Sunday, June 14, 2020

I'm Still Here


On my walk, I find all kinds of signs and call-outs to what's going on. The sidewalks are filled with chalked messages, windows hold signs offering thanks, there are fairy gardens at the base of so many trees.

This rock, which is really tiny, says Doctors Rock. And they do. I would like to watch LENNOX, which is about doctors on Netflix but I am too scared because you know they will have patients with cancer.

Things are sort of the same every day, every week. I often feel like I am marching in place and will it ever end. A really good friend went to have a hip replacement last Tuesday and is now on a ventilator and has an embolism. This was in Georgia. They send you home the next day with nobody checking in on you. Do they assume his wife (and his wife has a Ph.D so she's a smart woman) will know that his oxygen level is too low (80) without giving her a way to check it. Don't get me started. Who said that all the time on TV?

I found out I have the downloading service Hoopla through my library and downloaded an audio book. (EIGHT PERFECT MURDERS) The choice was not great but it's free. They also have movies and print books. Between that and Kanopy you would think I had enough to watch. I am insatiable. Really looking forward to the dark version of Perry Mason coming soon.

Also finished listening to NOTHING TO SEE HERE by Kevin Wilson and finished reading the very strange POET OF TOLSTOY PARK (Sonny Brewer).

Working my way through SRIGUM and now I understand what Ultra-Orthodox Jews are. It took them two and half seasons to explain it to me. Also spreading out RAMY, which I love. Muslims, maybe I will study them. The acting on this show along with the writing is terrific.

But if they have an online course on Judaism, I would like to take it. Because I grew up in a mostly Jewish neighborhood, and a lot of my friends have always been Jewish, I think I would really find it interesting. More about Jewish culture than the actual Torah though. Although I would like to understand what the men, especially, are always studying. I think it is more commentary from famous rabbis over the centuries than the actual Bible. I read the entire Bible in high school so I have some grounding there.

About to start another Maigret. I can always find one to download for $1.99 on amazon.

Beautiful weather here. So much trimming and weeding though. And I pulled out a lot of stuff that I hope is weeds. None of my friends are gardeners except the woman in Georgia. Usually she is back here by now.

Thanks to the friends who do not forget me. I am blessed.

I am babbling. I can't figure out how to not publish this right away. Sorry.

And what's up with you?



14 comments:

Jerry House said...

Babble away, Patti. Blogs are a great way to sort out our feelings and to cope with the world around us.

Studying other world religions is always a good pastime. They have a lot to offer in understanding other cultures and people. Wisdom has never been confined to just one book or one religion.

We went beaching early this morning because it was a Sunday and a holiday and we wanted to get our moments of zen in before the crowds. There were more people when we got there than on a weekday morning, but social distancing was the norm. Two-foot swells and a number of people in the water.The waves were relaxing and watching young children splash about was fun. Quite a few dogs that loved chasing balls into the water. There were a few people, however, who ignored the rules about keeping their dogs on a leash, as well as couple of dogs that really needed to be leashed. One dog that was leashed was Nugget, now 4 months and 35 pounds -- she will top 100 pounds when she grows. She was playful, happy, and well mannered.

It's the birthday of Kitty's father, as well as Flag Day. We wish he could see the family now. He'd be happy. Not so happy though -- as mentioned in my blog -- to share his birthday with a man who represents everything he despised -- a man who fakes his love of our flag and hugs it sexually like it was his daughter (Ivanka, not Tiffany).

Mark caught a four-foot brown snake in his garage and posted a picture of him holding it on Facebook. Judging by the smile on his face, catching snakes is really Mark's thing. He released the snake in the side yard.

President Smallhands switched the date of his Tulsa rally away from Juneteenth, showing us that advisors have a small sense of appropriateness. To attend his rallies now you must sign a waiver protecting Trump from lawsuits if you catch Covid-19. Irony.

Finished the latest Dean Koontz paean-to-dogs novel. It started out well, built up a lot of tension, then blew it with a saccharine-sweet, catch-all ending. Once Again I am wondering why I read his stuff. I did enjoy the Ben Benson state police procedural that was my FFB this week. Also read three more Doc Savage pulp novels that I enjoyed. Sometimes pulp hero characters was just what I need.

Have a fantastic week, Patti, and enjoy the warm weather!

Rick Robinson said...

So we get your Monday post a day early. Cool. I'm not clear: people come onto your property and leave things by the trees and rocks? Or are they elsewhere on the street, by the sidewalk, or...?

Sounds like you're doing mostly audiobooks lately. I have trouble with them because I'm just sitting there (or walking) and I get antsy, in spite of the voice in my ears.

I've been reading science fiction and staying away from the news, as the latter drives me nuts lately and makes me grind my teeth in frustration and anger. Also, I think everywhere is trying to open way too soon and it's causing spikes and problems and people aren't bothering with masks and that's nuts. I'm staying HOME and no one comes here without a mask and distancing, etc. and then only when ABSOLUTELY necessary, like the HVAC people doing install last week. I'll admit there's a sameness to the days, but for all those years I have to go to work 5 days (sometimes 6) I longed for time at home to relax, and now I have it so I'm glad.

Be well, Patti.

pattinase (abbott) said...

I see these things on my walks. I try to walk 45 minutes a day.
I do an audiobook while I walk. Otherwise I think bad thoughts. I used to plan stories then but I have lost that ability.
I also can't watch the news. I read the NYT in the morning and then stay away.
I think we are being sacrificed. They gave us one shot and it didn't go away so that's that.
So much of Jerry's comments are about animals. I have never had one and never lived where you get to see many. That is probably a hole in my life.
It made me sick to see hundreds of boats line up on the Detroit River, celebrating Trump's birthday. Of course, none of them are Detroiters. They come down from the whiter than white suburbs. Have never cared for boats with motors. Sailboats are nice though.

Jeff Meyerson said...

Lenox Hill Hospital is on 77th between Park and Lexington. I was born nearby at Doctors Hospital (now Beth Israel), on 86th and East End (called "a fashionable treatment center for the well-to-do") as that was where her OBGYN practiced. I will check out the show (LENOX HILL).

Glad you are doing OK. We have started walking around the neighborhood as the weather is gorgeous. I hope my medical issues will be done with on Thursday (fingers still crossed) and we will really be able to get out more. We've been to the supermarket and occasionally to restaurants to pick up food, but otherwise stay in except for the short walks. I am getting some reading done but the news online takes too much of my time.

Still watching hours every night. We watch DEATH IN PARADISE and LEWIS on Saturday nights. I don't care for the new Inspector on the former. So glad you (and Jackie) have come around to my way of thinking on SRUGIM. I like it a lot. (Except Natti, of course.) We did watch THE VALHALLA MURDERS, which annoyed me with the HIBK behavior of the lead cop. It was no TRAPPED(much better Icelandic show). We have one two part episode of the Finnish BORDERTOWN left. I like Kari but otherwise series three isn't great. Jackie likes OUTLANDER much more than I do, but it was quite well done for what it was. Most of it is set (series one) in 1743 Scotland. We've been watching the Welsh HIDDEN but about to give it up. Too dark and depressing and with VALHALLA and BORDERTOWN, how many more like that do we need? I want something lighter. THE TUNNEL isn't light either, but it isn't as bad. I wish Netflix (or HBO, which is showing it in Europe) would bring back THE MINISTRY OF TIME (EL MINISTERIO DEL TIEMPO), the great Spanish show. HOMECOMING has picked up after the first two episodes of series two, but no Julia Roberts or Shea Whigham. I like that it is only half an hour (like SRUGIM and DEAD TO ME). Lastly, I MAY DESTROY YOU was not for us. Not only too young, but I could not understand a single word she said.

Looking forward to the Spike Lee Vietnam movie and MARCELLA, back tonight. We watched THE VAST OF NIGHT, which Patti recommended. Very low budget movie but very cleverly done. It is supposed to be New Mexico in the '50s and UFOs may be involved. Also OFFICIAL SECRETS (on Showtime), which was no THE PAPER or ALL THE PRESIDENT'S MEN. The true story about whistleblower Katharine Gun (here Keira Knightley) who violated the Official Secrets Act by leaking a document showing the US was faking WMDs to get the UN to vote for war against Iraq in 2003. Worth seeing for some good British performers - Ralph Fiennes, Matthew Goode, Rhys Ifans, Matt Smith - but (deliberately) filmed too dark and too much whispering, even when two characters were alone way out in the countryside.

pattinase (abbott) said...

I also could not understand one word of I MAY DESTROY YOU. What's with that?

Margot Kinberg said...

I've seen those messages and signs and things, too, Patti. A lot of people are trying to make sense of things that are hard to make sense of right now. I wondered what you would think of Eight Perfect Murders. Sorry to hear you didn't like it better than you did; I thought it was an interesting approach to telling a story, and I am a sucker for a bookshop context...

George said...

Diane and her Book Club have scheduled EIGHT PERFECT MURDERS for their OCTOBER 2020 book. They're planning a meeting next month in a park with masks and social distancing.

Western New York is due to enter Phase 3 tomorrow. Libraries will be opening up (with restrictions) and restaurants will offer inside dining (we have NO interest in that right now). Diane has ordered me Prime Rib and Chocolate Cake (she's going with Chicken something) for TAKE-OUT for FATHERS' DAY.

We PORTALed with Patrick and Katie. Katie suggested we all watch a movie and talk about it. She suggested 13TH, a movie on Netflix. So we'll have to watch that this week. Katie also mentioned that she's never seen a Hitchcock film so when my choice comes up, I'll have go with an Alfred Hitchcock movie.

Stay safe!

pattinase (abbott) said...

NO, Margot, I meant that their choice of audiobooks wasn't great. I haven't read EIGHT PERFECT MURDERS yet.
Never seen a Hitchcock movie. Wow! A new generation to find him. I will check out 13th.

Jeff Meyerson said...

Never seen a Hitchcock film? Wow. That's hard to believe.

Steve Oerkfitz said...

Great weather. I like to sit outside and read when it's like this.
I can get Kanopy thru the library but you are limited to two movies a month and have to have a firestick which I don't have. Tried downloading an audio book thru the library but can not get it to my kindle. Can only listen at my computer so I'll pass. I have plenty of books. Just finished Fair Warning by Michael Connelly. Not a Bosch or Lincoln Lawyer novel. I liked it but not one of his best books. Read a couple of short novels. Nada by Jean Manchette which I got bored with early on. Also read Out of Body by Jeffrey Ford. It was okay but a bit light weight.
Finished watching The Woods on Netflix. A polish series based on a Harlan Coben novel. I enjoyed it but found it a bit hard to follow at first.
Have no interest in any series focusing on religion. There is not a spiritual bone in my body and I would just be bored to death. Looking forward to the new Spike Lee movie and Marcella season 3 on Netflix.
Glad that starting today I can return bottles and cans. My suv is full of them. And the library is letting us return books but still can't checkout anything. At least I have been able to browse at B&N.
Miss going to see movies. A rumor is that our local Landmark theater may go under.

pattinase (abbott) said...

I was afraid of that, Steve. Never many people there. I realize now I never saw Marcella 2 but on watching an episode it seems to upsetting.

Gerard Saylor said...

Marching in place sounds about right.
My father had another overnight hospital stay. I had to think for a while before I could recall what the reason was this time. That was a few days ago but feels longer.
My sons and I attend a Black Lives Matter rally in town on Saturday. Their mother had to work. The best speech was given by a high school girl. The event was organized and promoted by a high school girl.

Boy Scouts finally met in person a week ago and yesterday. Last week was an Eagle Award ceremony for three guys that earned the award over the past six months (or so). Yesterday was a regular meeting and my son gave a thorough demonstration on changing a tire or fixing a flat and then gave another explanation about brakes. A very thorough explanation. A "I don't want to cut you off but I kinda wish you'd wrap it up" demonstration.

The weather has been beautiful and even had some cooler nights into the 50s. Halfway through June and nothing to plan for. We could visit my parents in IL or my wife's parents in KS but all four of them are considered high risk.

I feel like I have read next to nothing the past couple weeks, but I finished Anthony Neil Smith's latest novel and it was his usual high quality. I watched RUN SILENT, RUN DEEP for the first time.

TracyK said...

That was a scary story about your friend in Georgia; I have also thought that they let people go home too soon nowadays.

I have a lot of Maigret novels and they are so short, I should read them.

I used to have the problem of every day feeling the same but since we have been getting plants from the nursery and I have been clearing out the back area, I have some more variety. I just have to make myself get out there because of my aching back. I am re-learning things about gardening, which I haven't done in years. Now our small planting areas have much more sun, since many of the trees around us are gone. I learned to garden with primarily shaded areas and full sun all day is an entirely different matter. Plus the sun in the back in the summer turns to no sun at all in the winter because of the direction the back of the building faces.

pattinase (abbott) said...

Yes, that's a great help. But if this isn't over as we head into fall and winter, what then?
Yes, you are are sole speaker from our children's generation, Gerard and it is very interesting getting your perspective. I read a lot. It's the time I feel most like myself.