Booming Banter

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

Many people seem to be baking these days. Probably those lovely smells help the mood and for sure beating up a batter or banging up a dough gets rid of tension.

With Aaron working at Panera we have absolutely no need for bread or any tempting baked goods but the need to knead was great.

Dumpling Day! 
If you have kids at home these are something you could do together. Even our Aaron was induced to help me.

Making the dough is just flour and water and lots of stress relief. Hit it hard! Beat the daylights out of it!
When it’s sticking together let it rest for a couple of hours.

The filling can be sausage you’ve bought or you can make something yourself like we did. We tossed some onion, cabbage, celery, chili and leftover ham into a blender. When it looks all mushy and revolting put it in the fridge and have a rest.

After a couple of hours get your dough out and thump it again. Now have fun. Roll it and cut it like your making cookies. This is easy to work and the kids will have a ball. Just as good as play dough.

The really good and most messy bit comes next. You gotta stuff those little circles and stick them together.

Once you have a good pile ready heat some oil in the pan and fry them till they start to stick.

If they don’t work you’ve lost nothing more than a little of that spare time and a few cups of flour!

If they do work you’ll have had some fun and some yum too!

Blessing # 649 – Kneading Comfort

Those who are working so hard on our behalf on the front lines must be feeling exhausted. Those of us sitting at home have probably more energy than we’ve had in years. Never in the time we’ve lived here have we seen so many people out walking, running and cycling. Everyone is very friendly with a smile and greeting and even a chat but all at safe distance.

We live close to a large Dam called Alum Creek that has a lovely beach so Scooby got lucky getting his first trip there with Aaron and me yesterday. He enjoyed it so much Aaron took him back today.

While they were away Krishna did bills and I watched a great movie called The Green Book. It won the best picture Oscar a few years ago and introduced me to a genius I’d never heard of Don Shirley. Bottom line if you haven’t seen it watch this movie it’s wonderful.

To keep the old fingers busy while watching I decided to crochet using all my old scraps of wool.

I wasn’t sure what I’d produce as it’s hard to say with scraps how far they’ll go. Turned out I’d enough for a hat.

It is hardly an Easter bonnet, more like a tea cosy really, but it’s a colorful way to  keep ears warm.

Reminds me too of something our famous Belfast Pantomime Dame Ms May McFetteridge might wear!

Blessing # 648 – Stars of Stage & Screen

It’s not a happy time but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a giggle. There have been some cracker jokes on social media in the past few days. So since it woeful Wednesday thought you’d appreciate one or two.

There have been many comments about home schooling. Hats off to those who’re doing it. We’re just so glad that Aaron is past that stage where we would even attempt it. There would for sure have been a major police incident!

Krishna and I have had a year to get used to dancing around each other at home all day. It’s more tense now because of the lack of diversions just can’t imagine though if we’d been thrown into this without some rehearsals!

The surge in sales of the triple ply soft on the bum has been the stuff of dreams. As the stock market slumps bet you wish you had shares in paper products! Maybe it’s used to play pass the parcel!

What to do if you feel like an outing well of course there’s hide and seek around the homestead and if it’s party time well it’s gotta be a certain beer!

When it’s all said and done though it’s a year no one is likely to forget.

Blessing # 647 – Making Light