Trippin' with Susan Straley

6/4/2020 It is Thursday,  I only have a quick moment to write before I get ready to go to a birthday gathering.  I am excited to tell you all about my first trip in my Weeroll.  But this afternoon a group of neighbors with whom I have been having COVID-Style happy hours is going to celebrate one of our member's birthday.  This time, however, the birthday gal wants to have our gathering inside her house, on her chairs, eating a shared cake. Yes, keeping our distance inside .   I am not sure it is safe if one of us happens to be sick and doesn't know it. That is the big thing about this illness.  You can be sick and contagious and not have symptoms and spread it around to quite a few people, just by talking, sighing, laughing. But, hey, enough is being said about the turmoil in the world without me reminding anyone.  Instead I will insert a link to a video of an interview of the Dali Lama on how he deals with fear and change.  You may find it a nice reminder to turn

Friday 5/22/2020 I am sitting in the quiet at the dinning room table.  I am bent over a large plate of salad with a big glob of re-fried beans and a couple handfuls of Fritos. My cell phone rings. The display tells me the call is from Rhinelander, WI, but it doesn't identify the caller.  I decide to pick it up because my sister lives in Rhinelander. Do you hear what I hear???  Available Now! It is Karen from Housekeeping at Holiday Acres.  This is the resort where I had applied to be a "Towel Girl".  Guests of the resort would bring their dirty towels to the Towel Girl (me) and I would give them fresh towels.   A job as Towel Girl was supposed to be my part-time job this summer.  A time filler, a way to meet folks, a couple bucks in my pocket, I was looking forward to it. But then the pandemic happened and everything is up in the air. Karen said she just met with the managers of the resort.  They decided that they are not doing Towel Service due to COVID

Hello, I hope your are doing well with your new routines. A Morning Walk This morning the birds were singing.  It was a lovely 52 degrees when I stepped out for my walk, my face-mask tucked into my pants pocket, my binoculars tucked under my arm.  The trail that runs past our neighborhood is a state park and therefore is closed.  I have read it is scheduled to re-open on May 15th.  Breaking the rules, I walked down the trail because I had seen a nest of large white fluffy birds there the other day and I wanted to get a closer look with the binoculars. I was alone on the trail and as I approached the lakes that boarder both sides of the trail in this area I was awed once more by the beauty.  A light swirling mist was rising up from the waters. I suddenly missed George deeply.  I talked to him and told him so.  I also told him I was often glad he was gone.  At the same time I was appreciating the beauty I began to cry.  I told George I know how much he would also enjoy this