BACK ON THE ROAD AGAIN WITH A TRAVEL SOLUTION DURING THE PANDEMIC AND ENJOYING THIS MOMENT RIGHT BEFORE US

With “Safer In Place” restrictions lifting in Florida, “Teen Traveler”, my daughter, and I hit the road for the first time in many weeks for one of our day trips here in Florida. We are still self-isolating but decided we could go on a road trip IF we are not near other people. We thought we would try a trip to one of the eighty Florida State Parks that have re-opened on May 4.

We decided that we would pack all our water, snacks and everything we needed so that we could stay out of the stores and continue to self-isolate. We had a problem to solve, however. My proper upbringing normally leads me away from discussing things of this nature, but we had to think about what we would do once “nature calls, ” as we didn’t want to expose ourselves to people who might have Covid-19, even those without any symptoms by using the restrooms. We also did not want to give anyone Covid-19 in case we are also one of the asymptomatic carriers. “Teen Traveler” and I decided we could solve this problem and decided we would make our own “portable facility”. We turned to the net to see what others have come up with and built this from the supplies we had on hand.

The only modification I have to add to other models we have seen on the net right now is to put a large plastic garbage bag (13 gallon kitchen bags work well) OVER the pool noodle, as this pool noodle would be difficult to clean. So, one garbage bag UNDER the pool noodle, secured at the rim and one garbage bag OVER the noodle, too. Contact me if you want directions how to make this “portable facility”, but the picture is self-explanatory. I will also add that it it a good idea to place some disposable diapers or santitary napkins on the bottom of the garbage bag inside to absorb any effluvium prior to discarding this bag in the garbage after use. With a solution like this, we don’t have to stay cooped up inside any longer.

That being said, we decided we would be able to travel ANYWHERE now on a road trip. “Teen Traveler” and I always come up with a travel theme song to start our road trip. Today, it was “Life Is A Highway”. We also play a little travel game together to break up the time while we are driving, so she enjoys the journey. One of us comes up with a word, and then we both try to think of songs that have lyrics or titles that include that word. That way, I get exposed to “Teen Traveler’s” musical tastes, and she gets to hear some of the older music she might not get a chance to listen to from me otherwise. Music is such an important part of her life right now, and I need to listen to her music if I am to remain as an important part of her life as well.

I saw this heart-shaped plant on the side of the road driving slowly to the entrance of the park, and it reminded me of the indescribable love and bond between a mother and daughter on the week end of Mother’s Day

We laugh, we bargain, and we enjoy the moments together while we have them. Today was a gift for me to be with my daughter, as time flies so very quickly. Before I know it, she will be off to college, but I have today. Someone once told me not to even think about the day that “Teen Traveler” will move out to college but to concentrate on this moment right now. Such sage advice.

We did not want to journey very far from home for our first outing in a long time while still maintaining social distancing. We took our masks, and we decided to travel to Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park to see some ruins of an old sugar mill, here in the “real” Florida, as the state park system advertises.

Bulow Plantation Ruins State Park is located in Volusia County, Florida, approximately five miles north of Ormond Beach, on the Eastern side of Florida. It is easy to find with signs on Route 95 at exit 270.

The park is open again, and there are self-pay envelopes at the entrance. The fee is four dollars per car, but bikers and hikers pay only two dollars. Take the envelope and retain a portion to hang from your rear view mirror. There is no one at the entrance, so it is very easy to continue to self-isolate here.

Bulow Plantation was the largest plantation in East Florida and was started in 1821 by Major Charles Bulow to cultivate indigo, cotton, rice, and sugar cane and eventually housed a sugar mill. Unfortunately the place was destroyed during the Seminole War in 1836.

The sugar mill on the property site was constructed of coquina, a limestone that consists of shells and shell fragments.

In addition to viewing the old sugar mill, visitors can rent canoes on the property (during non-pandemic times) and hike. There is a 6.8 mile trail that leads to Bulow Creek State Park, where visitors can see an oak tree, the Fairchild Oak, that is over six hundred years old. The land that houses Bulow Creek State Park at one time contained eleven plantations, each with their own stories to tell.

six hundred year old Fairfield Oak at Bulow Creek State Park (credit: Florida Parks)

Hiking is beautiful in these parts, with flat wooded trails and beautiful trees and plants.

Paddling along the river would be beautiful once the canoe rental restrictions due to the pandemic are lifted.

“Life’s like a road that you travel on
When there’s one day here and the next day gone
Sometimes you bend, sometimes you stand
Sometimes you turn your back to the wind
There’s a world outside every darkened door
Where blues won’t haunt you anymore….

“…..There ain’t no load that I can’t hold
A road so rough this I know
I’ll be there when the light comes in
Tell ’em we’re survivors
Life is a highway
Well, I want to ride it all night long….”

-“Life is A Highway” by Tom Cochrane

Life is good; find a way to get out of the house during this pandemic and live a little. Living a little with someone you love is even better.

Carpe diem, friends………….live life fully and live life well.

ORCHIDS, A NEW HOBBY DURING THE PANDEMIC

I have completed my furniture refinishing projects around the house, have cleaned out some cabinets and closets (but not THE remaining closet), cooked lots of food, made ice cream three times in the last week, gone for multiple walks, laughed so much that my belly hurt, played lots of board games and lastly decided I need a new hobby. I was a Master Gardener, having completed the Master Gardener Program in the Northeastern United States when I lived there, but never really got into gardening here in Florida. It seems so odd to me that the shrubbery surrounding my home are actually HOUSEPLANTS in New England. I also have been petrified of snakes here, living near a pond. However, I really miss the day to day joy of watching something grow before my eyes, noticing subtle changes unfolding from day to day. Sure, I have pots of plants outside with flowers and vegetables growing, and I also have an Aerogarden in my home, but I need something new to look forward to in the plant department while I am cooped up at home.

The French have a saying, “vouloir c’est pouvoir”. Where there is a will, there is a way, loosely translated. This is a saying imbedded within my soul. While many stores and garden centers are closed here near me while I am continuing to self-isolate, I found a local garden center that does curbside delivery. Just like the restaurants. I can order on-line, pay on-line, and pick up my plant on a table set up in front of the garden center, having no contact with anyone if I plan my departure from the car perfectly. As long as we have HOUSEPLANTS growing in the yard, I might as well add another HOUSEPLANT to the trees.

I have long admired orchids growing in trees in tropical areas while on vacation, so I wondered if my gardening zone (9b) could tolerate orchids attached to trees. I noticed that someone dear to my heart has an orchid growing in her front yard and didn’t realize it until recently. She is really my inspiration for my new hobby. I began to think…….. I have a beautiful Southern Magnolia tree in the back yard, near the pool, and decided a splash of some bright pink might be a bit of whimsical fun poking out from the leaves of the tree. I did some research and found out that dendrobium orchids and phalaenopsis orchids do well attached to trees, without pots, in my area. I selected a variety of dendrobium orchid called “Oshin Pink”, which is a pink and while orchid.

“You are never too old to set a goal or dream a dream.”

-C.S. Lewis

First I leaned the orchid against the tree to get an idea of the size and scale of both.

Then, I took the orchid out of the four inch pot, leaving some dirt mixed in with the roots. Some of the sources I consulted said to use plastic plant ties to attach the plant to the tree, and others said to use biodegradable cotton string or twine, but I simply used what I had in the garage (thin nylon rope). I wrapped the rope around the plant, starting first at the roots, then attached part of the stem to the tree as well. It took all of five minutes to do this. Some sources said you can add in some coconut fiber or bark to the roots to hold in the moisture, yet other sources said that might encourage rot and disease, so I opted not to use any. I read that it is important to spray the orchid with water daily for a week, so we’ll see how it works out. This side of the tree is a eastern/southeastern exposure, which can be pretty hot in the summer. I started out with one orchid first to see if it is in the proper placement, but the garden center told me being in the shade of the Southern Magnolia tree would provide the relief from the hot sun that the orchid needs, regardless of which side of the tree I plant the orchid.

I was so excited when I finished my new project for my new hobby. Adding a bit of excitement to any day is always a good thing in my opinion. I love having something for which to look forward. As Mark Twain said, “Why not go out on a limb? That’s where all the fruit is.” In my case, that’s where all the flowers will be. Always feels good to me to try something new, and I try to see something I love, touch something I love, smell something I love, hear something I love, do something I love, or eat something I love each day. In this tree, I can see something I love, hear something I love, and I’ve already done something I love within five minutes. It doesn’t get any better than that!

“Where flowers bloom so does hope.”

-Lady Bird Johnson

Life is good; start a new hobby or find something that adds excitement, joy, and change into your daily routine to give yourself something beautiful to look forward to while you self-isolate.

Carpe diem, friends……………

“I GOT THIS MUSIC IN MY MIND SAYIN’ IT’S GONNA BE ALRIGHT….”

Today I needed to shake things up and went for a ride. A ride outside my house. A ride anywhere. Staying inside is finally getting old. Time to get back out into the world again soon.

While riding along, I spotted this beautiful wildflower growing along the side of the road. It always amazes me when I find a patch of flowers growing, despite our drought this time of year here in Florida. I especially like to find and photograph one little sprout of life among inhospitable rocky substrates. Reminds me of the tenacity of the human spirit. Reminds me that we will prevail against all odds in any given situation that is challenging for us, including this pandemic.

Another single bloom in an inhospitable subtrate

On the way home after seeing this little reminder of hope, I saw this sign on the side of the road, too:

Makes me think of the Bob Marley song:

“Rise up this mornin’
Smiled with the risin’ sun
Three little birds
Pitch by my doorstep
Singin’ sweet songs
Of melodies pure and true
Saying’, (this is my message to you)…

Singing’ don’t worry ’bout a thing
‘Cause every little thing gonna be alright
Singing’ don’t worry (don’t worry) ’bout a thing
‘Cause every little thing gonna be alright…”

–“Three Little Birds” by Bob Marley and the Wailers

Signs of hope are all around if we look for them. See if you can see any signs of hope where you live. Life is good; don’t worry about a thing, cause every little thing IS going to be alright. Shake it off.

Live fully. Carpe diem, friends………….

“I’ll never miss a beat, I’m lightning on my feet
And that’s what they don’t see, that’s what they don’t see
I’m dancing on my own, I’ll make the moves up as I go,
And that’s what they don’t know, that’s what they don’t know…..

Can’t stop, won’t stop grooving…….
It’s like I got this music in my mind saying it’s gonna be alright……

Baby, I’m just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off…”

-“Shake It Off” by Taylor Swift

COPING WITH CORONA WITH A LITTLE GOLF AROUND THE HOUSE….”NOTHING IS MORE POWERFUL THAN THE HUMAN SPIRIT”

I have heard so very many interesting stories of how people are killing time during self-isolation, but this story of the human spirit is one that really inspires me. One of my best friends from college has been self-isolating with her family for quite some time now in a cold New England town. At least one grown child moved back home, a humbling situation because he has been unable to work because his job in the restaurant industry has been halted because of Covid-19. This is a very difficult period in time for most people around the globe, but my best friend, the Grateful Goddess, and her husband, Golf Guy, have found a way to instill laughter in their family. Just about two months after Grateful Goddess unexpectedly and suddenly lost her grandmother that she was extremely close to, she has found the resolve to keep moving forward, embodying the spirit of the old adage that “if life gives you lemons, you make lemonade.” This family makes gallons and gallons of lemonade at a time. The sound of laughter, the warm feeling of love, and the excitement of joy fill their rooms as they make happy memories at this difficult time and any other.

“Never underestimate the power of dreams and the influence of the human spirit. We are all the same in this notion: The potential for greatness lives within each of us.”
Wilma Rudolph

My friend, Grateful Goddess, has always been one of my most creative friends and one of the most kind-hearted people I’ve ever met. She’s always always there for me and for everyone else. I count her among my greatest blessings and have been honored to have her as my dear friend. She selflessly and joyfully gives and gives to those she loves. It’s no wonder that this matriarch of her family found a way to give some love and laughter to her family during these trying times. Her disposition is on the quiet side, but she has a playful gleam in her eyes when she is planning something fun, which is most often. She is known for having the most amazing parties with the most amazing games that she’s come up with to entertain her extended family and friends. I’m not exactly sure if she or her husband, Golf Guy, came up with a rousing game of mini golf INSIDE their New England home recently, but they all had lots of laughs as they played mini golf, moving from room to room within their home.

“The greatest achievement of the human spirit is to live up to one’s opportunities and make the most of one’s resources.”
Luc de Clapiers

Tee-off started with hole number one in the home office….this was serious business, as you can see from the face of concentration in the photo below.

Golf Guy is one of the coolest and calmest Dads around, always willing to lend a hand to his family in any way he can. Here he sets the rules for the game and offers support as well.

Hole number two was in the living room with Golf Guy keeping score meticulously, I’ll bet. He has an easy-going spirit, but I’m sure he was “in it to win it.”

Hole number three in the dining room with evidence of other fun activities, such as puzzles all around………..the competition escalates………..

I can just hear the laughter echoing off the walls for hole number four, which was also in the dining room but was a bit more challenging……by now, the whole family was also “in it to win it.”

Hole #4 – Teeing off in the family room, but the hole is in the kitchen, which is the adjacent room. Now this is getting REALLY challenging…………

Golf Guy is the picture of agility in mind and body as he makes the corner for hole number four in the kitchen………such concentration and determination……going for the win………

This is where it starts to get really crazy…………hole #5. Tee off is in on the front hall stairs, but the hole is in the mudroom! I am almost certain this was the brainchild of Grateful Goddess, shown below. I can see her now with the gleam in her eye, concentrating, but hearing a little restrained giggle escape her lips……she is intent on winning to be sure.

The golf ball makes the corner toward the mudroom…………the crowd was roaring…….I can hear the commentator now………….

FINALLY the golf ball lands in the mudroom, OVER the inverted waste basket with the cat making sure there are no cheaters. Can’t put ANYTHING past that cat!

Tee off for hole six off throws caution to the wind……..each golfer draws in a deep breath as the ball is hit from the TOP of the stairs into the basement below……..

Hole six in the basement is known as “The One With The Most Hazards”, the hole that separates the “men from the boys” and the girls from the women………

This hole in the basement requires the golf ball to travel through the carefully crafted red tunnel to…..

the final hole in the corner………….

Scores were tallied, breaths were held, giggles escaped from mouths………and….the…..winner…..is……………GRATEFUL GODDESS! A great day indoors in this safe haven, which is always filled with the welcoming scent of something wonderful cooking on the stove or in the oven. Pandemic or no pandemic, this incredible family finds a way to laugh and create happy memories and celebrates a full life together. Their spirit and joie-de-vivre shines through again and again and is an inspiration to all who know them.

Human spirit is the ability to face the uncertainty of the future with curiosity and optimism. It is the belief that problems can be solved, differences resolved. It is a type of confidence…..”
Bernard Beckett

“The darkest moments of our lives are not to be buried and forgotten, rather they are a meory to be called upon for inspiration to remind us of the unrelenting human spirit and our capacity to overcome the intolerable.”
Vince Lomardi

“Nothing is more powerful than the human spirit.”
Charlie Grant

Forget about the pandemic for a while, even if it is a short while. Find a creative way to cope with corona and fill your home with laughter and love. Transcend whatever prevents you from having a little fun or whimsy in your day today to create joy.

Life is good; carpe diem, friends…………

“We are all capable of living lives characterized by great joy. Within each of us is an amazing human spirit that is strong enough to overcome pain and disappointment. And no matter what our current situation happens to be, or what beliefs we may currently harbor about ourselves, we can tap into that inner strength and wisdom and move forward to create more joy.”
Salle Merrill Redfield

“If life gives you lemons, make lemonade” every single time….
ID 190334 © Tmcnem | Dreamstime.com

*golf ball photo courtesy of Dreamstime.com

COPING WITH SOCIAL ISOLATION DURING THE PANDEMIC BY FINDING PEACE

There is sometimes a certain positive solitude that comes with being alone. Sometimes that solitude doesn’t have to feel lonely, however. Guillermo Maldonado once said, “Loneliness is not lack of company, it is lack of purpose.”

When we find ourselves looking straight at ourselves, or our souls when we self-isolate, we are forced to face who we are. Ralph Waldo Emerson suggested that “No one can bring you peace but yourself.”

Finding peace while stuck at home is challenging for many people from time to time. The key to finding peace seems to be to slow down and unclutter your mind and your home. Accept what is instead of what you think should be. Listen to music. Like yourself in order to like your life right now. Keep a sense of humor. Recognize that life is far too important to be taken so seriously and laugh as much as you can. Life isn’t perfect, so learn to laugh at your mistakes. Worry less and “let it go.” Don’t feel guilty. Don’t feel regret. Realize you are doing the best you can in your situation with what you have at the moment. Strive to better yourself by setting goals, but realize that your goals may shift their order of priority from time to time. Remember to have fun every day. Every single day. Do something you love and reach out to those that you love. Make your own peace with yourself so you can make peace with your life.

“You’ll never find peace of mind until you listen to your heart.”
George Michael

“If you make friends with yourself, you will never be alone.” – Maxwell Maltz
Maxwell Maltz

“Let yourself be drawn by the strange pull of what you really love. It will not leave you astray.”
Rumi

“Each one has to find his peace from within. And peace to be real must be unaffected by outside circumstances.”
Mahatma Gandhi

Look for peace today; you might already find it exists deep within your heart. Life is good; carpe diem, friends……………

*pictures courtesy of dreamstime.com

COPING WITH COVID-19 WITH A CREAMY CONFECTION

Today, among the pandemic at hand, I still count my blessings. My daughter, “Teen Traveler,” decided she wanted to try something different to break up our Florida stay-at-home orders this past Sunday. “Teen Traveler” is only fourteen, yet she is what I have called an old soul from the moment she was born. She has always been my hundred-year-old woman in this teeny tiny body. I joke to myself that maybe she is even evidence of reincarnation. She is just beginning to enter the world of cooking but decided she wanted to make a several course dinner BY HERSELF because we haven’t been out to a nice restaurant in some time. She decided she would serve pretty simple food attractively in small portions. She is a real “go-getter” to be sure.

She spent a significant amount of time on Saturday planning her menu and thinking about items that could be prepared ahead of time. Of course, as “Graph Guy’s daughter,” she sorted her thoughts onto a spread sheet and list after list, breaking down the task at hand into manageable chunks.

She looked high and low for items around the house, mostly in the craft bin, that she could use as a table decoration, having no access to fresh flowers from a florist. She really wanted to celebrate the spring.

First came the appetizer. She decided she wanted “comfort food” for this pandemic. Nothing like a little tomato bisque soup and a grilled cheese sandwich to meet this goal. That’s my girl: goal set, goal met.

After the first appetizer, she served some sort of tomato stuffed with Mexican meat, beans, and cheese as her “salad” course, which was garnished with a dollop of sour cream and a cilantro leaf.

After the appetizer and salad came the main meal, which was mini Mexican burgers mixed with a blend of brown sugar, cumin, paprika, and chili pepper, attractively served with a pickle, cheese, lettuce, and a cherry tomato on an attractive skewer. “Mexican street corn” was the side dish she made and served in a hollowed out red pepper quarter. She made the burgers herself but “Graph Guy” grilled them for her.

She spent lots of time deciding which dishes to use to create the mood she wanted to create and placed the dishes around the kitchen the night before in the arrangement she liked.

Finally, the desserts were served. She decided she liked the idea of several mini desserts and baked mini red velvet cakes stuffed with a cream cheese frosting and served with a dollop of whipped cream, a drizzle of chocolate syrup, and a piece of Ghirardelli chocolate. She even sprinkled confectioner’s sugar on the cake and plate as an additional garnish. The girl thinks of everything.

Living in Florida, she thought it would be fun to serve something citrus for the other desserts but wanted a different flavor than expected. She decided that lemon and lime might be fun. She made lime crumble with freshly squeezed limes that she squeezed, along with a blueberry lemon crumble. Her piece de resistance, however, was home-made lime sherbert. She had never made home made sherbert, so she needed our help under her leadership, however, to get the old ice cream maker going.

“Teen Traveler” decided that the presentation was as important as the food itself, evidently, and served the home made lime sherbert in a hollowed-out lime.

I can still remember how calmly she served us in the dining room, coming from behind a closed door to the kitchen each and every time. She walked confidently and calmly, making us think she had done this sort of thing her entire life. I will always remember the joy in her eyes when she presented us her savory samples and the creamy confections she had made.

There was joy in our hearts that day. There was joy from being her parents and joy from watching her experiencing her success before our very eyes. So very much for which to be grateful.

Coping with Covid-19 was that day centered around consuming the creamy confections and the meal that my daughter lovingly prepared for us. For the moment, for that sliver in time, all was well in the world, and I will always be grateful for that day that time stood still and there was joy in the moment. There was joy in ALL the moments that day, thanks to my daughter.

It has been said “If life gives you lemons, make lemonade “(Elbert Hubbard). The logical axiom that follows, then, is “If life gives you limes, make lime sherbert!”(Caye Smith)

Life is good. Enjoy the gifts of the day. Carpe diem, friends………

COPING WITH COVID-19…..A TOUCH OF NOSTALGIA AMONG THE PANDEMIC

Sunday afternoon in April at our local shopping area in Florida during the pandemic

During this time of self-isolation and stay-at-home orders, I try to look for something that makes me smile. During a drive in our town the other evening after dinner, I couldn’t help but notice that the stores that are normally open until nine o’clock or ten o’clock at night, including the grocery stores, were closed right before or right after dusk. I am reminded of growing up in New England when the “Blue Laws” were in effect in a big way and most stores, with the exception of the malls prior to the advent of the big box stores, were closed after dinner to give the shop keepers time to be home with their families. On Sundays, stores were either closed or had very reduced hours because of the “blue laws”, which were designed to restrict or ban some or all Sunday activities for religious or secular reasons, particularly to promote the observance of a day of worship or rest. In fact, until recently in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, the “blue laws” prohibited stores from being open on Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Technically, the state of Rhode Island can still fine a company for making certain employees work on Sunday. Luckily it’s only a maximum fine of ten dollars.

Professional sports, with the exception of hockey and ice polo, need a special license to play on Sundays.

Furthermore, it’s illegal in Providence for a store to sell a toothbrush and toothpaste to the same customer on a Sunday. I’m not sure how or if THAT law is enforced at this time though. I can’t even imagine the logistics of that one.

Speaking of petty archaic Rhode Island laws, evidently exercising any labor, business, or work, or using any game, sport, play, or recreation, or causing any of the above to be done to
or by your children, servants, or apprentices on the first day of the week (Sunday) results in a penalty of five dollars for the first offense and ten dollars for the second.

Finally, for those of you in the home audience who lose sleep wondering, yes, it is still unlawful in Rhode Island to throw pickle juice on a trolley as well. I’m not even sure the last time Rhode Island had a working trolley.

Thinking of these crazy archaic laws in Rhode Island brings a smile to my face today and reminds me we have come so far in recent years. We have come so far, but I miss the times when the focus of our community was on the family. Admittedly, the nostalgia I feel about the closing of many stores for the time being reminds me of a kinder, gentler time not too long ago.

Life is good. Find something to make you smile today. Remember good times of the past, and look forward to good times in the future. Maybe the best times of our lives are still ahead of us on the horizon. Certainly, better days are ahead but enjoy today while it lasts. THESE might just be the “good old days” for one reason or another….

“I wish somebody would have told me babe
Some day, these will be the good old days
All the love you won’t forget
And all these reckless nights you won’t regret
Someday soon, your whole life’s gonna change
You’ll miss the magic of these good old days…”

-“Good Old Days” by Macklemore

“…Cause I might be crazy…

I think it’s high time
We break out the good wine
Raise a glass and say
These still are the good old days…”

-“Still the Good Old Days” by James Taylor

“And tomorrow we might not be together
I’m no prophet and I don’t know nature’s ways
So I’ll try and see into your eyes right now
And stay right here ’cause these are the good old days

And stay right here ’cause these are the good old days…
(These are the good old days)
(These are the good old days)
(These are the good old days)
(These are the good old days)….”

-“Anticipation” by Carly Simon

Enjoy today; THESE are the good old days. Carpe diem, friends…………..

COPING WITH CORONA IN DEFERENCE TO ANNE FRANK

Portrait of Anne Frank in the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam, Netherlands

After self-isolating for about a month now here in Florida, I am looking forward to getting back into society at some point soon. Very soon. While I can always keep busy with a project or hobby inside the house, I am really looking forward to getting back together with my friends and getting back to making connections with other people day to day. On this day of angst from feeling cut off from the rest of society, I can’t help but thing of a remarkable young lady who was thirteen years old and the self-isolation she went through.

I’m thinking about the legendary Anne Frank, who was a Jewish girl who went into hiding with her family and a few friends in 1942 because of the Nazi occupation of Amsterdam. For two years, she and her family hid in the upper floor of her house and couldn’t even flush a toilet for fear of being heard by the workers in the floors below. For two years, she and her family could not speak a word during the day time and hid in their small sequestered area of the house without any daylight, as they drew the curtains shut in the day and the night.

Computer image of the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam

The house on the left side of the diagram above shows the Frank’s main house and Mr. Frank’s business. Directly above the white triangle roof in the middle of the diagram between the two houses you will see the room which contains the bookcase that was built to cover the doorway into the “secret” annex part of the house where the Franks and their friends lived for two years. Their secret quarters appears in the building on the right side of the diagram as the upper three floors and attic. Four hundred and fifty square feet is the area of the portion of the annex in which they hid for two years, about one seventh the size of my home. Four hundred and fifty square feet is the area in which eight people self-isolated for TWO years. Makes the month that we have been self-isolating and the space we have to do it in seem pale by comparison.

Anne Frank was the age of my daughter, “Teen Traveler”, when we visited the Anne Frank House in Amsterdam last year. Any given thirteen year old in America today is concerned with their phones and friends, yet Anne Frank was completely cut off from her friends in 1942. Her father fabricated a story about how the family went away to explain their absence from the community , and poor Anne did not even have time to say good bye to her dear friends.

Exterior of the Anne Frank House and Museum, courtesy of Dreamstime.com

While in self-isolation Anne kept a positive mental attitude, which is evidenced time and time again in her diary, which was later published by her father.

Visiting Anne Frank’s house and museum was a highlight of our trip to Amsterdam last year. It was such a humbling and sober experience, and visitors actually whispered when they toured the rooms in which Anne, her family, and her friends lived for two years in Nazi occupied Amstersdam. Seeing the peeling wallpaper in those rooms and the pictures of celebrities that Anne pinned on her wall was a reminder that life stood still there, as it does for us here, for a period of time. Although now temporarily closed because of the Covid pandemic, the Anne Frank House and Museum is normally open daily from 9:00 AM to 10:00 PM, depending on the day and the season. From November until April, the museum closes earlier, normally at 7:00 PM except for Saturdays. I highly recommend the introductory program, which lasts thirty minutes, before the tour of the house and museum. This introductory program helps create a timeline and reviews significant historical events happening at the time of Anne Frank’s hideout. This is especially helpful for children who may have no frame of reference. Photographs are not permitted inside the house out of respect, and visitors who have disability concerns about climbing stairs might have difficulty visiting here. Tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis and are in limited supply daily. I HIGHLY recommend getting tickets ahead of time on-line at the Anne Frank site in order to avoid long lines and the possibility of not getting tickets on any given day. At the time of this writing, entrance fees are 10,50 Euros for adults, 5,50 Euros for children aged ten to seventeen, and 0.50 Euros for children up to age nine. The introductory program is an add-on fee.

I think of Anne today as I look out my window, as there was a small window in the attic in Anne’s secret annex that she looked out daily to see a chestnut tree which became symbolic of hope. I think of Anne when I hear sounds outside my house today, as she heard the bells of a local church in the courtyard from the same window in the attic. She wrote,

“From my favorite spot on the floor I look up at the blue sky and the bare chestnut tree, on whose branches little raindrops shine, appearing like silver, and at the seagulls and other birds as they glide on the wind. As long as this exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be.”
Anne Frank

The chestnut tree outside of Anne’s attic window, which became diseased, lived until 2010 when a strong wind blew it over. In the years before the tree died, workers from the Anne Frank House and Museum collected chestnuts from the tree in hopes that they would germinate so that the tree would live on in other locations, spreading the message of hope from Anne Frank. Several saplings have grown from these chestnuts and have been planted around the world, including one that was planted at Yad Vashem, Israel’s official Holocost memorial in Jerusalem.

Anne Frank continues to be a source of inspiration for many people, including myself. I think about her when I look out my window during self-isolation from time to time. I know that keeping positive thoughts in my mind when I look up to the sky like Anne did will help make the journey during this pandemic and self-isolation a little easier in some way .

“Think of all the beauty still left around you and be happy.” -Anne Frank

“As long as you can look fearlessly into the sky , you’ll know that you’re pure within and will find happiness once more.” -Anne Frank

Life is good. Find happiness and continue thinking positively. Carpe diem, friends…….

To take a virtual tour of the Anne Frank house secret annex, click on the link below:

https://www.annefrank.org/en/anne-frank/secret-annex/

COPING WITH CORONA WITH A RAINBOW OR TWO

“The way I see it, if want a rainbow you gotta put up with the rain.” -Dolly Parton

“When it rains, look for rainbows. When it’s dark, look for stars” – Oscar Wilde

“Try to be a rainbow in someone’s cloud.” – Maya Angelou

Life is good. Carpe diem friends………..

*photos courtesy of Dreamscape.com

COPING WITH CORONA BY TURNING ON THE LIGHT

pergola lights photo courtesy of Dreamstime.com

For many, self-isolation and stay-at-home orders are getting old. VERY old. We all long to get back on with our lives, going places we want to go to, seeing people we want to see. It is true that for our world, these are dark times while we wrestle with the pandemic. Just a reminder, though. Don’t forget to “turn on the light”. Be that bright spot on a dark day.

lightbulb photo courtesy of Dreamstime.com

“Happiness can be found in the darkest of times, when one only remembers to turn on the light.” -Aldous Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

geometric light courtesy of Dreamtime.com

Life is good. Carpe diem, friends…………..

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