Marching into the future

Snowdrops and daffodils

Yesterday was a beautiful day in Bellingham. Instead of walking with the ladies, though, I went for a nice five-mile walk by myself. I simply didn't feel like making the long drive back to the same area I walked on Thursday. But since it was such a nice day, I went along Boulevard Park to Fairhaven, stopped for a stroll inside the bookstore, and then returned back the way I had come. I saw these snowdrops and daffodils almost ready to bloom, reminding me that spring is definitely on the way.

This is my first Sunday post using my new MacBook Air. It is the third one I've owned, and after five years of use, my old one had become slow and unwieldy when trying to download files, and I often had to wait for the spinning ball to disappear. This new one has twice the RAM and a retina display, which I love. It also has the controversial butterfly keyboard, which clacks instead of clicks as I type. Fortunately, the sound doesn't seem to bother SG, who sleeps quietly next to me as I compose. I've already gotten used to it, although the touch is entirely different from other models. And I was given a hefty trade-in discount for my previous laptop, so all is well.

Today is the anniversary of my first marriage in 1961, almost sixty years ago. It was what was called back then a "shotgun marriage," as I was pregnant and forced to marry a man I didn't even like all that much. I say that now, but in reality I realize that the real reason the marriage didn't last more than five years was mostly my own fault. Derald is now gone, along with both of the children we had together, and the only one left from those days is me, now an old woman in the twilight of her life. I have many regrets and have made many mistakes during those years, but somehow I have ended up in a good situation with many people around me whom I love, and who love me back in return. I could not ask for more.

Last Thursday, we hiked to the end of the new Chanterelle trail, which is so lovely, and I am happy to realize I can still hike that far, going up a couple of thousand feet, but I must admit I was really sore on Friday, with my legs protesting as I took my class at the gym. It does help me get over the soreness more quickly by working out, working through the soreness, and yesterday my walk was very pleasant and pain free. Or almost, anyway. When you get to be my age, you don't pay that much attention to every ache and pain. I've learned what to ignore and when to slow down and smell the flowers.

Last month my husband and I changed our phone carrier from Verizon to Consumer Cellular. Other than a couple of glitches getting started, it seems to be working just fine for us, and boy what a difference in price! We will pay a third for a much better plan. I did find out, however, that there are places where I used to have coverage that are now showing "no service." When we stopped for lunch last Thursday, I realized I didn't have a signal, while some of my companions did. One person said, "oh, you've moved to the old people's carrier." Hmmpf! I guess he's right, as old people don't hike around in the wilderness all that much. I had grown familiar with having to put my phone on airplane mode when in the High Country so that it wouldn't keep searching for a nonexistent signal and drain the battery. I guess I'll be doing more of that on hilly hikes around town, too. Otherwise, I'm thrilled to have unlimited text and talk available to me for such a cheap price.

My friend John got his test results back after they gave him a bone scan and a CT scan to see if his aggressive form of prostate cancer had spread, and it has not. Everything came back clear, so they gave him a shot of a hormone that will block testosterone in his body. He doesn't have to go back for six months. The side effects are usually developing hot flashes and fatigue. I found this fact sheet about what he might expect from this therapy. In other words, I think this is all good news, although it's cancer, and it's always difficult to predict how one's body will adapt to treatment. No surgery and a simple shot seems like a good outcome, but we won't know for sure for a few more months.

And my friend Lily will return from Guatemala this coming Tuesday! She has been visiting her mother, who has a form of throat cancer that returned after a twelve-year remission. I know it will be hard for Lily to say goodbye to her, as well as the rest of her family, but I will be very relieved when she gets here. It is becoming very difficult to travel anywhere these days, with the coronavirus spreading, and she only has a green card, which makes me worry about whether she will be detained. Fortunately Central America is still not showing signs of spread. I fear that will all change, as more patients are diagnosed. It's a bit scary to have had the first death from the virus happen right here in Washington state.

I know it was probably not a good idea, but I rented the movie Contagion, made in 2011, that I saw in the theater back then. I remembered that it was about the spread of a similar virus, and I wanted to remind myself how that movie ended. It was a much deadlier virus, with a 20% fatality rate, as compared with this one, which has a 2% (or maybe lower) rate of death. The movie is really good and was an eye opener for me. Watching on TV what has happened in China, and how many people have had their entire lives disrupted for long periods, has caused me to consider what will happen in the next few months. It could be terrible, or not so bad, but I'm a bit on edge over it. I have to remind myself that we have some of the best health care available to us here in the US, especially compared to other countries like China. I am washing my hands more often and more thoroughly than usual.

We know the world is a dangerous place, and we know it's also not possible to protect oneself from all harm. But there are many things we can do to mitigate our risk factors. It is also very important to stay aware of what is happening around us, and to help each other however we can. Living in a community of like-minded people and watching out for each other is more important today than ever. And also it's important to stay positive and send out message of love and caring to one another.

Virtues, like viruses, have their seasons of contagion. When catastrophe strikes, generosity spikes like a fever. Courage spreads in the face of tyranny.—Nancy Gibbs

And with that quote, dear loved ones, I will leave you for today. My dear partner sleeps quietly next to me,  my friend John will join me at the coffee shop for talk and give us the opportunity to share lots of laughs and humor. In other words, life is good and it's well worth looking at the bright side. Until we meet again next week, stay safe and remember to give your loved ones a hug. I wish you all good things.