Are we in the NEW NORMAL?

What's it been now, three months since the news media went haywire over the COVID 19? Soon after, the lock-down occurred and the world came to a halt. I don't really watch the news (for years) and figure if there is anything I REALLY need to know, I'll hear about it from someone. News broadcast are so darn bias, one way or the other. I am curious to what things have really changed in your lives, other than the stuff we hear and see on the newscast. I actually don't think much has changed in Nancy and my lives. Nancy is dealing with her mother and moving her into a assisted group home and getting her financial affairs organized. And even tho it stresses Nancy, she has done an outstanding job. We probably see more of our grandkids now. Our one granddaughter and her friend (who like another grandchild) has been coming over and putting together small cuddle quilts for themselves. Of course Nancy is coaching them. I have been working in the shop almost daily and have most of my parts delivered, as usually done. This is my latest purchase.

It is a 1955 Chevy 1st series 3/4 ton pickup truck. The bed has to be assembled, painted and put on. It is totally original. Three-on-the-tree and floor foot starter button. But runs like a well balanced sewing machine. Our doctor daughter's office just re-opening to the ladies for exams, but I believe hospitals are still closed for elective surgeries. So it is probably out of the question for me to get a 'nose-job'. Bummer! We have a friend who was told by her 'higher-ups' in her corporation, that EVERYONE (except drivers and other hands-on employees) will, from now on work from home. How did that work-out for the teachers? I know my oldest grandson loved that. What I miss is going out to dinner. Sit down and order from a real menu, a nice glass of wine served by our waiter and then they bring our meal, all steamy and yummy, with no dishes to wash. Now the dining experience is drive-thru at the local burger barn or Mexican place. It means we have to cook more. We don't have that many leftovers. Our freezer is drained of previously cooked menus we made too much of. Since we don't eat red meat, it is usually chicken, fish or pork, but now pork is hard to get. Non-fat milk is gone most of the time. I think those hoarders who bought up all the toilet paper bought the milk too.

I was in an Ace Hardware a few days ago when a gentleman came up to me. I could see he was skeptical about passing by me as he jockeyed from side to side, so I took one giant step back from him, when he said, "Give me some room man!" He was probably ten feet ago and he wanted some room? He had a mask, gloves and BOOTIES on. All he needed was gown. People really freaked out about this virus. I am cautious but not crazy cautious. I see people wearing mask while they drive in a car all by themselves. Are they afraid to infect themselves? You got to laugh and just enjoy it. People who pull their mask down under their nose... I want to say, "Hey lady, you know you can suck that virus up you nose, right?" Anyway... are we going to be this way in the fall, winter or next year? The President can't open the country up, neither can the individual states, or cities/towns, it is the companies, the shops, the stores and US. When we are over the panic, we will open up. I just hope it is not too soon. Until then, we are left with drive-thru and re-run TV. Oh well, I have plenty of channels, but running low on TP... could you send us a few sheets, thanks! Let me know how you life has changed and follow my stupid blog. I can't write about our travels since we can't travel... but SOMEDAY!

We are in this together ... Alone

After WW1 and WW2, the soldiers were the heroes. After 9-11 the Firefighters and Police Officers were the heroes. Today it is many people who are on the front line to help us all get through this. Nurses, doctors, firefighters, grocery store workers and so many more. But one group of people should join that group of heroes is the Food bank volunteers. Gathering food for those who lost their jobs and don't have money to buy food or their rent or their car insurance. Food bank workers stand outside at the drive-thru passing out boxes and bags of food as the people drive thru with their trunks open. Sometimes the drivers sit in lines that clog traffic for as much as 6 hours to get flour, cereal, orange juice and milk. Some of those volunteers are jobless too, but yet they help others.

Then there is the medical staff. Putting themselves at risk to help others, sometimes without proper protective garments, and yet they share it or take it home to wash them. people coming out of retirement because their local hospital needs help. And again, some of them are laid-off and hurting themselves.

As a retired firefighter, I know we walked into many homes to see a seriously ill people, or called to a scene of a car accident and never knew what we were getting into. I saw many diseases in my career. From HIV to SARS to TB to anything you could imagine. I have been spattered with blood, and other body fluids, several times, but never caught anything be maybe a cold. allergies is my biggest enemy. All of these people, plus thousands of other professions, deserve our thanks and help. Grocery store employees, garage men, postal workers, police officers, all are still working out there to keep our cities and towns going. I have a friend who is a funeral home director. Imagine her job when the deceased's family needs to grieve but is not allowed to hold a proper funeral with family members. My friend has to help the families arrange the single person funeral by way of 'Face Time' or 'Zoom' on phones and computers. A person is in the last hours at a hospital, and their wife, son, husband, daughter can not come in the room to comfort the person in their hours of life. Another friend had to literally drop her very ill husband at the hospital doorstep, because she could go in with him. Nurses and doctors quarantine themselves for fear to bring COVID-19 home. Yes, we ALL are in this together, but many are alone. Many need help, whether it is food, financial or just a friendly call. All I am asking you is to share the love you may have to others ANYWAY YOU CAN. Stay in touch with family, friends, the old man or lady down the street or the apartment in you building. Many are fighting this alone. You could be their lifeline. Please help in your way. Take care, stay safe and health.

This is a VERY strange time

This is the strangest time in the world's history since the 1918 flu epidemic. People are panicking about items in the stores they think they will need in case they are forced to stay indoors or home for a long duration. People are buying ammo and guns, for what reason? New movies are not being released because theaters are closed, reporters are broadcasting from home or a secure studio. People move farther away from you as you walk by them. Grocery store are trying to restock their empty shelves, but their employees are calling in sick so the stores are hiring temporary help, which are people who are laid-off from their normal jobs. No one can go out to eat a nice dinner because all the restaurants are closed. Drive-thru or take out are the only options. Businesses are being forced to close their doors for fear of spreading the Covid-19. What impresses me the most is the companies are stepping up to help, in whatever way they can. Donating money to the unemployed, giving money to funds that help the people who living paycheck to paycheck. Actors broadcasting words of encouragement, "We will get through this together" or "We are all in this together". Nancy and I are helping, in a small way, by giving our stimulus money, we MAY get, to employees who have had their hours cut. Even our daughter, the doctor, is cutting her pay by 50% to keep her practice above water during these times. America IS coming to together to help each other. And that makes me proud. This is not an American thing, it's a worldwide thing, and we all have to suffer somewhat to get through these times. All countries are hurting, some more than others. We are blessed to be in the United States where we response to emergencies rapidly and help others. As a retired firefighter, I saw my share of emergencies. I don't panic easily and neither should you. Follow the safety rules given by World Health Organization, and stay calm. This too will pass.

Hold on and stay calm.

This is a super crazy time, not only the United States, but worldwide. We are constantly hammered with gloom and doom messages on the news, internet and social media. people are fighting in the aisles of stores over a roll of toilet paper or a case of water. What has gotten into us. There are no zombies coming. The world is not ending. It's a virus that most people recover from. Yes, there are deaths and there WILL be more. But it does not mean we are going to killed or forced to go underground. By buying ONLY what you need (like a normal shopping trip to the market), not what you think you have to have, the stores can get back to normal, and we can go back to a semi-normal status. These things will pass if we ALL help by following the simple rules given to us 20 times a day on the different media branches. Wash your hands often, (as we should anyway), cough or sneeze into tissues or the crook of your arm, stay away from crowds, DON'T, I repeat, DON'T mistrust orientals just because you think they all carry the virus, buy only what you need at stores and not what you think you need, and stay home as much as possible. Stay in touch with friends and family members by phone, face time or email. And the biggy, DO NOT PANIC! Panic is catching worse than the virus. I hope you will pass this on and keep others calm. In 1974 I saw people fighting over gasoline at a gas station because they thought the world was going to run out. We got through that, and WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS TOO!!! I love you all. And if you want to call me and just talk, please do. just give me some time to crawl out from under a car. Nancy is doing her quilting and I am working on cars, business as usual, like we all should be doing. Even this will pass. Take care, hold on and stay calm.

What irritates you?

I really hate the complain or spill my heart about things that we all see and others do daily, but some things really get under my skin and I have to releases them. So be patient. Many years ago, all we had was O.T.A. (over the air) TV. I wanted to see more things and get away from commercials so I moved over the cable TV. Well that lasted for a few years and the commercials eventually came into the programming. So I switched to satellite. It was great... for a few yew years, them commercials crept into to that too. There was nothing else, so I made up my mind to stick it out for a FEW stupid commercials, like GEICO and PROGRESSIVE insurances. They make us all look stupid. Then the commercials grew to sometimes 10 or 15 commercials during the breaks. OUTRAGEOUS!! I'd sit there counting them and complaining to my better half. When the renewal and sign-up time for Medicare comes every year, I figured October 31 this will end them because, for those not on Medicare yet that when the sign-up time ends. Oddly enough, the ads kept running. WHAT THE HELL? Did I mention, I hate insurance companies? Well, I do. Along with attorneys. OK, going on. Do you say words you shouldn't when driving, some one turns or changes lanes with a turn signals, I do. All cars and trucks come with a turn signal lever on the steering wheel but no one knows what it used for, or does not care. The ones that really gets me is the driver in the fast lane who cuts over three lanes to catch his exit lane he did not per-plan for and does not use turn signal to tell people, "HERE I COME". Idiots! People are skidding, jamming on their brakes, honking their horns as he speeds off. WHAT A JERK! He was probably on his cell phone or jamming to the radio when he realizes, "Oh my God, I have to turn here." Which brings me to my next gripe. Cell phones. Listen folks, cell phones are no longer PHONES. They are cameras, radios, Instagram-ers, typewriters, game machines, and have been and always will be a mini computer for face-time-ing conference calling and strolling through the internet. Don't forget texting too. When I was younger, you had to pull over to a curb or gas station and find a pay phone, drop a coin or two in it so you could call someone. Then rotate the dial to your number. OK, I am dating myself, I know I am old. At my house, we make everyone put their phones in a away place at dinner time, so we can talk. The grandkids hate that. Look around the next time you are at the doctor's office waiting to be called at all the other people looking at their phones, thumbing it up, down or sideways instead of reading an outdated magazine they have laying around. Don't get me wrong, I use my phone a lot too. When I got my first cell phone, it weighed about four phones and signals were not that strong. Then I went to a car mounted phone which was amplified. From there I have a Star Trek flip phone and finally a smart (dumb) phone which talks to me. It's crazy. I can do everything on that phone that I can do on my desktop computer. It has more memory and power than they had on the first trip to the moon.When I tell people to call me, they text me. It literally become my leash and I am the dog. Who's controlling the leash? Probably insurance companies and attorneys. OK, I am done here... for now. Even tho I am sick and feeling sorry for myself, I feel a little better announcing my gripes on a COMPUTER. Thanks for listening and come back soon. Love you all.

OMG, where has the year gone?

Here we are in December and only a few days away from Christmas. Christmas can be a glorious time or a depressing time. To me, it is a great time because I rejoice celebrating the birth of Jesus. I love being around the grandkids and watching them rip open their gifts and breaking bread with the family. Only part of my family, but still all is good. the other thing I love about this time of year is IT IS COOL. Arizona is NOT cool in the summer but 110 degrees. On the other hand, it is good I don't have to shovel snow. The year did not start well for me. Before going to Egypt last fall, I was diagnosised with prostate cancer. Then in January I fell and fractured T-12 in my back. On top of slicing my left leg pretty bad before we went to Egypt. It was a bummer of a year. But all is well now. Cancer is gone, the back and leg are healed and it's Christmas. Other than all of that, we had a great year. Nancy flew to North Carolina with our daughter and some friends and hiked a section of the Appalachian Trail. They loved it even-tho most of them got sick. I stayed home to build a car. In June we left with our youngest g-son for a 3 week RV trip. What a hoot. Grady was so great. We saw SO MANY cool things thru his eyes. Underground, above ground, it was awesome. Back to the heat, Nancy still hiking, but EARLY in the day, I am in the shop working on a 1970 Buick Gran Sport for a client. Which I finally finished this month after more than a year. I love it, but sometimes you just want to GET IT DONE! OK, now it's December and Christmas is only a few days away. I wrote this to tell you all MERRY Christmas and have a Happy New Year, because we quit sending cards out. It does not mean we don't love or like you. It's that we got so few in return and postage is high. We hope you all remember the reason for Christmas, and celebrate it for that, and not for the shopping and gifts. Share your wealth with others. In other words, give to the less fortunate, adopt a family, volunteer at a charitable organization like Salvation Army to feed the homeless and sick, give to the ones who have nothing. It helps them and good for the soul. MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!! And Happy New Year. God bless you all from my family to yours.

What have we done?

In nine days, I will turn 73 years old. I never thought I'd make it to that old, and so did a couple other people. of course, I did die before. Yes, when doctors stopped my heart, and put me on a heart-lung machine while performing a bypass surgery. Fortunately, that was 22 years ago, and glad to say, I am doing well. Becoming older each year I reflect back to remember, not only the last year but, what I've seen in my life. The advancements the human race has done in the name of progress and betterment of man? I have to admit, I too have benefited from many of the advancements, but at what cost? I also admit I love cars and I love to drive them. Afterall, that is how most of us get around, to work, school, church, grocery shopping and vacations. When I was a kid, most families had only one car. Today everyone above the driver's age has a car...and sometime more than one. With more cars, the highways are becoming unbearable. People are such a hurry and tempers flare to the point their emotions take over and rage becomes common. Someone cuts you off so you lay on the horn and speed up to salute them with a single finger. They reply with an attempt to scare you by getting closer and cursing you. To what point? To get to the store quicker? What's my point, you say? Yes, we have advanced tremendously in my 73 years. I believe we could advance even more if we got rid of gas cars. I know, I know. Cars, and other things are killing this world we live on. Our grandkids are going to inherit this earth, and what do we leave them? Populution, global warming, devastating weather catastrophes such as flooding, and dying off of thousands of animals and inserts they will only be able to see in a Zoo. Yes, we did all that. And if you do not believe this, you are as blind as our president, other world leaders, and many of our legislators. I want my grandchildren to have a good healthy life, better than mine. I want them to live long and see their grandkids grow even better. I realize to correct what we have done, or even to start correcting things, it will take a long, long time. Do we have that much time? I don't know, but we MUST try. Coastal cities are already building sea walls, the EPA puts strong restrictions on cars each year (until our president said they should not), people have invented self-driving car trains where it follows a wire embedded in the road so there is no risk of anger and you can sit, read the paper and smile at the passing car trains. All operated on electricity made by the sun. Solar power, wind power and electric cars. That has to be our future. Let's pass a brighter future on to our children and our children's children...and to their children for generations. I will get off my 'soap box' for now, but think about all of this and ask what can I do as a single person? A lot. Think about an electric car, put solar panels on your house, recycle your garage, walk instead of driving, plant new trees in your yard, and call your legislators and tell them to make a change for the good of our earth. There is a reason they call this 'Mother Earth'. Take care of MOTHER!