Pandemic Update🤪

Still wearing masks. Still social distancing. Still washing hands. Not losing my mind. Not bored. What is wrong with me? I have created my own new normal structure to my day - which is very different from my previous structure which consisted of travel, volunteering and meeting up with friends. I’ve also just returned from a fun trip to South Carolina so feeling recharged and ready for a return to my new normal. So first some fun pictures from my trip and then a bit more about my new schedule.

A few clarifications on my recent trip. I am a believer in science and listening to the healthcare experts, so this was a decision I thought a lot about. My son and his lovely girlfriend Anna are currently sheltering in her parents beach house in North Myrtle Beach. They invited me to join them there for some very needed family time. We have all been super vigilant and following all guidelines. I am currently not comfortable flying. I have researched it carefully and my biggest concern is sitting right next to someone who might remove their mandatory mask after take-off or to eat or drink. It’s a 2 day drive so would require an overnight stay in a hotel. I get an email everyday from Marriott stating they are hospital grade cleaning and requiring masks so felt comfortable with that option. I scored hand sanitizer and plenty of wipes from Target. All in all it went well. I had plenty of snacks and just ate my least favorite food via drive through - but you gotta do what you gotta do. Gas stations and rest areas were quick stops where the majority of people were wearing masks - so that was a win. Thanks to Spotify and Audible the miles flew by - and for the most part it’s a pretty drive.

Once I was there it was so great! The beach house is just a block from the beach so I was there everyday. It’s in a residential area so the beach was not crowded making it super easy to have plenty of space between people. The ocean was so warm I actually got in and swam - not typical for me.

Lots of parasails everyday. That is definitely not me in the air!

Beautiful sandy beaches and dunes. Also Loggerhead Turtle nests! In about a half mile stretch I saw 6 nesting areas. The turtles lay nests from May through mid-August in that area with each nest having about 120 eggs. The eggs incubate for 55-60 days and the babies emerge from July through October.

I took these pics one morning at sunrise. An empty beach which I love💕

Great shelling! It is as if dump trucks have appeared and emptied their loads on the beach and in the shallow water. Anna’s mom Kim is an expert sheller. But even a novice like myself couldn’t fail. Everyday we came home each with a bag full. I brought them home and have little shell displays all over my loft and each one makes me smile.

That’s Kim out there in the shallows getting them before they hit the beach. Each shell a precious gift from the ocean.

No plans to eat in any restaurants and we adhered to that. We did get takeout some nights to sample the local cuisine which of course was heavy on delicious seafood and hush puppies. We also cooked a bit and as someone who has eaten most of my meals solo for going on 6 months that was a highlight. I botched my usual attention to taking food pictures but did get this one of the local favorite Bojangles. A local fast food place specializing in breakfast items especially that southern favorite biscuits. We got the Bo Box which is at least a dozen.

I love a good biscuit and these were pretty great😊

The time spent at the beach was very relaxing. No plans to do any big site-seeing but one night we did take a drive to Sunset Beach and over the state line to North Carolina to Bald Beach. Luckily didn’t see any of the local inhabitants at Sunset Beach. There was a sign warning of the ALLIGATORS! I was somewhat shocked but did a little research and found out there are roughly 100,000 alligators in SC and they can get up to 14 feet long and weigh 1000 pounds. They live in habitats along the Coastal Plain including tidal marshes, swamps, rivers and lakes. So I guess now I can call this an educational blog….turtle and alligator information abounds😂

Bald Beach at the top. Bottom photos all from Sunset Beach. Check out those cool porch swings!

Sunset on the dunes.

Never enough time with my favorite pooch Penny❤️ Her days consist of playing fetch and returning to this pose.

Such a fabulous time with some of my most favorite people. Thanks for being such wonderful hosts💕 I definitely feel re-energized and ready for whatever the next few Covid months bring.

So next up just some of the things that have been helping me survive and create my new normal. I like to think I’m a positive person so I am focusing on the silver linings from Covid. For one - I’m actually getting more and better sleep than I have in over 30 years. Almost without exception I’m getting a pretty solid 8 hours of sleep a night - and that feels great! Another silver lining is that it takes me way less time to get ready for the day. I’m not going anywhere that requires me to put much effort into my appearance, so a quick shower and then some shorts and a T-shirt and I’m good. It was the middle of June before I realized I hadn’t switched out my closet and brought out my summer clothes. And now I’ve barely worn any of them and certainly not had to buy anything new. One of my favorite things in the pre- Covid days was treating myself to a cappuccino or latte at one of the local coffee shops. For Christmas my kids bought me a Nespresso machine which I loved, but since Covid and the need to stay home it has brought me endless joy. At around 10 AM every morning I make myself a delicious drink using the espresso pods and my fabulous milk frother.

In my opinion as good or better then what I got in the coffee shops.

My cappuccino is coupled with usually a homemade blueberry muffin - something since Covid I have kept well supplied in my freezer. They are easy to make and fairly healthy because the recipe calls for rolled oats and just a small amount of sugar. In addition unlike purchased muffins that are often the size of your fist they are just normal muffin size - so no guilt involved. I have vowed often that this would NEVER be a cooking blog so I’m not going to post the recipe. But if you want it just reply to this post or email me at pattiparttwo@gmail.com and I will send it to you.

It tastes better on a beautiful plate. This is a souvenir from France made by Gien.

In addition to baking blueberry muffins I am definitely cooking more, but have returned to being a vegetarian for the most part. It is really what makes me feel best so buying lots of fruits and vegetables once or twice a week. I think at the age of 64 I have finally figured out how to relax. I’m reading a ton, and lots of times in the afternoon for a few hours after I go for a long walk or run. I set a reading goal at the beginning of each year and I already know that I will exceed that due to Covid. My goal was 40 books and I’m already on number 30. If you, like me love books I know you know that they can transport you all over the world. Since I can’t travel this year like I planned I am enjoying revisiting places I love and making plans to see new ones when we are able. So if you’re looking for suggestions here are some of my favorites in no particular order - other then that I read them this year:

• A Madness of Sunshine by Nalini Singh

• Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo

• A Man called Ove by Fredrik Backman

• City of Girls by Elizabeth Gilbert

• The Silent Patient by Alex Michaelides

• White Fragility by Robin Diangelo

• The One and Only Street in Paris by Elaine Sciolino

• The Girl with the Louding Voice by Abi Dare

• A Long Petal of the Sea by Isabel Allende

• Friends and Strangers by J. Courtney Sullivan

• Big Summer by Jennifer Weiner

• The Book of Lost Friends by Lisa Wingate

Set in Jaipur India - known as The Pink City. I visited Jaipur in the fall of 2018 and fell in love with it. Reading this fabulous book transported me back to relive that trip and if you’re interested you can click on the archive and read about my trip there.

Most evenings I find myself watching Netflix, Disney Plus or Amazon Prime. We are blessed with more shows then one can watch in a lifetime, and here are a few of my favorites:

• The World’s Toughest Race: Eco-Challenge Fiji on Amazon Prime. 10 episodes and you will be on the edge of your seat the whole time. I have never watched one minute of the show Survivor but I have to believe this is 1000 times harder. Watch it and maybe you will be inspired to become an Adventure Racer - which I didn’t even know existed.

• Hamilton, Moana, Mulan, Into the Grand Canyon and Free Solo on Disney Plus. When Disney bought the rights to Hamilton I was in - at least for a few months. It’s worth it just for Hamilton but so many other great things on it to see - especially the great documentaries.

• Schitt$ Creek on Netflix. Yes I already watched the 5 available seasons but it’s the funniest and best show when you just need to escape - so I’m watching the whole thing again and finding it even funnier the second time.

I love you Rose family💕

This is not exciting stuff. My heart breaks everyday for the millions of people in this country suffering with the loss of loved ones, lost jobs, possible evictions or loss of their homes, trying to feed their families and teach their kids through Zoom. I’m trying to help as much as possible while not becoming another bad statistic or worse yet spreading the virus to someone who could suffer a terrible outcome. These are trying times and from experience I know that losing hope is a very tough place to reside. So I’m focusing on this situation being a temporary one - and figuring out the small things that bring me joy helps a lot. Hang in there! The Best is Yet to Be💙