Orange

We got up early this morning and walked.  Masks were worn this time because of the dust in the air.  However, Texas has mandated, for most counties, to wear masks in public.  There is a fine of $250 for those who do not.  From what I could tell, it personally changes very little to what we were doing already.  I may be more apt to wear the mask to and from the car, even to the house, and will wear it on walks going forward, dust or not.  

Since we got up early, after I got back from C and E's place, naps were had.  That is what I want to put as my happy for today, but I remembered the picture I took this morning.  There was a lovely carefully planted and overgrown front yard.  It wasn't messy, it was just full of different plants.  One was an orange and yellow flower that I really liked.  I seem to be drawn to orange and yellow flowers this year.  Not that I don't notice others, I love seeing purple ones pop through something, but there is something that keeps me looking at the orange and yellow ones.  If the Plantnet app on my phone is correct, this plant is the Pride-of-Barbados.

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Wear your mask.

Flowers and moonlight

This morning was a down morning for me.  After talking for a while and then taking a walk I started to feel better.  There are many things going on now in the world, in the SCA, and in my life.  Because of these things my anxiety is high.  Walking helped my body process some of that anxiety as did talking with my friend.   Thankful for friends.

Helping C and E post more of their stuff online to sell and get it packed up to ship is how the rest of my day went.  It was good.  They are learning a bunch about selling and shipping things.  I hope that they will be able to help me downsize when we get back home.  It is possible that I will fly and they will stay in Texas longer.  Plans are not yet finalized.  

The sky today was hazy with the dust from the Sahara hanging in the air.  Apparently, these same dust storms are keeping the hurricanes from forming, so that is good?  All the dust made for an appearance of smog over the city today.  Beyond the dust I could tell that the sky would have been mostly blue.

There are a couple things that made my happy list today.  They are:

• Dulce de leche ice cream.
• Helping out.
• Flowers.
• Nature.
• Walking.
• Family and friends.
• Good food.
• The moon.

Between the two poles on the right is the moon.

Close up of the moon.

The moon again a little bit later.

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Stay safe.

Happy July

The year is half over.  There are things that I wanted to do that I haven't done.  There are also so many things that I never would have expected to happen that have.  One of those is that I am in Texas for the second time this year.  This trip is to help C and E to clear out their apartment so they can live a nomadic life for a while.  They reached a bump in the road with a roommate and had to come back to Texas to be sure that it all turns out alright.  So this young couple is downsizing and today I helped by taking pictures of things they want to get rid of so that things can be reused.  Tomorrow I go back to help again.  My happy is that I was able to come to Texas with my youngest and their fiance to help them through this change in there life.  I am very grateful that I have a friend here that was willing to take me in during this time.

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Stay Safe.

Differences

Grocery shopping in a pandemic hot zone area in Texas meant that masks are required.  There was only one person I saw without a mask in a fairly busy store.  In New Hampshire, the masks are suggested and most people seem to use them.  Also, the grocery stores have made all the aisles one way so that people don't as easily come face to face with one another.  They don't do that in Texas, where the numbers are high.  My friend made the suggestion about the aisles to management.  Now, I say the numbers are high, but I haven't compared them per capita.  The population is much lower at home than it is in Texas.  

My apologies that my blog is becoming more about the current pandemic.  I've tried to keep that news short or non-existent.  It seems harder to do that now that I am in Texas instead of New Hampshire and things are different.  

My friend and I also went for a short walk this afternoon, after the heat of the day.  The temperatures aren't much different than what we had at home.  Before I left, it had been really hot and humid at home, and is that way here too.  Later in the week it will get hotter.  In Texas, there is more air conditioning.  😊  Getting out for a walk and playing Minecraft at night are my happy things for today.  We usually play Minecraft together over the phone, it is fun playing when we are in the same room and can glance at what the other is doing.  

Leaves...

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Keep your distance.