We are waiting things out like the rest of the world these days. Lots of small news nothing dramatic to report. We got our grand daughter back home to New Zealand finally. She was trapped for a few weeks in Northern Ireland. She was visiting family and stayed a bit too long and then for awhile could not get back to NZ. We finally got her a ticket on Qatar Airlines and she is back home now, but still in a mandatory 2 week isolation. The entire country of NZ is in a lockdown until the end of April anyway so no matter.

On a different subject mum is showing signs of change and appears to be losing ground. To be expected, she is 97! Has had several mini strokes, probably TIA’s. Still mostly ok but not mobile anymore. Wheelchair only now. Still of good spirit but does not read books much anymore or write letters like she did. We do not take her out of the house anymore. Conversations with her are much simpler and shorter than before, but her personality is still as sweet as ever.

Lesley and I just keep chugging on day by day, all of our planned travel is either cancelled or on hold at the moment. I go out for supplies once a week, Lesley stays with mum. Nobody gets into our house for any reason at the moment and we only go out when vitally needed, then with gloves and mask, etc. we just cannot risk bringing anything home and getting mum infected. We are also at risk since we are both over 70 ourselves, Lesley having had her 70th birthday earlier this month.

I have been busy doing some long delayed chores on the motorhome and will be doing more when it warms up a bit such as oil change, grease job, installing a few new brighter lights, and wash and wax. That is a big job since it is 34 ft long it takes me two days to do it, but not much else to do now anyway.  It has also been a very good time to exercise regularly. I now Do about an hour and a bit every two days and am feeling as fit as an old guy can feel!

It has also been a good time to practice my music. I hav been practicing nearly everyday for an hour or so and it is paying off a bit. I have been really trying to play a few songs without using sheet music but play from memory. Not easy for me to do, but with practice and repetition it is working. I have also been reading a book on “self talk” which describes how to program our brain for success and not failure. I was skeptical at first, thinking it was just another motivational self help book, but it is actually much simpler, the theory makes sense to me, and so far seems to be helping some.

Anyway, I am really enjoying trying to play music, something I never thought I would or could do and now am doing a bit of, having fun and enjoying having taken on a new challenge at age 74 and actually having a bit of success and enjoying it. Go figure!

Like everyone else I wonder what has happened to our world and if or when it will get back to what it was. My opinion is that it will be forever changed, better in some ways and worse in others. I suspect that travel will be different, as will higher education and probably all education will be affected more at home , less on campus which will prove to be far cheaper, more work at home, less business travel, more awareness of personal hygiene in public which will lower the death rate of seasonal diseases. Most of this will be good.

the bad is that some businesses will not survive. Cruise ships will have to change or die. Air, rail, bus, mass transit, and boat travel will all struggle to become accepted again. Social gathering in public places, retail stores, even large private gatherings will be awhile returning to the new normal. Sports will be forever changed in ways I cannot predict, but the human need to compete will bring sports back in some form. My biggest concern is for the economy. There will be changes, spot shortages, supply line changes and disruptions lots of unemployment, and even some political uncertainty. I hope I am wrong on all of this, nothing would make me happier than to be proven wrong. Some of the experts I read are saying deflation is coming, some say inflation is coming. Both are bad, pick your poison. My best advice is get out of debt if possible and stay that way.

Anyway, life will go on, some of the changes that are happening wil be for the better, some not.

For now, it is time for mum and I to have a cup of tea.

bye for now