2020 Life Logs, Day 70: Book Club at The Cottage
Date: Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Weather: Partly Sunny and Breezy; High 50 degrees, Low 33 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

Today it was my turn to host my Newcomers Book Club. Seven of the eleven women were here and we had a very insightful discussion about this month’s book, The Underground Railway by Colson Whitehead. Reading this book rattled my soul. Colson writes in a way that allowed me feel some of the pain that slaves felt. One of the statements early in the book that drew me in was made at the end of a rare evening of the slaves having a birthday celebration. “The music stopped. The circle broke. . . Then it comes, always—the overseer’s cry, the call to work, the shadow of the master, the reminder that she is only a human for a tiny moment across the eternity of her servitude.” The book is full of prophetic and heartbreaking statements like this and that led to deep discussions today.

I took Shadow to Heather and Jed’s and left him there in his crate during the Book Club meeting. I knew that there was no way to keep him quiet enough to have a meaningful discussion. But taking him there gave me the chance to do my weekly laundry. I put my laundry in to wash during the meeting. When I picked Shadow up afterwards, I put the laundry in the dryer and then when I went over after school to take Ollie to his tennis lesson, I picked up my laundry. So, today was a book club and a laundry day. Tomorrow is set aside as a writing day. My next Memoir Writing class is on Thursday and I haven’t yet done my homework.

2020 Life Logs, Day 69: A Day of Visiting
Date: Monday, March 9, 2020
Weather: Sunny; High 52 degrees, Low 43 degrees F (much warmer near Boston)
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

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Today was a day of visiting. I drove north for a short visit with Alan and Helaine Kanegsberg to introduce them to Shadow. When we confirmed the visit, we knew the weather was going to be nice, so we planned a walk through the Newbridge community. It was much warmer near Boston than here on the Cape and we had a wonderful walk. Then I drove further north to have lunch with my niece Lynn in Chelmsford and to introduce her to Shadow. So Shadow was the center of attention today, but it was great to catch up with everyone. On the way home, I made my customary stop at Costco. It was a 9 to 5 day as I left home at 9 am and got home at 5 pm. I spent my evening getting ready to host my book club in the morning. In hurrying around to put things away, I managed to drop a bottle of very expensive organic elderberry syrup. Purple syrup and glass went everywhere. What a mess!

2020 Life Logs, Day 68: Spring Forward
Date: Sunday, March 8, 2020
Weather: Sunny; High 47 degrees, Low 39 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

It seemed early to me, but today was our day to spring those clocks forward an hour into Daylight Savings Time. I’m especially grateful this year as I can now do Shadow’s evening walk at 5:30 instead of 4:30 and still get home with time to spare before it gets dark. On the days that I take Ollie to violin and tennis lessons, it has been hard to get home in time to take a walk without having to use a flashlight. Now I won’t have that problem.

Sundays at 1 o’clock, Shadow and I go to People Training group class. Today there were two other puppies younger than Shadow. There was a German Shepard female, also named Shadow, and the cutest little chocolate Portuguese Water Dog female whose name I think is Dhuesse. Shadow loves people, but he is skittish around dogs, even other puppies. Today there were also a few larger dogs, but size doesn’t seem to be the problem. The bigger dogs seem to leave Shadow alone and he is fine with that. It is the puppies that want to romp and play that he’s not so happy about. But hopefully after attending more of these group classes, he will warm up to the other dogs. So far, I would give myself a C- as a student. I have to get very stern with Shadow to make him sit and stay. But we are improving.

Tomorrow I head off-Cape for a morning visit with the Kanegsberg’s. I am taking Shadow with me to meet them for the first time. And then at noon, I will meet my niece Lynn for lunch before heading home.

2020 Life Logs, Day 67: Snow, Birthday Luncheon, Scout Banquet
Date: Saturday, March 7, 2020
Weather: Snow, Wind, and Sunshine; High 46 degrees, Low 26 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

S-N-O-W. This morning in Falmouth we woke up to a world covered with a white blanket of snow. We’ve had almost no snow this winter, but when I first got Shadow in November we had a similar morning and I learned then that Shadow really loves snow. He loves to romp in it and he loves to eat it. I love that guilty look he gets when he eats snow. He must think he is doing something he shouldn’t. I’m not sure why he thinks that, but he eats and eats and then looks up at me with that very guilty look. We spent some of our morning outside enjoying the snow before it melted and then I went shopping to buy myself a birthday present. I’ve decided that we are going to have a long, cool spring, so I gave myself the treat of buying a new spring sweater. Then it was time to go to my birthday luncheon at The Flying Bridge on the harbor with friends.

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The Goldstones were spending their day at the Scout Blue and Gold Banquet. This was a special one as Jonah was crossing over from Cub Scouts to Boy Scouts. I missed the banquet and the ceremony where Jonah was awarded The Arrow of Light, but I arrived in time to see Ollie’s play and Jonah crossing over to Boy Scouts. With Heather as their director, Ollie’s Cub Scout group started the event with a ‘play’ of funny jokes. “What did one squirrel say to another squirrel?” Ollie’s answer, “I’m nuts!” Then there were awards to parents who volunteer their time. Jed and a woman who was Jonah’s first leader were given special awards. Then it was time for Jonah and the other Cub Scouts his age to cross over, literally over a bridge, to become Boy Scouts. It was so special that Sam was the Scout on the other side of the bridge that welcomed Jonah as an official Boy Scout. The Goldpebble Scouts remind me of The Three Bears. Sam is the big poppa bear, Jonah is the middle-sized bear, and Ollie is the baby bear. I am super proud of the Goldpebble Scouts and of Heather and Jed who have volunteered and supported them since Sam started as a Cub Scout seven years ago.

After the Scouting event, I went to Heather and Jed’s to help do a little more basement organizing and then came home to spend the evening with Shadow. I had checked in with Shadow a couple of times during the day, but basically he had been alone since noon. So, I spent some special time with him this evening. Then I got a birthday call from friends Kevin and Claire and we talked away the rest of the evening. It was a good Saturday.

2020 Life Logs, Day 66: Continued Birthday Celebration
Date: March 6, 2020
Weather: Overcast; High 45 degrees, Low 29 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

My birthday celebration continued this evening with a sushi dinner with the Goldstones. They offered to take me out to dinner, but I voted for sushi take-out as it is my very favorite dinner. When I arrived, Jed was also pulling in. He explained that he had just come from the storage unit where he was in a search of my birthday present. It got packed away and is no longer accessible. So now I can look forward to another birthday celebration when things are moved from the storage unit to the new house. But I did get a new book, Women Rowing North by Mary Pipher—Navigating Life’s Currents and Flourishing as We Age.

Otherwise I had a quiet day which started with an appointment to get my car oil changed and tires rotated. The young man who brought the car to me when the work was done said my mileage gauge read 123,450—only 6 miles off 123456. Pretty amazing. This afternoon I took some time to read in preparation for a book club meeting next Tuesday. canned the chicken mineral bone broth I made earlier in the week, and had a Skype video birthday call with Justin, Ziggy, and Coco. It was a special birthday treat to have the chance to catch up with Ziggy and Coco.

2020 Life Logs, Day 65: A Very Happy Birthday
Date: March 5, 2020
Weather: Sunny; High 50 degrees, Low 34 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

Thanks to so many of you who sent birthday wishes my way today. I got a real kick out oA f a message from Lynda Kaufman in Myrtle Beach: Never Rest & You’ll Never Rust. If that is true, I should never rust! It was a beautiful day, warm and sunny, but Shadow and I only got in one short walk this morning as it took me the rest of the day to get ready for the Chili Cook Off Birthday Bash I was hosting this evening. A trip to the store, making my favorite cake to share with friends tonight, making corn bread, and just generally getting ready took my entire day. My favorite cake is a flourless almond chocolate decadence with dark chocolate ganache drizzled over, decorated with strawberries, and topped with whipped cream. Probably not on the Weight Watchers list, but delicious. It was a busy birthday with no time for rusting. But it was worth it. Eight of us had a great evening tasting chili, hearing about Peter and Karen’s three-week cruise, and talking politics. It was a special celebration for three of us who have birthdays this week.

Some of my birthday favorites from today . . . the Chilean organic Pinot Noir brought to share with dinner by Christina and Warren Brodie, a WCAI mug designed and made by a local artist given to me by Heather and family, the fabulous Edible Treats chocolate covered strawberries (two boxes) sent by Justin, Jo, Ziggy, and Coco, and all of the birthday wishes sent from friends and family. The birthday fun continues tomorrow with a sushi dinner with the Goldstones.

2020 Life Logs, Day 64: Shadow Goes to the Doggy Beauty Shop
Date: March 4, 2020
Weather: Partly Cloudy and Windy; High 51 degrees, Low 34 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

The big event today was Shadow’s first trip to the doggy beauty shop. They don’t call it that, but that is what it is. I think it is a riot that I’ve only been in a beauty shop a very few times in my life, but my puppy made his first visit before his six-month birthday. He was looking a little shaggy, so I wanted to see what they could with him. If his hair continues to grow at the current rate, they suggest bringing him in every six weeks. Not sure I’ll do that, but they did a great job and you can now see his eyes!

Tonight I hosted my Mah Jongg at my house and tomorrow night I host my dining-in group, so my tomorrow will be spent getting ready for that. We are having a Chili Cook Off and celebrating March birthdays.

2020 Life Logs, Day 63: Turmoil, Weather and Political
Date: March 3, 2020
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High 55 degrees, Low 41 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

It was late morning when I got an email from friend Lynda Kaufman in Myrtle Beach asking me if my sister Patsy in Tennessee was okay. She explained that there had been a tornado had hit Mt. Juliet, just east of Nashville, where Patsy lives. My niece Janet also lives there. I had heard nothing about this, so I called immediately. Patsy answered the phone and said that her house as well as Janet’s were not in the direct path. So they are fine. This happened during the night But the woman who comes in to help Patsy a few days each week lives in an area that was hit hard and wouldn’t be able to come today. The roads were totally blocked with debris. News reports that I had read say that at least 25 people were killed and the damage was extensive. I’m just so thankful that this tornado decided to avoid the part of Mt. Juliet where my sister lives. Every time I have talked to her for the past year, she reports the same thing. More rain. It’s been a wet and stormy year there.

Other than weather turmoil in Tennessee, Super Tuesday is looking like a day of political turmoil, more so for some candidates than others. Things have changed so quickly since the South Carolina Primary on Saturday. It is looking like a better day for Joe Biden than could possibly been predicted just a few days ago. Good news for Biden, but not such good news for other candidates. It is not looking so good for Mike Bloomberg. And it is too early to tell how things are going to turn out for Bernie tonight. He will do well in California, but we won’t know those results until tomorrow and maybe beyond. But right now the big problem is incredibly long lines in Texas when it is almost poll closing time. It really shouldn’t be so difficult to cast your vote in this country. Sure hope all of those people get to cast their votes.

2020 Life Logs, Day 62: Politics in the Fast Lane
Date: March 2, 2020
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High 49 degrees, Low 42 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

The second day of March also came in like a lamb, so I guess we do have to brace for end of the month lion-like weather. Or maybe we can defy the saying this year and just have lovely weather right into summer. Just kidding! There’s no way that will happen. But I can dream.

With Super Tuesday approaching tomorrow, the political scene in the Democratic Primary race is changing at the speed of light. Since yesterday afternoon, Buttigieg and Klobuchar have dropped out of the race and endorsed Joe Biden. Beta O’Rourke, who dropped out very early, has also endorsed Biden. I’ll still vote for Warren tomorrow, but it is becoming increasingly clear that we are down to a Biden-Bernie race. I’m not completely giving up on Bloomberg yet, but all the money in the world might not be able to change this. Fascinating to watch it play out, but count me in as one of those Democrats that will fully support whomever can come out on top against Donald Trump. I try to avoid politics in this blog, but I feel so strongly that four more years of a Trump presidency could be the end of our democracy that I can no longer be silent. And no, I don’t think having a Democratic Socialist in the White House would be the end of our democracy. I, for one, am so grateful for Social Security and Medicare. Many view those as socialist initiatives. I just view them as government initiatives that support basic human rights. I am one that believes health care is a basic human right. And I see nothing socialist about a government that supports retirement with integrity after a life of working hard for that right. Bernie is not my first choice, but he speaks the truth and sugar coats nothing. I like that. There are many reasons for my negative feelings about Donald Trump, but my initial reaction to Trump when he first announced he was going to run for President is still my same reaction. The first-grade teacher and grandmother in me cannot support a person for President that doesn’t do anything to deserve the respect of the children in this country. A lot of people really like the fact that their 401k’s are doing well, but that’s just not enough for me. As Amy Klobuchar so elegantly points out, it is time to put decency and dignity back in the White House.

I spent my day moving stuff—moving unwanted things from Heather’s basement that we put in my car yesterday to the Hand to Hand Thrift Shop and the Swap Shop at the dump, moving things from my basement back upstairs, and moving things upstairs to the basement. I had taken area rugs to the basement when Shadow arrived and wasn’t potty trained. But he has been fully potty trained for two months now, so those area rugs could come back upstairs. I am hosting a dining-in group on Thursday night, so I needed to move chairs and a table that were in the basement upstairs. And tomorrow is trash and recycling day, so I moved trash and recycle bins to curbside. I also roasted a chicken and made chicken mineral broth and make a quick trip to Hyannis to do some food shopping. I thought I had done nothing today, but putting it writing points out to me that it was actually a fairly productive day. Tomorrow is an Early Release Day for the Falmouth schools, so I will be on Oma duty for most of the day. But hopefully in the morning, I’ll have time to go through the ever-growing pile of mail and emails that need to be addressed before heading to the Goldstones.

2020 Life Logs, Day 61: Transition Month
Date: March 1, 2020
Weather: Mostly Sunny; High 34 degrees, Low 23 degrees F
Location: At Home in The Cottage, East Falmouth, MA

Here we are in the transition month of March, the month that bridges winter and spring. Today in Falmouth I would say that March came in like lamb, so I guess we can look forward to a blustery end of the month. The last few days of February have been cold and windy, but tomorrow the temperature rises into the 50’s and I’m looking forward to that. I Googled “Comes in like a Lion, goes out like Lamb” and found that one of the earliest notations of that phrase was in Thomas Fuller’s 1732 writings in Gnomologia: Adagies and Proverbs. I had never heard of Fuller but read that he was a British physician, preacher, and intellectual in the 1600’s and later was often quoted by Benjamin Franklin.

I went to the grocery store this morning as my refrigerator was almost empty. Six bags of groceries later, I returned home just in time for a walk with Shadow, followed by lunch. Then I got a text from Heather asking if I had some time to help with the “grand moving project.” I was happy to over and help out. Jed had to work this afternoon, so it was just Heather and me. She had just completed painting the playroom and the downstairs bathroom ceiling. Painting is now completed and I think they have decided to do minimal renovation of the downstairs bathroom. This afternoon we worked on the basement. Heather took bins and bins of ‘stuff’ to storage and I tidied up the basement getting it looking good enough that I think the house should be ready to put on the market by next weekend. WoooHooo!

Updates on Adventuring Friends: Linda and Mike Stuart left Florida today on a cruise ship headed for Barcelona. From there they will resume their biking around the world adventure. Heather and Jon Turgeon, sailing friends who used to travel aboard their sailboat Evergreen, are now traveling across the US in the overland recreational vehicle. They are in Texas enjoying Big Bend. And Donna Pascarella’s brother Tom made it to the summit of Kilimanjaro. My adventuresome friends are doing the adventuring these days and I get to travel along vicariously.