STAY AT HOME DIARY: WEEK 4

Are you worried about your children missing a couple months of school? This week, I downloaded a great Kindle book, “Educated.” The memoir seems very timely now, with all the school closings due to COVID-19. Author Tara Westover never attended elementary school or high school. She wasn’t even home schooled. And yet, she graduated from Brigham Young University, and received a Ph.D from Trinity College in Cambridge, U.K. Her older brother taught her to read, but she had to teach herself algebra before she could get into college.

On Wednesday, I weeded the flower beds. And tomorrow, if it doesn’t rain, I’m going to transplant some Hosta. It’s great to be out in the fresh air, and digging in the dirt. .

My husband has agreed to let me trim his beard. I’m letting my own short hair grow longer. I may come out of this with a new hair style.

It’s strange watching TV reporters social distancing and reporting from home. They look so pale and their features appear distorted without the fancy make up and good lighting. I bet they hate seeing themselves on TV. Some of their home environments don’t look very snazzy. Plain white venetian blinds? A microwave on top of your frig? If it were me, I think I’d rig up a nicer background. Some pretty curtains, maybe. A plant or two? Anything but venetian blinds or a microwave oven.

Finally, got out some old cookbooks, looking for recipes that don’t call for canned soup (Stores are completely out). Made Chicken Tetrazzini using white sauce as a base. My husband doesn’t like mushrooms, so I substituted green peppers. It was so good! Also, I didn’t add salt. You can add salt and pepper to taste.

Now is the time to fix comfort foods like turkey tetrazinni — Stay At Home Diary: Week 4. Made Chicken Tetrazzini without canned soup

CHICKEN TETRAZZINI

1 pound thin spaghetti

½ cup butter or margarine

½ cup flour

3 cups milk

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 cans (4 oz.) mushrooms, drained ( or a diced green pepper)

2 or 3 cups diced chicken (or turkey)

½ cup grated parmesan cheese

Reheat oven to 350 degrees . Lightly grease a baking dish.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add spaghetti, and cook for 10 minutes. Drain, and place in baking dish.

Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Stir in flour, making a smooth paste. Mix in chicken broth and milk. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil and thickens. Mix sauce with spaghetti, cheddar cheese, chicken, and mushrooms or peppers.. Top with parmesan cheese. Bake about 30 minutes in preheated oven until temperature reaches 160 degrees or until surface is lightly browned,

It’s easy to cut the recipe in half if you’re cooking for two. Or, you can freeze the leftovers to enjoy when everything gets back to normal. I hope that day is coming soon!

March 30, 2020March 30, 2020

STAY-AT-HOME DIARY: WEEK 3

Recovering news junkie here. I’ve always been a person who loves the news: two newspapers every morning, 3 different TV stations for evening news . That’s over. There is absolutely nothing to read, see, or hear about except the coronavirus. I wake up in the morning, and my iphone has numerous updates which are repeated all day long and everywhere on the internet. By the time 6 o’clock rolls around, I’ve reached the saturation point. What will the media do when COVID-19 is over? Surely, there are other things going on in the world. Stay-At- Home Diary: Week 3

Looked in the basement for a jigsaw puzzle. Threw them away during our de cluttering project last year. Why would we keep something that hasn’t been used for decades? But now, we were sorry. Asked our son to pick one up at Walmart, but they didn’t have much left. The puzzle has 750 teensy, tiny, flimsy pieces. The puzzles I remember were much more substantial. Anyway, our living room is now filled with two card tables covered with puzzle pieces. I helped my husband find the “straight” pieces for the border, but that’s as far as it goes. He’s on his own now, and from the looks of it, he’ll be lucky if it’s finished by Memorial Day..

Washed all the curtains downstairs. We’re talking 10 windows here. When were they last washed? Not sure. It may have been a couple of years. They’re sheer and pale blue, so they don’t show the dirt. But I knew that they were full of dust. Started sneezing as soon as I began. Taking down, washing, drying and re hanging took about 4 hours. At least we’ll remember when we washed them last. How could you forget the coronavirus activities?

Walked in the park a couple of times, weather permitting. Sat outside on sunny days for a short time. . A little ultraviolet light is good for the immune system and raises your spirits.

Gained two pounds. We’ve tried to eat healthy; and watch our calories. But the lack of exercise combined with nervous/bored snacking is taking its toll. Supposedly, it’s good to be a little overweight at our age. It helps get you through sickness. If that’s the case, I’m well prepared.

Consuming plenty of probiotics to boost my immune system: fruit smoothies made with kefir and yogurt. A hearty German meal of Bratwurst and sauerkraut. Did you know sauerkraut is a powerful probiotic?

A bar of fragrance free Ivory Soap would help: Stay-at-home Diary Week 3 — Stay-At-Home Diary: Week 3. I’d give anything for a bar of fragrance free ivory soap for all the hand washing..

Hands getting red and itchy from all the hand washing. I’ve tried different lotions, but nothing can help when you’re washing your hands about every fifteen minutes. Scented, tinted soaps don’t help. I’d give anything for a bar of Ivory.

Spent two hours trying to revive my husband’s kindle. The books wouldn’t download, and I couldn’t figure out why.. Turned out he hasn’t used it for years, and it wasn’t connected to wireless. GRR.

The novelty of staying home is wearing off for parents. The first week, everyone said it was nice to sleep late and not push themselves. But now, they’re missing the office and their old routine. Working from home while taking care of children is a struggle. I hope everyone stays safe and sane. God willing, it will soon be over.

March 22, 2020March 22, 2020

SOCIAL DISTANCE DIARY: WEEK 2

Drove to the Dollar Store for a few things, simply because I’m getting cabin fever. Only three or four customers–unsmiling, looking tired and worried. Had the feeling the cash register clerk couldn’t wait to get me out the door. But it sure felt good to be out in the real world again. Social distance diary: Week 2

My grandpa's outhouse was often out of toilet paper. They used Sears catalog, instead — When my grandpa ran out of toilet paper on the farm, they used Sears Catalog. Social Distance Diary: Week 2

Of course, they were out of toilet paper at the Dollar Store. We have plenty, but I was going to pick up some extra. It got me wondering about what people did without tp. There are alternatives. My grandfathers farm lacked modern plumbing. Sometimes, there was a Sears catalog next to the wooden seat in the outhouse. As a child, I took it in stride, even though we had modern plumbing and toilet paper in our city home.

Found an old Tai Chi CD. Now, I practice with it every day. It’s not the same without my wonderful teacher and fellow classmates, but at least I’m not getting rusty, and it’s helping to calm me down. And, it does give me a bit of exercise.

Finally located a cousin who lives in LA. She’s like a sister to my husband, and he was really upset. She wasn’t answering her phone, and her mailbox was full. We were afraid she had contracted covid-19, and maybe even died. But yesterday we got a call from Mount Cedar, Sinai hospital. She’s recovering from pneumonia—not corona. We’re feeling much relieved, and moods have improved.

Talked to all of my children this weekend. Yes, actual conversations, not texting. Their lives in this modern world are much more complicated than when I was parenting. Living in big cities, they’re always on the run, juggling jobs, driving kids here and there. They have very little time to spend on the telephone. But this weekend, they had nothing urgent, and it was nice having a relaxing conversation. So far, they’re healthy and safe. Hope no one gets sick.

No mass shootings this week. Empty malls, churches, schools and restaurants mean that evil people have no targets. I hope they can’t buy more guns during the crisis.

Sunday brunch at home, since all the restaurants are closed. Tried frozen waffles for the first time. They’re amazingly easy and good. Especially combined with sausage patties. And, sugar free syrup is only 10 calories per serving.

I’m beginning to adjust to the slower pace. The introverted part of me enjoys the solitude. At least for a little while.

March 18, 2020March 18, 2020

DAFFODILS BRING HOPE TO DARK DAYS

The world came to a stop this week. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, many people lost their jobs. Almost everything that makes life interesting is closed. Restaurants, libraries, theaters and concerts, to name a few. The streets are deserted. The only way to socialize with other humans in the outside world is at the grocery store or pharmacy. We try to keep our spirits up, but the uncertainty is nerve wracking. When will it all end? And yet, today, I looked out the window and my heart soared at the first signs of spring. Blooming daffodils bring hope to these dark days of quarantine.

In these dark times of the coronavirus epidemic, blooming daffodils are a sign of hope — In this frightening time of the coronavirus outbreak, blooming daffodils bring hope to dark days.

Daffodils are a special gift from nature. Just when we’ve tired of winter’s barren landscape, the friendly little flowers appear on a warm, sunny day in March. Yes, it may get cold again. It may even snow again. But the daffodils will tough it out and remind us that better days are coming.

I Wandered Lonely As A Cloud, was written in 1804 by William Wordsworth:

I wandered lonely as a Cloud
That floats on high o’er Vales and Hills,
When all at once I saw a crowd,

A host of golden Daffodils;
Beside the Lake, beneath the trees,
Fluttering and dancing in the breeze.

Continuous as the stars that shine
And twinkle on the Milky Way,
They stretched in never-ending line
Along the margin of a bay:
Ten thousand saw I at a glance,
Tossing their heads in sprightly dance.

The waves beside them danced, but they
Out-did the sparkling waves in glee:—
A Poet could not but be gay
In such a jocund company:
I gazed—and gazed—but little thought
What wealth the shew to me had brought:

For oft when on my couch I lie
In vacant or in pensive mood,
They flash upon that inward eye
Which is the bliss of solitude,
And then my heart with pleasure fills,
And dances with the Daffodils.

Daffodils are a sign of hope and rebirth. Like the dark days of winter, the coronavirus epidemic won’t last forever. This great nation will endure and prosper.

March 16, 2020March 16, 2020

IS AGE SIXTY-FIVE THE NEW EIGHTY?

After listening to the Democratic presidential debate last night, my mind was in a muddle. I couldn’t really tell what message Biden and Sanders were trying to convey. It sounded like a couple of angry old guys in a shouting contest. But just before we went to bed, I heard on the news that someone said all people over age sixty five should stay home during this coronavirus outbreak. I’ll find out today who said that, but it has me wondering: Is age sixty five the new eighty?

Should healthy people stay isolated just because their over sixty five? — Should healthy seniors be told to stay at home during the crisis? Is age sixty-five the new eighty?

Most sixty-five year olds I know are pretty healthy. Thanks to modern healthcare, the fitness movement, and plant based diets, these newly retired folks are In much better shape than our parents were. It seems like a bit of overkill to me. Retirees are the ones people fall back on to help out in a crisis—whether it’s babysitting,emergency housing , or other calamities that befall working people.

The recommendation is mostly based on the fact that seniors are most apt to die if they get sick with the coronavirus. But there’s a slight flaw in that statistic. It’s mostly the elderly who live in crowded nursing homes who have died. They don’t get out at all. They’re stuck in stuffy, stinky, crowded places where staffers are too busy to wash their hands as often as they should. And the air doesn’t move very fast in those little rooms.

Naturally, anyone who’s at risk should stay at home during the coronavirus outbreak. But not everyone over age sixty-five has heart disease, kidney failure, diabetes, or other serious health problems.

So what’s a healthy senior to do? Should we wear hats to disguise gray hair, and sunglasses to hide our wrinkles. Shall we be arrested for going to the grocery store for a bottle of milk? Is sixty five really the new eighty?

And by the way. What were those two old politicians doing out in public last night? Both Biden and Sanders are over sixty five.

March 13, 2020March 14, 2020

8 SURPRISING BENEFITS OF OUTBREAK

So far, the Coronavirus scare has brought about some positive changes for Americans. Good things sometimes happen in bad times. If you’re a senior on a fixed income, or someone with a steady job, these are 8 surprising benefits of the coronavirus outbreak.

1. Low gas prices. If you’re still driving to work or running errands, the cost of filling your gas tank is going to come as a nice surprise.

2. Teleworking from home. What a luxury. Wearing pajamas all day. Relaxing, using your own clean bathroom, saving lunch money. No commuting time means much less stress. It’s almost like a vacation.

One good thing about staying home during the crisis: more family meals together — One of the 8 surprising benefits of the outbreak is that families will eat more meals together at home,

3. Saving a pile of money if you social distance, and stay away from restaurants. Have you ever figured out how much you spend on meals away from home? The entrée price may be low, but then, there’s the sneaky way beverages add to the total bill. A couple glasses of wine may cost more than the meal itself. And the added taxes and the obligatory tip may increase your tab by 30%. Now, you don’t have to feel like a cheapskate if you stop taking the family out to dinner.

4. Get reacquainted with family members. Play scrabble or gin rummy. You might even have meals together.

5. Better health habits. You’ll probably wash your hands more often, even when the crisis is over. Which means you will be less apt to get colds, flu, and other infectious diseases in the future..

6. Buy a new house. Low interest rates means more people can afford a mortgage.

7. Cut down on wasteful spending. You don’t need a closet stuffed with clothes, a houseful of computers and TVs, and a garage filled with extra cars, boats and motorcycles.

8, Stop relying on paper goods. Cloth diapers and dishtowels could make a comeback. Anyone remember cloth napkins? We washed them once a week, and fastened them with clothespins bearing our names.

The good thing about being over 80 is that we learned how to “make do” in hard times. I hope you won’t come down with the coronavirus. But whether you do or don’t, you may find some comfort with these 8 surprising benefits.

March 6, 2020March 6, 2020

PURELL HITS JACKPOT IN COVID-19

One man’s poison is another man’s meat, to rephrase an old cliché. While the cruise industry is reeling from the shock, and the stock market nose dives, some people are getting an unexpected windfall. The coronavirus appears to have a few beneficiaries. Purell hits the jackpot during the COVID-19 outbreak. Manufacturers of other hand sanitizers will see an increase in their bottom line, too.

Parell and other makers of hand sanitizers are making lots of money — Producers of hand sanitizers are seeing big sales. Purell hit the Jackpot in COVQ10-19

You may wish you owned stock in Purell, but if you work for a company making face masks or respirators, your job security is rock solid right now. Take it a step further. The drugstores who sell all of the aforementioned items are keeping pretty busy

Because more people have stopped attending church or public events, cable and network ratings must be going through the roof. We’ve watched more Netflix this month than we can remember. Just like Joe Biden, what video stores remain in business may experience a comeback.

Don’t worry about layoffs if you’re working in the healthcare industry.. You’re services are greatly needed right now. Not saying the coronavirus will get worse, but everyone who gets sick is going to think they have it. Patients may even get turned away from the emergency room, because there is no room for them.

Booksellers should see a surge in sales, as libraries keep up with the demand for bestsellers. We’ve probably read twice as many books this month as we usually do. I’m checking out as many library books as my arms can carry.

Family life may improve. When people are staying home, they may sit down and eat meals together. Suddenly everyone is bonded by fear of the coronavirus. A common enemy unites us all, as we huddle together in front of the hearth (or television) .

If it goes on too long, the coronavirus may reduce our reliance on Chinese goods and services.. Maybe manufacturers will decide to invest in American workers by moving their factories out of China and into the good old USA.

Tag: coronavirus