Losses & Gaines

08.28-09.04

Concerning Lute Olsen:

Please click the link below to read Paul Cunningham’s thoughts on Lute:

https://www.tucsonaz.gov/ward-2/weekly-update-august-28th-2020

From Carolyn O. in Kansas

You all are amazing.  Glad to know you are keeping safe and well.  Our town was doing pretty good until the college kids came back…no social distancing no masks and not following rules.   Finally, the city council is shutting down and issuing fines of bars and restaurants not following rules.   

Take care.

 I enjoy our evening walks.

Thanks for the picture, Carolyn. {For some reason I can tell that this isn’t Tucson!}

08.29.2020: Spent most of the day catching up. No novel writing.  1700:  I’m going to help PJ with dinner.  Need to shut down the computer.  Looks like a storm coming from the south. The temperature has dropped from 99º to 93º.

08.30.2020: 0600: While checking the (empty) rain gauge, I found this Desert Spiny Lizard (Sceloporus magister) looking none too happy about my presence. But then, I’ve never seen a lizard that did look happy! He sat still long enough for me to get this shot with my cell. 

 

 Ethan’s 17th Birthday celebration at our house. Ethan, Sam, and Sabrina.

Ethan and Orlando Dog                         

Father Joe and Ethan

08.31.2020: We walked a total of 3,290 Steps (The Mall AND Costco Hearing). Her post-test of hearing aids is successful and she’s good to go. While in Costco, we bought some peaches and bananas.

In the afternoon, I spent time reading my Syllabus for a class I’m taking. I have twenty-five lessons in September.  The teacher does not use Zoom. (She has 35+ students.) We have 12 homework tasks within the 25 lectures. The class will keep me off the streets.

1800: We had the last of the leftovers for dinner. We watched two editions of News and CBS Sunday Morning (on Monday evening). We also watched the last half of Riverdance!  Recorded to watch segments again when desired. I began watching a documentary about Leonard Nimoy on Netflix.  I’ll finish it tomorrow.  To bed by 2130.

09.01.2020: RABBIT!!  Hope you remembered.  Up by 0445.  Clearing emails. 1400:We had an excellent PD meeting. PJ and I were able to view it on separate screens.  I used my cell in her office, and she used my earphones and microphone in my office. The subject was Caregiving. The speaker, a specialist in Caregiving, reminded us to consider our own needs. A Caregiver needs brakes, also.

PJ and I have dual roles currently. She needs exercise for her back and takes physical therapy for that. I do lifting and garbage carryout. She holds my hand when we walk. She sits through tedious TV programs with me so that we can share the pluses and minuses.

We cooked a great dinner:  Maui Pork Tostadas with ginger-garlic sour cream and red pepper.

We’re lucky because, for the most part, we like the same things on TV. Aside from the news we like Call the Midwife, Whose Line Is It Anyway?, PBS specials (like Riverdance), and documentaries, and Victoria. When Outlander, Dancing with the Stars, Songland, and The Voice arrive, we’ll be the first in line. Sports?  If and when the U.ofA. Basketball happens, we’ll watch that. And their football.

What about you? What are your favorite shows?

09.02.2020: 0415:  Jupiter – Mars – Spica (not a planet but a bright star between Mars and Saturn) Saturn – Venus – Mercury can be seen as the Moon sets before the Sun rises. Last night was crystal clear. A good pair of binoculars would allow you to see two or three of Jupiter’s four moons. Jupiter has 79 known moons, most requiring large sophisticated telescopes.

Over the next two weeks, for the first time in more than a decade, you can see all of the naked-eye, visible planets — from Mercury to Saturn — together in the predawn sky.

https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/observing-news/get-up-early-see-five-planets-at-once

09,03.2020: 0445: Up & exercising. Then, to keyboard and checking on the assignments for my Hero’s Journey class. Discovering responses from Quail Run Writers who have already completed next week’s assignment! You folks are doing great. Beverly’s ghost prompt scared the ghosts out of you, (and us). Eight of 10 have already responded.