August 2022

 August 2022

Covid Is Still With US

But So Is Monkey Pox

PA, DE, NJ, NY

1- M- PA/DE

Jaye invited me to dinner at her house.  It was great to see her.  She is holding up pretty good with all of her cancer issues.  But I just realized that I haven't heard her laugh in months.

I took a covid test before I went to Jaye's house just to be safe.  I would never forgive myself if I infected her with covid.  I was negative.

2- TU- PA

I am getting my art work framed. I took my batiks from my African teacher.

I have been trying to go to Kennett Square brewery. So I went today and it was closed. Damn, damn, damn. So, instead, I got a delicious ice cream cone: eggnog and coffee with Oreos.

I came back to my apartment and began making plans to go to the shore tomorrow.

3- W- PA/NJ

I was up early to go to Ocean City, NJ to visit with Tricia's friend, Chris Lynott.

Annum has been messaging me.  She has yet another apartment option and she is trying to make all of the arrangements today.  That involves her sponsor from England sending me money.  Annum has to sign the lease electronically. I have to make contact with her new landlord and I am so eager to get this all done.

I got a message from my art institute.  Someone who was in my class, from last week, just tested positive for covid. I'm going to test myself again when I get home.

I am being bombarded today with email scams. I think I got four or five phishing emails trying to bait me in to giving them some of my credit information and/or social security information.

4- TH- PA

Annum issues started my day.  Her new landlord was texting me by 9 AM. She's looking fro a security deposit.

It's fucking hot. It's about 100 with the heat index.  There is a heat advisory out there for all of us to heed.  Maybe I will go to the pool today.

I took a covid test.  I am still negative.  This pandemic is exhausting.

After a trip to Costco, I drove to Delaware to go to the Dew Point Brewery-DE (1)-two stouts, an IPA and an ale.  All my beers are tasty.  But the air conditioning sucks at the moment.

It’s dark inside my apartment by 7:15 pm. That is depressing to realize that summer is creeping away from me)-two  And I didn't go to the pool.

5- F- PA

It's Root Beer Day! It was 60 years ago today that my family started celebrating this day.  We are now on the 5th generation of root beer drinker.

I'm making phone calls to businesses and getting through to no one.  That is irritating.  I am not getting enough done today.

I've arranged a zoom meeting for Annum and her family on August 9.  Now that she has secured housing I think she is so damn relieved. I know I am.

While sitting in the lounge this afternoon, I heard the ice machine running.  I was so surprised to hear this noise that I actually got off my fat ass and checked out the situation and sure enough, the ice tray is full of ice.  Ice is back as one of our amenities.  After almost 2 1/2 years, the ice machine is back on.  It's been off since Covid creeped in to every aspect of our lives.  Does this mean that covid is over?

6-SA-PA

Today was Elliot’s birthday party and he was in rare form.  And Deirdre was huge and pregnant.

7- SU- PA

It's really hot today and I decided that this would be the day that I finally go to the pool.  I ran to the grocery store in the afternoon and then came home.  But it was only 3:30 and that is still too early for me to go.  The sun is still too intense.  I don't like to go until 5ish.  So I foolishly laid down for a bit and then it was 8:30. 

 I slept soundly the whole time and I had yet another reoccurring work dream.  This time I was the principal of the school but the head counselor was in charge and she was completely incompetent. It was hard to watch her operate.

I did have a conversation with KF.  I've been waiting to go to a particular movie with her and it turns out that she already saw the movie.  So I am going to see it on Tuesday.

I booked my hotel for my Belfast visit. It should be a fun visit.

And Twitter is mad at me for claiming that I hope Trump strokes out and dies.  So now I am in Twitter jail for 12 hours.  Oh well. 

Hi Dr Bridget E. Kelly,

Your account, @bridgetekelly has been locked for violating the Twitter Rules.

Specifically for:

Violating our rules against abuse and harassment.

You may not engage in the targeted harassment of someone, or incite other people to do so. This includes wishing or hoping that someone experiences physical harm.

Dr Bridget E. Kelly @bridgetekelly @laurenboebert @ByronDonalds We aren’t trying to wish the death of the orange idiot. We are wishing it. Bring him more KFC and let the heart attack begin. #TrumpIsALaughingStock #TrumpCoupAttempt #TrumpIsACriminal

Please note that repeated violations may lead to a permanent suspension of your account. Proceed to Twitter now to fix the issue with your account. 8- M- PA I had a late morning Dr appt. with my oncologist.  All is well. It's been a year since my cancer scan.  It's been a year since my doctor declared that I was cancer free. In the afternoon, I went to the Root Down brewery (2).  I always like to come to this place.  They always have a nice variety of IPAs.  Today was no different. When I got home, I went to the pool and went swimming until 9pm. It was dark when I got out of the pool. Trump's home is raided by the FBI.  They are looking for top secret documents that he took when he left the WH. He's a jerk. 9- TU- PA The day started with a zoom call with Annum and her mother.  I had asked several people to join us. In the afternoon, I went to see the movie, Mrs Harris Goes to Paris. I had dinner with MMA friends.  It's always nice to see them. I thought about Rich Mell tonight.  I So I googled him to see if I could find anything about him on the internet.  He died, just last week.  He was only 60 and there was no cause of death but I assume it was alcohol related. 10-W- PA My goodie bag came in for my trip to Ireland. It's a lot of thing I don't want but it was exciting to get it. I hung in the lounge all day, catching up on things and chatting with neighbors. I had a phone call with Lynn Talbot.  She wanted to talk to me about Rich Mell.  I had posted his death on my Facebook post.  Lynn, like me, just felt so bad about what a waste this man's last 20 years have been.  His drinking destroyed his career, his health, his dignity and his legacy.  He was an outstanding teacher who slipped away from everyone's good graces.  11- Thursday US Attorney General Garland has finally stepped up and held Trump accountable. I picked up artwork.  I had four peices matted and framed. Working on my batik have Sharon wanting my help on instagram I ticked off another Bd goal.  I went to the  ramen noodle shop In the afternoon. went to the pool for the first time this season. stayed until 9 PM. Tweet: So now we are waiting for trump to release the warrant, his tax returns, his healthcare plan and the check to come in from Mexico. #TrumpisaNationalDisgrace #TrumpIsACriminal #TrumpIsNotAboveTheLaw 12- F I had so much blood work done this afternoon.  It appears that several medical people have been giving me medical scripts for blood work and I have been ignoring them.  Now, I have many tests to take today. I drove to Hidden River Brewery (3) for a quick flight.  I like this place. I had a dragonfruit IPA. I am still waiting for Deirdre to deliver her beautiful baby boy.  I cant wait much more. I went to the pool in the late afternoon. I had the pool to myself. Tweet: I offer my humble apologies to AG Garland for having doubt. 13-SA- PA I ushered at Uptown. I came back to my apartment and worked on my sheet.  It is finally finished and so I soaked it in dye in a bucket in the tub overnight. 14-SU- PA I ticked off  2 of my birthday goals pizza place-it was OK. bubble tea-too damn sweet In the early evening, I attempted to take a dip in the pool but is was just too damn chilly. So I just hung there with Sharon and Kristen until it closed. 15- M- PA Deirdre still hasn't delivered that baby boy yang and I can't take it. I am ready for her to become a mother. Her due date was yesterday. I worked for over an hour, trying to pick the wax off of my massive batik project.  I hate me sometimes.  This project is too big and is going to take a lot of effort to complete it and is not worth the effort. But I have invested too many hours to just throw it out. I spent the afternoon deleting 10,0000 photos from a software program that I paid $200 and never use. Today, the news leaked that Trump's passports were confiscated by the FBI.  I almost wish that they would just let him run off to Saudi Arabia and leave us alone.  But he would never leave us alone. It's Movie Night at Uptown and I ushered for the 1964 movie, Father Goose. I saw this movie in the theater in 1964.  During the summer months, my parents took us to the movies most Tuesday nights. 16- TU- PA There is still no sign that Baby Boy Yang is ready to make his debut today. I told Sharon that she cant call me until the baby is born. My batik sheet project is becoming a nightmare. I don't think I will ever finish it. It's an overcast day and I welcome the change in weather. It is nice to have a cool, cloudy day with nothing to do. I am almost finished deleting all of my photos from my computer software program. It was fun to see all of the places I've been in the last 10 years. But I think I have enough photos of elephants, zebras, beaches and flowers for the rest of my life. The results of my blood work came in and I have low protein which really surprises me. I have to eat more red meat! I was sitting on my balcony, working on my damn batik project and SE wandered in to the courtyard with a friend. They had the fire pit going so I grabbed a beer and went down and joined them. We talked at length about Trump. I asked them if they thought trump would ever committ suicide. They think he is too much of a narcissist to do so. 17- W- PA We are still waiting for Baby Boy Yang to make his debut. I spent the afternoon at the Split Rail Bar with Bill McRae, Mark Schmidt and Rob Herman. I drank pass my usual limit and then I encouraged them to wander up to Sterling Pig Brewery (4) for one more beer. And then I had to go home and take a nap. Of course, our conversation turned to politics and trump. I asked them if they thought Trump would ever commit suicide. They, too, think he is too much of a narcissist to do so. One person wants him to chock to death on a chicken bone. Tweet: Thank you @RepLizCheney 18- TH- PA There is no new Yang today. And I have exhausted my efforts to probe without being annoying. And so I will have to sit and wait until Sharon calls me with the good news. I did a little bit of housework, very little but at least I did some. I really have to find a cleaning service. I ushered at Uptown for the third time this week. There was a small crowd here to listen to an acoustic jazz infusion band. They were good and they were tripping over each other in admirable. I met a new usher and she was very sweet but nervous about her assignment. I wanted to remind her that this is only a volunteer position. And as she stood beside me, I noticed she was wearing an ankle monitoring bracelet. What had this woman done? She seemed so damn sweet. 19- F- PA Sharon called me. Theo Calvin Yang was born yesterday after a long, long labor. He is almost 10 pounds and apparently has a full head of hair. I can't wait to see a photo of him. Deirdre was in labor for 36 hours. She went to the hospital on Tuesday night. My osteoporosis NP called me to tell my that my Vitamin D count is too high so I have to pull back on taking those damn horse pills she has recommended I take. I went to Marecello Mexican restaurant for dinner - BG #8. I had a chimichanga and a shrimp taco and both were delicious. I want to go back here. 20- SA- PA It's a beautiful day. It might be a pool day. I'm not sure because I have to usher tonight and I don't like to go to the pool until late in the afternoon. So there may not be enough time to do both. Annum and I chatted for a few minutes and I can see that the reality of moving from Bangladesh to the USA is catching up with her. I asked if she was nervous and she expressed sadness about leaving her family and friends. She's had company at her house for the last two weeks. I got Lauren's invitations out for her wedding celebration. We are going to have a brunch at the White Dog Cafe on October 23rd. Sharon sent me a photo of Theo but I am not allowed to share it just yet. He is beautiful and he looks exactly like Kevin. He has that full head of hair which I was hoping for. In the evening, I ushered for the 4th time this week at uptown. The performers were so loud that an elderly couple left the theatre after the first 10 minutes. I had to go and find ear plugs. Afterwards, I ran in to Kristen, in the lounge, and she talked me in to going to the Square Bar to meet friends of hers. I just don't like that place, She promised that we wouldn't stay long and so I reluctantly agreed to go. We stayed for two beers. 21- SU- PA Yesterday, I had high hopes that today was going to be a productive day and it wasn't. I went to Walmart to get a few more things for Annum. I completed my on-line training for The Road To Recovery Program (American cancer Society). Now I have to get police clearance. I wonder if my speeding ticket, from last summer, is going to be a problem. Once I am cleared, I can begin to drive cancer patients to their treatment. But before I do that, I have to get my car fully detailed. It's a mess. I started signing for my apartment lease but it looks as if the lease is only for 11 months. I will have to check in at the office for clarification. I thought my rent was going up $100 but it is going up $126/month. 22- M- PA/NJ I was up at 9 to go to the beach today with Helen Dougherty. We are off to visit with KF in Avalon. But first we visited with Anne Dougherty who is 94 and now stuck in her lazy boy chair in her bedroom in her daughter's house. I checked in with Annum. She just boarded her plane from Bangladesh to Dubai to Miami to Philly. She gets in tomorrow night. My doctor's assistant called. The results of my blood work look good. I hope that means I no longer have a fatty liver. It took forever to get to Avalon but we finally got this in the early afternoon. After lunch, we got in to our suits and spent the afternoon in the pool. Kathy made a great seafood dinner. 23- TU- NJ/PA/DE Kathy's cleaning people showed up at 8:30. She told them to let me sleep but there was no chance I was able to rest as 5 people with a mission to clean this place in an hour was going to be quiet so I was up and out on the pool area for some morning coffee. I got another call from the doctor. Apparently, everything isn't good. I may have scarring on my liver. Now I have to schedule an ultrasound to see what's up. I just floated all afternoon in the pool. The water was 87F and the sun was intense so it was just lovely Annum's plane plans were derailed. She missed her connection in Miami so she is going to get in an hour later. 24- W- DE/PA Annum is here. And we got her to her new apartment. We got a sim card for her phone. We opened a banking account. She purchased a used MAC and we got to tour the campus. She was thrilled. And I dropped her off to relatives in Broomall and I was exhausted. We had an End of Summer Party here at Chestnut Square. The caterers forgot to show up on time. So we just had a long happy hour until they arrived. There was a big crowd. The food was mediocre. And they ran out of food. But it was fun to connect with people. 25- TH- PA Lauren, Mike, Sue, Bobby, Bill and Pat and I went to hear our former student, Devon Gifilian play at a local venue. Devon is a rising start. His brother, Ryan, also sang with him. It was great fun to see both of them. This was the first time I met Bobby, Sue's new boyfriend. I think we were both nervous. Twitter: As a society, we push kids to go to college. Too many go. Too many take on huge loans. Too many drop out and are then stuck with no degree and huge debt. Too many go in to blue collar jobs. This debt cut helps these people who should have been encouraged to follow their dreams. 26- F- PA I had dinner in South Philly with Rosina and Leslie. We went to Dante's and Luigi's which has been a mainstay in Philly for years. But I had never been there and my dinner was excellent. And the company was great. 27- SA- PA Tricia invited me to dinner with the Anderkos to plan our wedding trip in November. I don't think any decisions were made' 28- SU- PA/NY We had a bridal shower for Brielle today. She and Quentin are getting married in November. They seem to be a good match for each other. Lauren and I drove up for the day. There is so much talk about all of the top secret documents found at Trump's home. If he doesn't go to jail, there is no justice in this country. 29- M- PA For dinner, I went to a Chinese restaurant- King's Garden- BG#9- I went out for an ice cream cone. I am pretty good at eliminating sugar from my diet. But some days, I just want an ice cream cone and today was one of those days. Steve had surgery for a blocked intestine. He's been in the hospital for a long time. I had a long conversation with Debbie. As usual, she talks about leaving Jeff. But she just can't do it. Tweet: I’m not afraid of the civil war threats. I’m afraid of losing our democracy. If trump returns to the WH, we will lose our democracy and we will never get it back. #VoteBlue2022 #LockHimUp 30- TU- PA I met Helen, Kathy and Sally for lunch at Iron Hill Brewery I met Jaye and Dom for dinner at Sedona Tavern. I am a big pig. 31- W- PA I had lunch with the Springfield faculty for what has now become an annual retired faculty meeting.