PACE YOURSELF

 Last Memorial Day, the nation was closed down tightly as Covid-19 ravaged even the smallest towns. This year, things were much different. Responsible folks chose to get vaccinations, and enough have done so that we can cautiously come out for the spring and summer season.  

If you’re thinking things seem different, join the crowd. It is as if we’ve been in some kind of suspended animation. Everything that we took for granted is special now. Folks love spending time outside. Nature seems to be excited as well because the birds are singing louder and more often. The cicadas have awakened after their long naps and are filling the air with their mating calls. To some of us, being shut in for such a long time and now being able to go outside has brought on devastating allergic attacks. The pollen is thick as dust and has us sneezing and rubbing our itching eyes. Still, we refuse to go back inside to be trapped again. 

I’m happiest for the kids. This is the first generation in over 100 years that has been trapped. Schools closed the doors to classroom education; instead, children tried to complete lessons on computers through virtual learning. The concept sounded good, but I seriously doubt that many students excelled this past year. In fact, I’d bet that next ear might be spent in remediation.  

Now, they can play with friends and simply be together. The most important lessons in educations have been absent for the last year. With the protection from new medicines, young people can now learn how to get along with others, how to participate in groups, and how to communicate with others. As well, they can share the joys of extracurricular activities that are so important in the development of  individuals. 

This return to the old ways has hit adults hard. Being idle for so long makes returning to a schedule tough. Dealing with less-than-pleasant co-workers demands extra efforts. Even returning to the office and wearing something other than sweatpants and t-shirts has proven to be a chafing experience.  

Of course, the return to freedom will save many relationships. None of us is meant to be with another person 24-7. Work doesn’t look so bad when it offers a break from all that closeness. A little distance makes the heart grow fonder. 

What all of us are discovering is that all this time with others outside our houses is exhausting. We are re-learning how to be with other people. To our surprise, social settings suck our energies quickly. After just a few hours, folks go home and collapse from the time spent with others. It takes students a while to settle back into school routines and the remember correct way to behave in class. Being tired after a day of school makes completing homework and projects almost impossible. 

We are on the road to recovery. Every person should get the vaccinations; no one has the right to endanger others by expressing his so-called freedom of speech. Before long, let’s hope that Covid-19 is in the past. While we return to our former lives, let’s make sure that we pace ourselves until our strength is back. Still, enjoy the return to a healthy world and give thanks to those who made it possible. Let’s hope we are better prepared for the next catastrophe that surely will occur.  

OLD CARS AND OLD PEOPLE

 I bought a new Pathfinder in 1987. In past columns I’ve talked about that car. The truth is I love that hunk of metal. Too many memories, good and bad, have been made in that car that getting rid of it is unthinkable. Amy isn’t thrilled with the decision to hold on to this old junker, and she is right to say we’re pouring money in something that is of little value.  

The week before we went on vacation, I dropped the old Pathfinder off at Charlie Muncey’s house. I asked that he perform the regular tune-up and other things that are standard. I also listed some concerns about the car but asked him to call me before fixing them in case they were too expensive.  

I called Charlie this past week to check on the status on the patient. He was still going over the car. It seems that a problem exists with the intake. He was trying to decide if a new valve or complete part was needed. For one thing, I’m not sure exactly what an intake is nor do I have any idea how much one costs. I trust Charlie Muncey with my vehicles, and whatever he says must be done is an honest assessment of what is needed to keep them on the road.  

Some rust spots along the bottom of the vehicle at the doors are bubbling up. I know they should be fixed, but I don’t have the money to fix those problems right now. If I can restore the car to health so that I can drive it a few more years, I’ll be satisfied.  

I’m hoping to get the car back before long. Summer is here, and that old Pathfinder is my work car. It hauls tools and materials, and it also hauls Sadie to her monthly vet and groomer visits. I’m hoping a few tweaks, some grease, and a couple of new parts will keep it on the road. 

I’ve decided that we are like cars. For years our bodies run fine. We glide with relative ease through work and sports and hobbies. Then, one day out of nowhere, we start having problems. In my case, everything from the waist down is in need of an adjustment. My hips, knees, and ankles ache any time I begin an activity. I’m not sure if any parts need to be replaced, but they all could use some grease to loosen them up so they work better. My feet are killing me, and I fear that major work on my ankle is needed to keep my body from pulling to one side as I limp along.  

I’ve been put on blood thinners recently to address a bout with atrial fibrillation. A check-up with a cardiologist indicated that things were back to a regular rhythm now. I am thankful because the last thing I want it to replace a valve. Too, anything that requires the use a catheter isn't for me.  

With any luck, my old Pathfinder will make a full recovery and receive a promising prognosis. Then I won’t have to use my new Pathfinder (2011 model) for hauling. As for me, I’ll take these blood thinners and try to get plenty of exercise. Both the car and I will visit more regularly for check-ups. We both still have many things to finish. 

BEACH TIME

 We’re home from vacation. Everything is unloaded and before long, I’ll have the sand out of shoes and suitcases. The weather was perfect. Highs were in the upper 70’s to the low 80’s. The rains hit on Monday and Tuesday, but we still found things to keep us busy. In all, the trip to Navarre Beach was a success. 

With that said, I have to give the place a few minuses. For one, Navarre is a small place. The causeway is two lanes. Every day about 4:00 pm., the traffic is terrible. Some folks claimed they spent up to two hours just to drive down Gulf Boulevard to the causeway. On weekends, the traffic stacks up the other way as new groups arrive for their vacations and locals crowd the pier to fish. Another delay in coming to the beach is the bird sanctuary along the road. Birds are nesting, and the speed limit is set at 20 mph. Getting to and from the places visitors stay can be exhausting and frustrating. 

The beach is almost perfect. Located close to condos and motels, folks have little trouble maneuvering to a place to dump their gear and hit the water. The area is not as well-known as nearby beaches, so that means the crowds on the sand are much smaller. Of course, making the journey before schools empty for the summer ends cuts down on the number to teens who tend to be loud and rowdy. For the most part, Navarre Beach is a spot for families with small children and for oldsters like me. 

We ate in most of the time simply because we didn’t want to fight the traffic. Most folks who had visited in years past suggested we go to Pensacola since the number of restaurants at Navarre is small, which makes wait times even longer. Our one venture out was to Scooter’s. The food was fantastic! If you get down here, make the trip to Scooter’s. Try the fried snapper or grilled grouper.  

If what a person wants is a place that offers little entertainment but plenty of rest, Navarre Beach is the place to visit. Sleeping in is nice, especially when the rest of the day can be spent lazing around the beach. There’s plenty of people watching that can be done as well. For some reason, a swimsuit causes some strange actions. I’ve never seen so many females wearing skimpy suits and spend time trying to stretch tiny pieces of cloth across their backsides. They tugged at tops that slipped and slid over their oiled skin. Too many men my age were spotted wearing speedos that were hidden by big bellies that overhung them.  

By the time you read this, I’ll be back home. I miss mowing the lawn and digging in the dirt. I hope to work at the golf course again this year, and Jim and I have several projects to complete this summer. By the end of the season, I'll be ready for another beach trip. I’d like to go to Isle of Palms if an affordable condo is available. We’ll see. All I know is that a trip to the ocean renews a person’s spirit.  

THAT'S WHAT THE DVR IS FOR

  

As stated on many occasions, I like to watch television. That doesn’t mean that I’ll sit down and watch any show that comes on. In fact, my list of favorite shows is limited. For instance, I’m amazed at the writing of episodes of “This Is Us,” but I can find not one endearing quality in “The Bachelor.” For all those shows, however, the bills are paid by commercials. Some of those spots drive me up the wall. 

One group of commercials deals with children and their eating habits. On little girl refuses to eat broccoli and informs her parents that they’ll sit at the table all night before she eats the stuff. Mom solves the problem by serving up a pile of macaroni and cheese. Another commercial shows a young girl being rewarded for taking a bite of a vegetable with four French fries.  

In the first place, my brothers and I talked back to our parents once; the consequences of doing so convinced us that ever doing it again would not be a way to survive. Neither did Mother or Daddy believe in bribery.  

My parents did learn a valuable lesson about demanding that children eat certain foods. They were hell-bent that my brother Jim was going to eat greens. He finally relented and loaded a fork with the things. He chewed a couple of times and swallowed. Yep, you are way ahead of me. Those greens barely made it to his stomach before they made an exit. Jim spewed those greens across the supper table. Our parents never insisted on our eating a food again. 

In another irritating commercial, a dad is on a conference zoom meeting when his to darling children enter the living room, tear open a container of flour, and throw handfuls of the stuff all over. The dad sits motionless and lets the two cretins have their fun.   

I know during this time of Covid-19 that many parents are working from home. Children are involved in virtual learning, and being cooped up for months has everyone out of sorts. Nevertheless, children of our generation wouldn’t have been brave enough to pull such a dumb move. Oh, we accidentally broke things in the house, but we never intentionally destroyed the house. 

The worst of the commercials tout new medicines. They lessen depression, cure psoriasis, and help with leaky bladders; you name a problem, there’s a medicine commercial for it. That we have so many cures for illness and conditions is something for which to be thankful, at least until the narrator begins listing possible side effects from these drugs. I’m not so sure that those possibilities are worth taking the stuff. At the same time, pharmaceutical companies spend big bucks to promote their products, which most of us can’t afford to take anyway. Yes, some companies will offer help with costs for a while, but in the long run, patients either stop taking the medicine or shell out hundreds of dollars. The company grows richer, while the consumer grows poorer or sicker.  

As I said, I like to watch television. What would be even better is to watch a television show that isn’t evenly divided between the story and commercials. I’d also like to finish a show without being in a rage over some actions of brats or some high-priced medicine.  That’s what the DVR is for. It might be the best feature of any television provider. 

AVOIDING VIRUSES

 Are you tired of hearing how terrible 2020 was with the appearance of Covid-19? I might agree with folks if we hadn’t already had 3.2 million cases and 573,000 deaths—so far. For those who have suffered through the disease or who have lost loved ones and friends, nothing can ever erase the tragedies of the past months.  

With that said, not all has been bad. I watched a documentary the other night about the effects the disease has had on the earth. They have been more positive. For one thing, the lockdowns around the world have impacted the air. According to the show, the amount of carbon emissions in 2020 decreased by 7 percent from 2019. Los Angeles skies were clear, an amazing change for the area. In India, for the first time in most people’s lives, the Himalayan Mountains were visible for from their windows. We’ll see if this year’s measurements point to a consistent drop. 

On the beaches, turtles laid their eggs without interference of humans. More babies survived than at any other recent time. Penguins in South Africa have been chased from the beaches by swarms of humans. They needed to leave their vulnerable young inland while walking to the ocean to hunt for food all day. Then the penguins come home to feed small ones who eat 1/3 of their weight each day. With humans locked down, the waddling creatures moved back to the beaches, and their lives were much easier with youngster closer to them.  

In cities and communities, wildlife appeared along streets and in yards. A group of deer walked back to old feeding grounds that had been gobbled up by development. Impalas ate from trees. In one place, cheetahs staked their claims to deserted territories. In fact, the number of cubs who survived increased with humans staying away. Elephants invaded villages in Asia to eat humans’ garden plants. To stop the onslaught, villagers decided to plant acres of rice on which the large animals could feast. The plan worked and helped both man and beast live. 

I watched these animals roam city streets and communities and thought of how terribly we have treated them. Even here in Knoxville, developers devour parcels of land, strip the natural habitats of wildlife, and cram 5 houses per acre. Those animals have no place to go other than into communities to search for food. Where are animals supposed to live and find food? No wonder so many animals lay dead on  roadsides after the sun comes up.  

That documentary showed me just how destructive we humans are. Our desire for gasoline and plastic and land have led to the pollution of our world. Earth chokes and wheezes as it tries to keep its lungs free of crud. If we don’t do something soon, wildlife and the planet itself might lose their battles and their lives. We have a choice: clean our planet up or be known throughout the universe as the virus that destroyed a planet. Think how similar we are to the very virus that plagues us. However, we also are the answer to survival, if only we can live a bit more like we have for the past year.