A SPECIAL BIRTHDAY
05.21.2020: Today has been full of unexpected successes. One is that I can now use my newly formatted Maytag Moments Blog site. I can also insert pictures that should not overlap anymore. https://maytagmoments.com/ See how you like it. This draft copy that I’m working on will become the next copy. Swombo does the editing. I insert the pictures, and away we go!.
05.22.2020: Bank trip and Costco where we bought our hearing aids. PJ’s “dorky” is broken. She’s going to have to get new hearing aids. Everyone was wearing masks. The longest line was checking out. (and we were moving through the Self-Checkout) The total experience took one hour.
Julie came over with supplies. We listened to a recording of Sabrina singing (class recital). Beautiful! Julie also fixed our tablets so we could read our ebooks. I’m SO glad she studied Computer Science in college! I’m SO glad she went to college! I’m SO glad she is our daughter! 1830: Dinner time. Instead of TV, we caught up on our reading. I have a couple of Arizona Highways I haven’t finished. 2000: I went to bed. I don’t know when PJ came to bed.
05.23.2020:0445: I had a good sleep last night. 0600:I’m practicing archery for 30 minutes. Ring Around the Rosy again: 2 in, 1 out. 1 in, 2 out. I’ll practice again this afternoon.
0700: Walking in Udall. Only 1000 steps today.
Vermillion Flycatcher and his mate? Naturally, I didn’t have my telephoto. No matter, I couldn’t have been fast enough to focus. Even at this, I was ten yards away. the best my zoom focus will do on my cell. See his redhead?
I took PJ to Jerry Bob’s for breakfast. They have signs on various tables designating “No service at this table.” The seating was at least twelve feet apart before one can find another usable table. As we entered, I noticed one Round table (for six) filled with a “club” of men that were having a grand visit. I didn’t see any masks on. 0845 – 1045: I wrote 6040 words on my CIP. I took a two-and-half-hour nap! PJ had lunch for me when I awoke. I read four stories (a series) from a member of the (greater) writing group who has been in lock-down at her residence.
1600: Swombo wants to read a story to me. It is a touching story from last year’s Reader’s Digest: March 2019, p. 92 – My Friend the TIMBER WOLF. It brought tears.
05.24.2020: After a discussion with Julie and Joe, we have decided to stay sheltered for another four weeks (until the end of June. This means we won’t go to restaurants. We’ll use the pick-up service at Sprouts (or a delivery service that Julie and Joe bought us for her birthday). We feel it is a safer plan. We’ll still walk Udall Park with masks, of course.
0630: Walking Udall again. We took a side path and watched the dogs in their park for a while. Only 1200 steps, total.
Practiced shooting this morning with SWOMBO scoring me. 200/300. Right arm shaking. Had to release too quickly.
0900: Watched the service at St. Francis in the Foothills. Suddenly, my laptop lost all WYFI connection. Both PCs worked; PJ’s tablet and my (smaller) tablet worked. But the laptop was not working. Fortunately, Joe and Julie will be by tomorrow to celebrate PJ’s birthday a day early. Funny thing: My PC doesn’t have a mike, but picked up the “Zoom” with no problem. I need it to work for Tuesdays’ ALOHA Zoom meeting. We have questions about getting new RESOUND hearing aids for her. I’m sure they need upgrading. The new ones won’t need a dorky.
We spent the evening watching CBS Sunday Morning. I wish they would extend the Moment With Nature to at least 60-seconds instead of a 30-second moment. The opening trumpets were a surprising twist.
05.25.2020: PJ’s Birthday a Day Early!
It’s actually May 26th, but Jessa and Joe have to work on Tuesday, so we figured we could move it up or sideways. After all, it’s her birthday. She can have it for the rest of the month if she wants. I printed the font in 26-point just for her.
Jessa and PJ keeping not quite six-feet apart.
Joe and Ethan preparing lunch for the family meal.
Julie with Phyllis as she inspects her Birthday Bundt Cake
Phyllis and Joe serve the cake. (Chocolate, of course.)
PJ opens her present.
What do you know? A new watch! It reads out steps for her!
Phyllis @85years! Sam (with beard); Sabrina; Zachery (without beard); Julie; Ethan and Joe (without beards).
A Birthday truly worth remembering.
The best present by far was having the family around her. We are going to try the other gift for June. www.homechef.com
Home Chef: Meal Delivery Service – Fresh Weekly Meal Kit …
For about $7.00 per meal, once a week, we’ll see how it goes. We are going to renew our efforts to stay protected.
Concerned about the increasing heat, the thought is that we can walk Park Place Mall at 0600 (IF it is open!).
05.26.2020: We called Park Place Mall using the number they advertised and got no response. Then, we drove there at 0900, and the doors were closed. We saw an employee and asked when it opened. 1100. At 0300, we visited the mall again to see what walking conditions would be. The inside is cool. I counted the people with no masks; PJ counted the ones with masks just as we walked one-quarter of the mall. 56 with; 67 without. So 84% were not wearing. All the employees were wearing masks.
I bought her an ice-cream cone for her Birthday. Gotta’ keep Swombo happy! Conclusion: We will continue walking Udall with its open space even if we have to start by 0600 before the temperature reaches 100º. That would be before 0800. If it gets that hot at 0700, we’ll stay home.
As a child,
As a child, I was told and believed that there was a treasure' buried beneath every rainbow. I believed it so much that I have been unsuccessfully chasing rainbows most of my life. I wonder why no one ever told me that the rainbow and the treasure were both within me. - Gerald G. Jampolsky, M.D.