The fish story

 Once upon a time, as a young college student  

walked to and from classes at UConn, 

she looked down and spotted a fish.  

Well, no, it wasn't exactly a fish.  

It was a squashed beer can top, 

but it looked exactly like a fish!

Fascinated, she picked up the fish and put it in her pocket.  

When she saw a friend that lived in the next dorm over, 

she turned it so it looked just like a fish and asked, 

"What do you see?"

"A smooshed beer can top!"  he responded.

"Doesn't it look like a fish?" the young woman asked.

"It looks like a smooshed beer can top!" he insisted.

So much for that.  

The young woman asked another friend or two, 

who provided similar responses.

What, was she the only creative thinker here?  

Maybe she was just nuts.  

Soon she would be seeing her boyfriend.  

If he didn't see it, perhaps she was being silly.  

She pulled out the smooshed beer can top, 

set exactly so that it looked like a fish, and asked,

"What does this look like to you?"

"A fish!" he exclaimed, without hesitation.

The young man got points that day.  

This is not to say that correctly identifying a fish 

was the reason the young woman eventually married him, 

but the event stuck with her.  

He identified the fish.  

The young woman kept the fish in her jewelry box forever.

Covid Chronicles, Week 34

 The coolest event from this week is my "Coffeepot story". 

It's a bit long, but a heartwarming story for me:

We'll start with my parish priest, Father Mark.  

Father Mark is awesome.  

He came to us a few years ago, with his two dogs, Harry and Oliver.  

Father Mark is inspiring when he gives his homilies.  

He gets your attention with his understanding of events and feelings.  

Father Mark has attracted many new parishioners, built up many of our programs, 

and created a true sense of community.  

Father Mark built up a website, a Facebook page, 

and set us up with an app that provides all information anyone might need 

at the touch of a finger.  

He's probably the best parish priest we have ever had!

When Covid hit, Father further showed his forward thinking and innovation.  

We were quickly able to watch Mass at our parish via either Facebook or directly online.  

He has been giving weekly video messages in addition to the recorded homilies.  

The Coffeepot story begins about two weeks ago, 

when I was getting shipping notifications about some sort of mystery box.  

I couldn't figure out what might be coming from Walmart!  

I don't even have an account there!

Perhaps something I ordered from Amazon was coming via Walmart?  

Who knows these days?

A large box was parked on my doorstep.  I opened it to find......

a coffeemaker???

Oh, rats.  Gotta spend my time fixing this now.

I first went the route of the online chat.  

What's your order number?

I don't have an order number!

Oh, what's your email?

I can't see why they need my email, but I give it to them. 

Etc.  

I learned that the item was ordered by 

an obscure one-truck shipping company, 

and I learned that they paid for it.  Not me.  

(I've never heard of them before this!)

In the end, I was supposed to get a shipping label 

and it would be picked up by the USPS, to return to Walmart.  

Well, I never got the shipping label 

but I did get an email from the USPS that they were picking it up.

What do I know?  

I set it out BEFORE our mail came, with the email attached.

I left it out all day.  We were away for part of that day.

We came home and it was still there. 

It got dark and it was still there.

I figured that I'd better bring it inside.

(Who wants their house to look like no one is home 

with a big box on the doorstep, anyway?)

The next morning, I got an email from the USPS 

that they attempted to pick up my package but it was not there.

No mention of when this might have occurred.....

Oh, no.  

I got on the computer and found a phone number for Walmart. 

What's your order number?

I don't have an order number!

What's your email?

Good grief!!!

After talking to TWO people there, 

my second person said that if I didn't hear back, 

I could keep it, donate it, or do whatever I'd like.  

The box sat in my TV room for 10 days, awaiting its fate.  

Finally, we decided no one was going to call us.  

We don't need a coffeemaker.

On a daily basis, we use the low-tech Mellita filter method.

With company, we already have a different drip coffeemaker.  

I opened everything up again and took a picture of the item.

I sent the picture with an offer to Father Mark:

Did he want it?

Did he know where it can be of good use? 

Well he took it!

I think it's for his use, but that's FINE with us.

He certainly deserves a break!

Peter dropped it off at the parish office yesterday afternoon.  

Well, I'm sure you have experienced the happy effect of giving away something.  

I'm grateful for that opportunity!

Covid Chronicles, Week 33

 The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting chillier.  

We attempted to take our weekly picnic last Friday at the Jones Winery in Shelton.  

When I researched the website, it was apparent that they do not allow outside food.  

Wine is served by the glass with a reservation.  

However, you can stop in and purchase just wine bottles without a reservation.  

We packed up our little cooler, coordinated our driving with some other stops that needed to be made (which included a free boxed lunch from Yale-New Haven Health for pharmacy week), and pulled in just as it started to drizzle a little.  (What?  No, that was not in the forecast!)

Two bottles of a chianti-like wine.  Can you please open one?

Believe it or not, the answer was no!  

Note to self:  Keep a bottle opener in the cooler from now on.  

We drove to a nearby state park, named "Indian Well."  

(Okay, I'm sure it was named a long time ago!)

It was drizzly, but we parked by the river and enjoyed a "car picnic."  

We talked about how "car picnics" might be fun once December hits.

(Gotta do something to get out!)

We got out of the car to walk around after we finished our lunch. 

It was beautiful!  

(Except for the wet grass, which resulted in wet socks under my sneakers.)  

Here are some photos:  

I was fascinated by the glittering effect of the raindrops on the clover!

Finally, here's a cool thing I found.....

Glastonbury, Connecticut - Fall Drone Tour

Glastonbury, Connecticut - Fall Drone Tour

It's a four minute aerial tour of Glastonbury in the fall.  

Covid Chronicles, Week 32

 Not a lot new this week.

We went up to Katie's house and finished the power washing on Thursday.  

It was a beautiful autumn day!  

This is the scene in her front yard. 

Our outdoor heater (aka "The Towering Inferno") worked well on Saturday evening when we had John come to enjoy some chili and cornbread on the back porch.  It gives off light as well as heat.  I'm so glad we got this!

Covid Chronicles, Week 30

 Getting that crisp autumn air now!

We have always enjoyed doing funky things 

like naming chipmunks which we catch and "relocate" a few miles away.  

We start with A and move to Z.  

Last year we went through the entire alphabet 

with chipmunks that were successfully moved.  

This year we have far fewer chipmunks!

I recently learned of a recipe for catching fruit flies.  

You put some red wine into a shallow bowl,

 add some sugar and blend, 

then give it a squirt of dish liquid and stir that in as well.  

Cover with plastic wrap 

and poke a few holes in the top with a toothpick.  

Leave out in the area.  

I have caught 15 fruit flies so far, 

and I don't really see them hovering 

over our fruits that sit on the counter this time of year!

Peter decided it was time to name these little guys.  

He loved the name, "Flew."  Especially because it sounds like "flu."  

And it means that guy is no longer flying.  

Fruit flies are annoying, like viruses.  

So our names are all viral/illness related.  

Here they are, for your chuckles.  

(We recently caught "Outbreak," #15.)  

Asphyxia

Bosophil

Covid

Drosophila

Eosinophil

Flew

Globidin

Health-no

Infectious

JusticeMet

Poison

Linger

Morbidity

Novel

Outbreak

Pandemic

Quarantine

Relapse

Spike

Transmission

Undiagnosed

Viral

Worry

Xenophobe

Yikes

Zoonotic

Have a fruit fly free day!!

Covid Chronicles, Week 29

 Lots of "house stuff" this past week.....

In August I ordered an outdoor heater, similar to the kinds you see at restaurants that have patios, and they are trying to extend the use of the patio through the colder months.  

Well, now it is all set up and we've given it a go, when John visited on Wednesday evening for dinner.  

Then, on Friday, just as we were leaving for our weekly picnic,

our little tables arrived, which we purchased 

for the sides of the new gas fireplace in the living room!

They were made in Ohio, 

either by Amish or Mennonites, 

but it's "Amish furniture."

Cherry wood with a cherry finish.....they look great!

You can see the doorway to the hall, at the left.

That's the one we cut into the wall.  

Now I can be in the living room and hear what is going on in the kitchen!

It's much better for "flow," if we ever get to have company inside again.  

(Silly me, of course we will.  It's just a matter of time.)  

Wishing you warm evenings with a gentle glow!

Covid Chronicles, Week 28

 

A follow-up to the bathroom story:  Insects appear to be gone!  

The weather has been cool.....I finally turned on the heat on the main floor.  I wasn't much good to anyone while I sat and shivered.  The weather will warm up later this week and I'm sure the heat will be turned off again soon. 

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This past weekend a new car wash opened up in town!

They were offering $10 off any of their car washes, which made their lowest priced car wash free!

Of course, Peter decided all of our cars needed a wash.

He took his Ford Ranger through on Friday morning.  Then he came home, and we swapped cars for our weekly Friday picnic, bringing his convertible through before heading out.  On Saturday, as we left for a 6 year old's birthday "party" (just us and the parents/child, very small), we brought my VW  through as well.  

I always find it fun to take photos in car washes.  The colors are beautiful!  

This new car wash had some especially pleasant results.

I absolutely love this photo!

(I've always been partial to blues/greens.)

Kind of crazy how these little things brighten a day!