Maria was out walking in the woods with Zinnia and Fate. When she got home, she told me straightly that she had seen a swamp monster.
Then she took out her Iphone and showed me the picture (above.)
(Bud the Planter and company. The back porch is the hot place to be on our farm.)
The Swamp Creature was Zinnia, and she had plowed headfirst into a mud swamp in the woods, a smelly, muddy place no dog in their right mind would plunge into so happily and enthusiastically.
There’s a Lab. She got a good hosing in the yard. She still stinks. Let dogs be dogs.
So I’ve got a decision to make. My doctors have informed me that the new direction of the pandemic is targeting older adults with chronic diseases, especially those with heart disease and diabetes.
(You don’t see sheep or chickens alone if they have a choice. The White Hen’s lifelong pal died a few weeks ago, after an attack by Bud. I see the White Hen off by herself a lot looking a bit lost.)
I was told to stay away from crowds of people and indoor restaurants, or even better, stay home. This gets complicated. This weekend, I’m supposed to meet my daughter and granddaughter in Hudson, New York, halfway between her and New York City.
I haven’t seen either of them for more than two years, and it’s time. Emma has been planning this trip for a long time, and she is concerned about being the person who finally introduces me to Covid-19, which I have managed to duck for some time now.
(I call this photo “Waiting For Friends.“)
Almost everyone I know seems to be catching Covid in one form or another, and it has been suggested to me that this isn’t the right time to be traveling to a strange town on a holiday weekend. The government has seemed to lose hold of the Covid narrative, it’s too confusing, political, damaging, and exhausting.
We have to make these decisions on our own.
Emma and I talked about it, and she said she would understand if I decided not to go. I said I have decided to go, Covid will be around for many years, and I need to see my daughter and granddaughter.
I talked it over with Maria and Emma also, and we all agreed I would avoid indoor restaurant eating and crowds. We can go for walks, sit and talk, get takeout, and explore the town.
(The Back Porch Comes Alive In May.)
If we are to see one another again in the flesh, I don’t wish to be why it doesn’t happen. I’ve stayed in close touch with Emma but missed much of Robin’s life. I will be meeting her all over again, and that is important. I also need to see my daughter.
I don’t care to miss all of it.
So I’m going. I promised to call my doctor in the morning and go over the details with her, as I know the recent stats about the elderly and Covid are getting disturbing.
But I’m sure we can work around it. I’ll wear masks if need be, be cautious, stay inside as much as possible, and eat outdoors or in our rented house. I feel solid about it.
In other news, I’ve been invited to join a six-week “walking experiment” run by a trainer in my gym. The walking program is funded by the Arthritis Foundation for older people whose arthritis prevents them from walking as much as they want.
I walk a lot and go to the gym regularly, but the arthritis in my legs and knees is beginning to hurt. So I’m thinking of taking the class, which runs two or three times a week for six weeks in the summer, starting early in the morning and some lessons about arthritis and walking.
I’ve never done anything like this; I always balk at classes for “old people,” I guess I never wanted to see myself that way.
(Waiting by the clothesline. Good dogs wait. They always want to come along.)
But the health recommendations and remedies and exercises that I’ve been told about work, and I’m healthy and active and mobile. So I’m going to try it. The group leader will show us exercises for loosening our muscles and lead us on a different walk every day, hopefully for two or three days a week.
It’s definitely for old people with arthritis, I’m not pretending otherwise.
This is new turf for me, but I want to be open to being healthy and working at it.
I never imagined I would need lessons on how to walk, that is humbling. But I want to walk right up to the end, and I’m willing to listen to trained professionals who say they can help me. Maria thinks it’s a good idea, I have no good reasons not to do it in my head anymore. I have a feeling it will be good for me.
Otherwise, I spent hours working on my review of Tina Brown’s new book The Palace Papers. The book is 600 pages long, so the review is 1,500 words long, not really long for a book review, but longish for a blog. I see reading it that I thought the book was more important than I expected.
See you in the morning. Just a few days to my family reunion.
We have free quick tests everywhere in Canada now. I have no idea what it’s like where you are. But they have been an added safety measure for us here. My 95 year old mom with emphysema got covid. Her doctor gave her an anti viral and she was right as rain in 5 days. It’s a strange one, this virus, so many individual experiences, seems to hit everybody differantly. I’m delighted for your journey to see your family and I’m believing for the very best outcome for your visit, I’m so excited for you!
Jon…
Whether to travel these days is a choice I don’t have to decide, but I respect your attention and concern. Nothing good can come of COVID, but you seem to have a cautious and sensible approach.
I’m probably on the extreme with COVID caution. Being older Americans with health issues, we check local case status frequently and wear N95 masks indoors when away from home, even if not required. We’re current on COVID boosters. I read the trends and projections. And, here’s the big secret:
For the USA overall, COVID is on a moderate upswing, although an individual prognosis depends on where you are. Here in Arizona, case rates are creeping up. At my brother’s home in Florida, increases are more than creeping.
Even though these case increases are nothing like past surges, the war against COVID truth continues. The media, meanwhile, would rather report on Monkeypox.
To begin, almost state health departments have reduced their COVID reporting frequencies to weekly instead of daily. Florida has gone to two-week reporting intervals, hardly sufficient for the COVID increases they are seeing.
Arizona just passed a law that prevents COVID vaccines from being required for school attendance. Another state law bars government offices from imposing mask mandates. In a country now exceeding 1M COVID deaths, what reasoning drives such responses? Arizona doesn’t have school vaccine issues with Hep B, Polio, Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Chickenpox, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis, or Meningitis. Why COVID?
We can’t stay away from family for ever. Your plan to see them , yet stay away from crowds and restaurants sounds fine with me. We need to just uses common sense at this point. Enjoy your time with them.
On another note…. Just want to say how much I’ve come to enjoy your blog. Thought proviking even when I don’t agree! You are a wonderful writer.
Thanks Rebecca, I think you’re a wonderful writer too…
Almost at the point of tears that you have decided to go. Yes, take all the precautions, “surround yourself with the white light” and feel loved and love back your family. That is a major part of health too.
The pic of Zinnia is very revealing… you may want to ask your Vet for a second opinion on her current weight
https://www.thelabradorsite.com/how-to-tell-if-your-labrador-is-overweightand-what-to-do-about-it/
Proper weight for labs can add 2 years to their lifespan in comparison to overweight labs…
I don’t need second opinions on my dog, Bob, thanks. Her breeder and vet have vast experience with Labs and I trust them completely. I also trust myself, and I never pay attention to advice about animal health from people online, no offense. I don’t want to waste your time.
How nice it would be if Emma and Robin could come to Bedlam Farm for the visit and see all the animals! It would be educational for Robin, too.
Meant to add that your photography is just beautiful! I had to squint but did make out Zinnia in her swamp fur in the photo here, which is just great. Kudos to you!
I am 77 and recently returned from a trip to visit family. I am fully boosted, took precautions and walked out for a bit from a church service with loud rock concert like music with little member singing but no one masked. I unfortunately had forgotten my own at their house. Stayed distant from most people and seem to have escaped covid. It’s been more than a week. Hoping you have equal safety and as good a visit.
I sit on the same fence between too much caution or not enough. At 85 years and with congestive heart disease my specialists warn me to be super careful and avoid almost all social occasions., but life has to be reasonably normal and my husband and I do make compromises here and there.
Our daughter andgranddaughter will visit this Summer (from Texas to Delaware) but will drive instead of flying. We look forward to this so much…
I’m glad you wrote this blog. We have to live in extreme caution which is tedious to say the least, but with a cancer patient and my autoimmune diseases including MS we have no choice. I see red when people refer to the pandemic in the past tense. We are careful and thanks to finally getting the N95 masks I have ventured out more. My mental health was suffering. I had Covid in January 2020 (when they weren’t testing). Now my doctors and nurses tell me it was probably Covid. It didn’t help the MS. Your writing has brought the fact up that Covid is not over and I thank you for that.
Hi Jon, I applaud your common sense approach to seeing Emma and Robin. Making health choices based on your health risks and discussing your decisions with your doctor are spot on. Have a wonderful time with your daughter and granddaughter . Covid is here to stay and everyone has to go about life using their own health as the gauge for the precautions they need to use along with the advise from their doctor.
15 yrs ago after my VA Dr diagnosed my shoulder arthritis I went through 3 months of physical therapy. I still do the exercises and take Glucosamine supplements.
My work is physically demanding but I’ve learned to deal with it.
Hi, there’s a new batch of free tests from the govt available, I got mine in 2 days. They’re sending out 8 tests at a time now. We test every time we have spent time with anyone-and are still mostly masking indoors. So far, so good.
I’m just going to drop this in here. I did see a tip that if you’re high risk try to get your doctor to give you a prescription for one of the anti-virals so that if you do test positive you can get it filled without delay. Then you could start the regimen right away, as that needs to be started within 5 days. (I think? It has to be early anyhow.) Enjoy your visit!