Post by Clipper on Sept 28, 2020 11:13:46 GMT -5
Traveling is no longer the pleasure it once was. We traveled to Atlanta area to see my uncle who is on hospice comfort care. We left on Tuesday and drove back home on Friday. I guess I might be a bit paranoid but I was not comfortable being around the public as much as we were forced to be while living in a hotel, and eating in restaurants.
We were staying at a Motel 6 due to the fact that it was the only pet friendly option close to my uncle's home. The lobby was always busy so after the original check-in we came and went through a door at the end of the hall and away from the busy lobby. We managed to find an IHOP that was close by and was very vigilant with their mask policies, sanitizing, and distancing. We ate breakfast their twice. When we first got up I would drive across the street and get us coffee at the Wendy's drive-thru to drink while we got ready to go out for the day. We don't eat lunch normally so we didn't have to worry about eating at noon, but for dinner it was sketchy. We went to Appleby's the first night there and they were packed and not observing any precautions so we left, called, and did curbside pickup. Wednesday night we ordered subs from a local pizza joint and had them delivered to the hotel. Thursday night we took my aunt to dinner at Longhorn because she had not left the house other than to run an occasional errand while the hospice nurse and home health aid were there. She needed to decompress so she had a huge T-bone dinner and a couple of Margaritas and we sat and talked for awhile. We all were in need of a break from the bedside sadness.
We also visited another uncle that is in an assisted living facility in Acworth Ga. They allow you to visit outside in a courtyard, socially distance, no hugging or contact allowed. I hadn't seen him in 8 yrs. He is my young uncle that was more like a cousin when we were growing up. He is only 2 yrs older than I am. My grandmother was 44 when he was born and we hung out together and even double dated when we were teens. My aunt, his wife, has been in a nursing home for 6 yrs. suffering from alzheimer's. He hasn't been allowed to see her since March. He face times with her and the staff at the nursing home holds up a tablet so she can see him and he can talk to her. Very sad. I can't imagine not being able to be at Kathy's side if she was confined to such a facility.
Even traveling to the area and back home we were very cautious about mixing with people. We stopped for gas and I used my card at the pump, When we needed to make a pee stop we stopped at a McDonalds because you can go in the door, turn right, and the restrooms are in the back. Their restrooms are normally clean and you can sneak in, go to the bathroom and walk back out the door without standing in line at the counter or coming in close contact with anyone.
Needless to say the trip was not all that pleasant without the normal ability to stop along the way for coffee and a sandwich, or to actually go into a convenience store for snacks and coffee when we stopped for gas. It was all about getting there, being in contact with a minimum number of people, and getting back home safely. Any pleasurable experience that we normally enjoy when traveling was replaced with stress. We are glad to be home and sleeping in our own bed.
On the bright side, we are looking forward to my oldest son visiting us soon from Ohio. In the meantime Kathy is baking an apple cake and making a large foil pan of goulash with Italian sausage, peppers from the garden, fresh mushrooms, and elbow macaroni to take to our friends Eddie and Gail in Kingsport. The husband is in a sling for a torn shoulder, and she fell in their garage and is in a cast and sling. SOMEBODY has to feed those two "one armed bandits" LOL.
That is all the current news from here. I hope everyone is well and enjoying their day. Time to get out and work in the garden for awhile and then play in the woodshop. I just stopped at Lowe's and bought a new bandsaw blade with fine teeth to cut out the toys I like to build. Whenever I have nothing to do I just enjoy being out there with country tunes on the CD player, just relaxing and puttering around. I am not into sports on TV and don't drink beer so MY mancave has a coffee pot, a stereo, and lots of power tools.
We were staying at a Motel 6 due to the fact that it was the only pet friendly option close to my uncle's home. The lobby was always busy so after the original check-in we came and went through a door at the end of the hall and away from the busy lobby. We managed to find an IHOP that was close by and was very vigilant with their mask policies, sanitizing, and distancing. We ate breakfast their twice. When we first got up I would drive across the street and get us coffee at the Wendy's drive-thru to drink while we got ready to go out for the day. We don't eat lunch normally so we didn't have to worry about eating at noon, but for dinner it was sketchy. We went to Appleby's the first night there and they were packed and not observing any precautions so we left, called, and did curbside pickup. Wednesday night we ordered subs from a local pizza joint and had them delivered to the hotel. Thursday night we took my aunt to dinner at Longhorn because she had not left the house other than to run an occasional errand while the hospice nurse and home health aid were there. She needed to decompress so she had a huge T-bone dinner and a couple of Margaritas and we sat and talked for awhile. We all were in need of a break from the bedside sadness.
We also visited another uncle that is in an assisted living facility in Acworth Ga. They allow you to visit outside in a courtyard, socially distance, no hugging or contact allowed. I hadn't seen him in 8 yrs. He is my young uncle that was more like a cousin when we were growing up. He is only 2 yrs older than I am. My grandmother was 44 when he was born and we hung out together and even double dated when we were teens. My aunt, his wife, has been in a nursing home for 6 yrs. suffering from alzheimer's. He hasn't been allowed to see her since March. He face times with her and the staff at the nursing home holds up a tablet so she can see him and he can talk to her. Very sad. I can't imagine not being able to be at Kathy's side if she was confined to such a facility.
Even traveling to the area and back home we were very cautious about mixing with people. We stopped for gas and I used my card at the pump, When we needed to make a pee stop we stopped at a McDonalds because you can go in the door, turn right, and the restrooms are in the back. Their restrooms are normally clean and you can sneak in, go to the bathroom and walk back out the door without standing in line at the counter or coming in close contact with anyone.
Needless to say the trip was not all that pleasant without the normal ability to stop along the way for coffee and a sandwich, or to actually go into a convenience store for snacks and coffee when we stopped for gas. It was all about getting there, being in contact with a minimum number of people, and getting back home safely. Any pleasurable experience that we normally enjoy when traveling was replaced with stress. We are glad to be home and sleeping in our own bed.
On the bright side, we are looking forward to my oldest son visiting us soon from Ohio. In the meantime Kathy is baking an apple cake and making a large foil pan of goulash with Italian sausage, peppers from the garden, fresh mushrooms, and elbow macaroni to take to our friends Eddie and Gail in Kingsport. The husband is in a sling for a torn shoulder, and she fell in their garage and is in a cast and sling. SOMEBODY has to feed those two "one armed bandits" LOL.
That is all the current news from here. I hope everyone is well and enjoying their day. Time to get out and work in the garden for awhile and then play in the woodshop. I just stopped at Lowe's and bought a new bandsaw blade with fine teeth to cut out the toys I like to build. Whenever I have nothing to do I just enjoy being out there with country tunes on the CD player, just relaxing and puttering around. I am not into sports on TV and don't drink beer so MY mancave has a coffee pot, a stereo, and lots of power tools.
