Welcome April!

I've been a bit out of sorts lately. Let's go ahead and blame it on hours and hours of cutting down brush/Elderberry trees and piling brush. I even participated in a weak attack of a burdock patch. 

I don't know my limits sometimes. I think, just a bit more...just a bit more! Then there was the old tree that blew over on the line fence. Hand sawing and more fixing in the cold winds is hard on these gnarly old hands.

So I decided to NOT do any brush work for two days [it was too windy any way]. I read two books and did some hiking in the creek with Charlie. 

Our state just opened up vaccinations for all ages. That means I can sign up on Monday! There is an option for J&J locally here in town, I'm hoping to get it and be One and Done. 

I am all for still being socially distanced and using precautions. But with both of us vaccinated, I will feel a bit safer going to an open air gym this summer, hiking with more friends, and even visiting.  People who are not immediate family and don't get vaccinated or use any precautions will not stay with us in our house. 
I think I lost a friendship over that ruling. 

My thoughts on that? Well, they were the only folks that came and stayed anyway except for the occasional visit from my son. So not much will change.

I cannot impose my will on others. Oh wait, OF course I try to! That is human nature.

Found things yesterday.

Elfin cups:

Tree reflections at the fence line between my west neighbor and I.

Sleeping Dragon:

The dragon is in a spot I recently cleared. There is a small rock outcropping that I cleaned up last fall and pulled all the noxious weeds and buckthorn sprouts. I've seeded it to grass and plan on putting ferns and perhaps some wild ephemerals in the area. I'm going to try and make it my little 'get away' spot close to the house.

Cell phone shots of on top of the rocks and below the rocks. I used hay chaff to cover the grass seed.

The mules won't be able to get in here, I'm putting up a single hotwire to keep them out. 
This is very close to the house too. I'm going to get a few chunks of wood as stools so I can come out here and read in the summer. Well, that is the thought.

My deep shaded woodland experiment. 

Well there it is. Happy April 1st. 
I'm taking some long time friends who used to be neighbors on the Ma & Pa's hike today.

I am looking forward to it. I used to babysit her children. Now the oldest is taking driver's ED! 

Time flies.

SNOW...and Survey and dreaded social media

Our local hospital sent two surveys to us. One by email and one by letter. Rich said he wasn't going to fill it out because he couldn't answer the questions which are multiple choice.

Would you recommend VMH to friends or family members?

How would you rate your meals?

Did the doctor explain everything to you?

Blah blah blah...

So at the very end is a comment section.

*I am a Caregiver for my husband who is a Veteran who goes to the VA. Before he was admitted, I told the phone triage nurse that he suffers from... blah blah blah, which includes mild dementia and communication issues. 

Under the circumstances I think VMH did the best they could. However after being told he had Covid-19 and then told he didn't have Covid...he was transferred to the Covid area he became confused and very frightened. His medications were missed and it took nearly 24 hours for the hospital to contact me regarding his meds. 

He never was told 'what' was wrong with him and did not get any suggestions for follow up care. His discharge papers did not specify what the issue was either.

One week later and no one from who gave him care called to see if he was okay.

The staff was excellent and caring which they always are. However, they are not prepared to handle elderly veterans with mental health/memory/communication issues.

VMH needs to step up to the plate as many aged veterans live in this area.*

I left the rest of the survey blank. 

Next I got an email notice from a casual friend who was ranting and raving about Covid being not a big deal and how the death rate is only .17%. Her friend's mother got Covid and died 10 days later. Her words: She smoked like a chimney when she was younger and had Congestive Heart Failure. So she died because she didn't take care of herself not because of Covid. 

Let me stop here for a moment. Covid-19 has changed friendships and families. Well, a lot of friendships have been strained in 2020. Those who have a loved one who fall into the 'high risk' group have different attitudes than those who simply have decided that this pandemic is no big deal and it is the flu.

I have good friends who have flaunted the Covid cautions. I can still communicate with them and they DO understand now that they are not welcome in my house until ... further notice. I love them, but they are doing their thing and not forcing it down my throat.

Yet this casual friend's post really irked me. How different would her attitude be if her late husband [who spent two wicked years dying from cancer]... what if he were still alive would her attitude be different? 

My husband and her husband were friends, they loved old cars...they both went through cancer treatment at the same time. He died. Rich didn't.

So yes after her constant bashing of Covid and safety practices on her blog, I finally said my piece. It was nice but to the point. Yeah, I'm an Ass. I could have just ignored it like I normally do.

I have a couple of good friends who do practice distancing, masking, and being careful. 

Birds of a feather shall flock together in times like these.

Yes but distantly, right?

I cannot undo the send button on this person's post. I should have ignored it. But I'd just been nagged by email to do a survey twice and once by mail on the same day.

I'm going to go to my corner now and face the wall. I was naughty. I am not the type of person that does that.

However!

The good news is we have snow!

My shed cleaning efforts have paid off. I can park the 'Ru in the round pen with the hay, the skid steer, and the 4 wheeler! My bicycle is under the yellow sheet.

Shoveling tomorrow? Or? Cross Country skiing?

I am staying away from Social Media. 

Smacks head.