Covid 19 update April/May 2020

Ruben and I are doing well. We have been watching (from a safe distance) so many people we know struggle with isolation. Ruben's main social outlet has been the computer and his online friends, and mine has been daily talks with Sarah, Cab, Bruce, Jeremiah, and many others. 

We are both doing online school, he is finishing up his junior year at Sprague and I am taking Spanish 102 at Chemeketa online. I'm also teaching middle school online so I spend a lot of time sitting. Fortunately the weather has been good, and at least every other day Ru and I have gone for a long walk up the south Salem hills. I started lifting light weights again a few days a week. I also try to get sun every day I can to keep my vitamin D level up. 

So with projects, and school, we have been busy, and with our friends, online or socially distanced, we have not felt isolated. Sarah hired a personal shopper that I shared for groceries, and my friends are picking up things for me sometimes, so I haven't really gone to stores often.

In the last month my health has improved dramatically, I suppose I could share all the details about the cocktail of meds and supplements, and all the care providers I have, but the overall picture is that although I will always have autoimmune and digestive issues, things are under control right now. 

Project 1. Shelves on which to display albums. Boards purchased by Jeremiah, and stain purchased by Bruce. Thanks guys! I saw this image on the ad for my favorite show (seriously watch Zoey), and decided I needed these. 

Project 2. Rain chain fountain. I needed to replace the tubing and hang it. 

This led to the finish the garden and beautify the patio which has now been completed. Even hung the hammock.

Project 3. Getting my old motorcycle running. I charged up the battery, and it jumped to life. Rode to the gas station to air up the tires and the instant they were full cracks appeared. Rode straight home. The tires didn't go flat, so I made an appointment and took it to the shop for new tires and bonus new brakes. 

Project 4. Jamkazam. I've been having a blast playing music online with my friend Ron in New Mexico, and with Bruce down the street. Sometimes I start a random jam, and have played with people from all over the United States, mostly New York and Chicago. I was playing a jazz tune on my guitar last Monday, and all of a sudden there was saxophone! I am enjoying it so much!

Other projects that have happened are sewing more masks, cross stitch, de-cluttering, and continuing my search for the perfect curry recipe. They don't get numbers. 

Cinco de Mayo happened on Taco Tuesday. 

Just had a little sip.

Selfies and cat pictures:

On Mother's day Ruben bought me a screwdriver set, and wrote me a card. The card was sweet, and the screwdriver set had 50% more torque. 

I took a giant Costco fuchsia (thank you Cab) to my mother and we had pizza in the backyard and chatted for a few hours. She gave me a gorgeous bouquet from her garden. 

My friend Sarah whom I wrote this essay about...

asked me to come over Saturday afternoon. I had just finished a Spanish test, and had a headache, but she said she had a gift. She had been working on fiber arts and made me this beautiful representation of Spirit Falls out of silk and wool!  It is amazingly beautiful, and really looks just like Spirit Falls. 

For more pictures of Spirit Falls, type it into the search box of this blog. 

And not to be left out of projects, Ruben has done two big projects for his marine biology class. The first is a representation of a mud flats ecosystem, and the second is an impressionistic sculpture of a bird from plastic waste. 

Ruben and I feel very grateful that we have a safe place to live, enough resources, good friends, loving family, and we are healthy.