Enjoying the Buffalo Philharmonic

The BPO is streaming a concert that was recorded last October.  This is a gift due to the Coronavirus I think.  I must admit it is nice to hear it on my phone.  Made doing the dishes much more pleasant!

I was just thinking about my day today.  I took a half-hour walk after I put the payment for the tax preparer in the mailbox.  That was pleasant.  It was a bit chilly, but not raining or anything.  I was listening to the radio as I walked.

I had made a list of things I wanted to get done today, most of which I actually accomplished.  Tomorrow I want to take care of getting back online with the 529 accounts, which means going through getting a new password & making sure my accounts all sync, etc.  Then I should take some time to call my portion of our church's membership list to just check-in and see how everyone is doing.

Today I tried out going to Tops for groceries during their "senior only" time in the early morning.  There were more people there than the last time I went later in the day.  The main difference was they were all seniors and many were wearing masks.  Maybe I should do that next time also.  Everyone was friendly.  In fact, I have found most people to be friendly -- A small truck with a front-loader on it went by while I was walking & the driver waved.  I couldn't see in the window well enough to know if it was someone I know, but I've found many cars going by often wave -- not so much on Main St, but on side streets.  And people just out for a walk wave.

   I took an 8" x 10" picture of Gordon to Dr. Lori Hudzinski today at the Medical Center.  She had asked me to drop it off.  They are going to use it in Bertrand Chaffee Hospital on the wall of pictures of doctors who had at least 25 years of service to the hospital and have retired.  This picture is one of him in front of his charts from a few years ago, & he's not wearing a suit coat, but then he didn't usually.  It's a nice one & Lori said it was one of her favorites.

It is beginning to look like Spring, though it has a ways to go. Things are starting to come up, but this is as far as the daffodils have gotten.  The rhubarb is starting to show itself, though.


It's interesting -- Since we have been told to practice social distancing and not go out except for walking (6 ft from anyone else) or groceries, I have been getting more walking exercise than previously.  That has to be a good thing.

Another month (at least) of social distancing & then they will re-evaluate the situation with the coronavirus to see if we need even more.  If it helps to keep people from being infected with it & possibly dying, I'm more than willing to continue staying away from folks.

Walking daily when I can

I haven't been writing much (too much email & meetings, etc).  But I have been walking daily.  Some days I wish I had walked more, but at least I'm walking.
Also, every day since last Monday I have walked over a mile & logged aerobic steps on the way.  I'm trying for at least a half-hour of walking and have made that goal most days.  The least number of aerobic steps I've gotten this week was 11, but even that day I walked over a mile.  Today I was out for over an hour and 43 minutes of that time was aerobic. and just over 2 3/4 miles, plus what I manage to walk around the house.
Kim has now gotten a Zoom account & this afternoon she (with Calvin), Barb & I were all online and able to see each other.  I read Calvin 2 books and Barb did also.  Zoom allows us to use a laptop instead of trying to do it on the phone where the picture is so much smaller.

Good Deed for the Day

This morning I got stamps at the Post Office because I plan to be sending out some cards to various people.
Then I went to the Verizon store (ex-Radio Shack) to talk to them about Margaret's getting a DVD player.  They asked if I was going to help her set it up & I said I really hadn't looked at her TV & don't know if she has the proper cords, though he said she probably did.  She had been told they would deliver it.  Josh said he could deliver it in the afternoon.  I told him I had made a mask for her to wear while he was there (after prompting from Kim and a video "how-to" sent by Geoff.  That made Josh feel better.  I also offered him some of the "duck-bill" masks I have at home that Gordon had been using.  I have most of a box left.  He said that would be wonderful & said he could probably use about 5.  So, I got my groceries at Tops, went home, put them away, put 6 or more duck-bill masks in separate baggies, then went to Margaret's with hers.  She said she had gotten a call from Josh saying he would be out to bring her DVD. She was thrilled that I would do that for her.
Hopefully, it all goes well when she gets her new DVD player later today.

The whole episode gave me a really good feeling.  I didn't get very close to anyone, but was still able to do a good deed.

Makes the whole day feel better!

Has it Been only Seven Days?

Somehow it seems much longer than 7 days since it was announced we should meet in no more than groups of 50, quickly changed to 10, and all discretionary travel should be suspended.

On that Monday afternoon, I was on my home from spending the weekend in Lebanon CT to see the High School play Maggie, my oldest granddaughter, was running the lighting board for.  She had also designed the poster & program for it.  The musical, Little Shop of Horrors, was due to be performed the following weekend; however, the school quickly moved it up a week fearing (correctly) the school would be closed by then.

I had a great weekend with the 4 Kings and got to see the musical, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  It was good to be there for the musical and to join them in celebrating Dan (March 17), Barb(March 20) & Ella's(March 26) birthdays.  We also had an afternoon hike in the woods which gave us all, including their dog Natalie, a good amount of exercise.

Now New York, CT, and several other states are under orders to refrain from congregating.  Businesses, except for essential services, are closed.  Restaurants can serve meals, but only take-out. People over 70, or those with underlying medical conditions, are advised to stay indoors and not congregate with others. Churches are closed and learning how to do services via Facebook or other electronic means.  We are learning new things.  I'm sure we will be learning more new things in the future.

I have been trying to get in a walk of reasonable length each day. It's not hard for me to find places to walk where I don't encounter other people.  I am listening to a book while I walk, which works well when I walk in the cemetery, not quite as well well when I'm on Main St as trucks are noisy & keep me from hearing the book.  I hope to continue a daily walk, weather permitting.

More later.