This is our new pet, a Juro spider that's been rather active right there at our front porch, decorating for the season a nice large web. This was a rather busy spider, working hard right there in front of us on the porch, doing some movement across the web, maybe some personal training. Maybe some Juro Judo. This spider would occasionally stop to look back at us because really, who are you people? Why are you just staring at me? Don't you have anything better to do? Get a life!
That's when I grabbed the camera and took this picture. As big and menacing as this Juro spider may appear, his bite is apparently equivalent to that of a bee, and not so much poisonous, unless you have allergies in this direction. These spiders won't bite unless you are all up in their face, which of course we were more than happy to follow social distance procedures.
Today was a good day for Nana. I'm typing this on the following day with the context of the fact that the following day is not a good day. Or at least it doesn't start out that way. But this day is a good day, only with a few moments of confusion and meltdown.
We dropped Uncle George off at the North Springs Marta station, which has one of the greatest exit ramps back to 400 North. It is so overgrown with plantlife all around and like a concrete maze through it all, something like the Pevensie children encounter coming back to Cair Paravel after hundreds of years of absence. Or maybe like that scene in a "Planet of the Apes" movie, where we see bits and pieces of what New York is to become. Incidentally, with this pandemic lately, New York seems well on its way to becoming just what we see in those early Planet of the Apes movies.
Here's New York's flattened curve. That was what all this was about, right? Flattening the curve? We were doing all these closures to keep the numbers at a place where the hospitals would not be overcrowded. And based on this, we're there, right? So why do government officials insist on punishing the restaurants, the plays, the movie theaters, the sports events, and so on?
Here's Georgia's numbers. That curve looks like it is flattening too, doesn't it? So, do we open up stores again and rebuild a free market economy where people can survive and make a living selling or buying things and so on? Or do we crush everyone's spirits and the economy with the mantra of exposing people to this potential threat that people that like the flu, has a less than .1% mortality rate? Is the trade-off worth it? Or is this a case of - as one prophetic voice said not long ago - the cure being worse than the virus itself?
Rabbit trail there. We got home, and there were no problems. The sun was out, and Nana was helping Mommy on the back deck. Things almost seemed normal. There were some forgetful moments, but overall things were okay.
At one point, Nana wanted to go for a ride, but we diffused that by taking her to taekwondo instead.
She kept nudging Mommy and telling her how well Madison was doing, and how much better she was than this person or that. She was so happy watching Madison do what she was doing, and she was happy to see people come up to see her again. Tucker was there, who saw her last at the funeral ceremony. Mrs. Edge was there, who had paid for the flowers brought down to Florida with us. Other parents were there too, and for a time all was well.
Madison was obvious to that particular drama, although she was the performer that helped Nana's spirits soar. She did well out there, and has a great time on the mat, although she said she probably got a few bruises. She practices hard! There weren't any foes to spar against today, but she still trains super hard.
Here she is with a practice kick, and as you can see here, that is a genuine foot-fiesta right there! She has a superb high kick, and is doing so well.
Afterwards, we stopped by Captain D's, a favorite of Nana's. Mommy can't eat there, but I love it, and Madison enjoys the fries.
Nana enjoyed the fish, and we all enjoyed the meal together, a pleasant time together. Nana sat down after that, telling us all kinds of memories about her father, a shorter stature of a man who married a much taller woman that she just couldn't imagine being married together. It wound up being true, as eventually the two parted. And her father worked extra hard to make sure that Nana and her brother were taken care of. Memories poured out about the Germans flying overhead and all the students going under the desks for cover, the factories in danger nearby and how her father was responsible for making sure the lights were out all over town each night, so there wouldn't be a visible target.
The stories went on for a bit, the memories from World War II and beyond, of family and of adventure. She was happy sitting there on the couch, recounting memories with a smile of recollection on her face. It was so pleasant, so calm, and so nice.
We watched a few programs tonight, including a few episodes of "The Show That Goes Wrong," just because it was on BBC. That was for Nana, although we just love this group of actors, and what they did for "Peter Pan" a few years ago. We watched an episode called "The Lodge," which had an October feel to it, one that was a lot of fun.
Nana didn't make it long afterwards. She was asleep at about 9:30pm, and all was well for a short break. We prayed tonight, and we read as well. We were asleep soon afterwards, although Madison was doing some talking in her sleep at one point. She called out to me and asked me for the plush friend, the abominable snowman of hers named Everest. She told me she didn't know where it was, and was quite concerned about that. I told her I'd find it, and she went back to bed, going under the covers again and ... I'd like to say she went back to sleep, but she was already asleep! An odd thing, sleep walking.
That's how the day ended, and it was a good one, quiet and peaceful. The next morning, up until about 1:15pm, was quite the opposite.
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment