Sunday, April 11, 2021

SO CAL -- PATIENCE -- VISITOR -- POST VIRUS

SO CAL DROUGHT & ENVIRONMENT

Our rainy season is past, and we didn't get enough of those moist drops from the sky to fill our reservoirs or snow to build deep packs for summer melting into mountain streams and rivers.   Californians are being told we are definitely in a drought.   Forest fires may well be an exceptional risk.  There reportedly is sufficient water to meet our needs through the coming year and the next one despite the low reservoir levels.  I wonder if any special water conservation measures will become necessary?

I've not incurred the expense of converting my yard to desert landscaping, especially after having to repair a corner of my concrete block back wall's separation caused by pressures from my neighbor's leaning wall.  Our city regulator's inspected and allowed me to separate his wall from mine so I won't encounter this issue in the future.

Meanwhile, I just received notice that our trash/recycle/sewer/street sweeping rates are increasing 12%.  We're told other cities across the country will be having to increase their rates, too, at least by 10%.  Eventually we may have to sort our trash for separate disposal of food waste which will be composted.  This is all an effort to compensate for dwindling land-fill sites and control where the majority of man-made methane gas is emitted which contributes to smog.  We have 3 bins now for weekly pickup -- trash, recycle (paper, cardboard boxes), greenery for compost.

PATIENCE ... Patience ... patience !

These are the words I said so many times to so many of my different patients when I provided all sorts of communication rehabilitation in speech-language-hearing-voicing-cogniltive and swallowing due to a variety of causes.   Patience -- a word easier said then practiced as I focus now on doing what I preach.

I'm finally reconciled to the fact my physical activity has slowed a bit from what I hoped might never occur, or expected at the very least not until I was older than my present eighth decade.  I may engage in physical therapy again, but my once-expected gains are being limited.  I ponder if surgery is warranted with benefits outweighing potential deficits.

Pain with movement experienced the past several years has significantly lessened but is not eliminated.  I recently read a report that redheads have a high tolerance level for pain.    I can attest to the truth of that for me, surprising even some medical people I've encountered.  

It does get tiresome having to spend more time than I had been accustomed to, just doing ordinary activities.  Also annoying are limitations even engaging in some activities.  I've been trying to wait out the pandemic before seeking some much-needed assistance here.

UNEXPECTED VISITOR

California's Western Scrub-Jay looks somewhat like a Blue Jay, "are bigger and longer than bluebirds"; have lots of "attitude" as described at Audubon.org.  in an article with photos by Garrison Frost, "Ten Birds Every Californian Should Know".  This handsome blue bird with a splotch of reddish-brown feathers has been flitting between the large leaves through the lower levels of my Bird of Paradise just outside my living room window that looks out onto my back yard.  This is the first time since we've lived here that I've observed this particular bird species in my yard visiting every afternoon for several days this past week though it's described to be common here.

The other day the Scrub-Jay finally came to the window, apparently attracted these several days by the perpetual motion of mini-solar powered figures sitting on the inside windowsill.  One realistic-looking figure appears to be a large bee hovering with rapid wing movement over colorful flowers.  Touching the window glass gently with his beak, the blue bird soon discovered penetration was restricted, keeping him from reaching that fake insect.

Apparently not completely discouraged, the Scrub-Jay then hopped further down the window out of my sight.  I soon heard pecking sounds which was obviously the bird determined to find a way inside to get to that tasty-looking bug.  Scrub-Jay quickly discerned entry was a futile effort there, too, and flew away.  Fortunately, my window is dirty enough the bird hadn't mistakenly flown into it, unlike a small bird I noticed one year repeatedly butting against a then clearer window.   I miss seeing Scrub-Jay and wonder if he will return another day but hasn't so far.

POST PANDEMIC

Now that -- presumably, going out in the world is safer for those of us who have our vaccinations, if we've waited the two weeks following the injections(s) for antibodies to fully develop in our system -- I don't feel any real drive to do so.   We have yet to see the full effect of variants.  I haven't set foot in a store or restaurant for over a year.  I've grown accustomed to ordering more items online and having other deliveries.

I rather like making pick-ups at grocery stores, other businesses, various restaurants and drive-thrus.  I hope some of these services continue after the pandemic is in our past -- assuming it will be eventually.  Perhaps I will evolve into using more of a mix of such conveniences than I've used in the past.  I wonder if others may alter their future shopping routines, too, from past patterns before this pandemic?



27 comments:

  1. Our property taxes have also gone up and senior citizens on fixed pensions/incomes are complaining but, I can understand the need for the raise.

    our pandemic is in its second wave attack in our state and we are back to lockdowns and curfews. So, despite being vaccinated I will have to wait for quite a while before I can venture out.

    You might like to investigate Rainwater Harvesting in India as a method to conserve water.

    I too had a new visitor this morning. OUr first butterfly of the season!

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    1. I, too, understand need for increasing our city utility rates but, as you say, those on fixed incomes can hurt since their funds likely don't increase accordingly.

      I’ve followed on news the latest virus rage in India. Am glad to hear you are remaining safe.

      Thanks for the reference to water-saving measures. I have two huge water barrels to catch runoff from the roof but need to install gutters to hook them up. I’m no longer able to retrieve water from barrels as I once might have to use water for some potted plants or have a raised garden as I wanted. Didn't get my drip system installed to patio plants as I had purchased and intended after husband died. I was away for a period in heat of summer and my potted dwarf fruit trees died as did some other plants I never replaced.

      I wonder what butterfly species you have? Do you get Monarch butterflies?

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    2. Yes, Monarchs are the most common. I am not an expert but, there are many different varieties that visit our garden that I enjoy watching.

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    3. I just found this link you might find of interest picturing India’s Tiger Butterfly similar and related to our U.S. Monarch which the Tiger was once thought to be. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2017/02/monarch-miscalculation-has-scientific-error-about-butterflies-persisted-more-40-years

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    4. Interesting! Tiger butterflies makes sense. I discovered a whole new world after our exchange. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_butterflies_of_India_(Papilionidae)#:~:text=Notable%20endemics%20are%20the%20southern,Butterflies%20of%20India%20by%20R.%20K.

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  2. How fun to have a bird to entertain you at your window!

    I'd love to be able to help you with Patience, but it is something with which I struggle mightily myself.

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    1. The Jay bird entertainment has ceased I think though I continue to enjoy hummingbirds harvesting nectar from my Bird of Paradise blooms.

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  3. Good to know there is a helpful reason to not have sparklingly clean windows. Thanks. Maybe that is why I haven't had any suicides lately.
    I'm with you on not rushing to freedom with the vaccines. Too many variants out there to feel comfortable. And like you, I do love pick up services and will probably continue those.

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    1. Glad you’re using caution for safety from the viruses. Sounds like you, too, have succumbed to adjusting your shopping pattern in the future.

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  4. I think that many people will alter their shopping habits, not sure for how long. I will admit that I am very much looking forward to eating outdoors at a restaurant in the nearish future. I’m fully vaccinated, my husband and daughter have gotten their first shots. We will of course wait and see how it goes with the variants and how safe it seems.

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    1. Eating out in the future might be more attractive to me if my family was here to share the experience, though whenever they visited we did so, likely will if and when they are able to come again.

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  5. My sentiments entirely regarding shopping and activities post pandemic. But then, I never enjoyed shopping of any kind.

    We have four different bins, they sit at the edge of the front garden look like lego cubes left by a giant after getting bored with playing. And collection days are weekly (black), fortnightly (green) and monthly (yellow and blue), whereby the black bin is moved by the bin men, the green must be placed by us on the curb and the yellow and blue ones must be moved to a collection point across the road and back. They are all collected/emptied by the same company (city) using an orange truck. I sometimes try and imagine the creative management meetings that came up with the logistics.

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    1. My that is a complicated scheduling of bin pickups -- sounds challenging. We put all our bins out at the curb the same day for emptying once a week. Different trucks come at different times of the day to pick up one or the other bin whose contents are theirs. My bins aren't always full so I wait until the week when each particular one is filled before putting out at the curb.

      Presently my weekly gardeners put out my greenery bin since they come early on pickup day. This year I've had to accept my kind neighbors offer to put out any of my other bins when they're full. They and apparently other neighbors who I haven't observed have been kind enough to return my bins by the house where I can readily access each since moving them has become challenging for me. I no longer keep them out of sight in the garage to minimize my having to move them. The city can be hired to retrieve the bins but this saves me their extra charge since I don't need them weekly. I truly appreciate my neighbors aid. I hadn't expected to need this assistance.

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  6. Sorry to hear about your slowing physical activity and pain with movement. I wonder if surgery would make much difference, unless you actually need a hip or knee replacement.

    Our shopping patterns haven't changed much during the pandemic. We go to the supermarket and other food shops regularly. But we've ordered a few items on line, like clothes and a coffee grinder and a CD player. The one shop I'm dying to visit again when it reopens is Waterstones.

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    1. I see Waterstones purchased our U.S. Barnes and Noble in 2019 which I hadn't realized until I researched them after reading your comment. So they are represented in all 50 of our states. I’ve always enjoyed the large selection of books and other items in the store I visited nearby.

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  7. Much of my country is frequently in drought. Sadly it is almost a permanent setting. With it goes the increased and deadly risk of fires.
    I do hope you get some rain - or at the very least are not beset with fires.
    I hear you on the recalcitrant body front too. Sadly.

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    1. Guess drought is a condition to which more of us are going to have to become accustomed. Surprisingly, we actually had some drizzle the other morning. Over the next few days our temps will go up 30 degrees to dry us out.

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  8. I am trying to remember if I posted something here and it got lost or I never did lol

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    1. I haven't seen a comment on this post from you and have no unmoderated comments. I’ve had a few instances when I thought I’d left a comment on other blogs but never saw it when I went back later — didn't knew if I somehow didn't click to publish, the gremlin ate it, or if my mind played tricks on me.

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  9. I hear you on the slowing down and coming to grips with it, changing behaviours, recognising limitations. It can be more of a struggle some days.

    XO
    WWW

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    1. The body just doesn’t reflect what seems to be the mind’s age — at least so far.

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  10. I've done that but not hit the right buttons. If I did that, I'd have wanted to say that I've had a more isolated life for years due to my problems taking the flu shot, which means having to stay away from people during the season. All along my husband does the shopping but he goes early and tries to stay away from people even though we've both had our Covid shot.

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    1. Somewhere along the way after my husband’s death, then a number of fairly active years, more family and friends dying, needing to limit my activities more, I have become more isolated than I ever imagined could possibly occur. Oh well, that’s life as the saying goes.

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  11. We have been sorting food waste for years. The municipality provides a specific bin for the purpose. Monday is pick up day in our area and the bins line the streets like little green soldiers, alongside the blue bins for other recyclables. It's lovely to have the scrub jay visit. Blue Jays show up daily in our backyard so we are both fortunate.

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    1. I had planned to start a compost pile and maybe use some food waste there but before I got started I came to point I would be unable to care for it as needed or use it. Scrub jay hasn't been back — just my usual mockingbirds, hummingbirds, a few other species and squirrels.

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  12. So sorry that your movements have slowed down, but that is to be expected with age. I hope that the conveniences that have come with the pandemic do continue for all of us.

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    1. Sounds like you, too, have benefitted from some of the conveniences this pandemic has brought us.

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