This week has been crazy here so we are abbreviating our random thoughts.
Best sign ever – There are a lot of election signs out. Our neighbors had one up that said “Any stable adult!” with the stars and stripes adorning it. I went to take a picture of it yesterday and it was gone. I hear sign theft is a thing. Mostly it’s by the “other” party but in this case it may have been sign envy.
Yet again – There was another ER visit this week that resulted in an overnight stay. (No, it wasn’t me.) I was the pick-up person. The doc who released the patient said it would take 15 minutes to an hour. It took 3-1/2 hours. I went home to get stuff done in the meantime. Seriously? How can you be that off?
Distraction – With all the crazy this week, I went to pick up my Starbucks this morning. I went inside, picked up and coffee and when I got in my car I realized I didn’t have my mask on. I immediately felt so guilty. No one was in except the baristas who all greeted me by name. I wanted to go back in and apologize but thought that would be odd. Perhaps everyone without a mask isn’t a political statement. Maybe it’s a case of brain fog. If someone else would have been inside, I think I would have realized it. Maybe…brain fog is a powerful thing.
So how was your week?
Nice sign. Perfect sign. Let’s hope it becomes a reality. So easy to forget your mask. It’s still not quite normal for me, despite how often I use one.
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This morning I was out of the car and on my way inside a building when I remembered my mask! Argh! “They say” it takes 3 weeks to program yourself. I must be slow because it’s been more like 6 months and I still forget.
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Best lines of the day “Perhaps everyone without a mask isn’t a political statement” and from comments “brain fog is the new pandemic”
We saw lots of those signs a couple of years back – really funny ( and how most of us feel). Didn’t know it had become a “mask comment”. The political nonsense can’t be over fast enough either.
Really what I want to comment is “here’s a big HUG”. Life is too complicated. Hang in there.
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To be honest, with the health kerfuffle we had last weekend, I’m lucky I remembered how to get to Starbucks! Right now life is very complicated.
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We had sunny weather over the weekend after a week of gray skies from the wildfires, so I spent some time walking around the ‘hood taking pictures of harvest decor … and signs. There were lots of signs and one said “Women for Trump” and it had a pink border. That was a first for me so I decided to add it to my collection of signs and the homeowner came out as I was taking the picture. I never take addresses and the sign was not near the address anyway. She was very nice and said “you must take a picture of me with the sign, okay?” I said “sure” and I never said why I was taking the picture – usually if it’s a person I say “I have a blog about walking” or something so they don’t think I’m a kook. She posed and I snapped the picture and she said “I’ll pose again in case it didn’t come out.” I was a bit amused but said “great” so we did another picture and then she got another sign that said “Trump, God and Country” and said “I had to thumbtack it because people kept stealing it, so they’ll think twice now.” So she told me she special ordered both of the signs. We took another picture with both signs. The conversation was bizarre and I was tempted to say “I can’t vote, I am not an American” but just thanked her, waved and was on my way.
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Those signs are very rare in my area this election. I’m taking that as a positive.
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Our area is just the opposite – they are not nice signs at all. And some of the signs are made to look like political signs (red/white/blue & stars background) but are comments on the state of the country. Today I saw a sign aimed at our Governor for her restrictions. Our state’s tourism motto is “Pure Michigan” … this sign said “Michigan’s Governor – Pure Moron” … no need for that. We are status quo with COVID deaths and cases … right at the minute anyway.
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We don’t have the signs but there are many raging against our governor. However, our state is doing well with the virus. Even with Philadelphia and Pittsburgh our count is down. It’s because we closed fast and long. I know it’s tough on businesses but in reality even the restaurants which are open do not get a lot on-site business. Most of it is take-out. I’ve eaten outside a few times and the outdoor seating was sparsely filled. Many people are very cautious. When my gym opened, they didn’t get many takers. Maybe in some areas people aren’t as concerned.
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Same here – they disparage her all the time and today someone has gathered enough people’s signatures to submit a bill to have her executive powers reduced. Also mothers of high school athletes rallied at the State Capitol at the Governor’s office to allow athletes to remove the marks. Craziness for both these things and we are down a lot from the very beginning when the National Guard arrived and commandeered the conversion of two large convention centers and built them into field hospitals! Then the cases abated so they housed 100 people in one field hospital at the most.
I am being very cautious and I’ve not been out to eat in many years due to our Hep A epidemic here in this state. We have lost 1,000 restaurants since the pandemic began – closed up shop and have already stated they will not reopen.
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Healthcare bureaucracy is worse than government bureaucracy! There are several similar signs like that one in my neighborhood. They’d be funny if the need wasn’t so dire.
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I agree with that!
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I’ve forgotten my mask a couple of times, too. If you aren’t sick, you didn’t harm anyone. Guilt and fear are powerful motivators for manipulators. You’re an innocent, considerate person, not a criminal for forgetting to wear a mask. There are serious criminals who don’t feel guilty running around doing horrific things to our cities.
We’ve had places vandalized here that had certain political signs up. On the other hand, I see many political signs up for other politicals that haven’t had a single grass on their yard touched. I told my husband we should probably take down our American flag, which is a shame that I can’t feel free to fly it. But with the vandals around, our rights are being bullied down.
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We have our flag up from Memorial day until it’s cold and have never had an issue. It’s not connected with a party. Just a flag.
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Right, it’s just a flag that represents the country, not a party. Some people don’t like the flag, especially in certain areas of the country. So far I haven’t seen vandals go for the houses with flags, but that may be next.
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We haven’t had flag aggression here so that’s new to me.
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Brain fog is a thing. Last week I took a nap, ate, and forgot I had already taken a nap so I took another one!
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That’s the best brain fog!
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We don’t leave the house more than 1 or 2 times a week, and we almost forget to put our masks on almost every time. We have them with us – they are in my purse or Dave’s pocket – we just forget to put them on until we see other people with them.
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Usually that’s what happens. I get out of the car without it but see them on others so I go back. I was the only one on this day so there was no one to remind me. I’m surprised that no one inside said anything. They all know me so maybe they were being polite. I just walked in, picked up my pre-order and left so I wasn’t in there even a minute.
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I’m sure it happens more than we know! Maybe because there wasn’t anyone else in there they figured it wasn’t a problem.
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I guess lots of people stopped going to Starbucks during the pandemic. Today (I think it was on “Wait,wait. Don’t tell me”.) they said the average person has saved $2000 since March by making his or her own coffee. I don’t know if that’s an authoritative source.
Even more embarrassing than forgetting your mask is forgetting a tip. I usually cook for myself, so last week when I did pickup at a local restaurant, I was so excited that I just signed my name and forgot the tip. As soon as I got home, I called them up and asked if I could tip over the phone, and they said I could. Whew!
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Yikes! I could have saved $2000 US??!
Our drive-in coffee shops have not been closed during COVID. I purchased even more said coffee (I blame stress and boredom).
At least I did save on air travel. 😀
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Well, that’s not true of me. One of our local Starbucks stayed open and I was there every day. I think they should send me a medal for being their best customer! Didn’t miss a day! They did some weird things for a while. It was closed to walk-in so everyone had to go through the drive-through and that was awful. It could take at least 20 minutes to get your coffee. I was so surprised at how many people (who weren’t retired like me) opted to wait. It was the one routine I wanted to hang on to.
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I’ve saved Starbucks for a special outing. Most of the time when I go there, I stay, either to talk with a friend or to write. I’m looking forward to those special outings. In the meantime, my homemade coffee is an enjoyable routine to hang onto.
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I keep an extra mask in my purse because my mom keeps forgetting hers and it is easier than running back to the car. 🙂
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I do that too. I have them everywhere! If I’m just outside the car, I’ll grab the one in the car. If I’m too far away, I’ll go for my purse extra.
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Sorry to hear your week was crazy, hopefully it will need calmer. Maybe, in like a lion, out like a lamb.
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I can only hope but that’s not the way the year has been going.
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My week was uneventful compared to yours.
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I much prefer uneventful!
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Yes, but you often turn events into delightful posts.
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I forgot once too when going in to pick up my mail. It was early on in the mask wearing stage and the clerk told me next time she’d have to make me leave. I did feel funny.
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At least it was at the beginning. I was surprised no one said anything. They all greeted me by name.
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I actually think brain fog is the “new pandemic” !
Hugs, Pam
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It is. I’m always carefully planning errands for the least amount of exposure. Sometimes I’m so busy planning, I have no idea what I’m doing in the moment.
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It’s astonishing to me how quickly (in my world, that is) wearing a mask has become an everyday part of life – when hubby would on an errand – I’d remind him, “Do you have your wallet” – now I make sure he has a mask, as well.
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Since we are forgetful, we have extras in cars and purses yet I still forgot to put it on.
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My week is really tiring~
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I’m so sorry!
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Our development doesn’t allow signs, but we see bumper stickers aplenty on cars and even a few random windows (technically the latter isn’t allowed, though I guess they don’t bother enforcing it to that level). I have one close to your featured one here, which I like very much. My wife forgot her mask on a solo trip to the supermarket; she said she ran back to the car out of embarrassment to put it on! Happens to all of us at some point. – Marty
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No allowing signs at least saves aggravation when you see the wrong one.
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I can’t work out your election sign. Luckily here people are mainly wearing masks. It has not become a political issue.
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Because our president refuses to wear one, it has become political. Where I live you have to wear one when in a business by law. I haven’t seen anyone not wear one but in some areas, people are fighting it.
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Boris can’t deny Covid. He ended up in intensive care himself and was lucky not to need a ventilator.
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I’ve seen that sign in a few places in my neighborhood too. Funny, when you think about it… the “other side” (I wonder which one that could be) thinking that the sign was obviously against their candidate.
I haven’t forgotten my mask yet but I’m sure it’s only a matter of time. I guess I should stash one in my glove box just in case.
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It doesn’t seem to matter where I stash it, if I’m preoccupied (which I usually am) I will get out of my car without it. Fortunately I always (until today) caught myself before I got near the door.
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We’ve been keeping backup masks in our glove compartments, just in case.
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I have a bunch in my car and my purse so there was no excuse. I just had a brain freeze.
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So far I haven’t forgotten my mask, but I am looking for a glasses chain/rope thingy so when I’m outside I can have the mask but not wear it all the time if no one is near me. Hope your patient is doing well.
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That’s a great idea. Patient is progressing well. Still many tests to go but so far, all good.
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I’ve seen those “mask leashes” on Amazon. I think they are a great idea.
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Now I have a name for them!
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I might have put on my mask and gone back inside to explain that I meant no disrespect with my unintentional oversight ~> yes, it would be odd, but EVERYTHING about the landscape today is odd. And surreal. Dali would be pleased.
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It is a Dali landscape right now. I’ve never been a fan.
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Same here, Kate. There’s a Dali museum in St. Pete (about 30 minutes from us) and I’ve never been. I’m not drawn to his art.
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So far I haven’t forgotten to to put on a mask to enter a store although I have forgotten to bring one with me when I’ve left home. I’ve taken to stashing masks in my car, my purse, my coat pockets so I won’t ever be without one when I leave the house…I just can’t go into a place of business without a mask on anymore. I feel it’s so disrespectful to the people who have to work there to knowingly enter without one.
Deb
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It is disrespectful. That’s what made me feel worse. I have at least 4 masks in my car, several in my purse and a box full at home. It was just crazy that I did that.
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I had to go back to my car more than once when I went to pick up food because I forgot my mask–more than once. Usually I only get a few feet before I figure it out.
You know your baristas probably think you are a Trumper now! Oh, no!
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I know! At least there were only 4 of them and I tipped well.
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I get the whole forgetting-the-mask thing. My husband and I went away last weekend and I had to repeatedly remind him about his mask. I swear it was like having a child with me 😏
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My husband is much better at remembering than I am but I never get more than 2 ft from the car before I remember.
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… and then it’s the walk of shame back to the car to get the mask. Yeah. I know.
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Did it again today!
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Forgetting is okay. You’ve got important things–and people–on your mind. Take care of yourself.
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Thanks. I’ve been so compliant about it that it shocked me that I wasn’t perfect. Oh well.
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Any stable adult would be an improvement, for sure! And I almost went into the drug store without my mask the other day. Easy to do when you’re distracted.
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I’ve gotten out of my car without it already but never actually did a whole transaction and left without realizing it. My worst fear is that people think it’s a political statement. I stand fully behind wearing masks. If there is a chance it helps, I’m all for it!
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