No Strings Attached

Posted By Kathleen David on July 30, 2020

Today Caroline is meeting up with her Art club at a safe distance. They have picked a spot that they can sit without being in the sun but can be six feet apart.

They are figuring out how they can see each other and keep distance.

Yesterday I went to talk to a bartender I know while Caroline was getting her hair cut. I picked my spot carefully to make sure I was distanced from everyone. About the time I was leaving three people entered and plopped down right next to me.

The leader of the group was one of those pretty young things that thinks that they are god’s gift to the world. She also had her mask under her nose. The seconded her butt hit the seat the mask was off and she complained about having to wear a mask and she didn’t see why she should since the virus would not be bad for her.

The bartender came over and informed them they could not sit there because of social distancing rules.

She looked like she was going to start to argue but thought better and move herself and her party to another part of the bar complaining all the way. She also got upset because the rules state that you have to buy food if you are drinking at the bar.

I elbow bumped my friend and went to get Caroline.

(For the VI: This is Caroline and her new haircut. She is wearing a black t-shirt with a moon and the Dragon Toothless from How to Train Your Dragon. There is a brown cloth strap across her chest. She is smiling. Her hair is cut into a bob and had soft curly tendrils hanging down. Her hair is brown with red highlights.)

She loved it. It is her first haircut since February.

This is how her hair was before the haircut. If it was down it fell to her midback.

(For the VI: This is Caroline walking. The photograph shows her back. She is wearing black shorts and a black and cream striped top. Her hair is pulled back into a ponytail and the length is hitting about high midback.)

Today is a day of putting things where they need to go. That should take most of the day and part of the night.

Tomorrow I finish up the living room and ger ready to teach a sewing class.

I am grateful for the caution at hairsalons.

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Posted By Kathleen David on July 29, 2020

We did get the paper out for recycling this morning. It made a small wall of boxes with paper and magazines. 

Day 22 of the Cautionary Tale. Being Wednesday July 29, 2020.

Saturday is the beginning of the month of August. I am still trying to wrap my brain around that. I have to remind myself what day it is, so I don’t feel lost.

One of my favorite poets is T. S. Elliot. Recently “The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock” has been going through my head for a variety of reasons. This morning I had a peach and it went through my head again. It is a poem about what could have been and what might be if only. Kind of describes 2020 to me in a nutshell.

Goals, I have them. 

Yesterday I hit a bit of a bump in what I wanted to get done so I am a bit behind on what I wanted to do. I have a plan to try to catch up, but glue only dries so fast. I did get everything ready so I can bang out what needs to be done to repair the bookshelves.

Inky has a new favorite toy to drag around. It is twice as large as her normal toys, so she looks pretty funny when trying not to drag it on the ground.

There is a meme going around attributed to McCarthy as a propaganda poster that says, “Beware of Artists! They mix with all classes of society and are, therefore, the most dangerous.”

It is actually a paraphrase from a letter from King Leopold the first to Queen Victoria who said, “The dealings with artists, for instance, require great prudence; they are acquainted with all classes of society, and for that very reason dangerous.” 

Artists are the one group of people who find themselves dealing with all of society rather than the strata they are in. You have to be able to speak the language of all. 

I was lucky to be raised in an academic setting where you get uses to dealing with all kinds of people from all kinds of places. I can speak to just about anyone and find some common ground.

John Lewis said that if you were going to make trouble, make sure it is good trouble. As an artist, I occasionally try to do that, but I feel that I need to do it more often. It is the way I can express my frustration and anger through a creative medium, so I don’t destroy something or myself.

I am an intellectual who will never apologize for my brain and what it can do. I am smart and clever and refuse to dumb myself down to make others feel more comfortable. Catch up or ask me what I am talking about since I am more than willing to teach what I know.

I am, at heart, a teacher. I believe that one of the reasons I am a puppeteer is so I can teach others. I love teaching people what I can do and see what they do from what I taught them.

Never apologize for the ability to think. 

Intellectual and Educated are not evil words. Let’s reclaim them.

I am grateful for new things to learn and explore and wood glue. I am very grateful for wood glue.

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Posted By Kathleen David on July 28, 2020

Today I have to fix two bookshelves. I think I have the materials for the project. If not, then I will go out and get what I need.

Yesterday I fixed a couple of doorknobs that were loose along with some other small home repair projects.

We have been recycling large amount of paper we no longer need. 

We also have boxes of elementary and middle school books we no longer need or want. I am trying to figure out how I can get these into the hands of children. If anyone has any ideas, please chime in.

We are set for the next couple of Halloweens with comic books and magazines to give away. I wonder if we will have Halloween this year. If not, there is always next year. Comics do not go bad.

I think if I find another canvas bag, the house will implode from all the canvas bags we own.

I am playing Tetris in my head to figure out where everything is going to go. Figuring out how to get the most stuff in the least amount of space is something I get from my mother. She can pack a suitcase or a car like nobody’s business. I can look at a space and figure out what can fit there. 

Plan then attack.

Next week I will have some art work to show off.

But this week I am still in cleaning mode.

I am grateful for being able to see dimentions.

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Posted By Kathleen David on July 27, 2020

And Sometimes You are the Bug.

This week has been one of those weeks of highs and lows that make one wish for quiet and evenness.

We ended up back in neutral waiting for the next shoe to drop.

Last night Caroline and I took our evening constitutional. It was hot with a warm breeze, but it was walkable. On the way back I crashed into a bug and I felt a sharp pain as it flew into my eye. I wiped it off and thought nothing more of it.

Today the lower lid is swollen. I can see where it stung me. It hurts to blink. The eye is constantly tearing which makes it hard to see.

I did wake up thinking positive. I have a plan of attack and now I will execute it.

I do feel like Sisyphus right now. And that bolder keeps getting heavier. 

If I can get done what I want to get done, then I will be in good shape for August. 

I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now I have to walk through the tunnel.

Overall, I am at peace with the next couple of months. I know what I need to do and I can do it.

I do worry for my family and friends who are in the hotspots.

I ask that you wear your mask and be safe. Also avoid bugs flying into your eye. It hurts like stink.

I am grateful for that light because I know it is not the oncoming train.

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Posted By Kathleen David on July 26, 2020

It has been one hundred thirty-two days or four months and ten days since we started observing quarantine and the stay at home order was put into effect in New York.

We had seventy-five days or two months and fifteen days before we were informed to stay at home.

In nineteen days, we will reach the point where we will have been under social distancing rules for twice as long as we weren’t. 

In that time Peter has not gone to ten conventions. Caroline has not gone to Jacksonville to help out at SunRay Cinema. We have not gone to St. Augustine for the O’Shea family beach week. 

I don’t think we are even possibly going out of state until December. I know we are not going anywhere the month of August.

This is the longest we have been home continually ever.

It has been interesting not going anywhere. Simplifies things a lot in terms of packing and unpacking. All the suitcases are packed away and out of the way.

When we do go back out on the road, I have a lot of books and graphic novels in the mix. 

Today I am trying to pack a lot in the time I have. I need to restock the larder. I need to do laundry. I need to put peddle to the metal on the Dining Room project. I have reached a tipping point and now I need to push through.

It is also hot as all get out today with high humidity which will make cleaning cat boxes a real treat. 

I will get done what I can get done and it will be enough.

I am grateful for perspective.

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