by Judy Handley | Jun 29, 2020 | 2020 Life Logs |
2020 Life Logs, Day 180: First Day of Camp Oma Afternoons
Date: Monday, June 29, 2020
Weather: Mixed Sun and Clouds AM, Thunderstorm PM; High 76, Low 63 Degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
Today was the first official day of Camp Oma with a new twist. Since the summer of 2013, Camp Oma has been an all-day summer camp affair five days a week. This summer the plan is for it to be only in the afternoons. The boys are older now and can entertain themselves in the morning. And there are no swim lessons every morning in this coronavirus era, so this gives the boys a chance to ease into their day and it gives me the chance to do my morning routine with Shadow. This could change as we move forward, but that is the plan for now.
Rain was forecast for this afternoon, so we didn’t plan on a beach afternoon. The only plan we had when I picked the boys up at noon was to go to my house for lunch and to then go to the Skate Park, weather permitting. We had a favorite summer lunch where I put out all the toppings for pizza and the boys build their individual little pizzas on half an English muffin. We pop them in the toaster oven and 4 minutes later the little pizzas are ready. After lunch the boys resumed reading for a bit, and just as we were thinking about heading to the Skate Park, the rain started. We changed gears and made an instantaneous decision to watch a movie. Everyone wanted to see Star Wars, Episode V—The Empire Strikes Back (1980). We all enjoyed the movie and popcorn and ignored the thunderstorm outside. It was a delightful first afternoon of Camp Oma.
by Judy Handley | Jun 28, 2020 | 2020 Life Logs |
2020 Life Logs, Day 179: Just Sunday
Date: Sunday, June 28, 2020
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High 79, Low 67 Degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
It was just a Sunday, but in these days of coronavirus life, you never know what the day might bring. It seems like one day just rolls into another and making plans no longer works. So, you just go with the flow. In addition to walking with Shadow, I worked in the yard this morning, talked with Helaine Kanegsberg on the phone and learned of the totally unexpected death of a daughter-in-law, took an orchid next door to Shirley for her 95th birthday and sat and visited with her on her deck, came home and had a late lunch, and then got a call from Jonah wondering if I could come take the Goldpebbles to the Skate Park for an hour or so of scooter practice. Heather and Jed were both deep into house projects today and I was glad to come take the boys to the Skate Park. When I got home, I got a message from fellow Newcomer, Art Gilbert, who gives free computer advice to members. I contacted him earlier in the week as I have not been able to access my email on my computer. We spent two full hours on the phone and finally we were able to give him remote access to my computer so he could track down the problem. Then it was time for a late dinner and my Sunday night Masterpiece Theater programs. It was a lovely, sunny day and I enjoyed every aspect of it. I was so saddened to learn of the death of Alan and Helaine’s daughter-in-law. It brought to mind the quote that is attached to a friend Lynda Kaufman’s email signature: “Live like every day is your last.”
by Judy Handley | Jun 27, 2020 | 2020 Life Logs |
2020 Life Logs, Day 178: More Birthday Fun
Date: Saturday, June 27, 2020
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, Then Rain; High 80, Low 66 Degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
Just after noon, I headed downtown to pick up cupcakes from Cupcake Charlie’s for Jonah’s birthday party with his friends. Then I headed to Heather and Jed’s for the party. Jonah was allowed to invite three good friends—Luke, Kaiden, and Noah–whose parents were onboard for a coronavirus-age birthday party—bring your own water bottle, wear a mask, keep proper physical distancing, and cupcakes served by a server with mask and gloves. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to assure that this is all real. It is like living in a science fiction movie, but despite the restrictions, the Goldstones pulled off a safe and fun birthday party. The boys played lawn games—kubb (a Swedish lawn game where you knock over wooden blocks by throwing wooden batons), corn hole, bocce ball, and supervised soccer on the field at the nearby school. Jonah has had one play date with Luke, but otherwise the boys had not seen each other since mid-March. So, it was a very special time. And Jonah’s special times continued after all of us went home. Jonah was taken to the Crooked Coast shop where his new bass guitar was signed by members of the local band. The whole family loves Crooked Coast and Jonah must have been over the moon with the signing.
It started sprinkling near the end of the party and by the time I got home, it was raining. The rain has finally stopped, but we had more than six hours of pretty steady rain which was much needed. But because of the rain, I didn’t feel motivated to go on a long walk with Shadow once I got home. Instead, I did a little cooking and Shadow and I watched a couple of episodes of Our Planet. This is a series that the Goldstones have been watching and the boys really wanted me to watch as well. I had to sign up for a free month of Netflix to do this, so I need to make sure I do all the Netflix watching I want in the next couple of weeks before my free month runs out.
by Judy Handley | Jun 27, 2020 | 2020 Life Logs |
2020 Life Logs, Day 178: More Birthday Fun
Date: Saturday, June 27, 2020
Weather: Mostly Cloudy, Then Rain; High 80, Low 66 Degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
Just after noon, I headed downtown to pick up cupcakes from Cupcake Charlie’s for Jonah’s birthday party with his friends. Then I headed to Heather and Jed’s for the party. Jonah was allowed to invite three good friends—Luke, Kaiden, and Noah–whose parents were onboard for a coronavirus-age birthday party—bring your own water bottle, wear a mask, keep proper physical distancing, and cupcakes served by a server with mask and gloves. Sometimes I have to pinch myself to assure that this is all real. It is like living in a science fiction movie, but despite the restrictions, the Goldstones pulled off a safe and fun birthday party. The boys played lawn games—kubb (a Swedish lawn game where you knock over wooden blocks by throwing wooden batons), corn hole, bocce ball, and supervised soccer on the field at the nearby school. Jonah has had one play date with Luke, but otherwise the boys had not seen each other since mid-March. So, it was a very special time. And Jonah’s special times continued after all of us went home. Jonah was taken to the Crooked Coast shop where his new bass guitar was signed by members of the local band. The whole family loves Crooked Coast and Jonah must have been over the moon with the signing.
It started sprinkling near the end of the party and by the time I got home, it was raining. The rain has finally stopped, but we had more than six hours of pretty steady rain which was much needed. But because of the rain, I didn’t feel motivated to go on a long walk with Shadow once I got home. Instead, I did a little cooking and Shadow and I watched a couple of episodes of Our Planet. This is a series that the Goldstones have been watching and the boys really wanted me to watch as well. I had to sign up for a free month of Netflix to do this, so I need to make sure I do all the Netflix watching I want in the next couple of weeks before my free month runs out.
by Judy Handley | Jun 26, 2020 | 2020 Life Logs |
2020 Life Logs, Day 177: Happy Birthday, Jonah & Last Day of School
Date: Friday, June 26, 2020
Weather: Sunny; High 81, Low 66 Degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
Today was a day of celebration. It was the last day of “school” as we have come to know it during Covid-19 and it was Jonah’s 11th birthday. Jonah is one of those rays of sunshine in the world. I think of him as a sprite spreading joy in the world. Plus, he’s a great athlete and musician with an impish smile and incredible head of hair. Happy Birthday, Jonah!
East Falmouth School had a drive-through parade to end Ollie’s second grade year and when the Goldstones returned home from that event, I joined them at their house for the opening of presents from grandmothers. 
I got Jonah a baseball trainer which is a pole on a very substantial portable stand with a baseball on a swing trainer. You swing the baseball so it winds around the pole and then hit the ball sending it spinning in the opposite direction so you can hit it again. Since Jonah was a toddler, he has been obsessed with playing games with balls of all kinds, but especially soccer balls, basketballs, and baseballs. I don’t know how long it will last, but today the baseball trainer kept Jonah’s attention. He is constantly wanting someone to pitch to him and now he has a full-time pitcher on duty at all times. 
Jed’s mom, Marti, got him a frisbee golf practice basket. Frisbee or disc golf is a game in which players throw a disc at a target basket. In a large park, there can be 9 to 18 of these baskets and the game is played using rules similar to golf. Jonah’s practice basket came with 5 colored discs or frisbees that you try to throw and get into the basket. I didn’t get to try it today, but it looks like a lot of fun. And the scooters I ordered from Amazon also arrived today, not part of the birthday celebration, but we had to go to the Skate Park to give the new scooters a try. Then we ended the day with a family dinner.
Jonah made sure he brought his friends to dinner with him—polar bear, hippo, and his very favorite lamby. For Jonah, no birthday is complete without his little stuffed lamb that shares his birthday. Then there was the opening of Jonah’s present from mommy and daddy. His gift from them last year was a bass guitar and in the last twelve months, he has become quite an accomplished bass player. But the bass guitar that gave him last year was an adult size and quite challenging for him to handle. So this year, they got him a smaller bass that should make playing a little easier. All the Goldpebbles headed to the basement to play a bit of music with Jonah—Sam on drums, Ollie on electric violin, and Jonah on electric bass. Then it was time for the angel food birthday cake. Tomorrow afternoon we will celebrate again with three of Jonah’s friends.
by Judy Handley | Jun 25, 2020 | 2020 Life Logs |
2020 Life Logs, Day 176: Afternoon at Wood Neck
Date: Thursday, June 25, 2020
Weather: Sunny; High 81, Low 66 Degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA
It was a beautiful day. I spent the morning running errands and spending time with Shadow. Then at 1 pm I headed to the Goldstones to pick up Sam, Jonah, and Ollie and head to the beach.
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We went to Wood Neck, my favorite beach as it has both waves on the shore of Buzzards Bay and the beautiful Little Sippewissett Marsh where you can spend hours exploring. We usually set up our things on the marsh side and that is what we did today. Soon after we arrived, a family that was using our favorite spot left and we moved to what the boys call The Living Room. The view from there is of the entire marsh. Jonah, Ollie, and I walked through the water and back into the marsh and eventually Sam joined us. Jonah brought the Moray boogie board that was Justin’s when he was a teenager. Everyone had a great time running and jumping onto the board and surfing across the water. That boogie board is over 25 years-old and is still going strong. Near the end of the afternoon, we returned to The Living Room home base, where I sat with the sun at my back watching the boys build a sand fortress on a little islet.
Tomorrow is finally the last day of school for the boys and it is Jonah’s birthday. If the weather cooperates, we’ll spend the afternoon at the beach again and then have a family birthday dinner. Jonah is excited about that, but he is really excited that he will get to see three of his friends at a party on Saturday that Heather has planned to be Covid-friendly.
