Today I changed Sophie’s healthcare provider from Dr. Waldy who has always been at the Ruskin Vet Hospital to a new doctor, Pam McGinnis, at the Sun City Center Veterinary Clinic. I never had any complaints about the treatment Dr. Waldy gave her. He was a gem! But Ruskin is a bit of a trip and Dr. Waldy is retiring so I’d need to take her to a new doctor anyway. It seemed like a good time to find a local doctor for her. I can even take her on my golf cart.

Will life ever return to the “safe times” we enjoyed before Covid?

Those I’ve asked feel that the changes are here to stay. I am sure that returning to pre-Covid won’t happen “in my lifetime.”

I would love to go back to the pre-mask days. The time when “social distancing” wasn’t a polite request.

I loved Kings Point when we mingled freely but things are more restrictive now. I still like it here but now Portico Pick-Up is an option. Masks are required in hospitals and doctors’ offices.

Being opposed to vaccinations is a reason for me to “avoid” close-up contact. Yes, I’ve stayed away from males who were opposed to vacs.

I got Sophie in December 2018 and Covid really kicked in March 2020. (Kings Point shut down completely on March 18, 2020.) If I hadn’t had her when everything closed down, I’d have gone crazy. I appreciated her more that I’d ever imagined. Losing John was tough but made easier by her. Admittedly Covid made her even more valuable to me.

It doesn’t seem strange to see folks shopping with a mask on. I watched a New Years Eve party on line and some folks were dancing “masked” and it wasn’t noteworthy.

To feel secure, I will forever need an ample supply toilet paper and tooth paste.

Before Covid, I had manicures but non since. I had to go through the painful “grow-out” of my nails. Never again so I won’t risk having them. I realize caring for my own is good enough for me.

Yes, I feel the impact of Covid will forever be with us me.

I didn’t bring up the change in the nation’s financial situation. Homes, groceries, and gas prices have all escalated as a direct result of Covid. Restaurants closed, people lost jobs, the economy really went downhill.

Friday night at about 2:00 a.m. I was awakened by Sophie barking in at the front door. I was a little afraid that someone might be on my lanai.

Yesterday I ordered a camera/security light from Simplisafe. It doesn’t require wiring and will feed to my app so I can monitor it inside.

I plan to locate it on my lanai with a view of the door into the condo and maybe the screened door into the lanai. Should make me feel safer. The light is motion sensitive.

I’m becoming closer to neighbors, the Junniers (Pam and Randy). They live at 2610 Newcomb Court. (On the other side of Karen who is in the building to my right side.)

Yesterday I placed a pizza order from Marccos. It was a “special price” for two large pizzas of my choice. That’s a lot for one person so I called the Junniers and they took 3/4’s of a one. The rest I’ll freeze for latter.

When they picked it up, they gave me a bottle of Geutenzheimer wine.

The Conklins loved that wine. It was good but hard to find. I’ll save it for a special occasion.

Tomorrow my tree comes down. Rick will haul it to the garage and take care of a few jobs for me. I’ve already removed the ornaments and will put them in my storage room later today. (Putting them there is so much easier than the attic or the garage. The storage room is inside so not subjected to high temperatures like the other two places I could use.

The past few days have been cold! Last night it was in the high 30’s. I brought my small aerogarden inside. It’s currently on the kitchen counter. The lettuce has started sprouting.

Yesterday I bought some new Christmas decorations. My storage space is filling up but finding stuff now usually means the prices are lower.

After working for many years to support the Michigan Club here in Kings Point, I’m not planning to attend the “welcome back” party tonight. I’ve signed up as a member so I could go and my wine and snacks would be taken care of but tonight is a Quiet Room concert with Jay Ungar and Molly Mason. I’d rather watch them than go to the party.

I’d be going alone and I know I’d end up feeling left-out and lonely as a solo with no one to dance with. Staying home is my choice. Going would make me feel more alone than the solitude and comfort of my condo.

I’ll open a bottle of wine and watch a movie from 6:00-8:00. At 8:00 I’ll tune in to the Quiet Room.

The Michigan Club can get by without me.

I sold my big Aerogarden Farm but kept a little six pod Harvest Slim. Today I planted leaf lettuce and hope to be able to make wilted lettuce in a few weeks.

When I know how much lettuce I’m producing, I’ll buy some pepper seed pods. I hope to grow four of the lettuce pods and two hot pepper. I want to keep enough lettuce coming to be able to make wilted lettuce frequently.

It’ll be lots easier to maintain this small unit. I loved the big Farm XL unit but it was too much work. Just carrying water to keep it going was difficult with my back. Another problem was the fact that my lanai walls will be painted soon and when they come to paint, everything must be moved out of the area. The Aerogarden Farm was HEAVY. My little Harvest can easily be moved. (I’ve even brought it inside when a frost was predicted.)

Eventually I may order another small unit, probably the AeroGarden Bounty Elite, a 9-Pod garden with wifi. It comes with pods, plant food, and even a trellis.

And I may get a Bamboo Garden Wall Shelf for $71.99 from Aerogarden.com. I’ll wait until my lanai is painted so moving it isn’t a problem.

John and I completed our trusts many years ago. Mine was updated after John died, but I went to a seminar the other day and now understand trusts better. I reviewed mine and there were lots of problems.

I had scheduled a meeting with the fellow who did the presentation at the seminar, Jamie. He visited me last night and I signed up to have my trust re-done.

In addition to knowing what I have and how it’ll be handled, this plan will mean that Kelly will be guided after I die. I paid a little over $1,845 and I will pay $850 to the attorney but that’s all it’ll cost complete.

Just guiding Kelly will be worth it.