September 23: Happy Birthday, dear Jeremiah. I’m deeply grateful for you, sweetheart. And I’m grateful for your kind friends. Today while I was abed with a mild case of Covid, Jeremiah and his dear friend Justin made a splendid outing to the National Aquarium in Baltimore. And Justin’s parents treated Jeremiah to a birthday dinner at Audacious Aleworks.
I’ll need to remember this. When giving comfort to someone, I want to ask “What would you be doing today, but for this?” And then I’ll offer to do that thing for them. Just as Justin’s parents did for Jeremiah (and for me).
September 24: “Isolating” from family in my bedroom, I pushed aside books and tissues and reached for my laptop. I would watch something. Granchester eluded me (get Geordie and Will on the case!) so I settled for Disney+. Marvel? Pixar?
National Geographic, whisk me away.
And so began my binge-watching of Lost Treasures of Rome. Weaving three related archeological stories from across the Roman Empire, each episode sifts, dives, and tunnels through ancient history. And occasionally the camera wanders above or through the streets of today’s Rome.
I pause the video: yes, that’s definitely the rooftop terrace of the hotel where my friend Kathy and I stayed. My lungs may be in Virginia, but at the moment my heart is in Rome.
September 25: During my walk a few weeks ago, I harvested a fistful of litter beside a residential construction site. (Sigh.) One piece — all metal edges and right angles and, I thought, the debris of some packaging — might tear my trash sack, so I tossed it in the trash bin of the nearby park.
As I walked, however, I thought about those metal edges and right angles. Maybe it was a tool?
So, I returned to the trash bin and, with difficulty (and a stick), fished it out. I placed it near the site.
Today, I noticed it was gone. Maybe a builder returned it to their tool belt. Or maybe another walker returned it to the trash.
September 26: I am now quarantining at the beach. An ocean dip and a bit of sun will do me good (and allow freer movement for Kevin and Jeremiah).
I settled in my beach chair to watch an older woman photographing the ocean. First I admired her camera lens. Then I admired how she sat in the low surf and trained her camera on foam and shimmer. Finally, I admired — no gaped — as she balanced on her toes and rose to a standing position without using her hands.
September 27: During the early days of the pandemic, I sometimes logged into a virtual yoga class using my cell phone. The teacher, greeting us all, would say, “Now who’s ‘Mom’s phone’?” This morning, after a bit of difficulty, I logged in using my laptop, but somehow amid my misfires apparently logged in with my phone too. (Can that even happen?) Class was starting, my phone was too far away, and I tried to overlook “Mom’s phone” lurking in the off-screen darkness.
Class ended. Suddenly a woman who wasn’t me popped into view where “Mom’s phone” had been. Clearly I was not the only person whose children had set up her cell phone all those years ago.
September 28: Just maybe, I thought, the loblolly pines would frame a beautiful September sunrise over the marsh. So I rose early and walked to a wide open place where the marsh stretches to the Sinepuxent Bay, with finger-wide Assateague Island just beyond.
When I arrived, I doubted myself: an unimpeded sunrise from this angle would be as improbable as a clocking striking noon at 10 am. Nevertheless, the sun obligingly bloomed over the marsh and over the ribbons of bay and island.
I kept walking. Could I see the sun from the skinny channel tucked into a forest of loblollies? I pivoted around the pines and recoiled in a blast of two suns, one in the air and one in reflection. The sun hung over the very center of the channel, doubling itself.
Coming here had occurred to me only yesterday. The sun, meanwhile, had waited all year for this one sassy show.
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Fashioned For Joy 
Sorry about COVID. Glad it’s a mild case. Beautiful photos!
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Hi, Laurie. Thanks for your kind wishes! And thank you for complimenting the photos. I’ll let Kevin know!
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Hope you get well soon – it takes time. But how lovely to be able to enjoy so many lovely things. I too would have marveled at the woman taking the photograph!
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Hi, Barbara. My quarantine certainly had compensations. And I’m glad to hear you agree about the woman’s nimbleness. I definitely thought of her again in yoga class this morning!
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Hi, Carol Ann – I am so sorry to hear that you have been sick with COVID. My husband and I also both recently contacted COVID (while we were travelling). Totally NOT fun! Sending warm get-well vibes your way.
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Thank you so much for your kind words, Donna. I hope you and your husband are recovering rapidly too. Your warm get-well vibes are working for me!
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Sorry to learn you’ve succumbed to Covid. Wretched, isn’t it. But hopefully the magnificent sunrise and the cute deer, as well as the attentions of your family and friends, have helped speed your recovery. Take care and stay safe, and try to resist the temptation to do too much too soon…in my experience Covid is a cunning adversary not to be underestimated. But take heart, for this too shall pass.
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Thank you for your warm wishes and wise words, Mr. P. I did indeed decide to “take the week off” and my cold (allergies? residual Covid?) is nearly gone. Plus it’s fun being retired! Also, I’ll tell my husband you appreciated the dear. It is a charming photo!
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The Big C rears its ugly head yet again!
I am so glad that your symptoms are mild, dear friend. I hope that by the time you are reading this, you will be all better and out of isolation. Symptoms may yet persist for a while to come, so please take you time to completely recover.
We have come to accept that inconveniences will be a continuing part of our lives as a result of this virus – we just spoke to a Cousin whose husband just got infected with another strain of Covid 10 days after he cleared his 1st infection. He was understandably grumpy and non too pleased. And Cousin had to delay her birthday celebrations on account of her own Covid infection and now has to delay celebrating with her beloved yet again.
Hopefully you & Jeremiah will have an opportunity to revisit festivities for his birthday.
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Thank you, dear Ju-Lyn. I am indeed feeling about 90% by now. I’m disappointed for your Cousin and her husband. Grumpy, for sure. I hope they will celebrate her birthday very soon and in good health.
I conveyed your kind message to Jeremiah. He appreciated it very much. We might start the festivities tonight….
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Hurray hurray! May you continue to recover well – it took us a while to get back to 100%
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You had me at the series about Rome. I love that kind of thing. Hope you’re fully recovered now and haven’t passed it on.
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Hi! I do hope you check out the documentaries on ancient Rome. They are so interesting and quite well done. And I was happy to find that old photo of the view from my friend’s and my breakfast terrace there! I’m feeling much better and am imagining a return trip….
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