From November to Mid-December: The Last of the Lavender and the End of the Year Covid Blues

1. Bridging Into the Covid Blues and End of the Year

One day my bf and I took our granddaughter to the "Blue Bridge," in late October--or was it early November? The weather was still like late summer. We celebrated the bridge from summer into fall that would soon turn to winter--if not for global warming. Little did we know we were bridging into Covid, that this trip over the blue water on the blue bridge would bring us all soon to a case of the blues. Times were so pretty and deceptive--but we were just fooling ourselves, because we all knew we could get Covid at any time as cases were increasing in our area. I worried about my granddaughter's mother, my daughter, who works in a nursing home where there were Covid patients and where some of her co-workers had contacted it; I worried about my granddaughter getting it from my daughter or from school even from just picking up homework in case exposed or from her club meetings even if everyone stayed over six feet apart during meetings; I worried about my mother and aunt in a nursing home and kept (keep) saying, "I am glad they at least have each other in there as roommates." Yes, we were all crossing a bridge of some sort into a brave new world, a world which required a new type of bravery. This bridge was like our initiation ceremony. I think everyone has a time--a moment or an event--they can consider their bridge into C.T. or Covid Times. 

2. The Last of the Year's Lavender

Lavender is one of my and my granddaughter's favorite flowers and fragrances. She is seven now. As long as our memories takes us back together, we have enjoyed singing songs in unison about lavender. I think it began when I would babysit her and sing the lavender song to her that her mother always sang to her, too.  Any vase or plant of lavender, potted or in the ground, is a symbol to me and to my daughter and granddaughter of many good times we have enjoyed together. These stems and last of the blooms from my large pot of lavender outside are the last of the lavender this year. First the lavender was fading away when weather began turning cold, then the weather got warm again and the lavender began to re-bloom, and then most of it began to die again. I snipped the few blooms that were left in late November. So far there has been a lot of pretty blues. 

3. Reflections on The Covid Times (C. T.)

The photo above is an old one. I have taken no photos during this time that my family and I have had Covid. I looked through some of my computer files for a photo with some blue in it, to keep with this theme of blues. Here we are, blue, feeling blue with Covid blues. I did take a photo of chicken soup just prior to hearing about Covid's big release into the air, into earth's atmosphere. Here is a photo of my homemade chicken soup in the biggest pan I have. We ate it for a week back at that time. We have been eating a lot of chicken soup ever since.

My daughter had Covid and my granddaughter was assumed to have it also so they were both under quarantine in their home. When I delivered food to them, I was careful to stay outside and drop the bags off on their porch. We waved through the window and that was as close as we got to one another. It was sad. This whole thing had been sad. Sad to not hug, sad to wear a mask like we were all aliens when together but together six feet apart or more, wanting but not wanting to get close. Just as my daughter and granddaughter were no longer in quarantine at their home, I tested positive then my husband tested positive. By some grace of God, every morning he was supposed to go to work to his new part-time job, the manager had called him to cancel every morning for a week. Meanwhile, he got tested and was told he was postive three days after I received my positive results. My boyfriend and I are still under quarantine. Later I hope to do a blog on all the movies I have watched while in quarantine. I also have a couple other blogs to do before the year is over. I was so thankful for my presents from my family, which included a delicious birthday cake with blueberry whipped cream icing with fresh blueberries! That was before any of us had gotten Covid.

True Blue,

Mary Ann

writes4aliving@gmail.com