GOOD MEMORIES, BAD REALITY...

Us, you ask? Ha, we wish!

The year was 2009. 

 It was a beautiful 

sun filled, San Diego, California,
 day in January.

  We were there on vacation

 without a care in the world. 

 We had just finished

 a delicious bowl of fresh clam chowder and 

was then scheduled 

to take a short boat ride 

around San Diego harbor.

I grew up in Santa Cruz,

 around the ocean and beaches. 

 It is a beautiful place 

with a lot of wonderful sights 

but San Diego 

gives it a run for its money. 

 The waters of the harbor 

are filled with

 everything imaginable...

...sail boats

 with colorful sails,

 tour boats

 loaded with sightseers...

...security boats

 piloted by naval personnel
 along side 
recreational activities... 

...restaurants 
lining the shores and
 sun bathers 
in all shapes and sizes..

...and territory occupied 

by the U.S. Navy. 

 There are pads 

along the water 

for helicopters, and 

ships in dry dock 

that are being

 rebuilt and refurbished.

The USS Midway, 

now a naval museum, 

is a popular attraction...

...and you can see 

the famous sculpture of 

the nurse and the midshipman, 

kissing in the street, 

celebrating the end of World War 11.

 The Captain says

 he is just standing there 

to show the size 

of the sculpture!

There are so many wonderful things

 to see in San Diego

 but there was one sight

 that I never dreamed

 we would see again.

The USSN Mercy,

 was in dry dock at that time,

 but is now anchored 

in the Los Angeles harbor 

awaiting to be filled 

with patients from local hospitals

 so that their beds

 can be freed up

 for the COVID-19 pandemic patients. 

 (I remembered 

taking a photo of a hospital ship 

while there and 

when I looked back 

through my pictures - 

sure enough there it was. 

 I hadn't paid any attention, 

at the time, 

to the name of the vessel - 

I was intrigued by 

the large red cross.)

This is such a sad time. 

 I pray that all the medical heroes 

on the front lines 

can get what they need 

to keep them, and their patients,

 safe. 

 In my lifetime,

 I have never seen 

a situation such as this. 

 We all thought 

that there could never be 

any time worse 

then what happened on 9-11 

but we are being put 

to a hard test again and 
today I heard 
that the death toll 
has exceeded that 
of 9-11.

"We are all in this together and

 he says

 he is practicing social distance

 but I know he just wants to steal 

my breakfast"

We all need 

to find something 

to occupy our time and our thoughts. 

 We need to watch the news,

 sometime like looking at a train wreck, 

but it is important to know

 what is happening 

even though we can only watch so much. 

 As you have undoubtedly heard by now,

 The Tiger King, streaming on Netflix,

 is a really good show 

to take our minds to

 a different place for a short while. 

 It is about 

big cats, murder and mayhem. 

 Another entertaining series

 is Good Girls,

 about three moms 

trying to better their soccer mom lives and

 we have just finished watching 

Unorthodox,

 about a young Jewish girl 

out in the world 

after her faith is being tested.

 We enjoyed it and 

thought it was well worth our time. 

 The Hallmark Channel

 has started airing 

Christmas movies also,

 another form of escape.

I am enjoying

 watercolor painting now, 

so am practicing as I go.  

I think I am getting a better handle

 on painting leaves and 

am trying to perfect the technique

 of using less paint and 

building on that.

 Some things

 end up better than others, 

but it is something to keep me busy and 

after we are back to normal,

 I'm hoping I can justify 

buying better

 paints and brushes.

Practice, practice, practice...
Makes perfect??

All my daffodils 

have bloomed now and 

I picked them 

so the rain and snow 

wouldn't bend them over. 

 We have had 

a little more

 of both.

The kids 

came up to shop for us again 

in their pretty new car. 

 I am so grateful to them

 for doing this. 

 I had to go 

to CVS to pick up meds the other day and,

 I don't mind saying, 

I was freaked out

 to leave the house and 

of being in the store.

 I will leave you with

 some much needed beauty 

of a San Diego sunset,

 a memory from

 better days...

Stay home and stay well.

...Judy...


P.S.
 Have you noticed 
that my photos are larger than usual? 
I don't know what happened. 
I didn't do anything different
 than I normally do 
but I had to move 
the right column over 
to fit everything in.
 I, personally, 
don't mind it, 
as old eyes kind of enjoy bigger things,
 but if they annoy you
 let me know.
 Everything 
seems to be out of our control
 these days!

Sharing today at:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

and

Keep In Touch at Let's Add Sprinkles

SPRING SHUT INS...

Happy Spring to all of you. 

 I can't believe

 that for someone 

who was so looking forward to it, 

I totally forgot to acknowledge the fact.

  These are some unsettling times and 

it is no wonder 

I can't keep my facts straight

 along with most 

everyone else.

We,

 here in California, 

are literally shut-ins and 

I am glad to do so.

 I am so thankful 

for all the doctors and nurses,

 other first responders, 

grocery clerks, 

restaurants and

 the armed forces,

that are working so tirelessly 

to keep us as safe as we can be.

I am also very thankful 

to Governor Newsom, 

along with other governors

 throughout the United States,

 who had the foresight 

to take charge and 

handle this pandemic 

in a way that was 

timely and appropriate.

The numbers are staggering and

  we are in for 

a long haul and 

I wish everyone in the world 

love,

 peace and 

a safe place

 to be.

As I mentioned last week,

 Tami and Tim 

were coming up to do our grocery shopping. 

 At that time,

 Santa Cruz county was to shelter in place.

  We asked them not to come 

but you have to know our daughter. 

 She is a very loving, kind person 

with a strong sense of responsibility.

  One of the points of 

sheltering in place

 was to take care and look after 

loved ones and

 that is the point she fixated on.

  No amount of talking 

would change her mind. 

 Must get that all from her father!!

  I made a big pot of spaghetti

 as they were planning, after shopping, 

to have dinner with us, 

spend the night and 

leave Sunday morning. 

 Jake and Jacenda 

were coming from San Francisco 

to stay with their animals

 while they were

 here with us.

Just before

 they left home Saturday morning, 

Jake called and 

said he didn't feel well. 

 I think it is only a cold 

but he didn't want to be

 close to them until 

he knew for sure.  

That meant they wouldn't spend the night, 

but would visit for awhile 

before heading back home to

 Bo, Rosy and the cats. 

 As they were on the road, 

Tami's supervisor texted her

 saying someone she worked with 

had contacted the virus.

  When she found out who it was, 

she knew she hadn't been around the lady,

 but didn't want to take 

any unnecessary chances with us. 

 So long story short,

 we put our grocery list 

in our mailbox, 

the kids picked it up, 

did the shopping and 

then left the groceries on the back porch.

  We gave virtual hugs and kisses 

through the window in the door, and 

they drove back home.

 We can't say enough 

how proud we are of our kids and 

the two of us will be 

eating spaghetti

 for a month!

As if that wasn't enough, 

Tami left this sweet bunny 

next to the groceries. 

 He is just adorable and 

I love him.

I have been watching 

a watercolor artist on YouTube. 

 Remember how I mentioned 

that the sound of Martha Stewart's voice 

relaxed me, well,

 I must have a thing for voices,

 as this talented artist

 is so soft spoken and 

she fascinates me.  

She also is really great 

about explaining what she is doing.  

She is Australian and

 her name is Louise De Masi.  

I think if I can learn 

how to do watercolors, 

I can learn from her. 

 I will keep trying and 

we shall see.

 Above is the original photo...

...and this is my rendition.

 Obviously, 

I'm not there yet!

 Not even close, but
I am proud 
that this is the first time
 that I have done the whole drawing
 without tracing.
 For me,
that is progress!

I am not

 going stir crazy yet. 

 I am a real homebody anyway,

 so this shouldn't be

 too hard 

for me...

...but, evidently,

 one member of the household 

is feeling it and 

sneaked out

 when our backs were turned.

  The spring sunshine 

was just to hard 

to resist.

Stay healthy and safe.

...Judy...

I want to thank everyone 

who tried to remember the woman 

from the Cooking Channel. 

 My special thanks to Thelma 

who recognized her as Laura Caulder and

 the show was called French Food at Home.

  She is no longer on that channel 

but thanks, also, to Adrienne,

 we can find her on YouTube. 

 I haven't had a chance 

to watch her again yet, 

but it will be great 

on the list of 

the shut-in's 

schedule.

Sharing today with:

Love Your Creativity at Life and Linda

and

Keep In Touch at Let's Add Sprinkles