edwards Sauvignon Blanc

We have been enjoying an array of meals, treats and sweets coming out of our kitchen. Bill has a sour dough bread starter cooking on the counter. We experiment with new cuisines and so look forward to weekend cocktail concoctions. Our bike rides continue to offer escape and exercise. The golf course is still packed with snow birds delaying their trips up north.

Lipstick and jewelry for wine dinner

We've been supporters of ICCs wine dinners throughout the year. This month, due to circumstances, was a carryout with virtual discussions of the wine and food pairings. It was super fun. We picked up a big box with a three course meal served on china, along with three wines. Our hosts online provided commentary as we enjoyed the pairings. Bill and I dressed up for the occasion and I wore my diamond penguin from Antarctica in honor of National Penguin Day Saturday. And could this be the last lockdown Sunday? May 1st seems to be the date for starting up the economy. Let's hope!

My Nightstand Update

Reading time used to be mostly a bedtime activity, but now, with coronavirus isolation and social distancing rules, reading time is anytime. I just breezed through "American Dirt" without even a blog mention under On My Nightstand. It was a heavy and heart-wrenching read, but a real page-turner. At times, I even dreaded to pick it up because of the violent visuals. Any book I finish is a good book. There are some that never make it to My Nightstand updates.

Covid19 vs. Seasonal Flu

Measures to curtail the spread of coronavirus have placed the global economy into something like a medically induced coma. Stories of joblessness and business failures continue to grow as a result of the global shutdown. The irony is that the Wuhan flu pandemic appears to be far less fatal than the average global flu. Here's a good article on where we stand as of April 10.

H/T Powerline Blog (click to enlarge)

As the World Turns

Frozen in time

Pool noodle to stop ball in hole

It's been a wild ride. Back from Africa on March 7th, and in less than a week, our life turned upside down. Covid19, or the Chinese Flu as Trump likes to say, has taken hold of 180-plus countries and global leaders have shut down the world. It took nearly a week into April before I realized my kitchen calendar needed a flip. No need for a day planner. Every event has been cancelled. Every event.

Social distancing has become the mandate for most of the world attempting to curtail the contagious nature of coronavirus. Governments have dictated what is essential and what is not. WFH (working from home) is the hottest acronym and home schoolers and parent teachers are losing their minds. The one bit of normalcy is the golf course. Yes, the only game in town really. Beaches and restaurants have been closed since mid-March, but golf is still an option. There have been plenty of modifications to the rules of play, but it's better than not playing at all. If you can get a tee time.

We have all downloaded the Zoom app by now.

Zoom with the six chicks

Most of us didn't really know what Zoom was until a Google search provided clues to the popular video conferencing tool. With nothing really to do, yeast and other baking ingredients have disappeared from store shelves. People are hoarding all sorts of items, but most comical: toilet paper. Go figure.

The weather has been beautiful. Between the bike rides and walks, daily exercise is keeping us sane. Easter was so uplifting (no fun intended). Will joined us for dinner in Marco and we video conferenced with the rest of the family. It was the next best thing to being together. Gratitude takes on new meaning during these challenging times.

Chalk art at the park Easter weekend