We have now known two individuals in our area that have passed away with complications of this nasty virus. One was a lady we went to church with years ago and who I had seen periodically here and there. The other was a guy who had golfed with my husband both here and in New Mexico. I'm so sad for both their families. So hard to lose someone in any case, but without the usual comfort of memorials and funerals as we're used to them.
My reading is improving. I'm going from book to book and enjoying what I'm reading. We've started watching the new season of Bosch and also are watching Picard as we've been Star Trek fans from way, way back. I'm still walking a lot in our neighborhood and doing yoga online.
Yesterday, I found another 'friend/not friend' in the front yard and I'm including the picture below. Yes, it's a coral snake and they are indeed poisonous. Not very big and pretty easy to spot with those bright colors. It escaped beneath the rocks, but we'll be watching for it and I reminded a couple of neighbors that I saw on my walk about it being 'snake season'. Some of their dogs are quite curious I've noticed and want to put their snouts into any hole or whatever. I will say that these snakes do get rid of some rodents, which I'm not at all upset about. Ha!
One last thing I'll share before I close. Starting Wednesday, this is National Nurses Week, an event that comes around every year. This year, it seems even more important to honor all our healthcare workers, along with other essential workers. If you know a nurse, thank them this week or send them a card or a special treat. We asked our daughter last night if we could send a bunch of goodies to her Labor & Delivery unit at one of our local hospitals. She said they would be delighted to get some fun things and asked especially for hand cream and mints. The PPE is a bit (or more than a bit) uncomfortable, especially after hours and hours. I had a good time selecting a few things to make them feel loved. Who doesn't need a little chocolate, right? Ha!
Take care everyone. Hope you all have a good week!
What a nice thing to do for the nurses!
ReplyDeleteWe love nurses at our house! LOL
DeleteGood to hear from you, Kay! I'm sorry to hear about your friends... this has gotten "real" for so many families lately. Current re-openings have me worried that it could get even worse.
ReplyDeleteMy reading has picked up lately, too. For now I'm sticking with tried and true authors, old favorite novels, and lighter reads. Almost everything is a read/listen combination. So thankful our library system has so much available for download.
I'm sure the nurses appreciated the treats. So thoughtful of you!
Thanks, JoAnn. I think we're each having to figure out what our reading during this time will look like, right? And we love nurses. :-)
DeleteThat is so thoughtful of you to have sent the treats to your daughter's co-workers. Definitely well deserved! I'm so sorry to hear about your friends though. You are right, any other time it's hard but even more so now that we can't gather. Stay safe Kay! I know I'm not taking part in the nonsense that is opening up our state although I have to say people seem to be very conscious of keeping safe distance and wearing masks at the grocery stores.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Iliana. Yes, I was so sorry for their families. A tough time. And I agree that the medical people deserve all kinds of things right now.
DeleteGlad to hear you and your family are doing well. I am so sorry to hear about the people you know who died from the virus. My heart goes out to all those affected.
ReplyDeleteYay for reading! I am glad to hear you are reading more.
That was so nice of you to put together all that stuff for your daughter's unit. I am sure all the medical staff appreciate it.
Take care, Kay!
Thanks, Wendy. Yes, we were so sorry for their families too. Our daughter is taking all the things in this evening when she goes to work. Hope they enjoy!
DeleteThanks for sharing about National Nurses Week! I'll look out for a way to contribute in my community.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to hear about losing people you know to the virus. It's hard enough looking at the numbers daily and seeing it climb. So many families have been hit for sure. Sending thoughts and prayers to you and the families.
Yes, I was sad to know about these two people and feel very sorry for their families. Such a tough thing. Thanks for your good thoughts and prayers, Athira!
DeleteYou're right, it does seem like we're in a time loop! I'm sorry to hear that you know people who have passed away as a result of the virus, that must be very sobering. But I'm glad you and your husband are ok.
ReplyDeleteWe've been watching Picard as well, I like it, my husband is not so keen. We've also been watching a Star Trek we'd previously not seen, Star Trek: Enterprise. I wasn't expecting a lot from it as people seem to be a bit luke-warm about the series, but it turns out I love it.
Wasn't it a coral snake that killed someone in one of the Sherlock Holmes stories? No wonder you're not thrilled about finding one in your garden.
Thanks for the good thoughts, Cath. I have no idea about a coral snake and Sherlock Holmes. Might have to research that. I'm actually not glad to find any snake at my house, but I just try to be aware when I'm outside. We have lots of icky critters in our area.
DeleteChocolate makes everything better! Even this crazy quarantine.
ReplyDeleteIt's hot here again, so I'm hibernating. Avoiding snakes is as good a reason as any to stay inside, in my book. Eek! You're braver than I am - I wouldn't even get close enough to snap a pic.
Glad to hear you and your are safe and well. We are, too.
I wasn't quite that close to the snake. I enlarged the picture. We got a little cold front yesterday, so my walk this morning was very pleasant. Hot is coming though. And I agree - chocolate makes everything better.
DeleteKay, so sorry the virus took the lives of people you know. Things are still "essential businesses only" here and honestly, I am happy about that. I miss restaurants being closed but, I wouldn't be flocking to them if they were reopened either.
ReplyDeleteWhat a nice gesture honoring the nurses Kay. (BTW-that is a creepy critter).
Thanks, Diane. I was so sorry for their families at this tough time. No, we're not going into the restaurants, but we have been picking up curbside or to-go pretty often. We're OK with that. And we miss seeing our daughter so this was a way to check in with her a bit - even waving through a window.
DeleteCoral snakes are scary little buggers! What a happy way you found to honor your daughter and other nurses. I'm reading more as well and doing less of the walking aimlessly around the house and more with purpose in the neighborhood. As I am adjusting to the shelter in place, more people are out and about without masks and distancing. It will be a while before "normal" will feel normal again.
ReplyDeleteI think this is the first coral snake I've actually seen in real life. That makes two snakes this year. Sigh. The scorpions will be coming as well, but not quite yet. Yes, I've seen people without the masks too, though I must say that I'm not a big fan of the damp cloth across my face - trying not to be a whiner, but I get back in my car and take mine off right away.
DeleteA wonderful thing you did for nurses! So thoughtful of you during this terrible time. I'm sorry to hear you have lost two friends to this virus. And we see coral snakes around here. They tell us in our naturalist group meetings that they are shy snakes, but honestly I'm not sticking around to find out!
ReplyDeleteWe loves nurses at our house and we've missed seeing our daughter in real life. I just want them to know we are thinking of them. Yes, that coral snake was definitely shy, not like a rattler.
DeleteSeeing a snake like that in my front yard would totally freak me out. Glad you're doing okay and staying safe. Let's hope May isn't the blur of sameness that April was...but in a good way. :D
ReplyDeleteIt did freak me out a bit. I wasn't as close as it appeared in the picture. I enlarged it. Ha! I suspect that this month will be mostly the same, for us anyway. However, we'll see how it goes.
DeleteI walked out to my backyard just now to see why a sprinkler head was sticking and kept reminding myself to look for snakes. We get rattlesnakes every summer.
ReplyDeleteMy reading has not be fab lately. Too distracted but I vow to finish the book that I am reading today. I have to move on.
Yes, distraction has been my problem too, though I've had no trouble getting into a book on audio when I'm out walking. Can't do that all day though. This was the second snake I've seen this year in our yard. Kind of feel like Indiana Jones - snakes, why did it have to be snakes? LOL
DeleteReading has been good, reviewing not so much. But no real complaints except for the "time loop" thing you described. I wake up every morning and it feels the same, except weekends are a little different because my husband doesn't work then.
ReplyDeleteI have been working on our tiny yard which needs LOTS of work. I cannot do a lot at a time but bit by bit it is improving. I am ecstatic to have a small compost pile now after several years without one.
I am glad to hear that your daughter is doing well under the circumstances, it must be very tiring to have that kind of job in these times.
The snake is beautiful, but if it is poisonous, that would be scary.
Yes, my life is much the same from day to day as well. My husband gets a bit more bored on weekends when he doesn't have work. He can golf though. Yes, our daughter has been quite exhausted both from the work and the worry I think. Just wanted to let her unit know that we are thinking about them.
DeleteLovely thought to send goodies! Not so lovely - that snake. Other than rats, I would rather have mice or squirrels! I'm so sorry for the families.
ReplyDeleteI hate rats and mice and endure squirrels if I must. Second snake I've seen this year though. I've been outside walking a lot more than usual though. Yes, we wanted to let Sam's unit know that we were thinking of them. She's really tired looking, but I guess that's to be expected. Their patients have been really stressed and lots with high blood pressure or panic attacks. And wearing that PPE is very hot when worn for hours. Thanks for the good thoughts about the families.
DeleteYIKES! I remember one of neighbors coming across a coral snake when we lived in Texas. Not a fan!! Ugh.
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry about the two friends that passed away from COVID. Such an awful time for so many families. :(
I didn't think you'd like the snake, Les. Ha! Are there snakes in Oregon? Probably I guess, but I remember those slugs and really big ones - ick! Thanks for the good thoughts for the families.
DeleteYes I salute the Nurses all over the globe -- who are really putting their lives on the line to help people. Thx to them. That snake is something else! where are you based? Looks pretty there. We are watching Bosch Season 6 and are liking it as usual .... it's a great show!
ReplyDeleteWe're in Central Texas and yes, we do have a lot of snakes and bugs and wildlife. We finished that new season Bosch and thought it was good.
DeleteIt's always sad to hear about people who died of the virus; and all the more of the people we know. I hope the situation will get better for all of us, and most of all there'll be a vaccine to stop this virus.
ReplyDeleteThat coral snake looks nasty! I wouldn't want to go near to any of the creepy-crawlies, even if they're harmless.
I salute and appreciate all the healthcare staff around the world. And yes, we can all give a bit of love and support by giving them cards or a treat especially in this situation.
I'm glad that many of the people, including healthcare, are getting appreciation for their efforts. Yes, will look forward to a vaccine, whenever it might appear.
DeleteWe are staying put as well though and I can definitely identify with the groundhog feeling. I only loosely know what day it is! I'm not a snake fan - especially poisonous ones. I'm okay in theory with nonpoisonous ones as I'd rather have snakes then rats but the other kind make me very nervous! How nice that you were able to send goodies to your daughter and her coworkers. I know they appreciated the goodies! And any day with chocolate is better then any day without!
ReplyDeleteThe nurse team did appreciate the goodies or so our daughter told us. She brought them over two different days so that more could be included. Yesterday, the Thunderbirds flew over our area to honor healthcare workers. Very inspiring!
DeleteSorry to hear about your friends who passed away from this awful thing. We have been fortunate to not know anyone that has had it. Let's hope our warm weather chases it away. We saw a coral snake going across the road in front of our house, into our neighbors yard. We alerted them. But like the snake guy that comes on t.v. this time of year said " they don't want to see you either, so just go the other way and they will go on their way."
ReplyDeleteYes, I think most snakes around will not bother you. We just need to be aware and watch for them.
DeleteThanks to your daughter, especially during this week and crazy time. And what a good mom you are to send the goodies.
ReplyDeleteMy 3rd cousin (younger than me) is recovering from covid after a month of quarantine from his family and 3 days in the hospital. He still has a long road back to health. It's no joke.
Poisonous snakes are a no go for me and would force me to move immediately, lol. I'm not nearly as brave as you. Have a great week.
I'm not at all brave, Stacy. Just have lived in this area most of my life and know what's around. And try to be watchful.
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