Pandemic Care Package for Our Daughter
By Lisa Batten Kunkleman
Never, ever did I expect to be mailing our 23-year-old daughter a care package during a pandemic. But here I go. Thank heaven for the postal service still being an option.
The used mailing envelope I stuffed is available thanks to my compulsion for keeping such things, just in case. I also had plenty of stamps for postage and packing tape to seal the deal. My husband and I both grew up with parents who lived through the Great Depression and as a result, were nearly always prepared for lean times. The waste not, want not generation. It must have rubbed off on us. That and being in Scouts. You know, that part about being prepared?
Today, simple living is a huge thing. I appreciate that philosophy. Materialism can get in the way of truly enjoying life. I know from experience. I spend far too much time shuffling my stuff around instead of giving it to someone who needs it or at least would appreciate it more than I do. I’m working on it. This care package is a tiny example of giving things to someone who needs them more.
Living in a studio apartment means our daughter keeps only her basic needs around since there’s no room for storing extra items. She has to save room for art and yoga supplies and a doggie bed. An artist and a yoga teacher, she, like so many others, is now working online from home. Every little bit of floor space is essential yet during this stay-at-home period, a few extra items we have in our house are essential for her as well.
This package contains items she can’t easily obtain at the moment: Heartworm preventative and ear medicine for her dog, pepper spray for all her dog walking excursions, a roll of paper towels, hand sanitizer, Tylenol, muscle ache lotion, and a pair of sandals. As a heartfelt bonus, I included a fun greeting card in an extra-large envelope with a personal message from moi, stuffed with note cards, envelopes, and stamps because sometimes, you have to send a check somewhere or communicate by mail. Essential goods are heading to our daughter, no longer taking up space in our house, but needed in hers. Sending them and our love, just in case.#emptynest #mom
We used to garden all the time and put up veggies (for non-gardeners, that means we preserved foods in jars or the freezer). We stopped because the deer were eating more of our hard work than we were.This year, with our stay-at-home order to fight this infernal coronavirus, I not only stuck the root ends of my Romain lettuce in a bowl of water to watch it sprout leaves, but I also started a pot garden on our deck. No not that kind of pot. I planted seeds that I found in my kitchen junk drawer and fulfilled the urge to patio garden. I have an innate need to have fresh vegetables on hand. It’s amazing how fast those little seeds pop up and start growing. It’s going to be salads at every meal. Deer, you better stay off my deck. #deckgardening #coronavirusmeals2020 #eatyourveggies #plantyourlettuce #humorblogger #midlife #growyourownfood🌱 #socialdistancegardening
Today, in the midst of COVID-19, I experienced veterinary care at its finest. First thing this morning I received a call from our vet, Dr. Baron, telling me about kidney issues with Daisy Mae Kitty’s bloodwork from last week, back when life was nearly normal and their office was bustling with pets and people. We discussed the need for a recheck for her and for our dog Mandy who he also saw last week for her continuous pain and panting.
Our clinic sent out an email explaining options for our COVID-19 safety which included pretty much a pet drive-thru service. They offered Drop-off options, Low Contact Appointments, and Curbside Service for meds and food pickup. I chose the Low Contact Appointment where a tech would come outside and get animals from owners and the owners could choose to either leave the pet for a while or wait in the car until time to speak with the doctor. That could be a phone consult if desired.
What a concept! I walked my dog around outside so she could sniff everything as we waited for the tech to come fetch her and Daisy Mae, also known as Ninja Kitty since she doesn’t like to be held and disappears regularly. The tech offered to take the animals or we were all invited to go into a room if I was comfortable with that. I chose the room. Wow. We walked in and went straight to the examining room which was squeaky clean as always.
Mandy had blood drawn and Daisy tolerated having her blood pressure taken before the doctor came in to discuss our situation and possible steps to make things better. Our animals are old so they have health issues and I know they’ll likely continue but I left with a plan to improve their golden years.
Even with the craziness in our world right now, it’s a huge relief to know there are compassionate people ready to help ease pain and suffering for both pets and people. Health professionals deal with all kinds of medical needs that have to be tended, from oncologists providing lifesaving treatments, to orthopedists repairing broken bones, to speech therapists helping babies learn to eat. Not to mention emergency medical personnel on the front line. I hope we learn from your example and pay it forward. Thanks.
No Candles for the Landfill on My Watch
By Lisa Batten Kunkleman
A prime example of procrastination involves my To Do List that I didn’t do. In addition to not writing, I did not make the phone calls on my list, nor do the online banking. I didn’t go to Lowes for longer cabinet knob screws, nor take the cat to the vet for shots. I did, however, attempt to remove a goopy candle from a small glass container and not toss it in the trash. The wick was gone and the wax was honey-like so I used hot water to loosen the wax so I could chop it up and pry it out with a butter knife.
It made sense at the time. That is, until I realized how many gallons of running hot water went down the drain and how much electricity I wasted in order to run the water heater. In my defense, I was attempting to save the landfill from one more useless item. Hmmm. That doesn’t sound as good as it felt while I was digging out the melted wax. Dang it. Even when I try extra hard to be a responsible earth citizen, my carbon footprint grows. Well shoot. But on the bright side, we have another glass. #midlife #procrastinationatitsfinest #savethelandfillsreducereuserecycle #candlerecycle #toomuchstuff #wastingtimewell #reusable #humorblogger #lifestoriesandbeyond #procrastinating #donttossit