Over the years my mom was full of wit and wisdom and I’ve often written about her “momisms” as I called them. She began these little preachings and teachings when I was just a young girl. Many of her wise words did sink in and I follow them all these years later. “Always wear clean underwear when you leave the house” is a wise choice, though some “momisms” are now outdated, like “always carry two dimes to make a phone call in case you are nervous and drop the first one.” I think pay phones are long gone like the $0.10 price to make a phone call. Besides, most people own a cell phone now. Here is a post I wrote last year for Mother’s Day about Mom’s words of advice.
I ponder on these “momisms” from time to time, more so during this pandemic which has turned our lives upside down and inside out. For me, working from home since 2011 and doing a daily and usually solitary walk since the same year, life is not all that different … that is, until I turn on the radio or hop onto social media. There are the horrible stats, or a barrage of photos of gloved and masked medical staff, or tearful videos by those workers pleading for more PPEs. There is no escape from COVID-19 and now we are about to enter the peak period this week and the next.
I try to switch to music, or just silence, yet I want to know what is going on. I limited my news viewing and listening this past weekend by switching to music – the noise got on my nerves after a while. I even cleaned the house – well kinda sorta anyway and that domestic effort was because it was too rainy to walk Saturday and too windy on Sunday. I am not especially proud of my housework efforts and the house would not pass the white glove test.
Daily walks have always been a balm for my soul, a calming restorative time to permit my mind to have a clean slate and take in what is going on around me.
Yet, these days as I’m walking, I am uneasy. It is not the same – at Council Point Park the Cooper’s Hawk is slowly circling overhead, dimming any possibilities that my furry or feathered pals will come for a visit to the pathway. Many times I am going home, having passed out very few peanuts. And when I do pass them out, I’m rationing for now, so I don’t run out and have to make a trip to the grocery store, a hubbub of pandemonium and potential virus germs. Since the ‘hood squirrels and birds still show up and chow down daily, I likely will order more peanuts in the shell from my former HVAC tech who opened up a Wild Birds Unlimited store and now delivers in the Downriver area to keep everyone stress-free while they watch their backyard birds and squirrels.
Only a handful of the regular walkers have returned after the Winter, likely since most are long retired, older and worry for their health, so they remain hunkered down in the house. On the pathway, I pass strangers I’ve never seen before, perhaps trying out walking since their jobs have gone kaput. Sometimes they wear a mask or a scarf over their mouth and nose. Their heads are bent; they don’t even make eye contact as they study their phones or their shoe tips. I don’t know – yes, it is the same venue, yet still a feeling of disquiet prevails.
I pondered while ambling along that perimeter path about one of Mom’s favorite sayings to her young daughter, who often impatiently counted the days until delivery of a dolly from Santa, or perhaps a coveted birthday present. The anticipation was often as great as the event itself – you remember that I’ll bet. While waiting for the big holiday or birthday, Mom would caution me not to wish my life away “because life speeds by way too fast, so be content for the present time only.” Those words flashed back to me many times the past few weeks. Like you, I wish we could put this pandemic on fast forward, to a worry-free time to do the many things we just took for granted before. So this time, those words imparted to me for years will go unheeded – I want positivity just as much as everyone else – may we find it soon.
Unlike these seagulls, we can’t just “up and fly away” but we can follow their safe practices seen below. I’ve collected a few funny seagull shots for this post. Yes, seagull antics and poses can be funny too – the squirrels do not own a monopoly on funny photos, though it may seem that way from reading my posts. 🙂
The header image shows a flock of seagulls milling about a tugboat on the Detroit River at Dingell Park. Of course we know hanging out with our friends or co-workers is a no-no now. We’ve introduced “social distancing” and “self-quarantine” as new buzzwords in our vocabulary and lives.
Hey “social distancing” is the norm these days, but this may be downright rude!
Here in Michigan, we are still allowed to go to parks and our Metroparks have some free days during the week for families to hike or explore the trails. They even post video hikes on their social media sites. Solitary exercise is fine too, like yoga for instance …
… or squats, …
… walking works for me as you know.
The Department of Natural Resources says we can fish anywhere we want, but if you’re with a buddy, you must stand or sit one fishing pole away to practice safe “social distancing” – that’ll be tough on crowded piers along the Detroit River once the walleye run begins next month. In some parks, like here at Bishop Park, the early bird catches the worm (and the fish) so best get there early.
Looks like these fishermen came in under the wire. Whew!
You can use the solitary time to walk and meditate – be mindful of your surroundings.
Hopefully your ‘do is looking good, as there are no trips to the barber or hair stylist for awhile. So grab a little hair gel and hope for the best. As they used to say back in the day “a little dab’ll do ya.”
Hmm, on second thought maybe you need the whole jar to tame this wild-looking ‘do.
Stay safe everyone – you’ve got this!!
Linda Schaub
WALKIN', WRITIN', WIT & WHIMSY 