While wearing a mask, I did go to the Emergency Squad yesterday and early this morning my masked cleaning folks came in, but those are the only times I’ve been around anyone. I hope I’ll stay well. So many folks now have Covid-19. It is actually worse than it’s been since the beginning of the pandemic. Even after my two vaccinations and wearing a mask, I still don’t feel safe.

I had an invitation for a free filet mignon dinner for next week. Turned it down. I’ve missed my euchre games, several dances, a Sportsman’s Club meeting, and all activities at the South Clubhouse. The Emergency Squad’s annual appreciation lunch was also canceled. I feel a need to stay safely inside.

According to today’s CDC statistics, 631,440 total deaths have been reported from Covid-19 and that’s no small number. I’m glad I’m still here and healthy.

Yes, I have a concerned daughter in California, but if I get Covid-19, I’m pretty much on my own. I wish I had someone special in my life who would respond if I got sick. I don’t.

=========================

Continuing that thought….

That’s why I can’t continue my relationship with Ken. When I was with him I cut out most everyone else. Then he left June 28th. He said he’ll be back about September 15th. He’ll be here until about November 18th. His absence will continue until about January 7th. That’s just too much time to be totally alone with no one to call on. I need to cultivate friendships and hopefully find a male friend who, in exchange for friendship and time together, will be there when I need him.

Even if I have no guy ever, I need to cultivate friends who will care about me.

I figured it out. When counting the scheduled days, Ken will have been gone for 129 days. That’s more than 1/3 of the year.

Wearing a mask, I did go to the Emergency Squad yesterday and early this morning my masked cleaning folks came in, but those are the only times I’ve been around anyone. I hope I’ll stay well. So many folks now have Covid-19. It is actually worse than it’s been since the beginning of the pandemic. Even after my two vaccines and wearing a mask, I still don’t feel safe.

I had an invitation for a free filet mignon dinner for next week. Turned it down. I’ve missed my euchre games, several dances, a Sportsman’s Club meeting, and all activities at the South Clubhouse. The Emergency Squad’s annual appreciation lunch was also canceled. I feel a need to stay inside.

According to today’s CDC statistics, 631,440 total deaths in the U.S. have been reported from Covid-19 and that’s no small number. I’m glad I’m still here and healthy.

I posted a facebook question. I asked if anyone else is displeased by the Progressive Insurance ads.

I went on to say, “In a series of supposedly funny ads, Dr. Rick warns students in his class that they should avoid things their parents do. The “parents” are undoubtedly the age of most of us here in our part of Florida. I find it insulting. Yes, some of our generation have problems knowing about pdfs and pronouncing “quinoa”. Some use speaker phones in public places but I was always taught that making a joke of the shortcomings of others isn’t funny nor appropriate.”

I asked, “Am I the only one who cringes when I watch these advertisements?”

Quite a few people posted that they too were unhappy with the direction those ads take. They are an insult to older folks.

Even my realtor friend, Trudy Province, has tested positive for Covid-19. I’m definitely isolating myself. I’ll only go out for stuff regarding the Squad and maybe to get groceries.

Ken’s attitude has turned me off him completely. He thinks it’s all a political hoax. Well, I don’t agree and I think attitudes like that are increasing the numbers. I won’t be with him when he comes back on September 15th. I am sure he’s guessed that I have erased him from my life.

The way I look at it is if he truly feels that way, he won’t be careful and I don’t want to risk exposure to the virus. Yes, I’ve had the inoculations but I could still get sick. Some folks who’ve had the inoculations have died. Not many but some. I don’t want to add to the statistics.

Because of the hike in covid-19 numbers, I’m missing activities I’d normally enjoy. My only outings are to the grocery store and to the Squad.

Today I am skipping the Sportsman’s Club meeting. I’ve already missed Monday euchre and tomorrow, although I’ll be at Emergency Squad, I won’t go to the Whistlers for more euchre.

My biggest challenge was turning down an invitation to a fantastic six course dinner next Wednesday at Freedom Plaza. I would love a filet mignon meal but I won’t risk being exposed to the virus. (I understand two bingo players at our North Clubhouse tested positive so it’s definitely in the area.)

Next Tuesday is a senior dance but I won’t go because I would feel safe dancing with anyone. The close interchange of air is just too risky.

I don’t mind being inside. The view is lovely. Folks go past in golf carts and on foot. I don’t feel totally isolated. I have internet friends and a cellphone to talk to people. I get by.

I’m hunkered down inside. The news about the virus is frightening. Sophie doesn’t mind and I’ve found stuff to keep me busy. Besides my back has been acting up and sitting with a heating pad helps.

I think I’ll pass on euchre until the news reports that things are settling down. (It would be difficult go to Whistler’s this Thursday anyway because it’s an Emergency Squad day.)

When I hear that people are refusing to have the Covid vaccination, I wonder what the world would have been like if requiring vaccinations had been an option when we were young. Before going to school we were required to have the small pox vaccination. And there were the polio shots we all got when they were available. Tetanus, polio, and small pox are almost eradicated and there are more similar diseases that are no longer a threat. Why aren’t folks recognizing the importance of inoculations? Back in the 1950’s I knew of two children who died of polio before the shots were available. I had a good friend (George Horny) who suffered his whole life because he contracted polio years before he could be inoculated. My generation wasn’t given a choice. Shots were mandatory! But I’m so glad because who do you know who has had polio, tetanus, or small pox in the past 30 years? Those were killers a hundred years ago. They’re gone now because science successfully found a way to make us safe. Our current scientists are better educated. I trust that they will make us safe from Covid-19, if we give them a chance.

I’m guilty of frequently procrastinating. An example occurred today.

I had an appointment for Tuesday at 10:45am at the DMV office to get my handicapped placard. I was trying to figure out how I could get the medical form signed by Dr. Marquez. I could drop it off Monday, but would it be ready so I could pick it up in time for the DMV appointment?

Then I though, why? Why am I rushing?

So I canceled my Tuesday timeslot and rescheduled the DMV appointment for Friday the 13th at 10:45. There’s no rush. I will still need to call the doctor’s office tomorrow to make sure I can get the necessary signature before Friday. (If I can’t I will reschedule again.)

I don’t need to hurry. Does it really matter if I have the handicapped placard on Tuesday or Friday? Or even a week or a month from now? Nope!!

Tomorrow I want to play euchre at the Ruskin Moose. Other than my scheduled time volunteering at the Emergency Squad (this week on Wednesday) I’m really not locked in to any specific appointments. I want to see the Ruskin euchre folks so I’ll definitely go tomorrow. Tuesday evening the KP Euchre Club also meets and Thursday I have a standing invitation to play with the Whistlers at their house. I can be flexible because no one depends on me. I can cancel or postpone appointments.

Maybe that’s one reason I’m enjoying this time away from Ken. I am not locked into any commitments. I’m my own boss.

Sadly the Covid-19 virus has seriously become more active again. The numbers are really high. (Higher than they were at the peak a year ago.) Masks are being required again and activities are shutting down.

I won’t be doing to the senior dances until the statistics look better. I won’t go to the South Clubhouse for karaoke or Rock N Rendezvous until Jubilee opens and we have more room. I will be wearing my mask more of the time.

And Ken…? Well, I haven’t decided. I have a month to resolve my feelings for him. He’ll be back about September 15th.

I’d still like to find a full-time gentleman who’d want to be in my life. I’d be his lady and be there for him and he’d be available for me. I sure don’t like this “part-time” business. But I don’t need someone who gets too involved. No marriage. No living together. But lots of time together.

A couple of weeks ago I installed a sound bar on my greatroom TV. It has a fairly small remote which is the only way to control the volume and bass/tenor settings.

This afternoon I lost the remote. I looked high and low. It wasn’t any place.

My couch has two built-in power recliners with a piece that can be raised behind the head.

I reached down the sides of the couch and looked under it. I worked well over an hour looking for it. I opened the sofa to the maximum recline position and heard a clunk! I could tell from the sound it was the remote. Of course it was difficult to reach it, but with a yard stick and tongs, I finally moved it to a position that I could reach. It’s out. I’m happy.

I did find that Sophie’s hair collects under the couch. I need to use the vacuum and clean it out.

I am relieved that the remote was found. I need to promise myself to always look for stuff like that asap. It becomes harder to locate it, if time passes.

Since about March, pandemic restrictions have been lessening. Knowing that most of us are vaccinated has created a feeling of safety. Sadly the new Delta variant is now interrupting that feeling.

Last week we had our first “in person” Sportsman’s Club meeting in Veterans’ Theater. It was great to be able to talk to other members. We’ve been having senior/singles dances since April and I felt safe enough to be close to men who asked me to dance.

At the Emergency Squad we have been letting folks in minus their masks and we have been able to reduce our temperature taking and sanitizing.

Shopping without a mask has been routine. Hardly any folks wear them now. I’ve gone to a restaurant for dinner without a mask. I’ve been comfortable.

But things are reverting to the time when the restrictions were strictly enforced.

I fear we’re going back to that. I don’t know if I fear the pandemic or the restrictions more.

There was a report today that they expect the new strain to peak in September. That would be less than a month from now. I will try to stay safe until then.

Actually I heard today that those of us who have been vaccinated are probably pretty safe, but folks like me who are vaccinated are contracting the new Delta variant and, once they have it, they can spread it to others. They may be absent of symptoms but they are still a carrier. That’s why we’re wearing masks again. Not for us, but for others.

So I’m stuck inside until the numbers turn around. If that happens fast, we can resume our progress toward normalcy but it’ll depend on the numbers.

Last week (ending July 22) we had 5,168 NEW Covid cases in Hillsborough County.

Hospitalized in Hillsborough:
14-DAY CHANGE
+158% higher!!!

May 4-Aug. 2:
of the tests run, the positive cases equaled
8%

The good news: Here in Sun City Center where folks are older our statistics on being fully vaccinated are pretty good. 74% of the over 65 demographic have been vaccinated.

I’ve kind of written Ken off because of his attitude toward the virus.

Tonight a man from “Our Time” dating website called me. After we’d talked for a while, I realize he feels like Ken. He thinks the virus is fake. He’s very firm in his feelings.

NO WAY will I start a friendship with a guy who has that attitude. It’s hard enough with Ken who I really care for. This “Our Time” guy means nothing to me so it’s best that I leave it that way.

I want to avoid Ken. I don’t want to argue and I know I can’t change his mind. We’ll just disagree.

I’ve created a new category title which will be assigned to all my posts (until I update to yet another new category). The previous category was established at the beginning of the pandemic more than a year ago. It was “2020 Covid-19 Cronavirus.” The new title is “2021 Covid-19 – too many cases.” Yes, there are too many.

New cases in Hillsborough County are again reaching record highs. Masks are recommended when indoors even for those who have had their vaccinations. No more shopping bare-faced. I’m sure more restrictions will soon be put in place. I hate to think of the safety steps Kings Point will need to reinstitute in the clubhouses. We’re finally feeling comfortable. Dances and club meetings are resuming. Will we go back to being buttoned up?

The threat of the delta variant has everyone (well, most folks) rightfully concerned. It’s more easily transmitted but thank heavens having the vaccines has lessened delta’s impact. Fewer deaths among those who have had the shots.