The Holidays of 2021

 So on the whole the holidays of '21 were way better than '20.

Definitely more open with a huge dose of holly and jolly.

Thanksgiving has never been a biggie for me.  That's a good thing because this year was a bit of a struggle.  I waited too long to make a reservation at a lovely restaurant downtown so we ended up putting steaks on the grill.  There was pie involved too so that softened the blow.

Christmas Eve was spent at our favorite local joint, Hops 84 East.  Never a disappointment.  I took some of my bracelets along and gave two away to people sitting near us and one to our server.  Feeling all Mrs.Clausey.

Christmas morning started off with a Wifi issue which meant we were both on the floor in front of the modem and wifi thing stretching and reaching along with several other contortions.  That was followed by a really painful lower back which had me walking around like that grumpy witch in Hansel and Gretel.  Nothing that a handful of Ibuprofen couldn't take care of.

Then we were off to our second family, The Dutkiewiczes.  They have been kind to us over the years.  Taking pity on us poor lonely old orphans.  The meal and all the goodies before and after were out of this world.  Jeremy and Gerah along with Niko and Kyra really put on the feed bag.  And we ate and laughed a lot.

As we sat down I could feel an ocular migraine coming on.  Oh, poop!  Fortunately it wasn't the usual.  More of a light weight one so I just ignored it and kept the fork moving.

Then as we were nearing the end of that scrumptious meal one of my crowns decided it had had enough and left my mouth.  So happy I didn't swallow it.  My new dentist is hopefully going to work his magic this afternoon and my tooth will return to the living shortly.

We don't have any specific plans for NYE.  We'll probably go back to our favorite restaurant for dinner and be home and in our jammies by 9 - at the latest - and hit the hay around 11p.  We haven't actually seen any kind of ball drop in more years than I can count.

I can't say I'm sorry to see 2021 go because we got a lot accomplished during the year.  When I say "we" I mean Petey who painted the bedroom and bath among other jobs around the house that I probably didn't help with either.  We finally got to hear and see quite a bit of live music and eat in some great restaurants.  We also saw friends and family that we had been missing.

So I hope that 2022 is good to us all and normal living will take shape in the not too distant future.

Stay well.  Stay safe and happy, happy 2022!!!

Remembering early tech days

 The year was 1996.  Our son, Michael, was doing a semester in England and we knew the long distance calls were going to be expensive.

We heard about this email thing and thought we should give that a shot.  First step was to buy a computer.

I have to back up just a wee bit because I was introduced to computers when I was working at Saugatuck High School so that had to be late 80s, early 90s.  I brought a computer home during summer break determined to figure out how to use the dang thing.

I never got past turning it on.

Fast forward to '96.  My best friend, Sue Lange, already had a computer so I told her when she'd learned everything about how to use that machine, she could teach me.

I don't remember how that tutorial went but I guess ok because we were soon owners of a brand, spankin' new, computer.

That was back in the dial-up days.  Remember that annoying sound?

Remember how incredibly slow it was?

By then I was working at L.E.White Middle School in Allegan.

I picked up little tips along the way which led me slowly into the internet world.

I remember well the day I heard one of the teachers talking about a particular web site and he said "yeah, I just bookmarked it."

Bookmark???

Then came "copy/paste."  That one tripped me up for an embarrassingly long time.  Now I feel like the "copy and paste queen."  I wonder if there's a crown that goes along with that title?

Then social media hit.  What was the one before Facebook?  Was it My Space?  

Last spring my niece, Sara, got me hooked on Instagram.  Now I'm one of the cool kids.

When Skype was invented it was like a gift from beyond.  When your only child takes flight and lives on a different continent your life line is Skype.

Now it's Zoom.  Talk about a gift.  The workshops I used to attend in person to gather CEUs for my interpreters license turned into webinars thanks to Mr.Covid. Weekly services from our temple came to us via YouTube first and then Zoom.

Speaking of YouTube.  What a teaching tool.  Anything you need to know is there.  As a novice ukulele player I have learned a ton from various musicians on YouTube.

Can't forget the cell phone.  Petey and I had Tracfones for a very long time.  Now we're iphone geeks and Petey even has an Apple watch???

Life is moving at warp speed and our old legs are moving as fast as they can.

Happy Holidays

 Well, it's been quite a year, hasn't it.

2021 started with Peter and I both being vaccinated.  He also had a side order of "falling on the ice downtown" which resulted in very, very bruised ribs.  I serenaded him with my new ukulele.

We opted out of FL and decided it was safer to stay in our cozy new home in our cozy new home town and actually didn't mind the MI winter - too much.

Early March brought our first fully vaccinated friends to our house for an afternoon visit.  We were so excited and so were they that we chatted for 4 hours straight.

April dished up more dinners with friends and a new customer for my bracelets - Lake Effect Gallery in downtown Holland.

May was fun.  We had our first overnight guests.  We were beyond excited to have our niece, Stephanie, her husband, Jeff and their two daughters, Sara and Emma, visit. We showcased MI for them: Mackinac Island, Traverse City, Saugatuck and Holland.  They were impressed.

June got the outdoor music scene started.  We were starved for live entertainment.  There was plenty right here in Holland but we also traveled to Allegan, Fennville, Saugatuck and Grand Haven. It was wonderful.

We had our own 4th of July parade here at Hidden Creek.  All the golf carts were decorated and flags were flying.  Very festive.

August was a continuation of the two previous months:  food, music and art.

My sister, Stacey, was our second overnight visitor in September.  The 3 of us drove up to Newaygo to visit our cousin, Barb and her husband, Steve.

Peter became a gym rat in October and is loving it.  It's less than a mile from our home so he has his workouts in one direction and the golf course 3 miles in the opposite direction.  He's smilin'.

Another highlight for October was our trip out east.  We finally got to see where my sisters (Stacey and Lisa) live!  Chestertown, MD is beautiful and Heron Point (their residence community) is amazing.  Next trip out we'll stay longer - so much to see. 

We left Chestertown and drove up to Bethlehem, PA to visit Stef and Jeff and our nephew Mike and his wife Michelle came up from Philadelphia and joined us for a very nice dinner.

This year November has a more festive feel; much better than last year. Craft shows, special shopping days downtown, music and a parade ramped up the holiday season.

                                   A beautiful dock out to the Chester River at Heron Point.

                    I bought a ukulele last January to fight the virus blues.  I'm really enjoying it.

                                             Tulip Time in Holland this year was outstanding.

                                        The top of Mt.Baldy in Saugatuck with the Pattersons.

                                         Outdoor music with our friends Nathan and Robert.

                                                  Hanging at Ottawa Beach with Stacey.

                                A shot of Big Red in the distance from the top of Mt.Pisgah.

                                            On the dock with Stacey and Lisa at Heron Point.

                                                The dock at Heron Point on the Chester River.

                                                      Our niece Stef with her brother Mike.

What are they talking about???

New ideas, new technology, etc. needs new terms, labels, definitions.

I'm not talking about all that stuff - particularly the techy stuff.  I'm running as fast as I can (which isn't fast anymore) trying to stay current but I find myself turning to the "greats" often.  By "greats" I mean my great nieces and nephews for help.

Thanks, kids.

No, I'm talking about old stuff that someone has decided to slap a new name on.  It's confusing for us older people.

I'm a Sign Language interpreter.  Many of you already know that.  I have attended many, many workshops and seminars over the years.  Recently they've been remote which has been fantastic because I need my yearly 20 hrs of continuing ed to maintain my credentials.

A little background:  I started working as an interpreter in the late 80s without credentials.  I hadn't taken any classes and had absolutely no training.  Why did anyone hire me?  Because, back then, nobody knew anything about anything.  Pretty much.

Soon after I was hired at Saugatuck High School as an educational interpreter the state of MI started hosting workshops to help interpreters achieve the new testing level they needed to work in the field.

I learned a ton at those workshops and there were a lot of new labels and skill descriptions that almost made my head explode. 

After many years working for different school systems and after attending many, many workshops I remember, distinctly, sitting along side one of my bestie 'terps, turning to her and saying "what the heck are they talking about?"

After that particular skill was demonstrated we both turned to each other and did the "nod and ohhhh" thing.  It was something we'd been doing for ages but now had a new name.

I get it and at some level I appreciate that the "job" was finally becoming a "profession" and was getting some respect.  But it's been a challenge for an older 'terp like me.

I'm sure this is the case for many people working in different areas.  I remember hearing teachers talk about "new concepts" often.  Remember Chicago math? A lot of those concepts seemed cyclical.  Same stuff with a new name.  

"Looks like someone's been working on their PhD."  That phrase echoed down the halls of more than one school I worked in.

Can an old dog learn new tricks?  Yes but slower and maybe not the entire trick.

FAMILY

 Petey and I just returned from a trip out east to visit our families.

My sisters, Lisa on the left and Stacey on the right are living in a brand new environment on the eastern shore of Maryland. Heron Point in Chestertown.  Between Covid and our own relocation, we hadn't been able to check out their new digs until now.

Here are the golfers comparing putters in the parking lot of Heron Point.

Above is lunch at Stacey and Johns "cottage" eating and talking with our son, Michael, who lives in Thailand.

Heron Point sits on the Chester River and the scenery takes your breath away. Boats and water fowl are daily entertainment.

 We left Maryland and headed up to Bethlehem, PA to see Peter's family. Here he is with his nephew, Mike.

Peter with our niece Stephanie's husband, Jeff.

Mike's wife, Michelle on the left and our niece, Stef on the right.

Stef and Mike are Peter's sister, Patty's kids.

It was a great trip.  Quality time with the small family that we have left.  Peter and I spent a few of the hours on our way home talking about how important family is to us.  We made a choice a little over a year ago to move and it could have been in any direction.  We knew by staying here in southwest MI that we would always be at least a 2-day drive from our families but we both feel bound to this part of the world.  

We also vowed that we would continue to make that dang drive as long as possible because we love our families.

Do you say "gotta?"

I use "gotta" frequently but every now and then I try to quit.

It's not a real word.  You know that, right?
It's not in the dictionary.

But it doesn't sound wrong when you say it, does it.

"I gotta pick up the kids after school today."

"I gotta play well tonight or they're going to kick me off the team."

It's in place of "have to."  When you say those same sentences above and replace "gotta" with "have to" it sounds fine.  Not necessarily better than "gotta" but fine.  

Now, if you broke down "gotta" into what it's short for - got to - and say it out loud in those same sentences then the grammar police will be at your door in a matter of moments.

Go ahead, try it.

You sound like an uneducated dolt, don't you.

If we're really honest with ourselves, I guess you could say "gotta" is slightly easier to say.  Rolls off the tongue.  Slides right out of your mouth.  "Have to" involves the lower lip making a long, long trip up to the bottom of the upper teeth for the "v" sound.  

Yeah, that's work.

So I challenge you to try and give "gotta" the heave-ho for a while and see how you feel after a few days.

Report back, please.

Don't EVER, and I mean EVER, do this!

 I know I've written before about cleaning the fridge.  I think, specifically the freezer.  I believe it was a bit of a rant about how can freezers get so dirty???

Today's blog topic is about the other side of the fridge.  We have a side-by-side here at the Red House, as opposed to the top/bottom one in Allegan.

Because of where the Allegan fridge sat in the kitchen you couldn't open the door all the way so removing shelving and drawers was a real chore.  So much of a chore that I never did it.

Now we have plenty o' space so out they came!

The glass shelving wasn't a problem.  Easy out/easy in.

Not so much the drawers, however.  

I was really paying attention - doing the whole Buddhist mindful thing.

I was sooooo close but couldn't get the buggers back in.

What was I doing wrong???

Had to walk away for a while.  The walk down the hall had me muttering not-so-nice things.  Out loud.

I can't say exactly how many attempts I made but I finally was successful.

What was getting in my way was where, precisely, those poopheads were to be placed.

Trial and error stopped the swearing and all was good.

Lesson learned: take a picture before you even think of removing those dang drawers and it wouldn't hurt to take in the shelves too.

Feel free to contact me, day or night, for more household tips.

Stop what you're doing!

 So I'm standing at my bathroom sink brushing my teeth and a thought occurs to me.  Rut-ro, I forgot to take the burger meat out of the freezer.  I was going to do that last night before I went to bed but . . . . forgot.

Now, do I quit what I'm doing and go get that package of meat out  or continue brushing my teeth and hopefully I'll remember when I'm done?

OPTIONS:

1. Stop, run to the kitchen and then come back. Obviously I need to finish the brushing task.  It's important.  I graduated to the "only once a year visit to the dentist" because I do such a fantastic job keeping the pearly whites white.  But will I remember where I left off?

2.  Continue brushing and start chanting (inside my head, silly, not out loud cuz . . . mouth full of foam) "take the meat out - take the meat out." That could take a while.  Remember I told you how good I am at the brushing thing. That's a lot of chanting.  I might get distracted. It happens.  Often.

3.  Keep the brush in my mouth and skip quickly to the kitchen.  It's not that far.  The possibility of trailing foam on the floor is strong.  Dribbling it down onto my clothes/pajamas is a given.

What to do, what to do?

That same scenario could easily take place in the shower with much more risk involved.  If one of the options is running naked through the house - it's never gonna happen.  Too many windows in the Red House.

If I'm away from home the reminder option on my cell phone is very helpful.  I use it often. "Remind me to call my sisters, Stacey and Lisa, this afternoon at 4 o'clock." Works like a charm.

No errands get interrupted that way.  No chanting is involved.  People don't stare at you.

I'm sure you have stories.  Little tricks of the trade.  I'd love to hear them.

Help an old gal out, eh?

Dishwasher Virgin

 So here at The Red House, we have a dishwasher.  I may have mentioned it in an earlier blog but - you know me - the lazy blogger.  I won't be going back into the archives to see if I actually did or not.

So.  A dishwasher.  We didn't have one in Allegan and we lived in that house for 42 years.

It didn't really bother me because you can't miss what you never had.  

That's not exactly 100% true because we had a dishwasher in the town house we lived in in PA where our son was born but we never used it.

So now we have one and I wasn't sure I'd put it to use but with encouragement from my sister, Lisa, I did.

Fortunately I was on Facetime with her when I ran it the first time.

The appliance people left behind samples of those fancy new pods that everyone uses so I popped one in.

Hold on.  Let's back up a second.  I forgot to mention that the same kind souls that left the dishwasher pods also left pod samples for the washing machine that look exactly like the ones for the dishwasher!!!

Can you hear the dramatic background music?

Do you see what's coming?

Yes, sir, I dropped the wrong one into the dishwasher!!!

I don't know which one of us, my sister or me, realized what I'd done first but the washing process was quickly stopped before I turned The Red House into a bubble bath.

Peter and I used spoons to scoop out the already-dissolved pod ingredients so disaster was averted.

Are you laughing because you've done it too?  Or are you laughing because you've never heard anything so stupid?

You'll be happy to know that I only dropped one can lid down the disposal and turned it on - wow, what a racket.  We had one when I was growing up so I had some experience.

And . . . I only set the smoke alarm off once so I'm pretty sure all the kinks have been worked out.

Life at The Red House.

My friend, Jo.

I don't ever remember not knowing, Jo. Her real first name was Linda but to many of us - she as Jo.

We were in Sunday school together although I don't really have any memories of those days.

I do remember kindergarten with Jo though and here's the photo to prove it. 

First row on the far left - there she sits in all her finery: black Mary Janes, cute dress with a frilly slip underneath.  See the vagabond next to her?  Yup, that's me.  Nice get-up, eh.  Check out my shoes and socks.  I obviously wasn't paying attention to the photographer.  Too busy talking to the poor child at my side.  See how she's trying to ignore me?

Jo and I spent our elementary years in different buildings but continued to hang out at church.

Junior high and high school saw us having a lot of fun together.  Some of that fun will go unmentioned as I don't believe the statute of limitations has expired on a few of those escapades yet. 

Our kids were friends and Jo and I were always competing for Mother of the Year which neither of us ever won.

I have a lifetime of memories of Jo.  She was quiet, a bit shy and proud with a heart of gold and a wicked sense of humor all rolled into one tiny body.

I spent as much time as I could with Jo as her Alzheimer Adventure progressed.  We sat in my backyard, we went on walks and many car rides.  

When Covid came along our visits turned into "through the window" chats and a few through the fence outside on the patio off her unit at Briarwood.

In the early stages of her diagnosis Jo expressed her desire to die.  I understood and told her so.

Now her wish has come true and no one could possibly be happier than my friend, Jo.
 

Dreams

 Dreams are interesting.  I think everyone dreams - even dogs.  Have you ever heard someone say "I never dream?"  I bet they do, they just don't remember.

Have you ever awakened in the night after a dream and thought "I'll remember this one cuz it's a doozy" only to completely forget it - and then have it resurface later in the day?

There must be a reason we dream.  They must come from somewhere. Anxiety?  Frustration, anger, joy, etc?

Before I go any further on this topic, I'll tell you I really don't believe people visit me in my dreams.  I dream about a lot of people, dead and alive, but visit?  No. Not in a ghosty kinda way.

I had a dream about someone in our community last night and it wasn't a good dream.  This person had just gotten a diagnosis of a terminal illness.  Upon hearing this news I was distraught.  I mean I went into a total body cry - in the dream.    

I know this person but not well so it's interesting that my dream reaction so was severe.  I think I can track down the catalyst for the subject matter, though.  Another person in our community was seriously injured recently and is still hospitalized.  

Weird how that wasn't the person I dreamed about, though.

I'm sure many, many people have those recurring dreams about "school", etc.  Can't find your locker.  Can't remember the combination, etc.  I know I did but they have disappeared from my repertoire now.

Has death stepped in to take their place? hmmmm

I had a question when I decided to write this particular blog and I'll ask it now.

Do I tell the person about my dream regarding the bad health news?

No, of course not.  If it had been a happy dream or a silly one, yes.

Many years ago I had a really realistic dream about a friend who had died suddenly and young.  We hugged in the dream.  I put my hands on his face and asked him if he was happy.  He responded with a nod and a smile.

His wife was a good friend of mine and I only debated a few minutes before I called to tell her about my dream. 

It gave her comfort.

Dreams.  Weird vignettes. Take from them what you will. 

 

Last names - wow!

 There is a wonderful man (Hi, Vince) that lives here at Hidden Creek that is nice enough to keep an updated residents list.  He includes email addresses, phone numbers and street addresses - if they so choose.

Our community is really growing and this directory helps a lot.  

I've been concentrating on meeting people here at HC.  If they are out in the yard or on the porch, I approach and introduce myself. And if they have a dog I always ask the pooch's name.

So far no one has thrown a rotten tomato my way.

All the meeting and greeting has only involved first names.  My memory bank has limited space so last names don't even enter into the social realm.

We had a get-together on Memorial Day and thankfully there were name tags.  I noticed, however, that only first names were visible.  I'm thinking I'm not the only one with "last name-itis."

The other day Vince did some updating and I decided to check out the last names.  

There are some really easy ones.  Like Woods, Rice and Gates but then they take an abrupt turn into Clendening, Hurula, Smeenge and Holtgeerts.  I could go on but you get my drift, right?

So as long as Vince stays on task and I drop the guilt feeling about trying to remember last names, I think I'm good.

Our First Overnight Guests

 The Patts are here!  The Patts are here!
Our first overnight guests in our new house were our niece, Stephanie, her husband Jeff and daughters, Sara and Emma. Their last name is Patterson - hence the "Patts" reference. 

To say we were excited to see them doesn't even come to close to describing our emotions.

Our visits in the past were always surrounded by holidays - usually Christmas and were a bit frantic with comings and goings.  This visit was leisurely.  There was a lot of laughter and reminiscing. 

And eating and walking.  We made it to the top of Mt.Baldy in Saugatuck and covered pretty much every square inch on Mackinaw Island.

I loved the interaction with the girls.  I learned more about each of them and am very proud of their accomplishments.
Emma (far left) just finished her first year at Princeton.  Covid made it extra challenging but she persevered.  Sara (blue sweatshirt) will begin her senior year at University of MD in the fall. She had the difficult task of helping Petey and me with some techy stuff.  I loved them before this visit and love them even more now.

Jeff (next to Emma) is a great guy.  Has the patience of a saint.  He was the driver for all our adventures.  I really got to know him much better during our early morning coffee time on the front porch.  He has a heart of gold and a wicked sense of humor.

Stephanie (far right) has been in my life since she was 5 years old.  She is equal parts of my brother-in-law, Lee and sister-in-law, Patty. We're only 14 years apart and she feels more like a girlfriend than a niece. 

The week flew by.  I cried when they left.  Peter and I are roaming around the house feeling the emptiness this morning.

Family - nothing better.

A Variety of Moms

 Tomorrow is Mother's Day and I could easily post a blog about my mom.  Or my mother-in-law.  Both were wonderful women.  I wouldn't be who I am today without them.

But I've been thinking lately about all the women who are mothers but didn't spend time in the birthing unit at the local hospital.

They are equally revered as mothers because they care, they encourage and love endlessly.

I think back to my kindergarten teacher, Miss Adams.  I can still see her face.  She radiated love and patience.

My church choir director, Miss Ankney.  Besides my parents, she instilled my love for singing.  And learning how to read music - one eye on the sheet music and one eye on her - at all times!  

Others come to mind:

My sister, Lisa.  The super aunt to our sister Stacey's kids and grandchildren.

Janet Simmons, who has taken care of many many dogs including my little man, Augie.

Kathi Proper, the motorcycle ridin', pittie lovin' school principal.

Martha Meek, shaping minds and fingers in the world of music.

Brenda Cartwright, guiding students through the maze of Sign Language interpreting.

Kay Salo, my cheerleading coach.  She never gave me a hard time for not being able to do the splits!

I could go on and on but you know I'm not fond of long blogs - reading them or writing them -  but you get my drift, right?

Moms come in all shapes and sizes.

Happy Mother's Day!

Kids Coping with Death

When I was a kid in junior high school a good friend's mom died suddenly.

I have a clear memory of that time but it isn't full of details because there weren't any.

By that I mean someone, probably my mom, told me of the death but after that - nothing.  We didn't go to funerals.  I didn't go to my first one until I was 19 years old.

So at whatever age I was when my friend's mother died I was sailing in unchartered waters.

Was I supposed to call her and tell her I was sorry?
Maybe send a card?  Flowers?

I'm sure I didn't do any of those things.  Did my friend wonder why no one made a gesture or was she as clueless as the rest of us kids.

So, I'm guessing we just didn't talk about it.  Wonder how she felt that first day back at school?  I never asked her.

Even all these years later the subject just never came up.

I hope kids are better prepared for this kind of thing than I was back "in the olden days."

 

HAIR!

 Who gets a monthly haircut?  If you have a short "do" like me, you probably sit in that chair every month.

I make my appointment (with my bestie, Michelle) before I leave the salon for the next month.

The timeline on my hair goes something like this:  as I get back into my car and check myself out in the rearview, I'm thinking - yup.  Another great clipping but it always has just a tiny bit of that "I just got my hair cut" look.

That's ok because I actually think my hair, every single strand, is slightly in shock.  Like I didn't give it any warning that the scissors were coming its way.  No "heads up" as it were.  Yes, a pun was intended.

The shock wears off after a day or so and then all those white strands settle into their new positions.

We ride the "dang, I look good" for a few weeks and then about 10 days before the next appointment (right where I am now) I think we've hit PERFECTION.  

I loved every little wave and slight curl I saw in the mirror just now.

But I know what's coming.  About 2 days before the cut I look just a tiny bit like Conway Twitty.  It's not a good look on me.  Conway could pull it off but I struggle.  

The cute wave that was there just yesterday has been replaced by a rolling, way-too-big, wave.  The only thing missing is sideburns!

I have a short list of places to go today and tomorrow so people can admire the "perfection" stage I have happening right now because pretty soon I'll start hearing them humming "Hello, darlin'"

CRUMBS at The Red House

 I think we, the Altamores, are pretty tidy/neat people.  We clean up after ourselves, don't throw food around, etc.

But I've been noticing excessive crumbs in the new casa.

Didn't seem to be this "crumb-y" in our other house.

Then it dawned on me - we have a lot of windows that allow direct sunlight to stream in and "shine a light" on the crumbs on the floor.

The flooring in the dining/kitchen area is also dark which just adds to the exposure.

There was a very large, braided, multi-colored area rug under the dining room table in our other home. Apparently it hid a multitude of castoffs. 

I'm trying not to think of the 42 years of crumbs in our former house and am choosing to focus on crumb-cleanup here at The Red House.

I'd like, also, to thank all the people who spent time in the Allegan house for not bringing my disgusting floors to my attention.  Unless you gossiped to others about it upon leaving our establishment.

Come see our new clean floors any time.  The door's always open.

Just let me know you're on your way so I can get the mop out.

Mop. hahahahaha.  Yeah, like that's gonna happen.

Where have I been???

 So we're done with the holidays and they weren't as bad as I thought they'd be.  Very quiet and I will confess a bit lonely but Zoom and Facetime helped.  I cooked!  I know - not my thing but what else did I have to do, eh?

Life is continuing on.  Staying safe, wearing our masks and exercising.

And . . . I bought a ukulele!  Facing a winter in MI (not going to FL this year) and not really making beads at this time, what was I to do?

My brother-in-law, John, took up the uke and I started researching on YouTube.  Yup, I think I can handle that.  I really missed singing and I suck at acapella so I went to the music store in downtown Holland and came home with my uke. Her name is Tilly.

It's been 3 weeks now and I'm killing "You Are My Sunshine" and working hard on "King of the Road."  My fingertips are a little sore but I'm having fun.  Even Petey has started to sing along.

Petey and I have both had our first vaccinations.  Next ones are scheduled for 2/6 and 2/18.  I'm a little ahead of him since I'm classified as essential - working in the medical field.

Our lives haven't been changed a tremendous amount with this virus except we're missing dining in at our local restaurants.  We've been understanding and trying to exercise patience - not my strong suit.

"This too shall pass."  I've heard that phrase a million times this past year.  I'll admit I'm a little tired of it but it's all we have so we'll hang in there. 

May you all be healthy.  May you all be safe.