Sheltering in place

Papas World – I have a neighbor – his name is Dexter – a good dude.

/ Tom / Leave a comment

I started to mow yesterday – and I have always mowed my two neighbors lawns.

To the right of the tree and light post – Dexter’s lawn

He came out and I shut the mower down.

I have know him for almost 14 years

He has been going through hard times the last three years.

You see – Dexter has Cancer – he is young – early 40’s.

He sometimes rides his bike on the same trails as we walk.

He told me Susie had told him we sold our house.

Susie lives between us and I mow her lawn also.

He said it is hard to believe that soon there will be

No more Sherry and Tom – to talk to.

He has gone through a bone marrow transplant.

He is in pain a lot of times now with his back.

He has not worked in three years and is on total disability.

We sometimes send food over – he does not have much and is on a limited income.

He has always watched our home when we are away –

carefully attending the Tower Gardens.

Even before he became ill and the Chemo has eaten away at him

We would talk on the front porch or stand and talk out front

He has our code to the garage door

when we are away he checks and makes sure everything is okay

I started doing that after we had gone away

and had a major water leak that destroyed

our first level wood floors – causing us to replace 800 some feet

because we could no longer match the thickness.

Dexter is my friend – trusted neighbor – we talk

we laugh – I help him out –

Dexter is African – American.

DEXTER IS MY NEIGHBOR & FRIEND

BLACK LIVES MATTER

Going to miss him.

Thank you for reading Papa’s World

WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY

MY SITE: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

Papas World – another day – another walk – another blog!

/ Tom / Leave a comment

We walk – and walk and walk.

71 years old – still walking – social distancing – getting exercise.

Between 2 and 3 .20 miles a day –

depending on weather – walking – not running

tried that and ended up hurting my legs

shins and hips!

I run too hard Sherry says.

I LITERALLY POUND THE PAVEMENT!

My focus is movement –

I will have 1000 to 2000 every morning

before my wife gets up!

I am always up by 5 am.

I move around in the mornings

I sit and write – but constantly get up –

doing things – dusting the floors –

I clean all the time – put away dishes

unload the dish washer – nothing with noise

just being busy keeps me moving.

My heart doctor said to me ” MOVE”

and I get between 8000 and 11,000 steps each day

when the weather permits walking outside!

I am a fair weather walker – I do not like to walk in the cold.

Since I had heart problems and a operation

I get really cold easily.

That is the main reason I seek out warmer weather

in the Winter time!

The self sheltering has been not easy as we miss our families.

But – we have been walking – riding bikes –

putting puzzles together ( 8 )

and reading books – I love to read –

and I have been blogging each and every day.

Walking – no hair cut – sunshine – sheltering!

Just another blog and another day in my life.

Thank you for reading Papa’s World

WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY!

MY SITE: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

Papas World – do we or don’t we – 21 years here – blessed

/ Tom / Leave a comment

Well – we shall see how this all works out –

WE ARE LISTING OUR HOME – another BIG event in our life!

And yes – at least once a day – ” Please call my phone” ! LOL

It always gets laid down somewhere only not to be found!

Going to miss this – a view out the back door – to the East sunrise.

We decided that maybe it was time – we have gone through one down turn

and after almost 13 years – our market here has recovered

to the point we just may break even on the sale of the house!

Being 71 years old – we just do not have the time left to rebound

if the market once again turns down.

With the pandemic – and our area is still strong in sales

we decided to cut our ties here – and wait and rent –

We love it here – will we be sorry and regret it?

NOTE: Hair is much longer now – going back to my HIPPIE DAYS!

Or will we treat it as a new adventure – a new start –

where ever we want to go!

This could become our new norm!

For the time being – we will stay with the kids –

either in Leesburg or Winchester

and after Christmas – head South for the winter.

Storage will contain whatever we do not sell

and we have sold a lot already!

We have made five trips to Salvation Army –

We have given the kids different items

What they can use or want – we have gone through STUFF

and donated it or thrown away!

Being retired has made it all the easier to do this.

Once you make up your mind –

throwing things away becomes less stressful

and looking ahead to a new beginning

a new start somewhere – we have ideas

but for the time being – we will just relax

( I do not how we had time to work – before retirement)

I will miss my yard – my flowers – everything I created

but I have done this before – leaving my mark on the land

Someday we will return and ride around

just to see the changes and how it looks.

My neighbors have said they will miss us –

They wonder if the next ones will keep it as nice as we have.

Only time will tell –

I told the lady selling our house –

everything you see – comes back each Spring

There are four trees I did not plant – every other tree and bush

I planted – most times on my knees by hand

for you see Northern Va. is full of rocks! LOL

Blooming in the Spring
Growing our own produce
The Tower Garden
Everything is for sale
We will take at least one with us
http://www.sfjuiceplus.com
Its a big house
almost 3100 sf.
a 500 sf patio
strawberry patch
I am going to miss this the most
mowing – trimming
green grass – shade trees
flowers – Gods beauty
Sitting on our front porch
I like this better than the patio
I get to see people walking
saying hello
waving from across the street
Saying good bye to the path we walked
the sidewalks – the lakes
the forests
The playgrounds and the buildings to come
Sheltering has been good for us
as we have places to walk
going to miss this after 14 years

By the time you have read this – we will have listed the house

We will have had a storage unit

and cleaned out the house and stored what we can

made it presentable to those who are interested

downsizing – clearing out –

And maybe even sold it!

Who knows where our next adventure will be

I will keep blogging where ever we are

LIFE BEGINS AT 71 FOR US!

Together through thick and thin

living life one day at a time

Thank you for reading Papa’s World

WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY

MY SITE: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

More to come !

Papas World – A World of trying times – keep smiling!

/ Tom / Leave a comment

The end before the beginning – a upside – inside out World!

When one little thing goes wrong –

it cascades – only in my case – it was with the KEURIG

And I forgot to put the CUP in! LOL!

Now imagine – if the top disappeared from your life

and the bottom took it’s place!

In my case – exactly what happened!

I was a fast food junkie –

and then thanks to my wife – we changed

for 14 years now – no fast food –

and I take my WHOLE FOOD SUPPLEMENTS

Of Juice plus – ORCHARD – GARDEN – VINEYARD and OMEGAS

made not from fish oil –

but where the fish get the OMEGAS – JP own ALGAE FARMS!

So my World turned upside down and right side up!

Our World which was normal is now abnormal

and we may not live long enough to see it go back

if it ever does!

So – we evolve – we change and we go on.

That has been the Human evolution since human kind began.

Laugh – think and do new things.

Times have changed – say GOOD MORNING –

Drink you coffee or tea or hot chocolate

Thank you for reading Papa’s World

I hope I brought to you words to think about

and I hope you come back

for this is PAPA’S WORLD

WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY

MY SITE: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

Papas World – Can you IMAGINE !

/ Tom / Leave a comment

I have never watched those shows with Zombies

The walking dead – but I look outside and everything seems normal.

It is not like the movie The Quiet Place

The birds are chirping – you hear the planes overhead

not like it was at 911 when the skies went silent

Nor is it like when the DC sniper caused you to hide

behind your car door as you pumped gas at 4:30 in the AM.

Papa and Tom
this past Feb. at Disney Springs

While I have never experienced Zombies and Walking dead

I was in NVA during the sniper attacks

and was in the exact middle of the area affected.

Yes – I had to be at work at 5:00 AM.

And when I needed gas – I did exactly as I described.

And when the skies went silent –

that day where I worked in Alexandria Va.

The Springfield area – the plane flew overhead and hit the Pentagon

I did not see it but heard it – and several of my co- workers

were outside in the parking lot loading customers and saw it!

Now – we are in trying times – from something you can not see.

Yet – it is there stalking –

It is scary – because you can not see it –

But has shut the World down.

Wars come and go – snipers are caught – planes fly again.

I would of never imagined this and how there is no place to hide.

IN THE ENTIRE WORLD!

Yet – we live day to day – we find ways to talk – to see one another.

IMAGINE – A World – brought to its knees and we are surviving.

Sort of WAR OF THE WORLDS IN REVERSE!

No haircut for 80 some days

Just the two of us – but that in itself – we are blessed –

a lot of people have no one.

We are getting through this – we are becoming whole once more

The World has changed – normal has become abnormal

Stay safe – stay having faith –

Believe in humanity

Look outside – see the beauty – smell the air and soak in the sunshine

The birds are chirping – it could be a lot worse

There could be Zombies and A Quiet Place!

As a World – we sill have one another.

We are moving on – one day at a time.

Thank you for reading Papa’s World

WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY!

MY SITE: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

Papas World – now – the helmet hides the hair!

/ Tom / 1 Comment

Life is so different now in Sheltering – we still walk –

ride our bikes – deliver groceries

collect food for the food pantry

and now are on a schedule to bring meals

to a vet and his wife who are home bound.

Resting on the trail – I can walk – but biking is a whole new ball game!

You use different muscles –

plus my bike is acting weird

when I am coasting – it constantly is changing gears

so I never know how it will be when I start peddling again!

Plus it does it when I apply the hand brakes!

The whole World has changed – life is not like we lived it!

We must adapt – and we are.

But – we are ready to explore once again.

I miss being able to drive and stop to eat.

Or pull over and see the beauty of the country.

I wonder what those who have passed away would think of today?

One thing that I have not been able to do –

IS GET A HAIR CUT!

It now has been 75 days!

And it is getting long and curly – which is natural for me!

Back in the ’70’s – I had long hair – although it was tight curls.

And for almost ten years – I rode a motorcycle.

Those days are long gone!

Now days I keep it cut and trimmed – usually every four weeks!

Since I started Juice Plus – it seems to grow faster!

So today – I am going to show you what it looks like now.

The question is ” DO I LET SHERRY CUT IT” ?

Or do I just bite the bullet so to speak and keep going!

All I do now is shower – wash it – towel dry it –

and run my fingers through it!

No comb or brush –

and I put nothing in or on it!

My wife wants me to buy some “STUFF” for it.

She says it will hold the curls more!

So Here It Is!

I will let you be the judge – and comment if you like!

It has been 45 plus years since it has been this long

and it was way longer back then!

Now the abnormal has become the normal

Thank you for reading Papa’s World!

Will wait for feed back!

WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY!

MY SITE: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

Papas World – things I had to do – risky – so far – good.

/ Tom / Leave a comment

During this time of not knowing how this all will turn out

I had to do a couple things that were risky

and I thought long and hard about.

The first was when my front tooth felt different

and it was actually loose!

OBOY – I was in Florida and I thought just get through this

get home and take care of it there.

Then we got home- I made the appointment

and COVID 19 happened!

So I canceled and waited it out!

Then it happened – it broke off – it was a crown –

but I had a gap right in the front!

Now – I had no choice – before it got infected –

I had to go to the dentist – so I made my appointment on line.

They would only do emergency’s.

I was worried – but I went in – they were the only people there

the husband and wife dental team.

He drilled it out – the post – and put in the temp.

No shots – there was no root.

But I would have to be careful and go back

when the crown came in!

That took place over several weeks and it all came out good.

I have my new crown – they were very professional

and there were no other patients there

and they wore gowns – masks – shields – gloves

and stayed away from me when not working on my mouth!

The next thing was the car – I have maintained it right on schedule

for seven years – and it now has 122,000 miles.

I needed a oil change

the last time was back in January just before we left for Florida.

I already was over the mileage and we had driven

a lot of miles while we were in Florida.

So – I made the appointment

and in I went – hardly anyone there!

I waited all by myself

They had put distance between all the seats

and no one was in there.

I got the oil change – replaced a bulb and was on my way!

Yesterday I saw my doctor – by phone!

I now have this app where you go into her office portal

and you can see and talk to her!

Since my heart attack almost seven years ago

I see my two doctors every six months and the one every twelve months.

That part was easy – but they have to draw blood every six months.

So – today I go to the office – where they have one person at a time.

They check your temp. plus she could see me yesterday.

I am feeling good , no head ache – cough – pink eye –

Then – I must wear a mask –

they take me right in – draw the blood and I leave

as quick as possible.

God bless these front line people!

So – during all these I had to make choices

I am healthy – have not taken the FLU shot in 15 years!

I take my Juice Plus and Omegas

I drink water all day – no dairy – very little sugars –

my one vice is coffee with almond cream.

However I am doing a 16 hour shred – fast

I do not eat for 16 hours after my dinner.

And I can have no coffee so I am having a cup of tea in the morning.

I am livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

Welcome to Papa’s World

WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY

Thank you

sometimes you just have to trust in your faith

Go in Peace – thanks be to God.

Papas World – a Mothers day to remember – covid19

/ Tom / Leave a comment

Sometimes – you just have to suck it up – still maintain –

And see your family!

That happened yesterday – Mother’s Day – 5-10 – 20

The year we were sheltering for COVID19 !

We decided after 58 days – and this being a special day

we would make the trip and see the families

while still social distancing.

We have not been to either set of family houses since Christmas.

We left for Florida the 28th. of January –

Came back home March 4th.

and 10 days later went into Sheltering!

The Tree little ones as I call them –

Bode – age 5 – Taylor and Cassidy – age 9.

We miss them terribly – as every day after school they would be here

until one parent picked them up –

and in the morning – Bode and his mother would be here

after she dropped the twins off at school

and wait until Bode had to be at preschool at 9 am.

Sarah – mother Debby – Sherry – Maddy and Ella

The three oldest – even though they are now older

the bond is still there

They live 1 1/2 hours away

But we always attend special events for them.

The social distancing is hard – you want to hug.

But just talking to them – well – it made this a very special day.

As we age – thoughts tend to get lost – memories fade –

but – I think this day because of the virus –

will always be remembered

and we caught it in a picture

to be talked about for years to come!

Mothers day – 2020 – MORMOR – meaning in Swedish – MOTHERSMOTHER!

Thank you for reading Papa’s World

WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY

MY SITE: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

Papas World – Good thoughts – give – pray – the World turns.

/ Tom / 2 Comments

In this time – Day#58 of Sheltering –

The World turns regardless –

Try not to read the bad news – or listen to the negative

Give of yourself – food to the hungry – clothes to the poor.

Even though you see and hear all things –

filter them out – for it is up to you and me

To make this a better place.

In our time of silence – in our time of isolation –

Think how the normal is now the abnormal

and how to bring the sanity back into our lives’

The World turns regardless –

Put your faith into whatever you believe in

and make it a better place.

Positive thoughts – positive well being – positive actions

The news is full of the negative – channel it out

there are good things out there

We are humanity –

Give of yourself – help less fortunate –

Those in need – those that are hungry

donate time – collect food – and help deliver it.

Laughter – zooming – tic – tock – video – messaging

stay in touch – drive by honk your horn

Sunday streamed service

walk – ride a bike – say hello from a distance

Faith – hope -charity – love and kindness.

Sheltering Day# 58

The little ones depend on us –

“Now I lay myself down to sleep “-

Thank you for reading Papa’s World

“Pray to the Lord my soul to keep”

WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY!

Papa & Bode

MY SITE: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog

Papas World – Sheltering Day#56 – birthday!

/ Tom / Leave a comment

May 7th. 2020 – 71 years old – Pandemic – Social Distancing

Guess I am always going to remember this one!

My wife Sherry – made it a very special day – but she messed up –

and two days before – let the cat out of the bag.

We were going to practice SOCIAL DISTANCING –

BUT – we were going to use our patio which is very large

over 500 square feet and enclosed by a fence and the house

and each family of grand kids will come at specific times

so no one is here at the same time!

My little buddy would also be here
Bode – this picture taken two years ago
gosh – how I miss them all

The first family of Mike – Debby – Maddy – Ella and Sarah

came at 12:30 pm. They parked outback – walked around the back yard

and into the patio –

where we had seating for everyone but at least six feet apart.

They gave me cards they had made – the three girls –

they always make me special crafted cards.

I cherish them and save each one.

Have since they were little!

Now the whole family except Ella – eats very little meat

so we ordered a pizza delivery –

we paid on the site and they delivered

they do not even see you or knock

they text that the pizza is by the front door and then drive off!

We had also fruit – gluten free chips – salsa – wheat less pretzels

And my favorite cake that we made a special trip to WEGMENS

White coconut cream cake! ( which has been years since I had)

We celebrated by each staying in our own seats – laughing –

and then the text – the second group were on their way.

Time to leave – no hugs – but lots of smiles – kind words.

They left – and then it was time to see the little ones and their parents

same routine – the little ones have followed their older cousins

each in turn made special cards and gave to me

(Tammy – Marcus – Taylor – Cassidy & Bode !

How I miss them all.

They dressed up – the little ones – just for this occasion.)

I guess at my age I am sentimental – but to me –

these are the best presents – the cards

for years and years I have saved them!

It will be fun one day to bring them all out and show them

when they are all grown up!

We spent two hours just the same as we did with the older ones.

Sheltering in place on my birthday – strange no hugs –

no handshakes – but – the smiles and laughs.

Earlier I had gotten a call –

From my two sons back in NWPA –

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD” !

I AM BLESSED – my wife made this all happen –

And the boys called me!

What more could I ask for –

A PUZZLE!

Sherry got me another puzzle – 500 pieces!

And a new warm pull over shirt –

which in this freaky Spring of rain and cold

I SHALL WEAR!

Sheltering in place Day# 56 – best birthday ever –

now to get busy and put PUZZLE # 8 together

glad when this is all over!

Welcome to Papa’s World

WHERE FRIENDS MEET THE FAMILY!

MY SITE: livinglifedoingitmyway.blog