Well hell.. Here we are finally into 2020. This is suppose to be the good year after the hellish 2019 and it did start out fantastic! LJ is feeling great. We've been able to ride the atv, go camping and just generally enjoy life. And then the virus decides to make a visit to the world. So, as a result, we are on suggested stay at home orders. So we spend time at home like we are supposed to. Scooter gets to play Easter Bunny which he loves... not. We are lucky in AZ in that all the restaurants are still open (take out only) and up until a couple of days ago you could still get a manicure and a haircut. I probably should have taken advantage of that (photos not included for your protection). Grocery stores are open, as well as gas stations, Lowes and Home Depot. Lots of stores allow for online shopping with curbside delivery. Of course there's the mandatory run on toilet paper, disinfectant wipes and hand sanitizer. Some food was hard to find for a bit, but that has settled down. Other than flour you can find about anything. Well, almost anything. At least I can find foods LJ can eat with his limitations.
We have made sure LJ stays home since we don't know if his immune system has been compromised with the cancer treatment. So I get to go out amongst the masses with my few travel wipes, mask and gloves. We take the proper precautions so all is good. Katherine and Bruce Clark have provided us with Lysol so the inordinate amount of boxes from Amazon get sprayed, lol. The ring doorbell goes off so many times a day from all the deliveries LJ is thinking about shooting it. The Amazon driver, when I see him, knows me by name and always leaves with a "see you tomorrow!"
Typical conversation.. LJ: What did you order. Me: I don't remember. But hey, let's find out lol. Then it's "oh yea, I forgot I ordered that" 😁
He had to skip a couple of doctor appointments because it just isn't necessary to be around sick people for a "How you doing" visit. His Urologist did a phone appointment to go over his test results. Seems like his February CAT scan looks good. He just took another one. This time full body, so we should get those results by the end of the month. Hopefully all is good and life will continue as we have planned. Waiting for results, though, sucks. There's always that little nagging what if..
April 15th is the first anniversary of his last cancer treatment. He is actually doing extremely well. He is his old self completely now. Still can't eat certain foods, but a lot of things are tasting normal..and a lot aren't. But it's a new normal and we have adjusted quite nicely. He can work on things, build things, watch tv like a champ. He's my guy.
Thanks to the virus, I am now cooking. A LOT. Not sure that is necessarily a good thing. Not one of my strong suits. But I did promise I'd use the new kitchen, so there ya go. The crock pot is my friend lol. He is maintaining his weight really well. He isn't gaining, but he isn't losing and he is really at an ideal weight. He's starting to look less sickly so I think the 2 ounces of fat he has is distributing nicely.
Frank Russell made me a beautiful cutting board. An American Flag with a thin blue line. He told me to use it. So I am. As decoration 'cause it's just too pretty.
I can say there is no better place to be quarantined. I love it. We aren't on top of each other so we don't get too irritated. The weather has been fantastic and the pool is warm enough to swim in. So that's where I spend a couple of hours each day. I'm gradually gaining a little color. Fat people look thinner tanned... I just know it HA! LJ doesn't "pool" unless the water is warm.. so he won't be going until probably late May. He's really not a pool guy. But he needs to build up his muscles so he will become a pool guy.. or a nagged husband. He has a choice lol.
I have spent some time in the ol craft room making masks for friends and neighbors. I made some cheap lounge covers out of super cheap beach towels. They seem to work really well. I'm sure they won't last but a season, and I'm okay with that. Only cost about $40 for five of them. But alas, the 25 year old sewing machine is now in the shop. I took it in for service. I figured 20 years is about long enough to have that done, lol. The shop owner told me his business since the "stay home suggestion" has increased quite a bit. One business suffers and another benefits.
I joined a mystery club where they send a box with case info in it for you to solve. I am hooked. The Deadbolt Mystery Society is the name of the club. Our daughter got it for me for Christmas and I just started doing them a month ago. Holy Moly they are addicting. Challenging and fun at the same time. I have a back log of ten boxes so Quarantine Schmorantine. I can keep busy.
LJ has been on his iPad..alot..but he also plays ball with Scooter. We drug out the old Wii and hooked it up. We can wile away two or three hours doing that. Of course it takes three days to recover, but who's counting. We also play Rummy and board games. Anything to pass the time besides watching tv. So other than that, life is basically normal! Kinda like being retired with no where to go hahaha.
Scooter is doing well. He gets to play ball a lot. Plus he just lays around in the sun, chases lizards and naps. Life is pretty good for the ol pup. I think he's a bit spoiled, but he begs to differ lol. He does go swimming, but only if I put on his life jacket and am in the pool. It's not a favorite thing for him, but it's good exercise. He lasts about five minutes then it's back to chasing lizards.I'm afraid that after this past year, if we had to do this "stay home" in the RV it wouldn't be pretty. Traveling around makes it easy. Stuck in one place, not so much. If 2019 hadn't been bad, we probably could have done it with no problem, but it did and I'm glad we don't have to. We have our own little slice of heaven so we can muddle through this "social distancing" thing fairly easy. Friends live about an hour and a half away in a great atv riding area. We are considering driving up there and, while maintaining proper distancing, riding for a few hours then driving home. We can visit while still maintaining the six foot perimeter.
Really isn't a lot to talk about. I think all of us are in the same boat. It just is what it is and you make the best of it. So I'll just leave it here until we get those results from his tests back. I'll be glad, though, when we can move about the cabin (I mean world) again. Hoping our daughter and family still get to come in July. Hoping we get to make the SSD Reunion #3 in June. Just wanna get out and live life a bit. But don't we all.
