Month: September 2023

My journalist friend Mary Jane who lives in Nebraska sent the picture included with this BLOG.  One of the places she and her son have visited on their vacation is Theodore Roosevelt National Park.  She has some great photographs of the area, including the one of a large prairie dog town.  Daughter #3 says that it is an extensive town built by these animals.  Because I’m still dealing with COVID (I thought after having a negative test, I was “over the hump,” but I was not); so, I would use my e-mail response to her photograph.

How many days does a person need to isolate when tested positive for COVID?  How many days does a person need to wear a mask after isolating because of a positive COVID test?  I didn’t know three days ago, but I do now.  You may know that about three times a year, my body tries to get pneumonia.  Every year after coughing for two or three hours, I knew that I was headed for a bout with pneumonia.  There was no cold.  No chest congestion.  Nothing but a cough.  Occasionally, I’d end up in the hospital with pneumonia.  Then my PCP recommended that I take doxycycline twice each day and, ColdEze when I coughed.  This regimen of meds has kept me out of danger from pneumonia and out of the hospital for years.  Not once have I had pneumonia or been hospitalized with pneumonia since following those orders.

This is the week of remembering.  Remembering the devastating events that occurred on 9/11.  Where were you on 9/11, 2001?  I remember where I was.  I was in the air on my first trip to Europe.  Completely oblivious to the worldly happenings.

Empty-nesters; almost.  That’s what Daughter ‘#3 and Husband are.  Last week, they took their youngest west in their state and left her at her new lodging.  A college dorm room where she will spend the next many months getting her first taste of college-level classes; and being away from her folks for the first real time in her life.  Indeed, she did have a one-week camp experience, but she knew that they were very close and could get her, if necessary, in short order.

It occurs to me that this “empty-nest syndrome” affects the the young ones as much as the parents.  Her older sister attends college in the same town where her folks live.  So, she can get to her parents quickly.  Of course, as I write this article, she is spending a semester in New Zealand.  And, if her weekly communications (the Weekly Kiwi) can be believed, she is having a great time at Auckland University.  All the while taking math and science classes that I didn’t really know existed until she talked about them.  She just returned from the Cook Islands; a field trip sponsored by AU.  I think AU takes very good care of their international students!

At her University of Wisconsin school, Grand #2 will be delving more into computer stuff – “stuff” because I’m not sure what to call it.  If I’m understanding correctly, she wants to create computer games.  Another puzzle to me, since I don’t play computer games.

So now that Grand #2 is out of the house (for the time being), mom and dad will find themselves thinking unusual things.  Such as, someone needs to pick up a daughter from school.  No, she’s not at school.  Or, I wonder if she could do a small grocery or pharmacy run.  No, she’s not in the house.

It also means that the mom and dad activities will have to change.  Only mom and dad can decide what this new experience will be.  What will be the topics of conversation?  Will we continue to have Friday night PPP – pajamas, pizza, and picture show?

It will no longer be necessary to call either daughter to breakfast, lunch, or dinner.  What will be the conversation at breakfast, lunch, or dinner?

Can part-time work, away from home, become full-time work?  Will it take a shorter time to get to work because no one needs to be delivered to school?

Will mom and dad have more time to talk to mom’s sister and mom, and dad’s dad – and to each other?  Will they end up paying more attention to the pup?  Now, there is no daughter to help with walking the dog.

When traveling for some long distance, will one of you make a list of discussion topics to cover the journey?

As I said, this time period is a “sort-of empty” nest.  It will be a relatively short time for daughter and husband.  Both college students will be back for summer and school vacations.  So, maybe, just maybe, they will treat this period as practice for the real thing, when it occurs – because in time, it will come!”

Be Safe and Be Well.

The Cranky Crone

Thoughtful comments are appreciated.