JUST NOT WHAT IT USED TO BE...

 

Since last weekend
 still had some 

beautiful weather to enjoy,
 we thought we would attempt

 another road trip. 
 It is beginning to seem
 that these road trips
 are just not what

 they used to be.

There is a small town 

fairly close to us
 by the name of Georgetown 
that we used to visit pretty frequently. 
 They had a really good little cafe
 that served an outstanding breakfast. 

 It was a small place and,
 truth be told, 
it hadn't been updated in many years, 

in decor or in customers,

 even back then,

 but the food was 

just plain old fashioned good! 

 Also there were really nice 

old, colorful, 

farmhouses, Victorians and cottages, 

well maintained 

with pretty gardens and

 you know I could 

drive and look at sights like that 

for hours.

Here is the little cafe, 

as it looks today,
 unkept and locked up.

 There was a sign on the door

 stating Covid-19 was the reason,

 but it looked like

 that may not have been

 the only reason. 

 It appears that this customer

 has been waiting 

quite awhile!

Dead Naked Ladies flowers

In keeping with the sign of the times

It is not a ghost town. 

 There were plenty of people milling about, 

most without masks, and 

when I told the Captain, 

"There is a naked lady",

 ha ha 

made him look! 

I remember this 

pretty B&B from long ago and,

 actually, it looks as pretty 

as it did back then, and

 apparently is still 

open for business...

...but this is one 

of the old farmhouses 

that we used to admire. 

 It was nicely kept up back then 

with a welcoming wreath

 on the front door and 

a pretty front garden. 

 Now it is a jumble of 

left up old, faded, Christmas decorations,  

broken washing machines and

 numerous other appliances 

alongside broken down cars and trucks

 in place of a pretty garden. 

 Most of the houses 

look exactly like this one now. 

 Some are boarded up

 but you can see everything

 but the kitchen sink

(that is out in the front yard) 

stacked up through the windows. 

 One out of every two houses 

look similar to this one.

We did see 

a great old faded red barn driving back,

 but we came away with

 a sinking feeling 

about this little town 

that we used to love.

 Try as we might, 

we could not find any 

changing leaves on this trip either.

  The closest things were 

the buckeye trees

 which were a different color and texture 

but just from dying foliage,

 still an interesting sight

 with the hanging fruit 

left exposed.

All was not lost though 

as we just happened to pass by 

this place on our way home. 

 We go through 

the drive-up and eat in the car, 

so we don't have to 

get close to anyone.

On a much brighter note,

 you may remember 

I mentioned that we had 

another anniversary present on the way 

from Tami and Tim. 

 It arrived and 

the box was big and heavy and 

we couldn't imagine 

what was inside...

...we were so delighted 

when we pulled it out of the box.

  We feel so blessed 

that our kids see us 

in this light and

 we thank them from

 the bottom of our hearts. 

 It is a truly beautiful sign

 printed with a

 beautiful message.

I think we picked 

the perfect place to hang it.  

I love it here. 

 It brightens up the dining room and 

adds a feeling of love and family

 gathered around the table

 even if it is not possible 

to do so, in person, 

this year.

Even though some things are

 just not what they used to be,

 remember

 the things that are

 treasured and most important in life 

do not change.

Stay smart

Stay well

And remember

 in the time of Covid-19:

We are not a herd of cattle.

 If we don't keep our

 humanity and our empathy,

 there is a good chance 

that a number of our fellow human beings

 may not survive.

 

Human beings

 just like all of us

 that have families and loved ones

 to protect.

Wear a mask and don't forget to vote.

...Judy...

Thank you, Linda, 

for including my post from last week 

as one of the features on

 Life and Linda. 

 I appreciate it so much.  

   

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