MAYTAG MOMENTS

(Living with Parkinson’s) ©

by

Sam and Phyllis Turner

11.25-11.30.2020

The Zoom Advantage

11.25.2020: 0630: Turkey (slices) are in the freezer.

Pre-Thanksgiving: Italian sausage and pasta.  It should have been Deep Dish Pizza since we were watching Somebody Feed Phil whose program was in Chicago.  We aren’t great pizza fans, but the ones shown in his program looked scrumptious. However, we aren’t complaining. This meal was excellent.

(PJ still had trouble with her computer. We’ll have Julie give us a lesson on using our cell phones while working on the computer.)

1200: The Turner/Slocum family had their first Zoom meeting today! At one point, there were 13 pictures on our screen

Julie brought us Heritage bread from Barrio Bakery that makes excellent toast. It is so fresh one can rip a piece off and stuff it in one’s mouth without butter or anything. Barrio Bakery won national awards this year.

HB4116

11.26.2020:

All foods provided by Joe and Julie through Honeybaked and HomeChef. (The deliveries keep us off the streets.)

Sliced turkey and mashed potatoes. Friday, we’ll remember to show the pecan pie. We ate our two pieces too fast for the camera.

Thanks to both of you!

Here’s how the Zoom looked.

Yes, Phyllis should be on Sam’s frame and vice/versa.  Minor problem. We are all there. Find geraldslocum – That’s Margot and Jerry, the seniors in this group. Jerry is PJ’s older brother. Joe’s family at the top right; Julie’s family top left. PJ’s sister, Ruth, and Mo, next to Sam. Phyllis sat in my chair so she could hear better. (We didn’t have captioning.) States represented are California, Oregon, Utah, Oklahoma, Illinois, Texas, and Arizona. Did I miss any? We stayed connected for two hours!  We were safe! 

If you haven’t tried Zoom, we can recommend it. It takes some learning.  I haven’t learned the hosting, yet, but I’m getting close. Even without a pandemic, what are the chances for this many people to meet in one place at the same time for a couple of hours, and then go on about their business?

11.27.2020: 0515: I finished the Michael J. Fox book. I have been reading parts of it to PJ.  She’s reading it, now.

 1500:While PJ rests, I’m working on this MM. I purposely let myself get sidetracked watching Joel McGurl demonstrate his painting landscape technique. It’s easy to slip into the painting mode even though I’ve not painted since October 2019. Then, it was a six-minute self-portrait in watercolor.

 Watching McGurl painting a landscape reminds me of the joy of painting.

I know the feeling,

the excitement

of setting up my easel

at the “pre-ordained” location

(as the spirits move me)

 for this plein air experience.

 I commune with the spiritual,

 telepathic energy of my fellow artists

 knowing that they are enjoying the connection:

 Bruce, Virginia, Barbara, Chuck,

Janice, Douglas, Hazel, Fred, Jean,

Betty, Eloise, Sabrina, Bill,

Ana, Charles, Sara, Flo, Sarine,

and (hopefully) the past students

with whom I facilitated

in elementary and middle school art programs

(all adults, now).

Your energy permeates the atmosphere

 where I stand,

 experiencing my enthusiasm,

 my thrill of placing that first stroke of color

 on paper as you look

over my shoulder

and

smile.

Then I read a note from Dan Baldwin Writing Tip of the Week – How I Do Whatever It Is That I do, and, like Picard in Star Trek, “engage” my fingers with my keyboard.  From watercolor to the keyboard, all happening in one instance. What’s happening to me?

In the past two evenings, we have watched two shows on Netflix that were fascinating:

  1. Dance Dreams Hot Chocolate Nutcracker. We thought of Sabrina and the Gaslight Youth Theater (that is not happening because of Covid.)
  2. Voices of Fire about the formation of a 150-voice gospel choir and the strenuous training that each member endures. The Voice can’t compare to them!

11.28.2020:Parkinson’s Specific training with Tresha. Better this time, but no cigar.

11.29.2020: Church and Zoom Talkback.  A partial eclipse of the Moon at 2300. I think we’ll pass on that.

11.30.2020: 55º but feels like 45º and windy. We see our Primary Care Doctor this morning. All went well. The whole process including the blood test took two hours. Half the time was waiting.

Remember Rabbit Day tomorrow!

Why are you waiting

to begin your life?

Do you think the world must care

and come soliciting?

Listen to the knocking at the door of your own heart.

It is only faint because you have not answered.

You have fooled yourself with preparations

Time left laughing

while you considered possibilities.

Wake up

you have slept long enough.

Wake up

tomorrow may be too late.

~Judith Gass~