Covid Chronicles, Week 16

On Friday of last week we packed a picnic lunch and headed to a local winery.  Trying to stay away from crowds, this worked very well.  The winery opens at 11, and we were there shortly after that.  Only a few others were there and everyone was well-spaced apart.  It was very nice.  Later in the day and into the evening they have music, and by the number of chairs it looks like they get quite a crowd!  It looks to be all within guidelines but I still prefer the less-populated lunchtime.  

From the winery we drove to Peter's office in Hamden.  No surprise that he had to clear the room out; he's only working one day a week, and the entire department is working from home now.  So we each donned a mask and I met a few people in the building.  I had never seen his office before.  The new person's name is already on the door!

It was all kind of fun, just getting out like this.  We are trying to enjoy the "little things."

Our Polish friends and their daughter (age 5), were supposed to take two weeks to visit family in Poland at this time.  With Covid, that was not to be.  They rented a home in Old Saybrook instead.  They have rented there many times before, and have often invited us over during their stay.  This time, they invited us again, so on Sunday morning we set off in spite of an afternoon T-storm watch.  However, the weather held out and we had a wonderful time in the shade in the back yard!

The back yard is adjacent to a salt water marsh that houses many birds.  We all love the red-winged blackbirds!

I knit a crown for Vivienne; unfortunately it was a bit small for her.  I promised to make her another one in yellow, and it will be a bit larger.  Here's how it came out, modeled by a stuffed animal:

We worked our visit with a combination of masks and distancing.....and of course hand sanitizer.

Covid Chronicles, Week 15

In 2017 I joined a CSA at a local farm, called "Deercrest".  In case you are not familiar with the term, CSA stands for "Community Sponsored Agriculture."  It's a way to continually get seasonal, local, fresh food while helping your local farmer.  One pays up front, and each week you get a box or bag of produce.  In total we spend about $25/week.  What you get varies from farm to farm, and if the weather is not cooperative the quality will not be as you hoped!  However, it's an "investment" in your local farm.  Since we are always trying to help our local businesses, it's perfect for us.  If we have too much food or are on vacation (LOL, no vacation this year!), John is always happy to take on some fresh produce.  Easy.  

We like Deercrest a lot because they always have some fruit in the box.  They're also really friendly.  They also occasionally include fresh apple cider as we move into late summer.  Peter and John both have a fondness for real, unfiltered, unpasteurized apple cider.  

Last year I decided to try a different farm, one that was a bit closer.  It wasn't as good, even though it is an excellent farm.  Too many greens and hardly any fruit.  We missed the variety.....so now we are back at Deercrest!

Last week we got our first CSA box with broccoli rabe, regular broccoli, dandelion greens, radishes, baby salad greens, and strawberries!   

Doing a CSA often requires a bit of research.  My farm will provide recipes on its website, but I usually just Google things on my own.  How the heck does one cook dandelion greens, for example?  Well, I found a recipe.  It involved simmering the greens in salted water for a few minutes, which supposedly gets a good part of the bitterness out.  Then they went into the skillet with some sauteed onions and spices.  We ate it all!

Here is our second CSA box, which I picked up this morning:

Broccoli, cauliflower, turnip greens, field greens, strawberries, and apple cider vinegar!

I have a recipe for the turnip greens, which also uses the vinegar, and I will try it tonight in my "Instant Pot."  

Covid Chronicles, Week 14

Yes, I skipped week 13.  Not a good week.  

My Aunt (Mom's youngest sister) and Uncle live in Norwalk.  She's been in Bridgeport Hospital. She had some heart issues, went for some sort of surgery, but is not doing well.  It doesn't look good.  

Peter and I have been working on our new patio in the front yard.  We are finally finished with it enough to sit on our new "conversation bench."  

Good thing we can sit now, as today I am achy from all the bending over yesterday!!!

A few days ago we took a ride to the ferry landing in Glastonbury, where the "oldest continuously operating ferry in the United States" travels to and from Rocky Hill.  It was very peaceful there.  I looked across the river and saw that the restaurant there had tables, just scattered farther apart than they used to be.  So they appear to be up and running.  The ferry is also continuing, with limitations.  

Regardless, for just a moment it seemed like all will be all right with our world.

I hope you are finding things like the photo above to remind you of hope and resilience!

About a month ago I contacted my hairdresser and asked if she would be interested in coming to our house to cut three heads of hair on the back porch.  I specified that everyone would be using masks, and she wouldn't be doing any washing, coloring, or blow drying.  Also, no worries if she declined.  Well, she said yes!  She came yesterday around 5 pm, and now Peter, John and I all look a lot better!

Covid Chronicles, Week 12

OK, so now I am over the Memorial Day holiday hump and moving on.  We drove north again on Saturday to have another short visit with Katie, and John came over again for a distanced Sunday evening dinner on the back porch.  Our garden is moving along, and so is the small patio in the front of the house.  I’m expecting my new bench from Wayfair today.....hopefully.  

Two fun stories for today:

First, a story about the garden.....Peter has been curious for a while now about growing hops.  Yes, the stuff they use in beer.  We know they are “bines,” that grow tall and climb on things like string or poles. They actually seem to be decorative as well.  But where to find them?  They certainly aren’t in any local nurseries!

He finally found some online, from Michigan.  They are not cheap.  So he bought just two, one each of two different types (Cascade and Chinook).  He even paid for shipping!  Whoa!

No, he’s not starting a new hobby....just very interested.  Perhaps a neighbor will use them to make homemade beer and share?

They arrived with certificates!  They are “pest free.”  Cute little things growing in little pots.  They also arrived with information on “growing hops.”

Um, did you know there are male and female plants for hops?  The female plants are the ones that make the cone-shaped hops that are dried for beer.  

So, what do we have?  Do we need both a male and female plant?  Good grief, why did we even get two *different* plants?  How do you tell a baby male plant from a baby female plant? 

So today he called the company.  The woman who answered the phone was very helpful!  Good news:  They only sell female plants, because the ONLY reason you need a male plant is if you are breeding new plants.  And then it’s a gamble about what kind of hops you end up with, anyway!  Yes, we can plant the two different plants next to each other, about 4 feet apart.  Phew!!!

He took an old dead cedar tree and set that up in the garden.  Soon we will have string strung up to one of the branches, and our baby hops will have a home.  

The second story is an addition to last week’s story about re-writing “9 to 5” as “6 to 10.”  I sent this to a number of people via email.  One of them is a friend that I worked with at our local magnet school (she was a first grade teacher then), and she is also in my weekly bible study group.  She responded enthusiastically, asking if she could send this to a friend in England who would love to sing it!  Would I mind?

No, of course I don’t mind.  I just do this for fun, and hopefully others will get a smile out of it.  I don’t worry about copyright or anything.  Send it anywhere you want!

A few days later, I received an email with an mp3 attachment.  Her friend recorded the song!  It’s AMAZING.  That certainly made my day!!!! 

Best wishes for health and safety to you and yours,

Covid Chronicles, week 11

The Covid thing is starting to get to me more.  I guess I have some days that are better than others......but the Memorial Day holiday, without a parade, without having everyone over for burgers on the back porch....and knowing that this could go on for quite a while, well, that's depressing.   We actually did have John over for burgers outside on Sunday evening, but he sits apart from us.....kind of like when the Amish "shun" a family member.  It's very nice except I don't really get near him.  I stretch out my arms and say, "virtual hug!"  

I try to focus on the positives:  With the good weather, we can have socially distant gatherings with family, friends and neighbors.  Just not too many at once.  I continue to "see" others via Zoom or FaceTime.  The good weather also allows us to go for more walks, and since we are trying to walk all the streets of Glastonbury, we are often driving to different streets and seeing different things.  Yesterday we took the 1935 Ford Pickup out for a ride, and that's fun as well.  

Also, yesterday we ordered takeout from Bertucci's and enjoyed that outside on our back porch.  It felt like a luxury!  Thinking back, we realized that the last time we ate restaurant food was exactly ten weeks earlier, in Miami.  We returned home late that evening.  So March 16 began "week one" for us.  We are now beginning "week 11".  

I re-wrote the lyrics to Dolly Parton's song, "9 to 5".  What do you think?

I call it, "6 to 10"  (Social Distance Song):

Tumble outta bed and I stumble to the kitchen;

Dig down deep to get some ambition

‘Cause work at home – has demons to fend.

Jump in the shower, think about your mornin’.

If you go out there, you gotta keep watchin’

“Cause folks like me – stay away from 6 to 10.

Keepin’ 6 to 10 – what a way to go on livin’;

And I wonder when – we can stop this social distance.

They say, “use your mask” – and also disinfectant.

It’s enough to drive you – crazy if you let it!

6 to 10 – to stop the spread of Covid.

When you think of it – it’s depressingly morbid.

Want to hug my kids – but the rules don’t seem to let me.

I swear sometimes that germ is – out to get me!

We can go out but we keep our distance;

We want it safe in every instance

But we’ve got dreams it’ll never take away.

We’re in the same boat with all of our friends,

Waitin’ for the day our ship’ll come in,

And the tide’s gonna turn, and it’s all gonna roll our way!

Keepin’ 6 to 10 – what a way to go on livin’;

And I wonder when – we can stop this social distance.

They say, “use your mask” – and also disinfectant.

It’s enough to drive you – crazy if you let it!

6 to 10 – to stop the spread of Covid.

There’s a better life – and you dream about it, don’t you?

It’s a changin’ game – no matter how they call it,

And you spend your life hopin’ for good news that will stall it!

6 to 10 – what a way to go on livin’;

And I wonder when – we can stop this social distance.

They say, “use your mask” – and also disinfectant.

It’s enough to drive you – crazy if you let it!

6 to 10 – to stop the spread of Covid.

There’s a better life – and you dream about it, don’t you?

It’s a changing game – no matter how they call it,

And you spend your life – hopin’ for good news that will stall it!

6 to 10, keepin’ 6 to 10….

This is one way I express myself during Covid.  

Stay safe and be healthy!

Covid Chronicles, Week 10

 It seems as though I'm busier than ever now that the weather is picking up.

Peter has started making what he calls a "victory garden."  He rented a post hole digger to set 11 posts.  I helped him ensure they were up straight.  I was the "person with the level."  

We finally got a chance to drive up to see Katie and Andy!  Ninety minutes to drive there, 90 minutes to visit (socially distantly) on the back porch, and 90 minutes to return home.  We were tired by then, but it was nice to see them and their dogs.  Uhtred, the puppy, jumped on us as we arrived.  That was ok until I realized that his paws were quite muddy!  Oh, well.  Good thing we have a washer and dryer at home.  

Otherwise, Uhtred has a pretty good disposition.  Poor Dogmatix has to deal with the puppy jumping on him occasionally, but apparently all is going well overall.  

Actually, Uhtred wasn't feeling well a few weeks ago, and the vet prescribed medications for inflammation.  He tested negative for Lyme disease, however, and it's most likely some "growing pains" that puppies can get.  

We are planning to make a small patio in the front of the house.  I went online to find some furniture that we could put there, and I found this from Wayfair:

It's actually all one piece!  It's called a "Tete-a-Tete Bench".  It's cast aluminum.  Already on order, should arrive by mid-June.  

As we go walking in different neighborhoods, I have been looking for a piece like this, but to no avail.  We see lots of benches, Adirondack chairs, and an occasional tiny garden table with two chairs.  I didn't want the wiry look of those garden tables and chairs; I wanted some chairs with arms that looked comfortable but don't send us into a reclining slumber, like an Adirondack chair could.  This seems to be my best bet.  We can sit and read and enjoy some sort of beverage while sitting together.  

A lot of the time I go outside and sit on the steps if I am waiting for an expected visitor to arrive.  This will be a lot nicer for that!  (Sitting on the steps is not the greatest for comfort!)

Covid Chronicles, Week 8

Best wishes for a happy Mother's Day!

We are very happy to have had a very nice day on our 39th anniversary a few days ago.  Well, it was about as good as it can get with Covid restrictions in place.  We enjoyed a walk in the sunshine, and later in the afternoon Katie called just as John was expected for a visit!  We sat outside, ten feet away from John, with Katie on the speaker phone.  So nice to have a "family visit!"  

After the phone call ended and John left, we cooked a dinner of filet mignon (which we ordered from Omaha steaks just as the problems with meat began to brew), and a dessert of ricotta cheesecake.  Good thing we know a thing or two about cooking!

I was browsing on Facebook this weekend....and I came upon this template for a mask.  It looked to be exactly what I was looking for!   And - it was FREE.  I've never really taken to sewing, but it seems like having a number of washable masks on hand is a good idea right now.  We already had a few masks (two each), but I wanted a more fitted model (like this).  This one looked to be simple for my basic sewing skills.  It worked out pretty well,  The links are included below.  

Perhaps you....or someone you know.....would also like this.  I was happy to share it with a friend who needed the child size for her granddaughter!  

Three of my masks were made from cloth napkins with a fairly tight weave.  I made two more with old denim pants for the outside layer and an old navy t-shirt for the inner layer.  I had enough elastic to make ear-loops for three of the masks; Amazon has some that will arrive in another week.  In the meantime, I cut up an old sock and those became ear-loops on one of mine.  

Thanks to my mom and dad, who gave me a sewing machine years ago as a gift!  Digging out the machine was a chore, but once that's done the machine became more "accessible."  I made five masks!

Here is a photo of the masks made from cloth napkins:

Here is the link to the template:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UlnV0alwP3r0ZblWc6k9E8SCk2DCYUfe/view

And here is the YouTube video:  DIY Fabric Face Mask - Make These Well Fitting Masks to Donate to Healthcare Workers and Shelters

DIY Fabric Face Mask - Make These Well Fitting Masks to Donate to Health... Download the pattern here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1UlnV0alwP3r0ZblWc6k9E8SCk2DCYUfe/view?usp=sharing Th...