What's After Work?

For a year and a day I have been waiting and on March 16th 2021 I received the second of the required vaccines needed to prevent covid 19. It has been a long strange journey to get here. During this time I have learned about myself and others.  Last January Jan and I took a big trip to Hawaii. It was great we flew from Tampa to Hawaii in a big plane packed in with a bunch of people we did not know. No masks or excessive hand washing. I'm not even sure we carried any hand sanitizer. While there we ate out at  restaurants and visited sights with lots of people.  I also just started my retirement in January and had planned to do lots of fun things. I was going to get involved with volunteering in my community. Jan and I were going to travel and see things. Then before I could even get started on March 15, 2020 everything came to a screeching halt.  Next thing I know we are sitting at home watching Netflix and figuring how to order groceries online. I broke out the sewin...

  Our March trip was a visit to Evansville Indiana to celebrate Art's (Jan's dad) 97th birthday.  But before our trip north we headed south. For one of my varied aliments I see Dr. Castro at the Cleveland Clinic in Weston Florida. I can't say enough good things about the Doctors and staff of the Cleveland Clinic. Every time I visit I am made to feel that my care is their first thought. Also there is some great artwork on display through out the clinic. I really enjoy seeing all the art on the walls. And I got a good review by the Doctor! After visiting Weston we headed north via the Florida Turnpike. Jan and I traveled the entire length of the Turnpike.  All 312 miles of it. Along the way we passed several Turnpike Travel Centers. These advertised gas and food as well as restrooms. We decided to stop and give it a try. These are really big rest stops. They are in between the north and south roads so if you don't pay attention or get a little confused when leaving you ...

 With a year of Covid under our belts I've been thinking about what will define this era. I think it will be the masks we are wearing. These are a visual representation if the many things we are all going through.  I know that there are other things that could define this time; washing hands, social distancing, unemployment, fear and anger. but these are all things that can be connected with other times or events. Masks are focused on this time only. Masks are either a symbol of caring for others or submission to an authoritative government. Masks played a part in the downfall of some political aspirations while boosting others.  I have noticed masks being discarded most places I go nowadays. I got to thinking that a year ago seeing a mask was a rare event. Now most people I see out are wearing masks and they are loosing then everywhere. I have started photographing masks as I find them. The more I look the more I find. By the end of this I may have quite a collection of ...

January 6, 2020 was my last day of work. I remember that it was rather anticlimactic. It was the day after Winter Break and a teacher work day. Everyone at work had just come back and it was a non-student day. I was there because if you work one day in a month our health insurance covers you for that month, If you have ever priced insurance a month is worth working a day. So after a number of very nice parties celebrating my retirement. (I know that is a strange concept now, getting together in large groups for any reason. ) I had a few weeks to just relax, sit back and contemplate my future. Ummm what should I do? I thought it would be sleep late and watch late night TV. No! My body had other plans . Even without the need to get up and go to work I was still waking up early and getting sleepy around 10 pm. I guess my body was having a hard time adjusting to this new life style. The nearly 40 years of work had taken it's toll. I realized I would  never be able to go back to my 20...

Long ago we had decided to have our family celebrate Thanksgiving and Christmas together at a cabin in the mountains of Blue Ridge Georgia. Then Covid happened and we began to vacillate on that decision. After much debate it was decided that the cabin was big enough and we were capable to practice social distancing and safely be together. We also decided to be tested for the virus just before leaving for our gathering. So with a negative test, wipes and sanitizer in hand Jan and I left for Blue Ridge Georgia. This is the earliest we have ever had out Christmas shopping done and wrapped to boot! It is a strange feeling to have this done so early I'm not sure how December will be not having to shop and wrap. I'm sure it will be a lot more relaxed. Or I hope so. So with the car packed we headed north. Our first stop was to be in Albany Georgia at the Merry Acres Inn . Described as a Boutique-Style Hotel in Albany Georgia. It was far off the Interstate in an older, shall I say th...