Last day of this most unusual year. Next year may be only a
modest improvement in terms of freedom to move around. Yesterday was busy with
Cillay calling from Kentucky and a long supportive call with Rosalie. She suggested
using our curriculum from our conscious aging class in the new class. I will do
so as parts of it are appropriate. I’m very anxious about the zooming. I hope to get enough information and practice
to do well. I will start a new blog tomorrow.
I was mentally fatigued yesterday and felt negative about my
ability to present a lesson and be a zoom host at the same time. After talking
with the director I felt better. I want to do well. I like my lesson plans. Michele
and I walked around the block. I enjoy her company and her ideas. Today I will
talk with Rosalie and pick her brain too. That’s the whole agenda. I may ask Laurie
to zoom with me from Sparks. Her ideas are always special.
Zooming to church was worthwhile. I followed along with prayer book and hymnal. Felt
connected. Then the zoom lesson that left me with brain fatigue. Not ready for
independent use. May take a dozen lessons. I did zoom Kelle and that was fun.
Today I will talk with the director and find out what to expect from her as far
as tech support. I rested with a couple of
hours of Season 10 of Heartland. I walked around the block and will repeat
again today.
I’ll zoom to church this morning. Janine will guide me. I’m so
looking forward to it. That is the reason for the new computer. Distance participation
and socialization is better than none. Then I need to sit down and plan for an
eight week writing course with all new processes. Later, the zoom lesson with Hollie’s
teacher friend. I hope she doesn’t roll her eyes and sigh heavily when I ask
the same question again. I walked to the PO yesterday and enjoyed being
outside.
Safeway before 7 AM. Took on the necessary items plus foods like
chips. Yesterday I was asked to teach a writing class viva zoom. I said yes even
though I don’t know how or what to offer. Hollie to the rescue! Her friend is
coming tomorrow to clue me in to the finer points of zooming. I can do it. I
spent time with Heartland again. Season 9 and I’m feeling it coming to an end. I have enjoyed
the simplicity and the family dynamics.
Yes, there is a season 8 on Heartland and that’s how I spent
the recovery day. My left arm is more useful today although sore. It’s wet out
and another quiet day is on the agenda. I snacked a lot yesterday and I need to
quell the impulse to grab peanuts or cookies. My pants are getting tight and
uncomfortable. I know how to feed myself well. Marj came to visit and I
enjoyed her. We are a pair of 80s who
like to work.
After a wonderful family 68th birthday party for
Chuck complete with lots of pizza, I fell in the rose garden and damaged a
plant and my wrist. I tripped on a rug that is there to keep the rain from under
the door. No serious damage but a fall is a fall and to be respected. Megan and
Ben are so much fun and good together. They helped with the new computer
issues. Today I’m going to rest and watch more of my cowboy series.
The cold wet day was perfect along with wimpy energy to
watch season six of Heartland. I’m going to miss them when their series ends.
Today I will work on familiarizing myself with the new computer. I took
yesterday off from everything productive. Today I will walk to the bank and
check on the missing check and then go to the gas company with my credit card. I’m going to use more tech stuff to pay bills
as this is not the first missing mail.
Yes indeed. I’m up on the tech stuff. Zoomed with Kelle. All
I did was click on the invitation and
there she was. I enjoyed the visit more than the phone calls. I looked around
her room and she saw mine. More intimate than phoning. Today I have to work on
using the new ideapad. The word program is huge and I couldn’t find the way in.
Hollie made a window for me to start.. I want to succeed with this. It’s another
wet cold day.
Another wet day. I need a sun day to lift my gloom.
Yesterday Michele visited and it was wonderful to have her here. Delia came
over too and she talked and talked. Obviously lonely too. We heard her cat
stories and family stuff. Today Kelle is going to zoom at 2 PM. She will walk
me through my part.. I’m looking forward to learning how. I did better with the
new computer with e-mail and facebook. No progress with word 365. I want a tutor.
Dogs are declawed, my skin required a couple of zaps. The
rest of the day was season five of Heartland. What will I do when I finish it? Find
another series to binge. I promised to use the laptop today and get familiar with
it. I asked for it and I need to own it. Michele is coming to visit this afternoon.
I’m looking forward to conversation.. So many days are about meals and going to
bed. The sheets of rain are keeping us confined.
I made progress yesterday with patience and lots of pacing.
I know it’s just a machine but I am afraid of messing ti up. Megan showed me
how to scroll with two fingers on the mouse pad. Today I have a derm
appointment where Jessse will probably find things to zap. Old damage shows up.
Then the dogs go for nail treatment at at the groomer. It’s a chore I don’t
want to do myself. This morning I have done laundry and changed the sheets..
I made little progress with the notebook. I could not figure
out how to make it scroll. Just finding the cursor is work. Reminded me of
Megan’s first days with the stick shift but I haven’t popped out with hives! Megan is coming to give me a hand. I want to
use it well and easily so I will do what I need to do. The rose garden is free
of weeds and looks good. The violets are ready to grow and cover the ground.
Slight mental hangover from the new computer’s steep
learning curve. Thanks to Megan, it is operational after Hollie and I tried and
made a Chinese fire drill out of it. All that passwords stuff get tedious. I
want to learn to zoom. Today I’ll play with it but meanwhile I’m using old
faithful. I may keep this one for blogging. Hollie found a great recliner with
lumbar support. She needs it for her back injury. Chuck will pick it up tomorrow.
Change is ongoing here.
I was fine yesterday but a quiet day. It was too cold to
finish the weeding. I watched most of season three of Heartland. I’m quite fond
of the family. It’s like reading a long generational novel. C and H went to
Medford yesterday and brought me coffee from Cosco. Today we are agoing to
Brookings in search of a new computer for me. My doctor told me to learn to
zoom and I need a camera for a ita. It will be a Lenovo notebook.
Pulled most of the weeds and uncovered the wild violets that
are beginning to grow. I like them and they cover the ground beautifully. Later
I walked for the ant traps and decided to walk home the long way. Part way I
had an episode of losing control of my walking. It was a brain condition thing
where if I didn’t run I would fall down. Made it home by holding on to poles.
Hollie saw that I was in trouble and recued me.
Important day for our family: covid vax all around. Hollie
is caregiver, Chuck is disabled vet, and I am old. We will go to the airport
for the event. I’m glad we will have the
protection. After the frost melts,
I’m going to walk again. It feels so good to get out on my own even just around
the block. Walking is such a big part of my life and it has been hard to stay in so much. Might get weeding
started in the roses.
The news from yesterday is I walked around the block! First
walk in weeks of back pain and weather. It’s clear and frosty again so I’ll wait
for 50 before I venture out. Today I’m going to Home Depot and get ant traps
then to the bank. Megan needs the date of the first covid check for my taxes.
Nice to have an in-house accountant. I don’t need an appointment. I watched two
episode of the second season of Heartland.
I like the family dynamics.
Frosty morning with sun promised later. I feel the need to
go outside today. Maybe walk to the bank and cash in the government debit card.
I will borrow Hollie’s vacuum cleaner and get the webs off the sunporch
windows. Thanks to Rosalie, I started a story that needs details. It was fun to
work out an idea and write. My handwriting is shaky and typing is full of mistakes
from the tremor and I want to write anyway. First ham and avocado on pitta.
Loud hail storm in the night rattled the skylight big time.
Cold rain this morning. I suppose I’ll turn to Netflix again and find something
new to enjoy. Rosalie asked me to read a prompt and decide if it stimulates my
mind. I know it needs a shake up as the moss is beginning to grow. I will do
that as soon as I finish this post. We brought home lots of supplies so good nutrition
is available but so are chips, peanuts, gingersnaps and chocolate.
January brought an hour of daylight and two pounds of belly fat.
Time to get back on the wagon with no bacon and potato breakfasts. It’s so easy
to snack in the gloomy weather. Yesterday I watched Dig. It was historically
interesting and Junebug that was weird and a waste of time. I like entertaining
shows. It is one year since I gave up the car. It’s been okay thanks to Hollie’s
generosity. I was no longer a comfortable driver. Inside day with no agenda.
