Neil and I along with millions of others are entering another month of primarily staying home. As I wrote last month, I recognize that as time continues and projects wane, I have to think of new ways to spend my time in a productive manner. Let me catch you up.
Mickey Booboo is growing in leaps and bounds. He is learning many new things daily. Some I like, others I tolerate. When the devil dog emerges, we butt heads. He is vocal, opinionated, happy, and confident (he certainly takes after the two of us). He occupies a large portion of my day and I laugh out loud
at his antics, tell numerous Mickey stories to anyone who will listen, and enjoy our exercise program of walking and swimming. Yes, Mickey is a true water dog and swims all over the pool catching bubbles and bugs. I love my time with him and have looked to augment only a small portion of the day with other things.
Neil is busy with his many undertakings, yet makes time to play two-handed Canasta with me at least once a day. Besides his business and the HOA, he is working to create a mentoring program with the Broward County
Board of Education. Although we are both in the house, we generally are separate except for the card game, dinner, and whatever after-dinner activity we plan.
The biggest enhancement I have made is for my friends to occupy more of my time again. I now play both Canasta and Mah Jongg online with friends (simultaneously using Houseparty) three afternoons a week, I have a couple
of friends over to swim one day each week, and try to do an occasional lunch, dinner, or coffee and dessert outside (socially distant). By creating a regular recurring weekly schedule of these things, I am more satisfied both socially and having utilized my time in a positive way. This addition has made a world of difference.
I continue to try new recipes, and while some turn out to be delicious, others have been mediocre at best. Prepping and cooking combined with planning a shopping list for Walmart pickup occupies a number of hours, and this is something I have thoroughly enjoyed.
My cousin Sharry has tried a number of my creations and shares many of
hers with me. Again, I think I always get the better end of this deal as hers are
always delicious.
While I have nearly run out of house projects, there is one remaining that I have consistently hesitated to start. The project is going through all of my and my mom’s old photographs. I know that this should be done as it will preserve family history for my grandchildren, but somehow, I dread the poignant, emotional hours and days it will entail. Maybe I’ll start this month.
There is a word that describes my life during the pandemic: Pentimento. It is the reappearance in a painting of an underlying image that had been painted over, usually when the later painting becomes transparent with age. The earlier image may be visible initially, become visible with age, or revealed through X-rays. I feel that way about my life now. I have changed the surface of my life, substituting things that enable me to be happier in my new normal, but the elements of my previous way of life are still there, under the surface, waiting to emerge. I pray for a vaccine.
By Jill Vogel