"Outside a dog a book is man's best friend, inside a dog it is too dark to read!" -Groucho Marx========="The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid." -Jane Austen========="I don’t believe in the kind of magic in my books. But I do believe something very magical can happen when you read a good book."-JK Rowling========"I spend a lot of time reading." -Bill Gates=========“Ahhh. Bed, book, kitten, sandwich. All one needed in life, really.” -Jacqueline Kelly=========

Sunday, March 29, 2020

Sunday Salon/Coronavirus Diaries, 4th edition

Is it a grandson or a dinosaur?
Weather: Rain and shine, intermittently.

At home: We, like most people in the USA, are home, unless we walk the dog or make a quick trip for food, trying desperately to avoid contact with other humans while doing so. I watched a video about how to disinfect groceries and that was going one step too far for me. Since we aren't out in the world there is not a lot to report so I decided to spend this post highlighting some of the good aspects of this time of social distancing/stay-at-home order due to the coronavirus outbreak.

Good things:
Bingley on a walk this past week in a wooded forest park near our home
Bad photo but the woodpecker is in the center of the frame with red head.
  • Daily walks with the dog. He loves it and it helps keep us all sane. Last weekend we walked in a wooded park right near our home and discovered a fitness course that meandered around in the trees. We heard and then located a Pileated woodpecker who was busy searching for bugs on a dead snag. This week, due to rain, we have stayed much closer to home, just walking around the block on a few days. 
  • Finding things to laugh about. We can't take the coronavirus news 24-7, so we take humor breaks often. One of those funny things I found on Facebook was the group: Crap Wildlife Photography. It is a place for people to post their bad animal photos and they all make me laugh. The photo I posted as my first submission as a group members was a photo taken in Alaska of sea otters with their pups. The only problem, the animals are so far off the coast, they look like little black spots on the water. Whenever I look at it, I end up laughing. The photo, above of the woodpecker, would probably qualify as a crap wildlife photo.
  • Egyptian Magic All-Purpose Skin Cream. All this hand washing has been driving my skin absolutely bonkers. I developed a rash on my hands that itched and cracked from dryness. Then I started using this skin cream, just a little goes a long way and I have been saved! 
  • Phone calls and FaceTime. We have heard from several close and far away friends and family members. It is good to know that others are thinking of us as we are thinking of them.
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  • Puzzles and games. We have completed our third puzzle and played lots of games...you know, those activities that you enjoy doing but never get around to? Now there is no excuse not to break them out and have some fun. One game that we both seem to like is one our daughter introduced to us this last Christmas break, Qwixx. It a quick game, usually lasting less than ten minutes.
  • Follow some good advice to avoid the virus. This advice from a bone-marrow transplant patient is practical and easy to follow.  And this interview with Trevor Noah and Dr. Fauci and the virus is the best I've heard and the easiest to understand. (It is long, 13 minutes, so get some tea and settle in.


  • Video Church on zoom. This morning about 25 members from our church gathered on Zoom to worship together. We even had a chance for a coffee break with a smaller group of people. 
  • Weirdly good news:  Crime rate in NYC is down, way down. (Washington Post)/// China has passed a ban on trade and consumption of wild animals (Reuters).///Air quality in LA has improved measurably for the past three weeks straight (LA Curbed).///Many people and companies are doing selfless acts of heroism. Read the list in this article. It will make you smile. (The Hill)
  • Books (of course). I finished The Testaments by Margaret Atwood. Fantastic book. I am still reading: Lonesome Dove, All the Songs, The Book of Books, and It's a Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood. Today I will start Fleishman is in Trouble.
  • And this...more of Carly's cats photos. She sends us pictures every day. Every day I thank God that those two boys went to live with our daughter just in the nick of time to keep her company and entertained.
-Anne

8 comments:

  1. That tail is amazing! I wish I had a dog to walk, but I walk plenty as it is. I'm reading a couple mysteries because I need some escapist lit.

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    1. I love the cat photos. The boys are so playful. Yesterday as we talked to Carly, Fred had retrieved a toilet paper tube from the bin and was carrying it around in his mouth.

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  2. Thanks for that video. Hope you are doing well. I’m very glad the weather is getting nice. It helps to be able to get outside. I saw that video about the groceries too. Seemed a bit excessive. I haven’t been in much of a reading mood...but I just got a new sewing machine, so that may be why! Take care!

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  3. I have to agree that wiping stuff down is a little OTT for me. I have fallen down the Facebook rabbit hole more than once recently. One to make you laugh...goggle your name +glamour shot.

    Wishing you a great reading week and good health

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  4. I thank you for sharing some of the positive things that are going on in the world right now. I enjoy watching the squirrels and birds in our backyard. I seem to spend hours doing that each day. I'm glad that you and your family are doing well.

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  5. I'm so glad you're finding the positive and the humor through all of this; it really is the only way to stay sane.

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  6. Crap Wildlife Photography...gotta love that! Thanks for brightening up my day. :D

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  7. Hahahaha cats definitely help to pass the time and keep one occupied and smiling. Your daughter is very lucky to have those two kitties.

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