Puerto Vallarta
Well, the annual "get out of the rain" festival just ended, and as usual it was just what this old bag of bones needed. Sun, warmth, clear weather and young people around to rejuvenate an old man..........of course, the tequila helps somewhat.
It was just 55 years ago, that on our honeymoon, we visited Acapulco. The honeymoon was OK but the time spent in Mexico, was a disaster. I met this guy named Montezuma at the bar and for the next week suffered. Probably from the little dark spots in the ice cubes. Not the best of times. Five years after that, Margot talked me into going to Mazatlan . Met the same guy at the bar and again the trip was a disaster. Mexico was placed on my worst places in the world list but again I was punished for going to Las Carbos , that a totally different reason but we LITERALLY walked out of the city from a rain storm that washed away two bridges that we had to cross over to get to the airport. That was so bad, that a Northwest Captain trying to get out called the embassy in Mexico City to ask if the Navy could come and get us out. Funny part is that the embassy offered no help but to pay for taxis that could not get across the water rushing under the down bridges. Anyway, during the planning of my 80th birthday, we had a family meeting on where we could celebrate it. The kids and grandkids were giving their input that ranged from, Tuscany to the Caribbean but the end result was Puerto Vallarta. Notably, I was reluctant, but agreed and we all flew off the PV. This trip was absolutely the greatest ever taken. Perhaps it was the company, NO it was definitely the company. Anyway, this was the 5th consecutive year back to PV and it has never lost its charm.
AND NOW
Just as we were having a nice cool Corona Extra we learned that it was a virus people were talking about. A few days before leaving Margot went out and bought some Clorox wipes so that we could wipe down our airplane seat, tray-table and seat-back. Half way through the trip I noticed that my pants had this white spot on the front right pocket. I discovered that that was the pocket I carried the wet Clorox wipe in when taking it to the rest room to make sure everything there was wiped down. Since that moment, I have become a cleaning maniac wiping down everything in sight, to the point that washing my hands every twenty minutes with hot water and a soapy suds liquid hand soap, while singing happy birthday ///// twice has now not only effected my tan, but has started to take some skin off my palms only to discover some cheat test notes that I wrote in my palm while in high school. The thing that's really driving me up a wall is, the fact that conversation between Margot and I are becoming very repetitive, let along far less. Seems I used up most of my words learned over 83 years and I am beginning to use them more then once...............in the same sentence. Never, in a million years did I ever think I would run out of words. Not only that, but I find I am becoming a hypochondriac. I have spent so much time listening to TV and the only subject they talk about, even from those that KNOW NOTHING of what they say...............and I think you all know who that is, that I am self diagnosing after every throat clearing cough,the length of the cough, time it occurred, length of the cough, whether I had a drippy nose at the same time where I was located ( so that I could wipe down that area) and speed dialing my doctor on my hospital portal to see if I should come in. What a mess, this has created to my life. The worst part is .....that I know I have to go out to buy food, I like to go in to pick out my banana's pick out my apples, pick out my fresh baked goods. I just can't get it set in my head that I could have another person do this for me and bring it to my car or have it delivered. In order to conquer the fact that other people are shopping at the same time, and not abiding about the 6' rule, I find myself standing at the head of an aisle, yelling out to everyone in the aisle that I'm coming down and then faking a cough. I noticed how people all move out of my way until I'm out of that aisle and off to the next aisle. it also has cut down the actual time I spend in the store.
CREATIVITY IN MY NEW LIFE.
With all of this caution that must be adhered to, one must now be creative so that we totally break away from everything NEEDED especially to older folks. Even though we may hear from our kids or our grandsons by phone each day.................to check to see if we are still alive (guess, that something to do with the will) it's not the same to see them and sitting down over a drink and talking with them. So, to me , la familiar is suffering. Grand kids, even though now 24 years old are meant to be hugged, but those days seem to have passed. Coffee with my buddy every Tues. morning, where we could sit and chew the fat, settle the world problems have now reached a new life in itself via face-time. Me in my kitchen an him in his. Lunch with Margot twice a week at our favorite little places are no more. Dinner with friends are no more and for one that needs this intermingling it plays very hard on any mental stability. I have always been an extrovert and now find myself .................all alone, even though Margot is here with me. My adjustment to this was fairly simple...........more skype and face time time which created more personal interaction. Now, I call, old classmates, SAS crew members and ground staff around the world, relatives, both in the States and out of the States and spend a lot of time talking about the "good old days"
There is a new change in my life each and everyday. Some for the better, most for the worst. I want to show this little link about a man in Italy wanting to go out for coffee. His wife insist that he does not. Watch where he goes
https://twitter.com/GrowingUpItalia/status/1241354307259305985
You have to copy and paste into your browser to see this. Sorry
Makes perfect sense to me.
Yesterday, we completed our first ever online food order...................simply to stay away from all the inconsiderate shoppers inside the stores now-a-days, IT WAS GREAT showed up at our designated time called the telephone number listed on the sign. The young lady asked my full name and what space I was parked in. Less than 3 minutes later there was a person at my car to explain to me about several items that I had ordered were not in stock, and two items were substituted. No problem, He than loaded the 3 bags into my trunk, left the receipt in one of the bags and off I went, never got out of the car . and no contact with the person, if you have trouble hearing what they are saying, you can pop your window JUST A BIT and can speak at the same distance as in the store itself.
Almost like a days outing in less than 10 minutes. I'm getting my second order ready now. Change for the better.
MASK OR NO MASK
Don't know what your personal preference is, I prefer no mask simply for the reason that , this is me, absorb the pleasure, I wore a mask, I'm taking that pleasure away from you, however having said that I can relate that meeting up with some of the more irresponsible people in the world, I guess I will wear a mask.
This, my friends, I made
A little engineering, but worth it. Items needed
1. paper towel
2. 2 rubber bands
3. scotch tape.
Double protection? two paper towels........ lay flat on a table, pinch the ends, so they are tight, slip through the rubber band and fold over. Finish by scotch taping the ends with the inner part you slipped through the rubber band.
You also could use cloth, preferably cotton and do the same but iso scotch tape use staples to secure. The rubber bands simply go around the ears......OR..................you can do the following.
http://blog.japanesecreations.com/no-sew-face-mask-with-handkerchief-and-hair-tieA very good friend of mine, that I worked with at SAS, Kennedy now lives down under in Australia We still have contact with each other thru email and I usually hear from her at least once a week, if not more. She recently sent this on to me and I thought it would be worth sharing with the rest of you that might be social distancing, here's something to think about.
Day 1 - Purchased more wine;
Stay safe my friends, wash your hands often, keep 6' from everyone and keep in touch.Day 2 – Opening my 8th bottle of Wine. I fear wine supplies might not last!Day 3 – Strawberries: Some have 210 seeds, some have 235 seeds. Who Knew??Day 4 – 8:00pm. Removed my Day Pajamas and put on my Night Pajamas.Day 5 – Today, I tried to make Hand Sanitizer. It came out as Jello Shots!!Day 6 – I get to take the Garbage out. I’m So excited, I can’t decide what to wear.Day 7 – Laughing way too much at my own jokes!!Day 8 – Went to a new restaurant called “The Kitchen”. You have to gather all the ingredients and make your own meal. I have No clue how this place is still in business.Day 9 – I put liquor bottles in every room. Tonight, I’m getting all dressed up and going Bar hopping.Day 10 – Struck up a conversation with a Spider today. Seems nice. He’s a Web Designer.Day 11 – Isolation is hard. I swear my fridge just said, “What the hell do you want now?”Day 12 – I realized why dogs get so excited about something moving outside, going for walks or car rides. I think I just barked at a squirrel.Day 13 – If you keep a glass of wine in each hand, you can’t accidently touch your face.Day 14 – Watched the birds fight over a worm. The Cardinals lead the Blue Jays 3–1.Day 15 – Anybody else feel like they’ve cooked dinner about 395 times this month? IS THIS YOU, yet?
Vito
