Random 5 for May 17, 2020 – Inspiration, shopping, traits, neighbors, graduates

Gallery

Posted on by

Inspiration — With all this time on my hands, the random thoughts should be expanded but that’s not how it works. It takes interactions to get the good topics. With this lock-down I’m spending all my time with the beloved husband and occasionally delivering groceries to my brother. If I wrote about either of them, they wouldn’t be happy. Oh what the heck!

A porthole into someone’s life – Every week my brother gives me a list of groceries to pick up. It’s been two months now and I know what they eat. Their lists are not standard for two 90-year-olds. So far I’ve bought them 15 pounds of potatoes, gallons of half and half, lots of butter, bread, eggs, and raspberries. Lots of raspberries.  No meat, juice or cereal. One can conclude that they eat a lot of mashed potatoes and French toast. They get one or two Hello Fresh deliveries a week so I’m assuming that’s where their protein comes from. What weird thing would someone find if they did your shopping?

Ancestry research – I get emails form the companies I sent my DNA to several years ago. As more people do it, they refine their logarithms. This week I checked my “traits.” I don’t have a sprinter gene. I’m better at endurance. Truthfully I’ve never been a runner or jogger. I don’t like the bouncy thing so I’m not surprised. I also don’t get alcohol flush. That’s true. In our family we get glassy eyes when there has been too much consumption. My pee smells when I eat asparagus (you’re welcome!). That’s enough sharing for today.

Night picture of deer entering my pond before it was fenced.

Snoopy neighbors – With little excitement, I’m attuned to what’s going on in the neighborhood (very little). I’m feeling like that old lady down the street who is always peering out her window. The folks next door have set up their kid’s playground in the driveway by their front door. Lots of brightly colored plastic toys. They have a blow up swimming pool which they cover every night. I was curious why. Maybe deer? I had one that used to come for a swim in my pond.

Something to celebrate – There are a lot of kids graduating in my neighborhood and it’s interesting to see how they are adjusting in the lock-down. All gatherings and formal ceremonies have been cancelled but there are signs on the lawn, balloon arches and drive by parades celebrating the graduates. I love the creativity. These kids are loved and that’s what counts.

My granddaughters graduating from middle school!

So how was your week?

 

 

79 thoughts on “Random 5 for May 17, 2020 – Inspiration, shopping, traits, neighbors, graduates”

  1. Despite your introduction, I found this episode of random thoughts inspirational.
    What weird thing would someone who did my shopping find? A lot of gummi bears and red wine.
    What company did you do your DNA test with? I picked one who told me that I am 0% German and 15% Greek. Since my father was 100% German, this led to several discussions with my mother about what she was up to in 1961.
    I bet your neighbors cover their pool for insurance reasons.
    I love it when people find creative workarounds. The explosion of creativity was so inspiring at the start of this lockdown, but lately, it seems to be declining and dejection increasing. Your colorful graduation pictures made me happy.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  2. I like your brother’s grocery list except for the half and half. I could live on potatoes! But I would add avocados to the list… I eat at least a half every day. Bread is supposed to be a treat but lately that treat has turned into a staple… must work on that. Butter (grass fed), eggs (preferably pasture raised)), raspberries (I would add blueberries)… sounds good to me! I still go to the local farmers market and Trader Joe’s (with mask and social distancing, of course) but ordered delivery from Whole Foods (Amazon Prime) twice for my organic chicken and house brand coffee and that worked out well… I will probably continue with that even if we ever get back to normal… although who knows what that “normal” will look like. Stay healthy!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  3. I love that so many are trying to find ways to make graduation better for these kids.
    Got such a laugh out of the grocery list as archeological study. You think about what researchers figure out from ancient garbage..but the lists and purchases could be even more baffling to someone centuries down the road.
    Love the deer pix and the giggle over the toys and pool. The little kids are getting restless in the driveways here. Poor parents.
    Take care and stay safe!

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  4. What would someone think of my grocery list? Hmmm. Probably that we eat a staggering amount of vegetables for 2 people. We both LOVE our veggies and it’s the one thing I struggle with when I travel. I discovered a long time ago that I just feel a lot better when I eat a lot of greens.

    The way I look at it, the vegetables counterbalance the vast quantities of chocolate I eat, and chips my husband eats 😉

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

  8. I saw fancy signs on all the graduates lawns when I visited NJ last June. I’m starting to see a few now for the first time on the West Coast.

    Now that the weather is sunny, I have a chance to wave and exchange a few words with neighbors when they’re walking their dogs and I’m taking a walk. Sometimes my near neighbors and I stand across the street and talk with each other. It’s a nice advantage of springtime.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • People in my neighborhood aren’t coming out of their houses much. If I walk, I rarely see more than 3 people. Our homes are spaced farther apart than most. Maybe some people hang out in their back yards. We do that a lot but I like to walk.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

  10. I was seeing the 2020 graduate signs out front a month ago already and all were without cap and gown not surprisingly. I’ve not seen any parades and usually my city does not have high school graduation until the second week in June – if that still applies these days. Congrats to Rowan and Maya on graduation from middle school.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

    • Usually graduation here is in June (colleges in May) so that’s what made it unusual. Our local high school had the signs out about a week ago and this past weekend there was a lot of activity in yards (kids in cap and gown getting picture taken on front lawn).

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply ↓

      • Interesting … I guess they will keep the cap and gown. I am surprised they let them do that. All the pictures on the lawns on the signs that stick in the ground, the graduates were just in regular clothes. That’s nice they got the caps and gowns. When I graduated high school in 1973, all the kids went around with painted cars with our class slogans and year and were honking. They don’t do that anymore, haven’t for years.

        Liked by 1 person

        Reply ↓

        • I don’t think we did anything special like that. We had two huge parties for the entire class. One of the graduates was the son of a doctor who had a large property. He hosted them both. They were the best. I started working the Monday after my graduation so it wasn’t a party summer for me.

          Liked by 1 person

          Reply ↓

          • We did the driving around in my friend’s car from the time we got our cap and gone and seniors were done til graduation night – we went to a big auditorium in Detroit as we had 613 in our graduating class. We returned to the All Night Party at our high school auditorium and cafeteria. We had “Play Misty for Me” as the featured movie playing all night long, and food/drinks (non-alcoholic) in the cafeteria. That was it. I had just started working at KFC and had to work after the All Night Party event. I was only there two weeks, and got the diner job which lasted all through college. You and I were not party animals!

            Liked by 1 person

            Reply ↓

  11. Congrats to your pretty girls. May their next milestone not be so strange. I guess grocery stores are so large because we all eat different stuff. I always halve plenty of coffee, creamer and raw sugar – I ‘have’ to have that. The week was busy and I actually worked with a couple of friends. We had our masks on and didn’t get close, but it sure was a thrill to see and talk to other folks. While we were working, it was warm, the mask was hot, my glasses were fogged up, and all I could think of was wow this is sure going to be fun in the middle of the summer heat.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  13. People shopping for us would be appalled at the way the list changes. One week we buy fresh fruit, a fresh veggie or so, meat, chicken, eggs, and milk. The weeks John goes to the train club, we buy frozen breakfast foods, frozen meals, and frozen tacos or chimichangas. John takes most of the food, leaving all Mexican things behind for me, and David eats a big burger or chicken sandwich at work. We might have four normal shopping lists in a row in January.

    The deer picture is dramatic. It would be fun to have a camera for that purpose.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  14. Interesting about the asparagus. I haven’t seen any graduation signs around here but maybe it’s too early. We don’t have graduation until the end of May, beginning of June usually. The neighbors call my husband the “mayor” of the block because he is always watching what goes on. Happy Sunday to you.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  15. I am not allowed to mention the “asparagus effect” in our home anymore (six or seven times too many, I assume). So I’m grateful for someone else joking about it. 🙂 A friend of mine sends me pictures of hawks who sit outside his office window, which I never get tired of; and I always like it when you post the deer pictures. – Marty

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  16. Congrats to your graduating grand-daughters. As for swimming deer…not surprising…they tend to be troublemakers wherever they roam. But they sure are fun to watch. Gawd help the person who followed my shopping list (or even rummaged through my trash). I’d hate for the inner me to be known to the public.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  17. I have the same issue with asparagus. Are you saying it’s a genetic trait? Can some people eat asparagus without “eau de asparagus” in their pee? :mrgreen:

    Congrats to Rowan and Maya. We had 3 graduations this week ~ 2 college (Rowan and Lewis & Clarke) and 1 medical school. All virtual ceremonies.

    BTW: Next time you talk to her, please ask Maya where she got her top. It looks like it’s right up my alley for coolish days ~ comfy, cozy, low key.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  18. Congrats to your granddaughters! My son takes his final exam tomorrow and then will be done with High School! I would have liked to put up a real colorful banner,etc, but he is more low key, he doesn’t like all the fuss! But we will celebrate this week, for it is a huge milestone!
    Cracking up about the asparagus! Thanks for the smiles! 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  19. Good morning Kate, You already made me smile and piqued my interest “not standard for two 90-year-olds.” They obviously must have some sort of formula for staying healthy. Kids graduating is a big deal around here, too. Your last sentence speaks volumes. Thank you! Take care.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  21. We had some excitement in our road last night. A van crashed into a couple of parked cars and the driver and passenger attempted to run away. A couple of our neighbours gave chase and caught them and a fight broke out. It attracted all the neighbours who came outside to watch and no less than seven police cars. I think every one including the police are bored. Normally it is a very quiet neighbourhood.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  23. What a cheerful way to help someone celebrate graduation.

    Snoopy neighbors? Back when I lived in another city, we had an elderly man two houses down. I worked for the state, and drove an unmarked vehicle home, you could still tell it was a government car though. Right after we moved in, some of my officers that worked for me would drop by in a marked unit. The man would come out to the edge of his yard and clip on a small bush, while attempting to not be watching us. After a few months, that poor bush was mostly devoid of foliage.

    Liked by 1 person

    Reply ↓

  24. Same on graduates here–someone is offering official yard signs for the local high school graduates . Other schools give out banners. And there was a virtual prom, too.

    My neighbors were shooting off fireworks last night. And I was actually thrilled to realize that there probably won’t be the usual Independence Day celebrations this year with fireworks to frighten animals and kill birds. And I’m not sad about that at all.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

  25. I like how your neighbors are celebrating their graduations. The signs are cheerful. Around here people are being more discreet about the graduations, putting small official signs provided by the schools in their front yards. I like your whole shebang better.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply ↓

Don't be shy, I'd love to hear what you're thinking!