Tuesday, September 01, 2020

Day 171, self quarantine:

Tuesday, September 1, 2020

September, huh.

Yikes, if you, like Gary and me started quarantining in March, that means you have basically stayed indoors during the months of March, April, May, June, July, August and September.

Psychologically, that’s pretty intense.

I mean, there’s not many other months left.

And two of them contain huge family holidays.

How ironic that Gary hadn’t used his camera in five years when he rediscovered it during quarantine. There were some old photos still on it.

The year Eric moved to Asheville in 2014 and we did Christmas via Internet.

There’s pics of Eric unwrapping presents and holding them up on the computer screen.

Oh, how I cried that Christmas and swore I would never allow that to happen again.

Now I’m like, oh well, I guess we’re doing Thanksgiving and Christmas by Zoom this year, thanks to Donald the snake oil salesman and his new “expert,” a FOX NEWS RADIOLOGIST...RIGHT I SAID RADIOLOGIST NOT INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST...named Dr. Scott Atlas...yes, his name is Dr. Atlas.

“Atlas, who does not have a background in infectious diseases or epidemiology, has expanded his influence inside the White House by advocating policies that appeal to Trump’s desire to move past the pandemic.”

Dr. Atlas believes in herd immunity.

Herd immunity has been proven not to work with a virus such as this.

In fact, it’s expected at least two million more of us will die in the coming months.

Yeah, that’s right.  At least two million of us.

Particularly those over sixty, those with other medical conditions, poor people and people of color, but no worries, rich young white people will die, too.


I have no words for the people who laughed at my panic and told me my life wouldn’t change after November 8, 2016...that one man could never make a difference in my “privileged” life.

Actually, I do have words.

Go fuck yourselves hard.

Okay, I feel better now.

Anyway, since we’re all gonna die, we keep looking for the bright spots here at Casa Slick.

So yesterday, when we drove to Home Depot and had the radio on in the car, I said to Gary, “Wouldn’t it be cool if Eric’s song came on WXPN and I could take a pic of the dashboard screen with his name?”

Gary, to his credit, didn’t call me a dork.

In fact, when we were back home and listening to the radio later in the afternoon and Eric’s song did come on, Gary grabbed his car keys.

“C’mon, Rob!  Let’s go!”

“Wut?  Where are we going?”

I was stretched out on the sofa in pajamas and bare feet, checking out these really cool Frida Kahlo benches on my phone.

“You said you want to take a pic of Eric’s song on the radio! Hurry up!”

“But it’s pouring rain outside!”

Gary was already out the door, but I was the one with the camera so I raced after him and ew, I stepped in a puddle and soaked my bare feet and the hems of my pajama bottoms not to mention fucked up my freshly washed hair so yep we’re both insane but we ran across the street through the raindrops and sat in the car giggling like two teenagers and yep we got our pics and the rest of the day rocked hard.




So that was yesterday.

I’m not sure what we’re doing today, oh wait, yes I am, we’re staying home, and I guess the only question is, will I ask Gary to bag up some of his clothes for charity or will I ask him to make sweet almond biscuits?

Three guesses.

Hey, at least I don’t have to sit in a cave somewhere meditating on what will make me happy.

It’s one of the few perks of old age.

And with that, I’m outta here.

Rock on!


Monday, August 31, 2020

Day 170

Day 170, self quarantine:

Monday, August 31, 2020

Welp, there goes August.

So no Dog Beach today, the weather isn’t that great, we have other stuff on our plate, and I would rather save the beach for later in the week so we have something to look forward to.

Here’s the obligatory pic of Jake and me right now, having just shopped at Home Depot this morning.



I think I have 25 of these, from each week of quarantine.

Yikes.

Gary didn’t want to have his picture taken.  He’s in shock he’s up and out this early.

Yes, I know Home Depot is evil but we had an emergency and no other choice.

Nothing drastic, just a doorknob issue, but we kinda have to be able to lock and unlock the front door.

Haha, happy vacation.

Nah, I’m chill.  We’re really enjoying ourselves so far.

I like waking up with no responsibilities.

Scratch that.  I love it.

It’s still hard for me to believe I could officially actually live this way all the time.

I just wish people would stop posting those “Social Security will be out of money by 2023” stories.

Woo, anyway, retirement has sure sunk in with Gary!  He’s loving life right now.

Even though he’s awake five hours early and has to go home and fuck with the front door.

Poor Gary.  Now that I’m home 24/7, I’m noticing everything.

Like we really need to paint the trim around said door.

Oh, well.  We have nothing but time these days.

But in the grand scheme of the tragedies taking place in this country hourly, who the fuck cares about painting door trim.

If I am putting Gary to work, I’d rather have a gourmet meal.

So what else.

I’m not talking about Donald today, the trip to Home Depot was brutal enough.

I got triggered by something again last night and almost tumbled into deep, dark depression.

Somehow I shook myself out of it.

None of us are guaranteed any time other than the very second we’re living in.  I could be dead and gone a second later.

Especially as a post menopausal woman my age.

So what’s the point of being angry or sad?

What is gained from that?

Do I really want my last words to be, “Fuck you, scumbag Donald Trump (or whoever/whatever),” as I’m clutching my chest and falling to the ground dead?

I’m working on this, people.

It’s really hard not being sad and angry right now.  We’ve lost so much.

On the other hand, if we’re paying attention, we’ve gained a lot, too.

For Gary and me, it might be the gift of patience and really listening, both to each other and something as simple as chirping birds.

Right, I’ll trade you patience for live music and listening for living closer to my kids and being a physical part of their lives.

Sigh...okay, enough.

Gary just reminded me we’re very close to the good cinnamon sugar soft pretzel place so maybe we can salvage this trip after all.

I’m on vacation, I’m good.

Ooh, and Gary is making a whole roast stuffed cauliflower with feta and honey for dinner tonight.

It’s not a bad day after all.

Happy Monday!