Author: boomingbanter

It’s very refreshing in this beautiful weather to see so much play going on. Don’t get me wrong, I’ll never say a bad word about the internet and social media again but it’s hard to beat the outdoors.

Today Scooby and I came across a lot of little kids running around in their family groups and a lot of evidence of fun underway in driveways too.

Aaron is trying his best to keep active too. He’s just in from a good ten mile bike ride and is doing some weight lifting. Scooby is such a versatile trainer!

Yesterday he put up his tent in the back years and would love to light a campfire too. That was scuppered so he took to the stove instead.

Some decent soda bread was made for lunch with fried eggs and then breaded chicken tenders for dinner were made from scratch.

You gotta hope that when the stay at home is over kids will have learned so many old tricks they’ll stick with them as new forever fun

Blessing # 658 – Back to Basics

 

 

 

 

Each day as well as checking the Coronavirus news from the UK a check on Krishna’s homeland India is called for.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi seems such a fine man. He is caring and courageous. Recently he has had to take some radical steps to limit the spread of COVID including a 21 Day lock down of this huge country of 1.3 Billion.

His government has pledged to feed the many millions of migrant workers hired by the day or hour. Many multinational Indian companies like the Tata’s have made huge contributions to support him.

The migrants are frighten though and many have tried to get home to their villages some walking for days to find their Social Security.

This morning I came across an article from the BBC. Take the time to read it and watch the videos. It seems balanced and thoughtful.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-52086274

Some of the pictures especially those of the old people are heartbreaking.

How can any of us complain? 

It’s normal that we are all concerned about this virus and its potential impact on those we love and on our own community.

As we enter Holy Week perhaps it’s a good time though to reflect once more on « Who Is My Neighbor? »

From afar what can we do? Truthfully I do not know!

If a virus can spread so fast then why can’t support for men like Modi who may make a difference for many many millions more!

Blessing # 657– Moving India

Don’t you think all the leaders worldwide must be feeling very tired? The pressure they are under must be tremendous yet the media often seems to relish picking holes in everything they say.

It can’t be easy to handle something that we’ve never experienced before in our lifetime. You gotta feel sorry for them. Many are no spring chickens. Just can’t believe their stamina!

The story of the face mask is a case in point. It’s true there has been a change in CDC recommendations but what is better implement change and admit we’re learning or doing nothing at all?

The thing that many of us value most in a leader is honesty. It instills trust. We don’t mind if a leader says they have changed their position or even that they have made a mistake provided they don’t lie to us.

It’s sad and oppressive to see that even at this time of crisis there still seems to be so much finger pointing going at the highest levels. We need to see leaders working together. To build confidence they, like our Scooby have to show they have our safety at heart and have ever door and window covered for us!

Blessing # 656 – Loving Leaders 

Psychologist say that structuring the day is helpful if opportunities for diversions are limited.

Our day revolves around baby Scooby as the big lad has turned his circadian rhythm completely upside down and only emerges from his man cave in the basement around midday.

Scooby gets me up early, we have our brekkie, watch TODAY, have a quick spruce up and then have a major choice to make.

Do we start with the one mile, two mile or three mile circuit and most importantly do we go clockwise or counterclockwise!

When we return Dad is up and we do a bit of cleaning. We’ve discovered a great new crud buster. As Lysol wipes were out of stock we had to resort to a spray. It promises to kill 99.9% of all critters and it smells so so so good!

When scary stuff has been removed from key surfaces it’s time for the second round of food.

The lunchtime sandwich has been replaced with something requiring chopping. Helps the nerves and gets a few more antioxidants into the system. With the six foot rule we’ve no problem these days with bunging in even more garlic and onions than usual and have discovered a new trick for ginger that works real good.

Peel the whole ginger root as soon as you bring it home and then cut it into cubes. Freeze the cubes and then when you need some just whip out one cube. It shaves just like soft ice. Magic! Bet you’ll eat more if you do this too!

Food done, it’s time for round two of walking maybe with a friend, then back to watch the Governor.

The rest of the afternoon is hardly hectic! Perhaps some siesta time or snuggles on the sofa followed by checking up on status of nears and dears. Yesterday we pushed the boat out though and took a little spin in the car. We drove a whole forty minutes to Newark the Ohio State campus where Aaron will go to college this fall. It felt like we were on vacation especially as the town was so empty it looked like a movie set!

Scooby has his dinner around 4:30 and then we head out for round three of sniffing the mailboxes.

When we return we prep dinner, have drinkies with dishy Lester Holt, eat some more and watch any TV other than CNN. 

Boring? So far not so! We’re feeling fresh as daisies in our own little pack!

Blessing # 655 – Dogs Life

What a beautiful spring day we had here in Ohio. The blossoms started to peep out on the trees and the contrast with the lush green grass and blue sky is perfect.

Scooby and I had a good walk with my girlfriend Lori. It’s so refreshing to chat with a chum.

Lori gave me a lovely pink hyacinth that has a terrific sent and is now safely settling at home beside the poinsettia she’d given us at Christmas.

She is one of those people who is full of fun. She has boundless energy and can make you laugh with a joke about even the most serious things.

Everywhere we went kids had been busy on driveways or on doors and windows making colorful signs of hope. One summed up our morning and my friend so well!

Just a few minutes later by the pond look what we found!

Think we know her name!

Blessing # 655 – Jokes and Joy

My Christmas cactus is refusing to give up its season but Spring is in full bloom in Northern Ireland. Carol sent me some beautiful pics yesterday of flowers in her garden.

There are primula and daisies and a magnificent camellia too. The colors are fabulous and so bright.

We’re a few weeks behind here in Ohio but the daffodils are out and the hyacinths too. Even the herbs have decided to say “we’re back”

This year one variety of daffodil we have looks a bit like an orchid. It’s colors remind me of primroses.

When we were young girls Carol’s Mum and Dad had a car mine didn’t. During the Easter holidays they’d take us from the heart of the city where we lived into the country. We’d be let loose to run around and often went hunting for primroses in the hedgerows.

We’d make little posies of these pretty flowers and put them into a button hole or if we found enough brought home as tiny bouquets that we put in a milk bottle.

In recent years with so many options for amusement I’m not sure if kids still do such things maybe this year they will!

Blessing # 654 – Primary Colors

Today we had to complete the census. As we’ve moved around so much we’ve only ever done this once before as a married couple and that was in 2000.

A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then but some things never change. Scooby and I experienced one of these constants today: the return of the swallows!

We went up to the park for our walk and while we stopped to watch the geese and ducks courting two swallows flew past.

It’s hard to catch them in a photo as they move so fast but we got one to warm your heart!

Seeing them always reminds me of my Dad who took great joy in their arrival each year in Ireland and also of Thomas Hardy’s short poem Weathers.

This little park is just starting to come alive again. It was dull today but in a few weeks they’ll be wild flowers, ducklings and goslings a go go and each day will bring new signs of spring and hope.

Blessing # 653 – Promises Kept

Today is National Doctors Appreciation Day. In this time of ICU intensity and social distancing never has this been more relevant

As she does every day at two pm Dr Amy Acton the Head of the Ohio Department of Health stood beside our Governor to update us on the current status of the virus’s progression in our state.

Over the past month Dr Acton has become a superhero for us all. She works day and night to plan and strategize on our behalf to flatten the curve for Ohio. It would seem all her efforts are paying off.

She has a huge following with a Facebook fan club that grows by the minute. When I joined on Saturday there were 79000 members today there are 91000!

The site is full of photos and videos reinforcing the messages she sends to us all. Many of these come from little kids pretending to be her. There are street art renditions and even curve flattening cookies 

What an inspiration and what confidence this wonderful women instills. We trust her words and when she says I am not afraid I am determined we believe her!

Blessing # 652 – White Coat Hero’s

Scooby had a hot date with one of his girlfriends this morning at 10:00. We walked with her parents for an hour and a half.

While we were out Krishna decided he’d do some cooking. Those of you who know his culinary skills will be jealous.

There was little left in the fridge so he made do with what was on the shelf. Fear not! The man can take something as simple as a can of salmon and transform it into a glory Gordon Ramsay would be proud of.

With Aaron leaving for work at 3:30 he cooked two up for him just now. It’s like having a smelly preview of what awaits.

He owes me though! He ran out of whiskey last night so I made a run to the store to replenish his stock. Think there is almost as much alcohol on the outside of that bottle as there is inside after all the post purchase sterilization.

You never can be too careful though just can’t take a risk with the maestro!

Blessing # 651 – Give and Take

My sweet friend Mary is a great bird lover. She finds and regularly post amazing photos of feathered friends and this morning’s was no exception, Lappet Faced Vultures!

They look so funny and immediately made me think of that 1970s feel good song by Rufus Thomas The Funky Chicken.

Of course it stuck in my head and I had to look it up and do a little jig along. Maybe something to teach the kids and get the groove going!

In the UK a comedy trio called The Goodies took this song and made it their own. It became the Funky Gibbon. Look that one up if you want something even sillier.

It is just amazing how a song like this can stick. Today a recent one The Baby Shark is being put to good use to teach little kids about hand washing.

Everything becomes so much easier if you make it fun! Oh yeh Mary you got it!

Blessing # 650 – Cheery Tunes