EASTER AND BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS MISSED

I hoped that things would have been better by now, all the while knowing they wouldn’t. That’s all right as long as this staying home is working to end this pandemic. I admit that I’ve made a few trips to the grocery store and home improvement places, but other than that, home has been where most of my time has been spent. What disappoints me is that the secular part of Easter celebration didn’t occur. Even worse, we haven’t been able to travel to Hendersonville to celebrate our daughter’s birthday. 

For as long as I can remember, Easter Sunday has been a big event. When we were small, Mother sewed Easter outfits. In those days, she dressed us in identical clothing because she thought it was cute. However, little boys with big heads, skinny legs, and round bellies were anything but cute.  

Our family loaded up in the car and traveled to church. Somehow, Daddy always managed to be off on those Sundays, and that made the day more special. The sanctuary was always packed with folding chairs set up in aisles, and, in every service the congregation always sang “Old Rugged Cross.” Mother always managed to be the last to leave after church, and we ran to change clothes the minute we arrived home. 

Mother and Daddy would hide eggs for a few rounds. Then she would go in to finish Sunday dinner, and he would just go in. Dal would hide eggs for us a couple of times, and then Jim and I would hide for each other. By the time we finished, the shells were smashed and our works of art from the night before were destroyed.  

Dinner was always included ham and potato salad. Mother took some of our most battered eggs and made deviled eggs. Desert was always some kind of pie. Afterwards, we’d go out for another round of hiding eggs or searching for the ones we’d not found earlier.  

Lacey’s birthday is a special time for us. She was our first born, and the day of her arrival was an  unusual event. Amy was in labor, but the contractions came at different intervals. A call to the doctor had us driving to UT Medical Center. We walked into the office, the staff checked her, hailed a wheelchair, and sprinted my wife to delivery. Lacey was born just about ninety minutes later.  

As a little girl, I spoiled her and could never resist her requests when she looked up at me with that sweet face and blue eyes. I still have a hard time saying “no” to her. We had grandparents and other family members at our house for parties. On some birthdays, friends came and giggled, laughed, yelled and enjoyed the time together. 

Our family always has celebrated her birthday within a week of that day, but this year, we’re not sure when things will settle down enough to have a party. It’s sad to a dad to not be able to give a birthday hug to his daughter. I miss her even more than usual. 

The changes to celebratory days my become the new normal, at least for a while. My hope is that this virus will go away soon so that our lives can return to some kind of normal. Of course, that will happen only if we all do our best to follow the instructions from health advisers. Let’s all say a prayer that next year we will be able to give thanks for so many different things. Until then, stay home, stay safe, and stay in touch.  

PLENTY OF FREE TIME

Soooo, what are you spending your time on these days? Most of us have plenty of it; in fact, some folks declare that they have too much time on their hands. I’ve learned to deal with my idle hours with several different ways, and thus far, I’m not suffering with boredom. 

My brother Jim and I have tackled projects that have been on the back burners for a while. We put in paver stones at his house. He and wife Brenda completed half of them, and then we finished the rest. In case you’re wondering, the answer is “yes.” He and Brenda finished their part of the project without screaming, murdering, or divorcing. The two of us managed to work without any arguments or harsh words, something that doesn’t always happen.  

We also removed the siding from his out-building, replaced a huge section of rotted plywood, removed a window, and replace the siding. I’d dreaded the chore because, to be honest, I’ve tackled too many jobs of a similar nature that went sideways. The best thing about the finished project this time was nothing looked different.  

Warm weather has brought welcome relief from constant rain. I’ve been able to spray weed killer, mow, trim shrubs, weed eat, and spread mulch (with Jim’s help). We opened the pool the first of the month, and I jumped in to make it official, although my time in the water was measured in seconds. Sitting on the deck in the evenings is a welcome way to end the day and provides some time out of the house.  

Jobs that were once things to put off are now welcome distractions. I’ve kept the house somewhat clean and have run the vacuum more often than usual. All the closets, except for Amy’s, have been emptied and straightened up. Boxes for items from ten years ago filled the garbage, and now those spaces are bursting at the seams. My out-building was crammed with pool furniture and things we’d moved when new flooring was laid in December. After a few hours, I could move without struggling to find a path in the place.  

Chunks of my time during the last weeks have been spent watching the news. This killer virus has shaken our world in a way nothing else has. The daily reports of increasing confirmed cases and deaths scare all of us. The mixed messages about the safety of going out or adequate supplies for hospitals and healthcare workers or safe medicines to use confounds us all. The professionals are struggling to keep us updated, but sometimes others offer contradictory statements. After watching, folks aren’t sure what to do. I listen to briefings and shake my head in disgust because it seems that the most powerful, blessed country in the world is simply unable to take care of its citizens. 

I’ve also watched the political situations that have occurred. We now know that in November Biden and Trump will vie for the presidency. Of course, serious questions about voting procedures are now facing leaders. I’ve hoped that the money designated to help small business and individuals would arrive promptly, but indications are that the government has failed to get checks to those most in need.  At some point each day, I no longer can listen to the jumbled state-of-affairs, and that’s when the re-runs begin. At this point, I can name every officer who has ever appeared on “PD Live” and know all the punchlines from every episode of “Two and a Half Men.” 

 I’ve left the house some. Trips to the grocery store or Home Depot have been made. I also have driven to Jim’s house when we worked together. However, most of my time has been spent at home, and I hope that all of you are also practicing “social distancing.” The truth is that if we don’t do that, we might never return to the lives we once knew. Try to breathe, accept the situation, and enjoy the free time. It will be gone before you know it.  

A LITTLE DOWN TIME

How are you holding up? That’s a question many folks are asking others. This stay-at-home lifestyle is negatively affecting plenty of people. The “belly-aching” is deafening, but I understand those who are miserable. Some of us, however, are doing all right with the situation.  

Families who are suffering during this shutdown are used to more activity in life. Parents spend days working, and children are sitting in classes. In the evenings, families juggle schedules to arrive at sports’ practices, dance or karate classes, or club meetings. Suppers are eaten in shifts, and many families consume food that has been picked up at a drive-thru window of some fast food restaurant. 

Suddenly, everyone is at home. The house that sat empty so much of the day now is filled with the family. Everyone feels a bit crowded, and privacy seems impossible to find. Parents who work at home demand quiet from children. Teens retreat to their own worlds inside their bedrooms, but little brothers or sisters constantly invade, as do moms who are gathering up loads of laundry and demanding that rooms be cleaned. Social distancing works fine with teens when it deals with family members, but they aren’t so keen on the idea when it includes friends.  

In all, those folks are in foul moods. They long for a return to “normal life.” Kids want sports to play and movies to attend; they want to hang out with friends, especially as warmer weather comes. Parents want children back in school. They have realized how inadequate they are in educating their children and how difficult working from home is. 

Some of us are doing much better. Our lives aren’t nearly so complicated. Children are grown and out on their own. Work is something we do, but it doesn’t define us. Home is a good place to be. We enjoy each other’s company, and older couples have been together long enough to know when a little separation, even if it is at the far ends of the house, is warranted.  

Amy and I have enjoyed the warmer weather. I finally have been able to hop on the mower and cut the grass. The flower beds have been weeded much earlier this year. Amy has put some plants into pots and the ground. During evenings, we sit on the deck or screened porch and read or just watch the cars go by on Ball Camp Pike.  

Evenings are spent watching one of the shows that we’ve recorded. Occasionally, we find a movie on Netflix or Prime, and for a couple of hours we view the show. Even with all the stations and alternative programming, we sometimes find nothing worth spending our time on and return to books or other distractions.  

Surprisingly, we’ve not had a single cross word during this entire time. Maybe we have been able to accept the situation and are willing to live with it. Then again, we might have enough to keep us busy and out of each other’s way. More likely, we’ve learned to live with each other. Amy and I enjoy our time together. We eat at home most nights, so not having restaurants to eat at is no big deal. Oh, we make trips to the grocery store and gas station, and I’ve even visited Home Depot for a couple of necessary things. But for most part, we are comfortable and content at home.  

Don’t worry; before much longer, this pandemic will go away, at least for a while. Then folks can jump back on the merry-go-round of life and return to exhaustion that tells them that they’ve lived to the fullest. When anyone is gasping in the middle of the way things usually are, I hope he or she will think back to how pleasant that time at home was. Much can be said about a little down time.