Sunday, August 23, 2020

Self Isolation Sucks

 A couple days ago a close friend tested positive for Covid-19 therefore all of us who had been with her during a certain time are in self isolation for 5 days. I figured this would happen eventually to me.


Currently, it's just me and the youngest at home. I must say, my 15 yr old is pretty freaked out about everything. He's more worried about missing weight lifting and football workouts than being sick. 

Hubby and I discussed a plan early on if one of us would get sick. With his job as a freight pilot traveling around the world, we guessed he had a high chance of contacting the virus. Our bedroom is on one side of the house, has it's own bathroom, is on the first floor and has doors directly to the outside. These are all features first responders say are good to have. Hubby said if it were  him, he'd put a mini fridge in the room (for beer).

So my bedroom has become the "Rona Room" according to the youngest. When I leave the room, I don a mask and sanitize the shit out of my hands.

The first few days were quiet; solitary. I swam more, meditated more, did more yoga, walked the dog more, read more (I'm hooked on Pippa Grant)...you see where I'm going with this. I've cleaned my room, organized my bathroom cupboard and decorated my space with bouquets of wildflowers picked on my walks. 

I've been keeping a little journal to record my activities and thoughts. During this self-imposed quiet time, I'll catch up on blog posts and work on Hawk's Honor. Maybe I'll learn some new book promo tricks. 

The idea of me having the virus scares me - I have asthma, lupus and fibromyalgia. But I will cross the bridge when I come to it on Wednesday with the test. Hubby comes home from his 2-weeks assignment so I'm hoping it's good news.



Thursday, August 20, 2020

Thursday 13 - Ode to Baseball


Baseball...a game to love as a player and a fan.

I live in Michigan and I'm a Tiger's fan who has never been to a live game in Detroit.
Hey... I'd rather watch them on TV. Don't hate me for it.

Friends, Nick & Carol are HUGE Cubs fans. I love how they "go all out" for their team.

Our Police Chief played pro ball "back in the day" and is my son's pitching coach.
The stories he tells could be in Pippa Grant's books.

My middle son has played baseball when he was in school and my youngest since he was a wee one, travel teams and all. 2020 was the year of no baseball for him. I miss the games, the crowds, Twizzlers.

Hats off to the players and teams who are struggling through this messed up season.

 Inspired by those who love the game, today's list is dedicated to all those hard working ball players and those who love to watch them. 

I've taken liberty to borrow some phrases from Ernie Harwell's Definition of Baseball.

1. 

Photo M. Quast

Baseball is the tossing out the first ball of the season.

2. 
Baseball is a scrubby school boy playing catch with his dad on a Mississippi farm.

3.
Photo M. Quast
So is the scout reporting on a sixteen year old pitcher in Cheyenne.



4.
Baseball is a spirited race of man against man, reflex against reflex.


5.
 A game of inches. Every skill is measured. Every heroic, every failing is seen and cheered, or booed. And then becomes a statistic.


6.
Baseball is a rookie.
 His experience no bigger than the lump in his throat as he begins fulfillment of his dream.

7.
(Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

It a veteran too, a tired old man of thirty-five hoping that those aching muscles can pull him through another sweltering August and September. 


8. 

Nicknames are baseball, names like Zeke and Pie and Kiki and Home Run and Cracker and Dizzy and Dazzy


9.
 Baseball is the cool, clear eyes...and the flashing spikes.


10.  
Baseball is just a game, as simple as a ball and bat, yet as complex as the American spirit it symbolizes.


11.
GETTY IMAGES

 A sport, a business and sometimes almost even a religion.


12. 
Photo M. Quast

Baseball is a tongue tied kid from Georgia.

13. 

Still a game for America, this baseball! 




CHECK OUT MORE AMAZING AUTHORS
THURSDAY 13 


Listen to Ernie Harwell's "Definition of Baseball", as recited at his Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Wednesday, August 19, 2020

#TeaTime - A Little Cup of #Happiness

 

Had a McD's burger on the run yesterday and today my body is pissed. I've been eating too much good food lately and now my body is rebelling against the McDecision so I grabbed my favorite Detox tea in an attempt to bring happiness and balance to my gut..


Ahhhh.... tea makes me happy.

What makes you happy when you're feeling yucky?



Happiness is that feeling that comes over you when you know life is good and you can't help but smile. It's the opposite of sadness. Happiness is a sense of well-being, joy, or contentment. When people are successful, or safe, or lucky, they feel happiness.

Monday, August 17, 2020

Tasty Tuesday - Blueberry Cobbler for Couples

This post is in honor of the Montrose Blueberry Festival that wasn't.
For the first time since it began, The Montrose Blueberry Festival did not happen. All over social media people posted photos and memories of past events. The Montrose Orchard still hosted some small blueberry events and made blueberry sweets. The local ice cream shop still offered blueberry ice cream. I purchased my berries, did you? 

August is blueberry season.  Grab your guy and head out to the fields for some ripe, juicy berries waiting for you to pick them.
When you get home, put on a cute apron and invite him to help.

Pour a glass of blueberry wine
while you make this delicious recipe.

EASY PEASY BLUEBERRY COBBLER
Ingredients for 8×8 Square Pan
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup white sugar
Fruit filling of choice - 1 1/2 cartons of blueberries (her favorite is 1 carton of blackberries and 4 peaches, thinly sliced)
1/2 cup melted butter
Cinnamon

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350˚
Spray baking dish
Combine flour and sugar
Spoon 1/2 of the dry ingredients to cover the entire bottom of the dish, keeping the dry mixture loose, not packed
Spoon have the butter over dry ingredients (it will just sit on top)
Add your fruit filling
Combine the remaining dry ingredients and butter to create a dough
Place the dough in cobbles over the fruit
Sprinkle with cinnamon
Bake for 45 minutes
Enjoy warm with ice cream!




I recommend trying blueberry wine.  
My favorite is Blueberry Splash from Warner Vineyards in Paw Paw, MI.  

Support your local blueberry growers.

Sunday, August 16, 2020

Poet's Corner


I Wonder


I wonder if you know
how much you mean to me.
I wonder if it shows
how wonderful I think you are....
or how many times a day
I think of you
and look forward
to holding you close.
I wonder
if you can read my mind
or see into my heart
and know just how happy I am
to be sharing this life with you.

Sometimes I don't know how
to let you know,
and it keeps me from telling you
as often as I should....
Because you are the one
I want to live with
and dream with
and laugh with every day
for the rest of my life...
and I just wondered if you knew

- Anonymous