#I am also moving tomorrow through wed March 25 2020

[batwynn]

Quarantine Positive Mental and Physical Health Checklist:

Note: Not everything works for everyone and not every service is provided by your local services, so please always take advice with consideration of that fact. ALWAYS check with your doctor or informed professionals about anything that requires medical treatment, etc. 

(American) National Suicide Hotline:

1-800-273-8255

List of international hotlines:

http://www.suicide.org/international-suicide-hotlines.html

(WARNING! Some of these are no longer operational. Double check in your country for a line if one of these does not work.)

*IF  YOU HAVE/THINK YOU HAVE COVID19 AND ARE SELF ISOLATING TO HEAL AT HOME:

*If you have asthma or any other chronic lung conditions, heart conditions, or kidney conditions please be sure to call either your doctor’s office or the ER if you are experiencing any symptoms of the virus. (Fever, dry cough, trouble breathing.)

*If you are trans and bind or bind your chest for any reason, DO NOT WEAR A BINDER IF YOU HAVE ANY OF THE SYMPTOMS! This virus attacks the lungs! You could cause serious complications and end up hospitalized or worse. I understand the need to bind, and I understand the dangers of not binding. But please, please DO NOT BIND when sick or symptomatic. 

WHO does not recommend people use Ibuprofen, but to use Tylenol for fever and pain reduction.  

Please remember to keep up your intake of fluids!

Checklist: 

Have you taken your medication(s)? — with the stress levels at high right now, now might be a good time to make up a schedule somewhere for your daily medications and their times. If you need reminders, you can use your phone’s calendar function (with an alert set at ‘at the time of the event’) or the ‘reminders’ application (iPhone). If you can’t use these, or don’t have them on your phone, consider asking someone who is available and able to send you a message/text/call to alert you to take your medication(s). If you don’t have a phone, try to place the schedule somewhere you will see it often during the day. (Possibly on the fridge, by your desk, by your bed, etc.) Multiple copies of the schedule might also help.  

Have you been drinking your water, or other fluids? —Hydration is important whether you’re sick or not! If you have trouble drinking water, good alternatives would be coconut water or low-added-sugar juices. (100% juices are best) Sipping soups like broth can also hydrate, but be careful of salt content! Many fruits and veggies also have a high water content. Try: celery, cauliflower, spinach, broccoli, dark leafy greens, tomatoes, watermelon, cantaloupe, strawberries, kiwis or oranges.

Have you spoken today? If not, try to read a few lines of something out loud just to stretch out your jaw and vocal cords a bit. A lot of tension can be held in your jaw, and it’s good to loosen it up a bit every so often. 

Have you had enough sleep? Your mood/health can be seriously affected by lack of sleep. If you’re having trouble going to sleep: Consider reading something familiar and comforting before bed, or consider putting your phone away an hour or so before going to bed, and try to keep it just out of reach. With everything that’s going on, the temptation to check the news all the time or scroll for hours to try to de-stress is understandable. Try to limit yourself to certain times of the day, and avoid doing it late into the night. *There are medications of all sorts from over the counter Melatonin to prescription medications that can help with falling asleep, staying asleep, nightmares, and more. Please reach out to your doctor/therapist/psychologist if you think you need help with sleep. 

Dealing with chronic illnesses or pain and aren’t allowed to go in for your usual appointments or PT(Physical therapy)? Check in with your doctor/specialist’s office by phone and see if they are allowing phone/video appointments. A lot of offices are doing this, and some are willing to refill medications/start new medications via these appointments. MOST Pharmacies will now deliver your medications to your home, some even for free. If you don’t already have a print out of home PT exercises for your specific pain areas, call and ask for them to either mail one to you, or direct you to one online. It’s important to keep up with your PT!

If you’re low on food due to money/stores being empty and you need to keep your blood sugar up, you can try to even things out with Glucose Tablets.  These are not a replacement for a meal, though! Please check all your local food pantries, churches, and even school food programs.

A lot of schools are offering a meals-on-wheels-like program for people with children in need. 

And if you’re elderly, Meals on Wheels is working extra hard to make sure everyone has food, including doubling up the amount you get per week for a lot of people.*  (Please also consider donating to them if you have the funds!) 

If none of these options work, please call 211 to speak to a member of the United Way call center who can help connect you to resources in your area. (This is not just for food.)

Stuck inside with family/roommates/partners and need some alone time?—If you have a private room, stick a sign on the door requesting to be left alone. Adding a period of time can help give them an idea of how long before knocking. For example: ‘Leave me alone for 40 minutes unless emergency please!’ If you do not have a room to yourself, if possible make up a plan with your roommates/family/partners to designate alone time in a room. Each member of the household can have 1 hour time alone in the bedroom/living room/bathroom/etc. Try to keep communication open, even when you really need to be alone. Make sure the others know you need this time, and that it might be good for them, too.

Did you eat today?

• If you feel like you’re dissociating, try counting your fingers or looking at your finger whorls. Remember that they are unique to you, that you are real. If this doesn’t work, you can also try counting things of one shape or color in the room to try to ground yourself in your surroundings. Fidgeting or chewing gum can also help stimulate your senses, which can help keep you grounded.

• If you are having a panic attack:

1: Ground yourself to reality with something familiar like a keychain or even pictures of something on your phone. [Cats and dogs are good.] Also, do not trust everything your mind/body is telling you right now. Thoughts like, ‘i’m going to die’, ‘everyone is leaving me’, ‘everyone hates me’, are a part of the panic, try not to linger on them, because they will only make it worse. A good trick is to try to replace these thoughts with a mental image of something either calming or silly. Like a Sloth, or a unicorn fighting a giant jelly bean.

2: Find a space that feels the safest for you, and stay there.

3: Take slow, deep breaths. After breathing in for four seconds, hold it for a few seconds before breathing out for another four seconds.

4: Stimulate your mind with something simple, and not stressful. Tap your fingers, re-read nice messages from someone, play a game one your phone that doesn’t require any thought or is timed.

5: You are doing a really good job. You don’t have to feel embarrassed. You are not alone. You are strong, and awesome.

Try not to feel guilty for feeling overwhelmed, upset, angry, sad, etc. This is a really rough time, and you’re allowed to feel how you feel.

Did you brush your teeth today?

Don’t be afraid, you’re not alone!-Reach out to someone you know, if you need it. If you can’t find someone, feel free to reach out to me and we can talk, or I can direct you to someone else who might be more equipped to help. 

Have you hurt yourself recently? Please take the time to clean and cover it. I know it’s hard to take care of yourself right now, but it’s not good to get an infection especially with the hospitals and doctors possibly turning you away due to the influx if COVID19 patients. 

It’s okay to take time to get going, and no, you do NOT have to write that book right now. 

You don’t have to talk about it if you aren’t ready. Being stuck inside with people does not mean they get to pressure you to open up about anything you’re not ready to open up about. 

You CAN talk about it, if you’re ready. Your problems are real, even if they might seem small or insignificant in the face of huge, global issues. 

If you are stuck in a home with an abusive person and cannot get out because of the current situation, please remember there are many applications, chats, text lines, phone lines available depending on where you are and who you are. 

Have you stretched in the past hour? 

Here are some online/phone options for AA/substance abuse groups. 

Pet a cute animal today! If you can’t, there’s loads of livestreams from all over the world with cute animals on display! 

10 relaxing online games

Try making one of these comfort foods: 

American Comfort Foods

Canadian Comfort Foods Indian Comfort Foods Japanese Comfort Foods German Comfort Foods Mexican Comfort Foods [sorry, a lot of Tex-mex in there.]

Remember: You matter. Your feelings matter. Your life matters. 

[travelingtheusa]

ALABAMA

1 Jun 2020 (Mon) – We ran a bunch of errands today.  Shopped at CVS, WalMart, Publix, the liquor store, and the post office.  We also did laundry and stopped at McDonalds for breakfast while waiting for the clothes to finish.   We had lunch at an Irish pub, too.  They have a patio and we were able to eat outside.  I guess that’s the new criteria for picking a place to eat.  Our mail was forwarded from Texas and we received it with no problem.  We went into the lodge and settled up our bar tab back from the day we were in there for the tornado.  I called Memorial Sloan Kettering to have my medication shipped to me but the pharmacist said I had no refills.  She would have to call the doctor to get authorization.  She never called back so I’ll have to have it sent to me when we get to Indiana.

     I finished my 2018 Travels slideshow but now I can’t seem to burn it to a CD.  This is so frustrating!  I will have to see if Best Buy can help.

     We leave tomorrow.  We will try to avoid big cities so we don’t run into the rioters that are out there protesting the murder of George Floyd.  The country seems to be coming apart at the seams.

 31 May 2020 (Sun) – We stayed around the campsite today.  A gray dog is now in the yard next door along with one German shepherd.   I sat down and wrote letters to the Human Society, the police department, the County Animal Control Division, and the local animal shelter.  I hope they can save this dog.

 30 May 2020 (Sat) – Paul discovered one of the tires on the RV was low.  He filled it yesterday and it lost 10 pounds overnight.  He took it off and brought it to a tire repair store.  The mechanic said it was a bad valve and replaced it. Hope that does it.

     We got to Zoom with Caiden and Miranda today.  It was the first time using Zoom and turned out to be pretty easy to use.  Travis has been facetiming or calling almost every day to check on us.  I enjoy the contacts.

 29 May 2020 (Fri) – I asked to have our mail forwarded.  It should be Monday or Tuesday.  We will leave as soon as we get the mail.  We have to be up in Goshen, Indiana by June 8th.  Paul wants to stop by Vanleigh Vilano in Tishamingo, Mississippi first so they can take a quick look at the slide out and confirm our problem is a warranty issue.  Then it will be a fairly straight up to Indiana.

     I picked up garbage along the back and side of the property line. We have spent over two months looking at the stuff and I couldn’t take it any more.  I got two garbage bags full.  I probably could have gotten three bags of garbage if I wanted to dig into the leaves.

     Paul washed the truck and camper today.  We are getting ready to move on.

28 May 2020 (Thu) – We took a ride to Sokol Park, the same one we went to with Bonnie a few days ago.  But instead of going into the dog area, we hiked a trail through the woods. It was a short one but nice in the trees.  It was after 11 a.m. and the sun was hot.  Bonnie was soon panting heavily.  We didn’t do much more than a mile.

     After the park, we stopped at King’s Kitchen for lunch.  It was a café with tables on a patio.  We sat outside with Bonnie and ordered our meals. Bonnie enjoyed her burger very much. It was a very pleasant change of pace and the food was very southern.  Unfortunately, we noticed that they were not wiping down the tables after use. A couple sitting at a table nearby got up and left but the table sat with no cleanup.  When we finished, we wiped down our table and hands.  Then used sanitizer when we got in the truck.

 27 May 2020 (Wed) – We stayed around the camper today. Thunderstorms pummeled us most of the day, sending Sheba deep into the closet.

26 May 2020 (Tue) – Didn’t do much today.  It rained most of the day.  Paul worked on maps for the New York caravan.  I worked on the slideshow for our 2018 travels.  This is a very enjoyable project.

25 May 2020 (Mon – Memorial Day) – We had to go shopping today for pet food. Since we were out, we also went to the supermarket and picked up a few things.  We also stopped at McDonalds for breakfast.  I’ll bet the drive in places did especially well during this pandemic. People who don’t normally eat McDonalds or Wendys or Chick-Fil-A have gone there because delis and cafes have been closed.

     Noah called to facetime with us.  He’s so funny.  I love talking to him.  Travis had his in-laws over for a barbecue.  His brother-in-law was supposed to come over but didn’t.  We just hung around the camper for the rest of the day.  The sun is so damn hot!  It blazes bright, too.  Anything light colored seems to reflect and magnify the sunlight. Walking outside during the day absolutely requires sunglasses.  Walking the dog will be reduced to early morning and evening.  I imagine the roadway/parking lot gets very hot for her paws.  At the height of the day, it feels like standing in front of an oven.  The sun is certainly more intense down here in the south.  I rarely remember the sun feeling like this back up in New York.

 24 May 2020 (Sun) – The day started out overcast and oppressive but cleared up later.  I worked on creating a slideshow of our 2018 travels.  Paul is still trying to get the 2017 slideshow he did to burn on a disc and make a copy of our 2016 adventures.  The technology is very challenging.  

23 May 2020 (Sat) – We stayed around the campground today. In the afternoon, thunderstorms rolled in and my phone was dinging with weather advisories.  At 8:30 pm, I got another notice.  Thinking it was another weather advisory, I half glanced at the notice then sat bolt upright.  It was a Public Safety Alert that said “Escaped inmate seen in your area.”  It then went on to describe the man.  I went to the door and locked it.  Paul as quite amused by my reaction.

 22 May 2020 (Fri) - We slipped out early this morning and did laundry.  There was one woman with a small child and a repairman in the laundromat.  After the clothes went into the washer, we drove to Chick-Fil-A for breakfast and brought it back to eat in the truck.  There was a lot of traffic on the road.  Seems like the whole state has opened up.

 21 May 2020 (Thu) – We went to Home Depot today to pick up material for Paul to use in revising Sheba’s perch in the truck.  The shelf he has for her now is just a little too small. The new one will accommodate her better. With her spinal issues, she can’t curl into a ball like most cats so we have to make the form fit her straighter posture when she lies down.

     The parking lot was pretty full.  When we entered, a worker with a cell phone said she had us.  She was counting people as they entered the store and entering it into a program.  When we exited, another worker counted us.  One adds the number of people going in and the other subtracts the people going out.  I guess they are keeping the number of people in the store at any one time to a maximum number.  Most of the customers were not wearing masks.  We wore ours and all the employees had masks on.

     Governor Ivey held a press conference today.  She announced the openings of businesses and the restrictions that will stay in place.  She also said that people have to take personal responsibility for their own safety. I liked that.  There are many people who are not at risk for the coronavirus and shouldn’t have to remain at home.  Others, like us, are vulnerable and should take precautions to protect ourselves.  That is just a fact of life.

     There are two German shepherds in the yard of the house below us. Are these the original dogs that were there when we first arrived or two different dogs?  Where have they been if they’re the same dogs?  Does the guy have a business where he keeps his dogs for guard duty?  Hmmm.

20 May 2020 (Wed) – We took a ride around the corner this morning and got the address of the house below us where the man was abusing the dog yesterday.  If I see him doing anything like that again, I will call the police.

     We took Bonnie and drove to Capitol Park.  It contained the ruins of the capitol building that burned down in the late 1800s.  I don’t know how you can make ruins attractive but the town somehow managed to do it.  There were plaques all around telling the story of the buildings that used to be there. The park was small but neatly kept.

      Then we drove to a dog park.  It was almost 8 miles away (the UA Arboretum is still closed).  It was a very nice park – large, grassy area with a concrete walkway around the perimeter of the park.  It lets the owners walk while the dogs play.  Unfortunately, there was dog crap all over the place.  Apparently, people walk and talk on their cell phones and don’t pay attention to what their dog is doing.  No one picks up after their dogs.

     There was no sign of either of the dogs in the house below today. They were not out in the yard at all. I am distressed and at a loss at what to do.  I think he killed the two dogs.  When we first got here back in mid-March, there were 3 dogs in the yard (2 German Shepherds and a poodle) but I haven’t seen them in a while.  The 2 that were in the yard yesterday looked like border collies (black and white).  I don’t know if I am looking into the yard of a serial killer.  I want to call someone but I don’t know who.  To make it worse, Paul does not agree that there’s anything wrong and nixed my call.  He thinks I have watched too many TV shows about killers.

 19 May 2020 (Tue) – A new critter showed up next to our camper today! I was looking out the window when I caught sight of a small creature walking by.  I thought it was one of the cats that walk through the area from time to time.  There’s Blondie (a yellow tom), Tabby (a gray, striped tabby), and a black and white cat that we haven’t given a particular name to.  Anyway, when I looked closer at the gray ball of fur I discovered it was a groundhog.  It calmly walked along the edge of the grass, stopping to munch on the greens from time to time.  After a while, it went into the bushes and disappeared.

      I was very disturbed by an event that took place next door this afternoon. I was outside watching Sheba when I heard a dog screaming.  Looking down into the yard of the house below us, I saw a dog running back and forth in terror.  Thinking its friend (there were two dogs) was caught in something or facing off with a rattle snake, I strained to see what was going on.  The trees and bushes have grown in pretty thick.  What I witnessed horrified me!  A man was wrestling with a dog who was screaming.  Then the dog stopped screaming.  The man was kneeling on the dog and smacking it.  But the sound it made was not like anything I have ever heard before.  It was a kind of popping sound.  I yelled out, “Hey! That’s no way to treat an animal!”  He stopped hitting the dog but remained kneeling on it.  So I suggested that I was going to call the cops.  He got up and went into the house but I never saw the dog get up.  Later, the man walked back and forth to his shed a couple of times.  Neither dog was seen again.

18 May 2020 (Mon) – We went food shopping at Publix this morning. I really liked the assortment of choices.  Maybe we’ll make this our regular store.  We were both surprised with the amount of food we bought.  We didn’t think we needed that much.  The cost was over $300!  At least they had steaks.

     After shopping, we stopped at Another Broken Egg for breakfast. Sitting by the river, eating a scrumptious meal, was so delightful!

     This afternoon, we saw a few cars parked over at the lodge.  A guy in a pickup drove over and started talking with me while I was outside watching Sheba.  He said they opened up today but he wasn’t going in.  They never let us know what was going on.  They put up signs on the door the last time they were here describing the circumstances of their reopening.  One of them says “If you’re sick, don’t come in here!”  I thought that was pretty funny.  The other signs are just print outs from online that describe recommendations from the CDC and requirements from the Alabama Department of Health.  It basically called for a reservation or call ahead system.  Sounds restrictive to me.

15 May 2020 (Fri) – We drove to Moundville today and walked around the Archaeological Park.  It is an historical area with 29 mounds built between 1200 and 1600 AD.  The tallest mound was about 60’ high and had a great view of all the other mounds in the area.  It was quite a climb up!  Then we walked around the area.  It was almost 1.5 miles.  Good exercise.

     Afterward, we drove around Moundville looking at the area.  It is kind of depressed with a lot of run down, poor parts to the town.  We bought lunch at McDonald’s then stopped in the ABC store and picked up a couple of bottles of liquor.  It was good to get out again.

      When we got back, there were several cars parked at the lodge. We thought it had opened but it was probably the officers who were meeting to discuss the best way to open the lodge, given the restrictions the state is putting on businesses.  They were gone by 5 p.m.

 14 May 2020 (Thu) – We bought breakfast at Chick-fil-A, then went to the laundromat, put the clothes in the washers, and sat in the truck to eat our meal.  Clothes transferred from washer to dryer, we remained seated in the truck until it was done. One of the machines did not fully dry all the clothes and we put them back in for another 12 minutes.  They still came out damp but we just took them home and spread them out to air dry.

     When we pulled into the lodge parking lot, the neighbor’s dog was running loose (again).  It had managed to slip out of its harness and was exploring our campsite. I chased it back to their RV.  The lady didn’t even know the dog had escaped.

13 May 2020 (Wed) – We drove back to the Riverwalk this morning and had breakfast at Another Broken Egg Café.  We were the only people on the deck when we arrived but were joined by other couples as they arrived and chose to eat outside, too.  The meal was excellent and Bonnie especially enjoyed her scrambled egg.  When we were done, we walked the Riverwalk to the end and back.  There was a visitor’s center on the route and Paul stopped in to get some brochures on the area.  Unfortunately, they didn’t have much and the clerk wound up telling Paul to go online.

    We ran out of propane two nights ago.  He went out today and got a refill.

 12 May 2020 (Tue) – We put Bonnie in the truck and drove to the Riverwalk.  It was a very nice walk and the park was very nicely maintained and there were many people walking/running/biking on the trail.  We came across Another Broken Egg (a breakfast place) along the trail.  We will have to go there for breakfast. Parking is limited to just one hour so we’ll have to take a shorter walk if we stop to eat.  They are pet friendly so we could bring Bonnie and let her have breakfast out, too.  She’ll love that!

     When we arrived back at the lodge, a red SUV turned into the parking lot in front of us, drove to the back where our RV is parked, then left.  It looked like the same inspector who was here yesterday.  He had another man in the car.  Was this his boss on a field trip?  We’ll find out.

 11 May 2020 (Mon) – Another very warm day.  Summer is around the corner!  Someone was working around the lodge in the morning.  We went food shopping this morning.  We also stopped in two CVS stores to pick up hand sanitizer. We still can’t find Wet Ones (hand wipes).  At least, everyone seems to have worked out the toilet paper issue as everyone has it in stock.

     A man came onto our site today claiming to be an inspector with the County.  Someone complained about us being here.  He says there is no camping authorized here.  We pointed out that the hookups are not new; that they’ve been here for many years.  He dismissed our argument.  We had a very pleasant conversation.  He is originally from Elmira, New York and was sympathetic to our situation.  When I asked if he was going to evict us, he said no. He also recommended that we take a walk along the Riverwalk on the Alabama University Campus down the road. We’ll try it tomorrow.

 10 May 2020 (Sun-Mother’s Day) – The weather is getting hot. It starts out cool in the morning in the high 40s/low 50s but then the sun comes up and it burns hot.  It must be because we are closer to the equator that the sun feels so intense.  

    Folks have been working in the Elks Lodge all day.  Maybe it means the place is getting ready to open.  At 5 p.m. Paul went out to Olive Garden and picked up a meal for us to share. It was delicious!

9 May 2020 (Sat) – We ran out of milk today.  We walked next door to the Dollar General and picked up a quart of milk.  All the stores in the strip mall were open.  When we drove into town the other day, Paul noted that the mall was open. JC Penny’s was not open but the rest of the mall was.  Guess the state is starting to open up.  People are demonstrating in other states and a woman was arrested for opening her hair salon in spite of state directed orders to remain closed.  It’s starting to get hairy out there!

     We have been going back and forth with Jon Katin of the SMART Travel Committee.  They want us to put a cost to the NY caravan.  Most of the campgrounds don’t open until Memorial Day and many websites just say they are closed due to the pandemic.  They offer no information on prices.  We will have to wait until we can physically get up to New York to get the costs.  In the meantime, we have developed a caravan for 8 days in Reading, PA for the WWII Reenactment.  I sent that to Jon.  He is afraid that there are not enough travelers to fill all the caravans that being offered (5 of them).  How funny is that?  They were concerned about getting enough caravans and wagon masters to offer caravans. Now, they’re afraid they can’t fill them all.

 8 May 2020 (Fri) – It rained most of the day.  Paul picked up dinner from the Olive Garden tonight.  It was a pleasant change.  The food was good.  I finished the slideshow.  Once Paul has had a look at it, I’ll start one for 2017.

 7 May 2020 (Thu) – I think I am living Groundhog Day.  The past three mornings I have gotten up, the clock has read the exact same time: 6:54 a.m.  Weird, huh?  I have just about finished the slideshow for our 2016 travels.  

 6 May 2020 (Wed) – We went out early this morning to do laundry. There were already a couple of people in the laundromat.  After putting the wash in the machines, we sat in the car and ate our Chick-Fil-A breakfasts.  Then we went in to put the clothes in the dryer, then sat in the car playing with our iPad and iPhone.  When the laundry was done, we stopped at CVS on the way home to pick up hand sanitizers. We both went in and got one bottle each.

     Two dogs from the neighbor came into our campsite this afternoon and left deposits.  I had had enough!

I walked over and asked the lady to please keep their dogs on a leash.  I was pleasant; said “Please” and “Thank You” but was firm.  She said they run out when she opens the door.  I asked that she not let them do that.  Let’s see if my request holds.

5 May 2020 (Tue) – Since I have to sign for my medicine and UPS would be delivering it to the lodge, I sat outside all morning waiting for the truck to arrive.  At noon, two jets screamed overhead twice.  They were part of the Thunderbirds/Blue Angel Thank You tour they are doing around the country to show support for all the medical people who have worked so hard during this coronavirus pandemic.  I don’t know why we only got two planes when they usually fly in a group of five.

     Finally, at 1:00 pm, Paul drove to the local Mexican restaurant and picked up lunch for us.  Since it was Cinco de Mayo, we celebrated with margaritas and burritos.  While Paul was out, the UPS truck arrived.  I got my medicine, Paul returned with the food, and everything was fine.

     Our neighbor, whom we thought was leaving, is still here with his wife.  I guess they just went through spring cleaning around his rig.  They remain aloof and unfriendly.

 4 May 2020 (Mon) – We went food shopping at Winn Dixie this morning. Besides the cashier, there were very few people wearing masks.  Boy.  I don’t know how people can work in those things all day long.  It gets so hot and mine keeps sliding up into my eyes.  I think my mask is too big for my face.

     I called Memorial Sloan Kettering this afternoon and ordered a refill for my medication.  They said they would overnight the refill to me.

3 May 2020 (Sun) – We tried walking a new route this afternoon. We crossed the road onto a small country road that parallels the main road as well as the train tracks.  It has less traffic.  We came to an intersection and turned right, intending to go to a park just up the road.  Unfortunately, it is still closed.  The entire walk was about half an hour.  As long as our usual walk but not as intense.  The hill had a more gentle slope that the hills into either the apartment complex or the Elks lodge.

 2 May 2020 (Sat) – Our neighbor is still here.  We thought sure that he would leave today but he hasn’t. His wife is still here with their 3 dogs.  One dog keeps getting loose and running over to our area.  It wants to play with Bonnie so badly.  I feel sorry for it.  I also feel angry at the couple that can’t seem to get their dog under control. This lodge is on a very busy road and if their dog chooses to run to the road instead of over to us, it will not survive the experience.

 1 May 2020 (Fri) – We see that our camper’s wife is here. Maybe she came to help him pack up. He had a motorcycle which he took away in his work truck and did not bring back.  We never saw him ride it so maybe it was borrowed from someone at work or he was just holding it for someone.  

30 Apr 2020 (Thu) – We drove into town today to get pet food. While out, we stopped for lunch at McDonald’s then picked up bourbon and “43” at the liquor store.

     The other camper parked here in the parking lot of the Elks Lodge is packing up.  We’re guessing his work assignment is up and he is leaving tomorrow.

      I paid bills this afternoon.  I also have been working on gathering input for the Nomads chapter newsletter as well as still collecting pictures for a slideshow of our 2016 travels.

29 Apr 2020 (Wed) – Took two walks along our usual route.  Got in 2 miles plus whatever else we put in while watching the cat play outside.

28 Apr 2020 (Tue) – The Exalted Ruler of the Lodge stopped by today.  I was outside watching Sheba when a van pulled up to the dumpster and the guy got out to put garbage in the dumpster.  I waved so that the man would know I was watching him.  He got back in the van and drove over.  It turned out he was the ER.  He introduced himself and said he appreciated our offer to paint the lines in the parking lot but they already were working on having somebody do that.  He did give Paul permission to take down some piping they had put up a couple of years ago for a fair.  It took Paul all of a half hour to do that project.

     I started my next video project by putting all our pictures from 2016 into a slide show.  We have been to many places!

 27 Apr 2020 (Mon) – Our big adventure to Piggly Wiggly was a disappointment.  The store appears to be big but there selections were small and they carried a lot of unknown brands.  We had to finish off our shopping list at Winn Dixie.  

     After dropping off the foodstuff at the RV, we went to the laundromat and got our clothes washed.  And such was our big day in town.

 26 Apr 2020 (Sun) – The lodge secretary was helping a member today. She saw me sitting outside in the camp chair and drove over to introduce herself.  Her 90-year old mother was visiting from upstate New York when the virus hit so she is still here in a very extended visit.

     Sheba certainly is enjoying all the time she gets outside.  With us home all the time now, Bonnie and Sheba get lots of outdoor time.

 25 Apr 2020 (Sat) – Still hunkered down.  Noah called this morning to say thanks for his books.  I bought him 3 books because Travis said he would like them.  Apparently he had one of that type and just tore through it.  He does love to read!  The books are called “Everything You Want to Know About . . .” then there was “Math,” “English,” and “History.”  I also bought books for Hudson and Lincoln.  I also bought their parents ink and paper in order to be able to continue entertaining/home schooling the kids.

     I am surprised by how cool the weather remains.  I thought that Alabama was one of those hot southern states. It’s been in the high 40s, low 50s every morning.  Doesn’t get up past the 70s.  Although the sun burns hot on your skin.  I guess it has to do with being closer to the equator.

 24 Apr 2020 (Fri) – Nothing much going on.  Noah, our grandson, has learned how to call us on FaceTime.  He calls between 8:30 to 9:30 a.m. to talk about whatever he’s doing.  He’s such a happy, upbeat personality.  I love talking to him.  He makes me laugh so much.

23 Apr 2020 (Thu) – Thunderstorms came in last night.  There is so much rain here.  There are flash flood warnings everywhere.  Luckily, we are on high ground with no water bodies nearby so we don’t have to worry about that.  I am surprised that with all the rain, there aren’t more puddles.  They have an incredible drainage system in the area.

22 Apr 2020 (Wed) – We had rain a good part of the day. Hunkering down for rain tonight. Thunderstorms are on the way again. These storms seem to roll through about every 3 or 4 days.  

 21 Apr 2020 (Tue) – Nothing happening here. Took our daily walk. Talked with our son and his family. Noah has learned how to dial us up on FaceTime and calls when the urge grabs him.  He is so funny.  I thoroughly enjoy his calls.

 20 Apr 2020 (Mon) – Another storm system came through yesterday. It rained for 20 hours.  I usually enjoy thunderstorms.  I like to watch the lightning flash in the sky and feel the rumbling of thunder in my bones.  But these storms come with warnings of tornados and that scares me.  Of all the weather systems that can happen, tornados scare me the most.  I tried calling Malissa from the lodge but her phone kept saying the person “is not accepting calls at this time.”  That was very unsettling.  She is proving to be a very unreliable person.  She said she would come down on Tuesday to cook a dinner but never showed. That was the second time she did that. And then not being available when a potential emergency was looming?  Hmmmm.  Fortunately, no tornados came our way.

     We went into town today to get pet food at Pet Smart.  Then we drove around looking for a Piggly Wiggly but wound up shopping at a Publix.  They have traffic signs on the floor directing one way movement in the aisles. There was also a thick Plexiglas sheet between the cashier and customers.  This is a new world.  Next time we’ll shop at a Piggly Wiggly.  The excitement of new adventures!  We stopped at a Taco Casa for lunch.  The food wasn’t bad but I think I like Taco Bell better.

     The man from Wyoming left.  I guess that when I told him someone from the lodge would be down to open up the building in the event of a tornado watch, he was scared off – either because he realized his free stay was over or he just didn’t want to endure a tornado.

     There is a residential area behind us on the other side of bushes and fences.  One of the neighbors had a party Saturday night.  They barbecued food, played games, listened to music, and just plain had a great time with family and friends.  People are really starting to defy stay-in-place orders.  There were lots of cars on the road when we drove around today.  Paul thought it was because it was later in the day (we usually go out first thing in the morning).  Maybe.

 19 Apr 2020 (Sun) – We watched the church service back home in Islip this morning.  A very talented young man, Christian, played the trumpet.  It was mesmerizing!  I am glad they have been able to set up these digital services.

     We were able to FaceTime with our son, Travis, and his family. Noah is just the happiest and most lively child.  He always makes me giggle.  Hudson wants to talk but gets embarrassed and doesn’t know what to say. He has to be drawn out and given prompting.  What a difference between the two boy’s personalities.  I am looking forward to  discovering Lincoln.

     Miranda sent a picture of Caiden with a missing tooth.  He lost his first tooth.  Unfortunately, he swallowed it while eating a PBJ sandwich.  I remember swallowing a tooth while eating watermelon.

18 Apr 2020 (Sat) – I got a message from CVS in Valrico, Florida, yesterday saying that Paul’s prescription was ready for pickup.  I called and arranged to transfer it to the CVS right by us here in Alabama.  We got a text message an hour later saying his prescription was all set.  We drove to the store and got his medications, then had lunch at Bojangles.  Picked up our order at the drive thru and brought it home.

     We haven’t seen anything of our new neighbor.  He has a motorcycle rather than a car in tow and it’s been gone every day, all day.  With everything closed, I wonder where he goes.  His RV is in really bad condition.  It is clear that he does not have a lot of money.  We think he pulled in here and stayed longer than he said he was going to because it’s free (he was just looking for a place to pull over for the night).  There is no one here to collect any money.  

     Paul’s sister, Joan, called today.  We did Facetime with them.  Joan & Peter are in the RV boondocking with her son’s family; Adam, Diane, and Devin (and the dogs).  Adam gave us a 360 degree shot of the surrounding area.  There are a few RVs parked out there in the desert.  It is the epitome of social isolation.

     Another weather system is headed this way tomorrow.  It will start in the morning but the worst part won’t hit until the late afternoon/early evening.  I hope Malissa is around to let us in the lodge.  She has proven to be a less than reliable person.

17 Apr 2020 (Fri) – We went out early this morning to do laundry. Nobody in the laundromat was wearing a mask except us.  I can’t figure this out.  The folks in the post office were mad at me for not wearing a mask.  The people in the grocery story were a mixed group – some wearing masks and some not.  Nobody in the laundromat was wearing a mask.  It is very confusing.

 16 Apr 2020 (Thu) – We ran out of propane during the night so we went out to buy some.  While we were out, we stopped at Wendy’s for lunch.  Then we drove around the nearby town of Cottondale looking at homes around Canyon Lake.  It really was in a small canyon with a very small lake.  The homes were all very nice; built of light colored brick.

     Another camper pulled in tonight.  His license plates are from Wyoming but he says he is a full-timer who does work kamping around the country.  He pulled a motorcycle out of his RV, which he uses to get around.  I didn’t spot anybody else with him but he put two camp chairs out.  Maybe it’s an invitation for someone to join him?

 15 Apr 2020 (Wed) – CVS gets their shipments on Wednesday so we went out to get some hand sanitizer today.  The first CVS had none so we drove down the road to a 24-hour store and they had some.  I wanted to buy two bottles but everyone is limited to one bottle per person.  So I bought one and then had Paul go in to buy one. So I got my two bottles.

     We also went food shopping at Winn Dixie.  About half the people in the store wore masks.  We wore our masks for the first time.  It is very uncomfortable and keeps pushing up into my eyes.  Accordingly, I kept pulling my mask down.  Isn’t the drawback to wearing masks that you touch it?

 13 & 14 Apr 2020 (Mon & Tue) – Just hanging out around the campground.

 12 Apr 2020 (Sun – EASTER) – There was no rain when we woke this morning. We left the bedroom slide pulled in but opened up the living room and kitchen.  The animals – Sheba in particular – are distressed with the rooms are pulled in.  I guess they don’t like change.  We took a walk in the morning then hunkered down waiting for the storms hit in the afternoon.

     At about 5:30 pm, the possibility of tornados was being reported on the weather channel.  We called Malissa from the Elks Lodge and she came down to open up the building.  She and her boyfriend, David, Paul and I along with Bonnie and Sheba all sat inside watching the weather channel for an hour. Finally, the weatherman indicated that tornadic activity was calming down as far as what was headed in our direction.  We returned to the camper and Malissa and David went home.  An hour later, Malissa called to say they were on the way back to the lodge because a tornado was on the ground.  The news said nothing about it.  We grabbed the animals and our go bag and ran to the lodge amid fire sirens going off and my phone beeping in with warnings to find shelter immediately. The sky opened up and it rained so hard, you couldn’t see the camper from the deck of the lodge.  A tornado touched down about 13 miles north of us in a mobile home park (they always go for the trailers!).  After two hours, the news (again) said there were no more tornados headed in our direction.  With that, we said good night and returned to the trailer.  It was an exciting night.

 11 Apr 2020 (Sat) – We took our walk around the usual route twice today.  For dinner, Paul ran out and picked up KFC.  We are preparing for severe thunderstorms and a possible tornado tomorrow. Paul will pull in the slides tonight and park the truck under some trees to minimize hail damage.

 10 Apr 2020 (Fri) – We drove to the post office first thing this morning.  We arrived at 8:15 a.m. only to discover that they didn’t open until 9:00 a.m.  We then took a quick trip to a nearby bank to get some money at the ATM.  It is amazing how little we think of all the things we touch in a day.  Now that we are  so much more aware of infection, every little thing seems like a threat – doorknobs, countertops, desks, keypads, shopping bags, money, etc.  It’s become a very scary world!

9 Apr 2020 (Thu) - It was another trip to the outside world today. We needed to send off an Easter package to the grandkids so it was a stop at the post office.  That was an adventure in itself.  There was a long line of people waiting to get in.  It looked longer than it actually was because people were leaving 6 to 8 feet between them and the person in front of them. There were 9 people in front of us. The line moved very slowly and it was a half hour before we got to the desk.  There was only one clerk working.  She explained that one of the employees caught the virus so they shut the place down.  All the meters and registers were off.  She was working with something like a smart phone.  Nothing could be metered.  She could only accept flat rate items and she could not accept cash; payment by card only. I got to send off the two packages but was not able to mail off our taxes.  

     We stopped at CVS and Walgreens to see if they had any hand sanitizer.  Neither did. There were some food trucks out so we stopped for lunch at a Mexican Taco truck.  The food was terrible and they used the wrong kind of cheese.  We won’t do that again!  While out, we also stopped at an ABC Store – a state run liquor store.  Actually, two stores.  The first store only had one bottle of Red Stag and no 43.  The owner called over to another store and found they had what we wanted so we drove there and bought another bottle of Red Stag and a bottle of 43.

     At 6 p.m., we fired up the iPad and tuned into the Islip Methodist Church Maundy Thursday service.  There was only the pastor, the organist, and our cousins – Lee and Donna – performing the service.  It was communion so we poured some wine and broke off some bread and followed along with the service.  It seemed weird to be reading the response while sitting in our living room.

 8 Apr 2020 (Wed)

– We stayed in today.  I counted the cars on one of the freight trains that go by every day. There were a hundred cars on it. It’s amazing that so many of those very heavy cars can be moved at one time.

7 Apr 2020 (Tue) – We ventured out today.  First stop was at the laundromat to put the laundry in the wash. Next stop was at Winn Dixie where we picked up groceries.  We went back to the trailer to put away the food.  Then it was back to the laundromat to move the wash to the dryers.  We then went to Chick-Fil-A for a late breakfast. Then it was back to the laundromat to collect our clothes.  Paul brought in a wipe and wiped down the table we folded the clothes on.  We put on gloves everywhere we went but we did not wear face coverings.  Last night, President Trump asked the nation to voluntarily wear face masks to continue fighting the coronavirus.  The number of infections are falling, thanks to the people who are complying with the CDC guidance to self-isolate (most states have imposed lockdowns and curfews), practice social distancing, and wash your hands.  Over a million people have been infected worldwide with thousands of deaths.  It is amazing how infectious this virus is.  It is in 184 countries now.  The world truly is a mobile place.

 6 Apr 2020 (Mon) – UPS delivered my medicine from New York today. I put a sign on the mailbox telling the UPS driver to bring the package to us in the RV.  Paul happened to be up on the roof when the driver pulled in and waved the guy over.  He spent several minutes arguing with me about why he shouldn’t give me the package. It was addressed to the Elks, but my name was also on the envelope.  He told me he was supposed to give it to the lodge, not us in back.  If we need to have mail sent to us here, we should ask the lodge to assign us a lot number.  After going back and forth, he finally gave me the package.   When I said I was supposed to sign for it, he said they are not allowing anyone to touch the pad.  He signed for me.

     As I was sitting outside waiting for the UPS driver to arrive, someone from the lodge drove over to check on us.  She said they were going to have wings and beer tomorrow.  I told her we would have some, too.  Weird.  Aren’t they supposed to remain closed with the 24-hour curfew in place?  

 5 Apr 2020 (Sun) – We tuned in on Facebook and watched the church service back home in Islip.  The picture was dark like they didn’t turn the lights on.  Maybe they’re trying to save money.

 3 Apr 2020 (Fri) – We opened the package my sister sent.  It included mostly supplements I had ordered and sent to her because UPS won’t deliver to us here.  She repacked my orders and sent them in one big box.  

     Paul took the fifth-wheel hitch off and worked on sanding it. He’ll repaint it and make it look all nice again.  I worked on getting our taxes done.

 2 Apr 2020 (Thu) – We drove to the UPS store to pick up a package my sister mailed to us.  We placed it in the bed of the pick up to sit overnight.  We will open it tomorrow.

     Since we were out already, we stopped at Freddy’s for lunch.  It was ok.  After we got our food at the drive-up window, we parked and walked over to their outside tables to eat our meal.  There was a sign on the table saying that their outside dining area was closed.  We walked back and sat in the truck to eat.

     After lunch, we drove to three different liquor stores looking for our favorite liquor.  They were all small and had none of our choices in their selection.  The bigger stores are the ABC Liquor Stores but they are all closed.  We think they are state run.  We will have to make do with the wine we can pick up in the supermarket until things open up again.

     At 6 p.m. I called a nearby Mexican restaurant to order a meal for pick up. The website said that due to the volume of calls they get, they added a second number.  They failed to say that second number was at another location. When Paul drove to the restaurant, they did not have our order.  After he left, apparently that restaurant called their other site and found our call had gone there.  We worked out the misunderstanding, replaced our order, and was able to pick it up. Besides the food, we got a half gallon of margaritas.  A bottle of Jose Cuervo and a container of margarita mix were included in the order. It looks like we could probably get 8 glasses out of it!

 1 Apr 2020 (Wed) – Just hung out today.  Took two walks along our now familiar circle of across the parking lot of the lodge, across the parking lot of the strip mall next door, up the hill around the apartment complex, and back to the camper.

 31 Mar 2020 (Tue) – We ventured out today wearing plastic gloves. Didn’t see many people with face masks. Went food shopping at Winn Dixie. They have designated 7 to 8 a.m. for seniors and 8 to 9 a.m. for first responders.  There was no one at the door checking IDs so I guess anyone could go in if they want to.  Then we drove to Pet Smart for pet food.  Next door was The Fresh Market.  We went in to get some fresh produce.  On the way back, we stopped at a CVS.  Everywhere we go, I look for hand sanitizer but we can’t find any – all sold out.  I wound up buying a nasal saline wash.  Each time we go out, we will use the nasal wash and gargle with salt water.

 30 Mar 2020 (Mon) – It rained most of the day.  We finally finished scanning all the photo albums into the computer.  The trains riding by blow their whistles and fill me with longing to move on.  We have been here now for 14 days.  The governor of Alabama instituted a 24 hour curfew. Apparently, the 10 p.m. curfew didn’t work.  Teenagers were hanging out at gas stations since the bars are closed.  Someone got shot so now everyone is in lockdown. Crazy!

29 Mar 2020 (Sun) – Adventure abounds!  I have just returned from two days in the hospital.  What happened, you ask?  Well, let me tell you.  

     We were hiking in the woods at Harris Lake in Tuscaloosa.  We were about a mile in on the trail, stopped at a dam and sitting by the stream.  I suddenly got very shaky, my vision dimmed, and I complained of a severe headache. Paul tells that I then lost my memory. I had no idea where we were, where we have been, or even that there is a virus ravaging the country.  

     We hiked back out of the woods (I don’t remember any of it), got in the truck, and drove to the nearest hospital.  I “came to” during the ride in the truck where Paul was telling me I had an episode.  He thought I had a stroke.  First stop was at a VA hospital but they didn’t have an emergency room so we were directed to a civilian hospital down the road.  

      There was a person sitting at a desk outside the entrance to the emergency room dressed in a gown, cap, gloves, and mask.  She put me in a wheelchair and brought me inside.  Paul was not allowed to enter the hospital. After being checked in at the desk, I was wheeled into the emergency room.  Almost all of the staff was gowned and wearing face masks.   They drew blood and sent me for a chest x-ray and found nothing.  The doctor wanted an MRI but they couldn’t get me scheduled until the next day so I agreed to be admitted for the night.  Paul was still not allowed in the hospital so the staff advised him of what was happening.

     The experience in the hospital was unsettling.  First, I was placed in a room all by myself.  The doors to all rooms on the floor were kept closed at all times.  Only one staff person at a time was allowed in patient rooms and contact was kept to a minimum.  I spent hours behind closed doors feeling like I had been forgotten about.  I got an MRI of the brain and they took more blood. A doctor came by to say everything was normal and left to see when the neurologist was going to come by.  Next thing I knew, a nurse came in and said I was being sent for an ultrasound of the carotid arteries.  The nurse said I was also scheduled for an echo cardiogram but she didn’t know when it would happen.  It turned out later that it would be the next day so I had to stay another night in the hospital.

     At 6:00 a.m. this morning, they took me down for the cardiogram.  A neurologist and his P.A. showed up later to say all the tests returned normal.  There was nothing on the brain MRI, the EKG, the cardiogram, the x-ray, or the bloodwork to explain what happened.  The good news was that there is nothing big that is wrong with me.  It’s possible I suffered a TIA, which, as he explained it, is a kind of catch all diagnosis when they don’t really know what happened.  He recommended that I follow up with a neurologist and a cardiologist after I get out of the hospital.

     I was finally given the all clear and discharged at 2 p.m.  Paul had to pull up to the entrance (all entrances were closed except one), check in with the security guard, call up to the room to tell me he was there, then wait for me to be brought out.  I then had to call the nurse’s desk and ask for a transporter to take me downstairs.  It took more than half an hour for someone to show up.  Paul was entertained while he waited for me.  A guy came out of the hospital to get some food from a truck parked outside.  When he tried to go back into the hospital, the security guard refused to let him in. Yelling and shouting ensued.  People showed up and the crowd grew as the guy tried to get back into the hospital.  Apparently, he was a patient and kept yelling he was not going to stay. Finally, a supervisor came out and allowed the man in.  A few minutes later, he exited the hospital with his belongings.  They don’t fool around down here!

     When I was wheeled out, I told Paul not to touch me.  I had instructed him to spray the seat with Lysol before I sat down.  When we got back to the trailer, I stripped naked standing outside in front of the stairs then went directly into the shower.  While I scrubbed down, Paul washed my clothes and sprayed down my purse and shoes.  I hope we got all the spores I might have brought back with me.  Only time will tell.  It is good to be home.

 26 Mar 2020 (Thu) – There are some railroad tracks across the road from the lodge.  Several freight trains roll by every day.  I saw an Amtrak passenger train barrel through one day.  I don’t know if they go by on a regular basis.  I guess they do.  I just don’t see them.  I hear the train whistles and rumbles often.

     There is a small strip mall with six shops next door.  The only shop open is Subway.  Next to that is a small child care center.  It was closed when we first arrived but there were children in there today.  I don’t know if they have reopened or if they are only watching children of health care workers.  They were all little tykes, somewhere between 2 and 5.

     Next to the child care center and up a small hill is an apartment complex.  At least once a day, we walk past the shops and child care center, up the hill, and around the parking lot of the complex.  I don’t think it amounts to more than a total of one mile but at least it’s a little bit of exercise.  

     The name of the child care center is Little Roll Tide Academy. There are a lot of businesses around here with the word “Tide” in them.  Apparently, the U of Alabama has a team called Crimson Tide and the team chant is Roll Tide.  I don’t get it but then again, I don’t live here or go to the games.  I guess the locals find it reassuring.

 25 Mar 2020 (Wed) – Paul read that Winn Dixie is restricting the first hour to shopping by senior citizens.  He thought the time was 7 to 8 a.m. but when we got there, it turned out to be 8 to 9 a.m.  So we drove down to a laundromat and threw the laundry in the machines.  What a rip off!  The machines were $4.50 each, but another $0.50 for hot water for the whites. Then the dryers were $0.25 for six minutes.  I think it was the smallest load we’ve ever washed for the most money.  One washer wound up sucking our money and we had to spend another $5.00.  The attendant couldn’t do anything about it.  She is not authorized to give refunds.  

     Between washing and drying, we went to Winn Dixie for groceries. There were a few seniors there when we went in - most of them wearing face masks.  The shelves were, for the most part, well stocked.  The cleaning aisle was half empty and the cashier was limiting purchases to either Lysol spray or Clorox wipes but not both.  They had no hand sanitizer.

      We also stopped in to Walgreens so I could get batteries for my hearing aid.  They had no hand sanitizer either.

 24 Mar 2020 (Tue) – It turns out the lilac tree is wisteria and it is growing all over the place.  Looks so nice.  It is tough to just sit here day in and day out.  There is no sidewalk on the highway so we can’t take long walks.  Even Bonnie is getting bored with walking circles around the parking lot.  Paul looked up a nearby park but when we drove there, we found it closed.  I went to Trip Advisor and found a county park then I called to be sure they were open and dogs were allowed.  The answer was YES to both.  We drove a half hour to Lake Lurleen State Park.  It has 1,625 acres of hiking trails, camping, and water activities (but no boat rentals for now).  We walked a trail.  Bonnie lasted about 25 minutes then got too tired to go on (we were on a 4-mile loop trail).   It was nice to get out in the woods and smell the pine and hear the birds.

      On the way back, we stopped for lunch at Bojangles (a chicken place).  We both had fried chicken and fries.  The times, they are a-getting’ desperate!

23 Mar 2020 (Mon) – There is a beautiful lilac tree in the back of the parking lot next door.  The trees are starting to bud.  Spring is not affected by the virus.  Luckily, neither are we.  The statistics say that Alabama is the third lowest state to have the virus, so it is a good place to be.  I pray for our friends and family every day.  It is maddening not to be there to watch over them.  

 22 Mar 2020 (Sun) – Well, we finished up the Longmire series. Now we will start watching the videos we have been carrying around with us.  Some are good; some not so good.

 21 Mar 2020 (Sat) – We are binge watching the Longmire series. We bought the entire six seasons a few weeks ago and will now finish it off.  Other than that, it’s watching the daily news briefings about the coronavirus on TV, walking the dog, and hanging out.  Cabin fever is already starting to set in.

20 Mar 2020 (Fri) – We ventured out to shop today.  First, we went to Vowells Fresh Market.  The produce seemed old.  Many of the shelves were empty, especially the cleaning supplies aisle.  We both wore plastic gloves.  The cashier did not have any gloves on.  I thanked her for working during this crisis.  She admitted she is very scared.

     We then drove to the nearby grocery, The Fresh Market.  It was more like the health food stores back home. It had a fresher, better stocked look to it.  The produce was fresh and most of the shelves were full.  There was a delightful deli section with salads.  That cashier wasn’t wearing any gloves either.  I guess they’re not as concerned here.

     After shopping, we drove around the area to see what stores are around. There are quite a few.  This is a built up area and it doesn’t look like we will have any problems shopping for what we need.  I stopped in a GNC shop looking for zinc sulfate and nasal saline but they had neither.  We also stopped at a CVS but they didn’t have any either.  One of the clerks was wearing a mask and gloves.  Made me feel a little more justified for our caution. Silly, isn’t it?

      We have been watching the daily news briefings by the Coronavirus Task Force.  Each day, more action is being taken to try to counter the spread of the virus.  It is amazing how far and wide this thing has spread around the world.  It will have to run its course.  I initially thought it would go away when the warm weather arrived but it’s starting to look like that won’t happen.  They’re predicting it will take 18 months to clear up.  They also revealed that men have twice the mortality rate as women for those who have died.  How depressing!  

 19 Mar 2020 (Thu) – It was a quiet day.  I would have preferred to stay in the Army Corps of Engineers campground in Montgomery among the moss covered trees and the lazy river.  It would have been more in commune with nature. Instead, we are camped in a parking lot at a closed lodge on a busy highway.  At least there are several stores close by.  On one side is a small strip mall with a Subway, an insurance company, a nail salon, and a child care center.  On the other side is a larger mall with a grocery store called Vowells Fresh Market.   Next to that is another supermarket called The Fresh Market.  On the corner at the traffic light is a Walgreens and across the street is a Winn Dixie and a CVS.  There are some eateries and other small businesses.  Many of the small businesses have signs on the door that say they are closed until March 31.  The news said Governor Cuomo in New York has directed ALL nonessential businesses to close for two weeks.  That means Travis & Sam and Miranda & Kenny are out of work.  Well, maybe not Kenny.  He works at a beer distributor that also sells food.  Maybe they will stay open.  What a mess!

18 Mar 2020 (Wed) – We called the campground to see if we could extend our stay for two weeks only to be told the campground is closed. Everyone is being allowed to stay when they paid through to, but then must leave.  No extensions.  Since today was our check out date, we were literally kicked out.

     We packed up and left Montgomery at 9:45 a.m.  The drive was pleasant and uneventful.  We arrived at the Elks Lodge in Tuscaloosa at 12:15 p.m.  There are 9 campsites along the site of the lodge on the grass with full hookups.  Unfortunately (or fortunately, however you look at it), there was a sign on the door that says the lodge is closed until further notice.  This is in line with all the other notices that have been flooding my phone for days.  Schools are closed, restaurants are only serving take out, colleges have switched to online classes, all federal and most state campgrounds are closed, and some states have called out the National Guard to help with the crisis.  Today, the president invoked the Defense Production Act, an act of wartime activity.  It authorizes him to have manufacturing ramp up to make required products to combat an enemy.  In this case, the corona virus.  It’s crazy!

 17 Mar 2020 (Tue) – Took a quick foray out to get fuel in the truck.  On the way back, we stopped at a fruit and vegetable stand to pick up a few things. The man staffing the small booth was very old with just a few teeth.  He had a heavy southern accent and was hard to understand.  I bought 2 oranges, 2 sweet potatoes, and a watermelon.

      At the entrance to the road leading to the campground stands a Dollar General store. We stopped in there and found toilet paper on the shelf.  We picked up a pack as well as a few other items then returned to the campground. Later, we cooked burgers and corn on the cob for dinner and sat by a delightful fire as the sun set.  What a great campground this is!  The lazy river drifts by, the trees are covered in Spanish moss, and there are lots of trees and few campers.  We could spend the next month here.

 16 Mar 2020 (Mon) – Johnny & Linda packed up and left this morning.  It seems empty now.  We are just sitting around listening to the birds and watching the lazy river drift by. I know we are safe from the craziness of the coronavirus panic going on elsewhere in the world, but it kind of feels surreal.  Kind of like we are the survivors of an apocalyptic event.  We are the only survivors and we have run away to a safe place to hide from the zombies.  That’s what we get for watching all those science fiction movies for years.

 15 Mar 2020 (Sun) – Linda made pancakes and sausage for breakfast. Then we went into Prattville for lunch at Hooters.  Johnny has a hood of a race car (it’s really a plastic replica) where he has gone around to different Hooters and gotten the girls to sign it.  So he brought the hood in and had the girls all sign it.  They started out hesitant to do it but by the end of lunch, they were all enthusiastic and amused by his project. I didn’t care much for their food but the margarita was good.

     Back at the campground, Linda again cooked the meal of the day. She prepared wild rice with chicken and corn on the cob.  Our visit with them has been a lot of fun and we look forward to seeing them in New York this summer.  

14 Mar 2020 (Sat) – Linda made tacos for lunch.  I made steak, baked potatoes, and grilled asparagus for dinner.  We are enjoying each other’s company so much. We just hung out around the campground today and delighted in God’s country.

 13 Mar 2020 (Fri) – Linda made Cady Lake Hash for breakfast.  It’s like our frittatas.  You take whatever left-overs you have in the fridge and cook them up with eggs.  It is very good.

    After much discussion, we all decided to go to Alabama to camp out.  It is one of the few states that has not reported a coronavirus infection.  Johnny & Linda fell in behind us and we headed out to Gunter Hill Campground, an Army Corps of Engineers park.  I don’t know if it is related to the virus hysteria or they were doing repairs, but the three rest areas we wanted to stop at were all closed.  We finally pulled into a travel plaza to stretch out legs and walk the dogs.

    We arrived at the campground around 1:30 p.m.  We are both parked in the same site but it has two hookups.  We have water and electric, with a dump station somewhere on the grounds.  We are right on a river front.  With the moss covered trees, the meandering waterway, and lots of room between campers, it feels like we are in another world.  It is peaceful and remote.

    At 3 p.m., Paul and I drove to the Maxwell-Gunter AFB nearby to get some groceries at the commissary.  It was a surreal experience.  All the shelves were half empty.  There was no toilet paper, no tissues, no Vitamin C, and no hand sanitizer (I still don’t get the run on toilet paper).  The line went across the front of the store, up the side aisle, and down the back side.  We were on line for 45 minutes.  And this was the commissary on a base with only military folks!  I hate to imagine what WalMart or Publix looks like.

    We enjoyed wine at our campsite last night, all talking and solving the problems of the world.  Johnny & Linda will be here with us for three nights before heading back home.  We wanted to stay a week but they only had five days available.  It is a very nice campground.