07 June, 2020 - Seeing Friends at 6 ft & A Quick Trip to the Island
Dear, Mom -
Today I was able to see my best friends Kim and Ward for a while. They came over to the house and we sat on the porch with our masks on sitting 6 feet apart. We have to take these precautions because of the nasty virus that is going around the world right now. We have to be very careful in ways we never thought to be before. It is the same reason that I am not allowed to come into the place where you live right now. Everyone is very cautious. It is paying off because none of us have become sick. As painful as it is not to see the people I love, it is in everyone's best interest to be as safe as possible.
This is how I tend to look whenever I go out into public. I have a double layer of masks. One is what is called an N95 that has a filter. The other is one that Kim made for me out of Hawaiian material that is just a simple cotton covering. It can get pretty hot, but I make sure to take a breather when I can to get an ample supply of oxygen in and carbon monoxide out. I also wear disposable gloves if I go into a store or will be touching things that other people may have touched. When I get home, I always wash my hands for at least 20 seconds, but I usually do it a bit longer just to make sure I didn't forget anywhere. Anyway, that is just kind of how we function right now in the world. Some people don't take any precautions and leave it all up to fate. Since I work with elderly people and/or people with compromised immunities, I have to be extremely careful. And I am.
Anyway, Kim brought Holly and I a plate of lemon bars and chocolate chip peanut butter cookies. She has been baking a lot since she was furloughed from her work. She also sews and knits and reads and gardens. Ward does things that need doing around the house and reads about politics or watches political shows and also gets in some video game time (as do I). It was so nice to have them come for a visit since they are my dearest friends and I don't get to see them very much. They only leave their house for essential groceries and to take bike rides for exercise and to get out of the house for a bit.
Before they came over, I put Elsa the dog in the back of the car and we took a quick trip out to Sauvie Island to get some strawberries for Kim. She is going to make strawberry jam. She brought us apple butter and peach jam today. She has been busy in the kitchen indeed!
When I got out to Columbia Farms, they were all sold out of the prepicked flats of Hood strawberries. They told me I could U-Pick instead, but since I had Elsa with me, I couldn't. Dogs are not allowed on the farm and she would be bored anyway. The people at the cash register on the farm were very nice to refer me to The Pumpkin Patch back down the road to get pre-picked strawberries. They pick all throughout the day, where as Columbia Farm picks in the morning, then when they sell out it is U-Pick only. It ended up being fine. I bought half a flat of Tillamook strawberries from The Pumpkin Patch, also 4 russet potatoes, and a mason jar of local berry honey for Holly. She uses it in her tea every day. I like it on toast.
That was about all I got up to today. I made a very late dinner and we didn't eat until about 8:30 tonight. I through some potatoes, carrots, green beans, white beans, onion and garlic with a bit of veggie broth in the Instant Pot and made a veggie stew. It turned out really good and since I made it in the pressure cooker, it was a quick, healthy meal to make for so late. That was the best present I got for my 50th birthday was the Instant Pot. Kim got me one because she was always telling me about the things she would cook in hers. Especially, rice and beans. Although, you can cook pretty much anything in it. I really love it.
I am headed to bed. Elsa is on the bed sighing deeply wanting me to turn the light off so she can sleep. I don't blame her. My eyes are getting very droopy very fast. I need to make sure and tell you how much I miss you and how much I love you. That is very important for you to hear and know!
"Sally, your youngest child and third girl, loves you very, very much, Ma Dodd!"
I will give you a big hug soon, mom. All my love --- Sally
Today I was able to see my best friends Kim and Ward for a while. They came over to the house and we sat on the porch with our masks on sitting 6 feet apart. We have to take these precautions because of the nasty virus that is going around the world right now. We have to be very careful in ways we never thought to be before. It is the same reason that I am not allowed to come into the place where you live right now. Everyone is very cautious. It is paying off because none of us have become sick. As painful as it is not to see the people I love, it is in everyone's best interest to be as safe as possible.
This is how I tend to look whenever I go out into public. I have a double layer of masks. One is what is called an N95 that has a filter. The other is one that Kim made for me out of Hawaiian material that is just a simple cotton covering. It can get pretty hot, but I make sure to take a breather when I can to get an ample supply of oxygen in and carbon monoxide out. I also wear disposable gloves if I go into a store or will be touching things that other people may have touched. When I get home, I always wash my hands for at least 20 seconds, but I usually do it a bit longer just to make sure I didn't forget anywhere. Anyway, that is just kind of how we function right now in the world. Some people don't take any precautions and leave it all up to fate. Since I work with elderly people and/or people with compromised immunities, I have to be extremely careful. And I am.
Anyway, Kim brought Holly and I a plate of lemon bars and chocolate chip peanut butter cookies. She has been baking a lot since she was furloughed from her work. She also sews and knits and reads and gardens. Ward does things that need doing around the house and reads about politics or watches political shows and also gets in some video game time (as do I). It was so nice to have them come for a visit since they are my dearest friends and I don't get to see them very much. They only leave their house for essential groceries and to take bike rides for exercise and to get out of the house for a bit.
Before they came over, I put Elsa the dog in the back of the car and we took a quick trip out to Sauvie Island to get some strawberries for Kim. She is going to make strawberry jam. She brought us apple butter and peach jam today. She has been busy in the kitchen indeed!
When I got out to Columbia Farms, they were all sold out of the prepicked flats of Hood strawberries. They told me I could U-Pick instead, but since I had Elsa with me, I couldn't. Dogs are not allowed on the farm and she would be bored anyway. The people at the cash register on the farm were very nice to refer me to The Pumpkin Patch back down the road to get pre-picked strawberries. They pick all throughout the day, where as Columbia Farm picks in the morning, then when they sell out it is U-Pick only. It ended up being fine. I bought half a flat of Tillamook strawberries from The Pumpkin Patch, also 4 russet potatoes, and a mason jar of local berry honey for Holly. She uses it in her tea every day. I like it on toast.
That was about all I got up to today. I made a very late dinner and we didn't eat until about 8:30 tonight. I through some potatoes, carrots, green beans, white beans, onion and garlic with a bit of veggie broth in the Instant Pot and made a veggie stew. It turned out really good and since I made it in the pressure cooker, it was a quick, healthy meal to make for so late. That was the best present I got for my 50th birthday was the Instant Pot. Kim got me one because she was always telling me about the things she would cook in hers. Especially, rice and beans. Although, you can cook pretty much anything in it. I really love it.
I am headed to bed. Elsa is on the bed sighing deeply wanting me to turn the light off so she can sleep. I don't blame her. My eyes are getting very droopy very fast. I need to make sure and tell you how much I miss you and how much I love you. That is very important for you to hear and know!
"Sally, your youngest child and third girl, loves you very, very much, Ma Dodd!"
I will give you a big hug soon, mom. All my love --- Sally
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