I only get out once or twice a week now because of the Coronavirus. But when I do, I’m so happy to see people again. I never realized how much I need social interaction. Now the only place I get it – the grocery store. I probably look a lot like these people, happy! But now at the store, I don’t see whole families. You might see a mom or a dad, but not both, and never ever, kids. They’re safe, at home. It doesn’t matter who I meet. I smile more than I did before. Driving home I wave at people in my neighborhood. I never did that before, ever! You’ve seen people stocking shelves in the grocery. Now they’re on the front lines, fighting this virus. Without them, the shelves would be empty, and we’d be hungry. Those workers don’t get paid much, but they’re earning a paycheck, helping me. I smile, say hello. Sometimes they make room for me to pass by. I return the favor with a thank you. I appreciate that small kindness, but even more, I appreciate the work they do in a dangerous place – the grocery store. Who knew? So far, my grocery store people are all safe and healthy. I’m glad! I would feel awful if someone got sick, helping me. This picture reminds me of another grocery story. I saw a family – a toddler, a big sister, and a grandma. I love watching kids, and I miss seeing them. The toddler put something in his mouth from the cart. No one noticed, except me. It didn’t look dangerous, unless you thought virus. I did, so I said something. I couldn’t live with myself if I didn’t. I love seeing people I know at the store. We used to stand a couple feet apart, like this. It was how social distancing used to work, but not anymore. Six feet is the new recommendation. If I took 2 steps, and the other person did too, that would be about right. Just think of it as 6 steps, or two arm lengths of space between two people, but our hands would never touch. It doesn’t feel as friendly, but it is. It keeps both of us from getting the coronavirus, colds, or even the flu. It is the kind thing to do. Checkout is my last chance for social interaction. When I do it myself, there’s always someone ready to help, someone I can say hello to. I do! It will be another week before I’m at the grocery again. When I’m in the checkout line, I talk when it’s my turn at the register. If someone’s ahead of me, I wait my turn, 6 steps/feet behind them, no closer. Whoever thought of using tape was a genius! It’s way easier, and more accurate than guessing. I love to listen to the conversations around me. Sometimes I even join in. I bet that’s a surprise! I’m a writer so ideas are everywhere. But the real truth – I just love listening to people, learning from them., and it’s better than being bored. There’s also something else involved, a Harry Potter thing. Talking to a cashier or another customer is honoring them with your attention, your respect. When you don’t talk, it says the opposite, that they aren’t worthy of your time. That doesn’t feel kind, or friendly. J.K. wrote that you can judge someone’s character by the way they treat people below them on the social ladder. He’s right! But for me, there’s also something else. Standing there is just plain boring. I’d rather have fun and enjoy the people around me. I hope they feel the same way about me too! This isn’t me. I haven’t worn a mask yet, but I think it’s coming. As Ohio opens up for business again, I bet there’ll be more germs around, and I’d rather be safe than sorry. I already have 2 strikes – I’m old, and I’m a diabetic. So – I’m going to play keep away from germs. It even sounds like fun! It also makes other people feel safer. I can’t spread my germs to them, or, pick up theirs. Being safe, being kind are good things. Plus I can shop for masks at local shops. Imagine – finding one in every color, every pattern so my mask matches my outfit like a great accessory. I found some spacey material to make my own mask. I hope when I finally wear it, it can advertise my debut book, NEIL ARMSTRONG’S WIND TUNNEL DREAM.
Maybe I can find something lakey for my next book, LAKE FUN FOR YOU AND ME. Here’s a sample of the cover art. A friend added the title to the front and a blurb to the back. It’s almost ready to submit to the printer. Here’s a sneak peak . . .
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Passover ended today, April 16, 20 20, and today President Trump announced a plan to reopen the country. I’m four days late, but I need to write about this Easter, because of the Coronavirus. Something that was so horrible made me understand Easter in a way I never could have, without it. The Road to Easter – Passover ran from April 9 – 16, and Easter from the 9th – 13th, but it started even earlier. This photo contains a hint. It was a day way back in February. Any guesses? Ash Wednesday was February 26, 2020. That was when we could still go to church. If you went to Ash Wednesday service, you could choose whether your pastor, minister, or priest drew an ash cross on your forehead. I didn’t get one this year. I don’t think I’ve ever had an ash cross, probably because Wednesday was a school night, and everything was harder back when I was teaching. Somehow after my husband and I retired we didn’t get back to Wednesday night services. Now it’s something I want to do, next year. If you’d like to read more about Ash Wednesday, here’s one source, but there are many more. https://www.christianity.com/church/church-life/what-is-ash-wednesday-why-do-christians-celebrate-it.html Lent begins on Ash Wednesday. It’s the trip most Christian churches, and mine, take toward Easter. As you attend each Wednesday and Sunday service, you learn a little more about the journey Jesus took to the cross. You learn a little more about what he chose to do for you and me. But in Ohio, and at my church, everything stopped on March 25th. That’s when our governor put the state into lockdown until April 6th, but when April came, lockdown continued, now until May 1st. No more church services, but it didn’t stop Lent. I can still go to church on TV or online. At home I can still practice my faith. If you’d like to read more about Lent, here’s one source, but there are many more. https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/lent-101-honoring-the-sacrifice-of-jesus-1382259.html Palm Sunday is the Sunday before Easter, and it’s the beginning of Holy Week. This year it should have been on Sunday, April 5th. It wasn’t. We were under lockdown orders, across most of the country. When my kids were little, they’d march into church, waving palms while the congregation sang, “Ride on, Ride on in Majesty.” It was another way to retell Jesus’ ride into Jerusalem, the week before he died. Imagine – Jesus riding in on a donkey with crowds cheering, waving palms, and shouting Hosannas. Palms, to symbolize the victory over death. Hosannas, to recognize a King, an earthly one, they thought. The donkey, to symbolize a king and peace. The donkey also fulfilled an Old Testament prophecy in Zech. 9:9 that Israel’s king would arrive, riding on a donkey. It’s hard to believe a week later the king would be dead, on a cross, but Jesus knew what lay ahead. I skipped Palm Sunday this year. I could have watched the service on TV, but I already knew my church was redoing Holy Week. No date yet – we’ll find out soon, when we make it out of lockdown. I love getting a second chance! If you’d like to read more about Lent, here’s one source, but there are many more. https://www.crosswalk.com/blogs/debbie-mcdaniel/5-things-about-palm-sunday-that-remind-us-christ-is-king.html Maundy Thursday came on April 9th, but it will be on the Thursday after Palm Sunday, the new one for me. I don’t remember Thursday services. For me it was another school night, but in Sunday School I taught my preschoolers the road to Easter, but we never connected Maundy Thursday to the Last Supper. Imagine – the disciples sitting around a table watching Jesus break bread and pass it around. He said this is my body. Eat this in remembrance of me. Then Jesus passed a cup around. He said this is my blood. Drink this in remembrance of me. That’s my communion service, but it came from the Last Supper. When I take communion, I always have mixed feelings – sadness for the sacrifice Jesus made, and gratitude. Because of his choices, my sins are forgiven. If you’d like to read more about Maundy Thursday, here’s one source, but there are many more. https://www.crosswalk.com/special-coverage/easter/what-is-maundy-thursday-5-things-christians-need-to-know.html Good Friday came on April 10th, but it will be rescheduled, the day after Maundy Thursday. I attended one Good Friday, and years later, I still remember it. Vividly. When Pastor finished, he left, slamming the door behind him. Not one person said a word as we shuffled outside. My kids even stayed quiet in the car, for a few minutes. It was dramatic – reenacting the moment when Jesus was sealed inside a tomb, left for dead. I taught that Easter story to my preschoolers. The trial where Jesus was condemned. The climb to Calvary carrying the cross. The nails that held him in place, and the darkness after his spirit was gone. Jesus was taken to a tomb and sealed inside. If you’d like to read more about Good Friday, here’s one source, but there are many more. https://www.learnreligions.com/what-is-good-friday-p2-700773 Look at the pictures above and below. This is what most people think of when they think Easter, especially if you’re not a church goer. Easter is about bunnies and chicks. It’s spring, time for baby animals. Kids also love the stuffed animals to cuddle or the candy ones to eat. Did you catch the bunny on the right? He’s a brand-new bunny, who’s virus-ready just for you! It’s also time for flowers like crocuses and daffodils. But the most important thing about Easter are the eggs. I dyed them as a kid, and so did my children, usually a day or two before Easter. Then they’d sit around in the refrigerator, waiting for the big day . . . Easter! The Easter Bunny was busy all night, scattering eggs and baskets for every kid in the family. I remember those hunts. Mine were always inside. I remember the baskets, full of chocolate bunnies and eggs. If you were lucky, it held a stuffed animal, a book, or sidewalk chalk in it. This year families did all of these things, at home. There wasn’t one community egg hunt. I’ve helped at church and at the local museum, but with the coronavirus lurking around, the hunts were all cancelled. Without kids at home or out in the community, I felt like I was missing something, but soon my grandgirl will be old enough to become part of the holiday, and next year the community hunts will return. Easter came on April 11th, but it was rescheduled, the Sunday after Good Friday. I haven’t missed an Easter service since I met my husband back in 1983, till now. When my kids were little, they came dressed in their new Easter clothes. So did everyone else. Joy filled the air. Friends called, ‘Christ has risen.’ ‘He has risen indeed.’ Imagine that first Easter – the women arriving at the tomb to find it open. And empty. Angels telling them Jesus wasn’t there. He had risen. Those women waiting days for the truth. We’re lucky – we already know – he has risen indeed. The link for the Easter story: https://www.bible.com/bible/111/LUK.24.niv With the Coronavirus I missed Easter – church services, friends and family, eggs and bunnies, but I never lost Easter. Jesus still rose from the grave, and that’s the heart of Easter. But I also discovered something – something I would have never discovered without the virus – how alone Jesus was during his Easter journey. There were people around him, but no one, not even his disciples, understood what he was going through. Now I understand that loneliness a little better. I could be sad, but I’m grateful. This lockdown will lift, and the world will open up just like the tomb did. In John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, so that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” I can never match the Son’s example, but I hope I serve the people around me. Luke 24 is the best place to read about the resurrection. For more about Easter, here’s one source, but there are many more. https://www.crosswalk.com/faith/spiritual-life/undertanding-the-history-and-symbols-of-easter-1256039.html Do you recognize the story in this picture? It’s from the Bible, the story of Moses, how he led his people out of Egypt. Do you see the Red Sea? I think Moses already crossed it, and he’s leading his people to the other side, to the promised land. My research said every year, with/without Corona, you clean out your house. For Jews this harkens back to that first Passover when they left Egypt behind. You could only take what you could carry. Imagine looking around your house and thinking what you’d take. I’d need a car and a huge trailer! For Passover, they also cleaned all the leaven out of their houses. Leaven is probably a form of yeast, because it makes bread rise. When Moses said let’s go, the people took their bread, as is. There wasn’t time to add leaven to it. Finally my source also said this is a good time to look at yourself. Do you have any habits that don’t belong, that you’re better without? This is a great time to try a change. It might do you good! I’m not Jewish, but I like the idea. This is a table set for a Seder (say-der) dinner. Family and friends gather together to eat, to celebrate, to remember. Usually they gather together in homes, synagogues, hotels, and camps. Not this year! Some people will have family, but some will be alone. You can look at what you’re missing, OR, you can look at what you’ll gain. If it’s just family, you can slow down to a family-friendly pace. If you only have adults, you can go adult speed. If you’re alone, just please yourself! There ARE opportunities! Some will do their Seders on social media. They’ll skype, zoom, or face-time to have a family or a congregation together. It’s not perfect, but it’s pretty darn good. Some observant Jews won’t be able to do this. They don’t use technology on holidays, but I’ll bet a matzah they’ll find a way to make this Passover meaningful too. This is a kosher grocery at Passover. A Kosher grocery means it stocks foods that are special to the Jewish religion. Other foods won’t be there because they’re forbidden, like cuts of beef that come from the backend of a cow like flank or round steak. If you’d like to read more, click on this link: https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/what-is-kosher#animal-products It’s Passover time in this grocery. My proof - some foods are covered in plastic. That way customers won’t pick up the wrong ones that have leaven/yeast in them. They’re not allowed during Passover. Back in March suppliers said the special Passover foods like Matzah would be in stock, but last week shoppers were worried that deliveries would be cancelled, or they wouldn’t be able to get in, in time with the limited number of shoppers. Passover 2020 started on April 9th, and it will end on the 16th. This is Matzah, the most important Passover food. It’s the unleavened bread the Jews took to the promised land. A Rabbi from Senegal (a minister in Western Africa), said he would have Matzah even if he had to make it himself, starting with real wheat, the kind from a farmers’ field. Someone from Washington, D.C. was planning to host her first Seder, but she had to cancel. She’ll still see her family through social media, but she said she’d miss the meal, not the food. She meant the part when everyone’s in the kitchen making dinner. I hope she thought of doing social networking from everyone’s kitchen. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. This is a Haggadah from the 1300’s. It’s a book, but it’s only used once a year. Its purpose – to guide you through your Seder dinner. Passover is more than just matzah, more than a meal. It’s a way to retell the story of Moses so that it will never be forgotten. You can read the story in the Bible. Start at Exodus, and read all the way to the end of Deuteronomy. If you don’t have a Bible, just google Exodus. Your computer can pull up the pages. The Haggadah will guide you through the ceremony’s fifteen steps. This year two sections might change. Both feature the youngest person in the room. This year, it could be a senior citizen. Whoever it is gets to ask Four Questions, “Why is this night different from all other nights?” This year it’s possible our youngster will find himself both asking and answering those four questions. This only happens when there’s one person at the table. In another part of the Seder the Matzah is broken in two. The larger part, the afikomen, will be hidden, and later found. If you’re all alone, you’ll have to do both jobs, but, when you find it, you won’t have to share your dessert. This year you can look at what’s missing, celebrate what you have, or – take another option . . . Pesach Sheni. It means – Second Passover. It started when ancient Jews were too late with their sacrifice. They needed another chance. So, if you need a do-over, save the date! May 9th, one month after the first day of Passover. To learn more about the Seder or Passover, click on any of these links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passover https://www.chabad.org/holidays/passover/pesach_cdo/aid/3615900/jewish/What-Is-a-Haggadah.htm https://www.jta.org/2020/03/17/lifestyle/passover-in-a-pandemic-families-on-zoom-solo-seders-and-broken-traditions https://ffoz.org/discover/passover/passover-and-covid-19-serenity-and-solitude.html https://www.newsday.com/news/health/coronavirus/passover-seder-coronavirus-1.43707094 Do you recognize Joe Burrow in this photograph? He’s the one in the middle. As quarterback Joe took the LSU Tigers all the way to the national championship. He won the Heisman Trophy for the nation’s best college football player. This sounds like the culmination to a great college career, but it wasn’t! It was a Cinderella season. From High School to OSU to LSU The Cinderella Season: So what happened? How did Joe and No.6 LSU turn 2019 into a Cinderella season? This is my third try to tell this story. I hope it’s the charm. First up, Ranked Opponents: - No. 9 Texas went down 45- 38 on September 7th. LSU became No.4. - No.7 Florida lost 42-28 On October 12th. LSU moved up to No.2. - No. 9 Auburn lost 23-20 in LSU’s closest win on October 26th. LSU holds onto No.2. - No. 3 Alabama goes down 46-41 in the biggest game of the season. Alabama was predicted to win, Joe pulled it out, and LSU was NO. 1! A Single-Season of Records: - September 7th Joe passed for 471 yards in one game and takes over the No. 2 spot in LSU school history. - September 21st Joe sets 2 records. He throws 6 touchdowns and has his 3rd game with over 350 yards. - October 5th Joe has his 4th game with over 300 yards. It would have been 350, but he was 6 yards short. - October 19th he scores his 32nd touchdown in one season, an LSU record. - October 26th Joe has his 8th game with over 300 yards passing. - November 16th, he sets the single-season record for passing yards and another one for 17 completed passes in one game. - November 30th Joe sets the all-time single-season record for passing yards, and he ties for single-season touchdowns. All this from the quarterback who didn’t get an offer from Nebraska, the one who was passed over at OSU 3 times. Congratulations, Joe! Persistence pays off! The Road to the National Championship - First up, the SEC Championship on December 7th. No. 4 Georgia went down to the Tigers 37-10. LSU was still ranked No. 1. - On the 14th Joe won the Heisman Trophy for the best college player in America. - Next up, the Peach Bowl on December 28th. No. 1 LSU defeated No. 4 Oklahoma 63 – 28 in the 1st game of the National Championship. - Finally, on January 13th LSU defeated No. 3 Clemson 42-25 to win the National Championship. - Records, yes, please! 60 passing touchdowns for the FBS* single-season record. - 5,671 passing yards put Joe at third for all-time yards in an FBS* season. - A passer rating* of 202.0, the highest passing efficiency in one season. - This is a photo of Joe in the Oval Office. If you click on the link, you can see more photos of the LSU Tigers at the White House. Photo Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/whitehouse/49400533066/ * FBS is the top level for college football. It used to be called Division 1-A. Either way, it’s the most competitive subdivision of college football It’s made up of the largest and most competitive schools in the NCAA. That’s a record! * Passer rating is a formula that includes attempts, completions, passing yards, touchdown passes, and interceptions. Click on this link if you’d like to see the math: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Passer_rating Sources: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Burrow https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/louisiana-state/2019-schedule.html Up Next for Joe The NFL draft to be held April 23 – 25, in less than a month. Many predict he’ll go first to the Cincinnati Bengals, close to home and his parents. Where ever Joe goes, I think any team will be lucky to get him. When I look at him through my teacher/writer eyes . . . This is what I see: 1. Persistence – Joe never gave up. When Nebraska didn’t pick him, he chose Ohio State. When OSU didn’t start him at quarterback, he tried for 3 years before moving onto LSU. 2. Initiative – When OSU didn’t pick him his sophomore year, Joe started looking at other teams. In May of 2018 he announced he’d be going to LSU. 3. Smart – Joe graduated from OSU in 3 years with a degree in consumer and family financial services. Most people take 4-5 years to graduate. 4. Coachable/Trainable – Joe went from zero to starter in 3 short months at LSU. To do that, he had to be able to work with a new coach, work with new teammates. 5. Personable – Joe learned how to fit in with his teammates in those 3 short months. “There is no I in team.” A 10 and 3 season at OSU in 2018 would have been a failure. Instead Joe used the experience to build the relationships that took LSU to the national championship. Here’s what his OSU teammates had to say: 6. Leader - “Believe me when I say this because he was my roommate for two years,” Ohio State defensive lineman Dre’Mont Jones said, “you’re getting a dog in Joe. Joe’s no slouch. He’s a leader. He’s gonna take over that huddle.” 7. Work Ethic – “LSU fans should be excited because they’re getting a warrior. A true warrior,” Ohio State receiver Parris Campbell said. “Many people didn’t get to see Joe before at the highest level, but we’ve seen Joe go to work every single day. He’s a guy who didn’t say a whole lot, but is just a down and dirty competitor. Just a warrior. From a Pair of Buckeyes: 8. Loyal – Joe never bad-mouthed the Buckeyes or Nebraska either, even when he was competing with them in the runup to that championship. When OSU played Clemson, he rooted for OSU. When Clemson won, he stil had good things to say about his old team. Me “Joe did about everything possible to win the starting position by the end of spring camp. “Do I wish he was still with us? I do,” Meyer said at Big Ten Media Days. “I love Joe Burrow. I love his family and have great respect for him. And that’s not going to stop. That relationship will continue for many years.” It says a lot about Urban, a lot about Joe. From his former coach, Urban Meyer 3 Quotes: https://www.saturdaydownsouth.com/lsu-football/one-got-away-burrow-osu-players-lsu-fans-burrow/ Why Write about Joe? He's an inspiration! Joe is somebody you can learn from whether you want to play football, write stories, or do anything else. My advice: compare his character to yourself. Capitalize on strengths. Pick a weakness or two and work on them. Joe wasn’t an overnight success. He worked to be successful. The same is true for you and me. Here’s to the journey of becoming your own personal best! This is the Corona Virus. It’s been sweeping the world, and not in a good way. It’s teeny tiny. The only way you can see it is through a microscope. Did you know there’s more than one kind of Corona Virus, but scientists are guessing the new one is about 125 nanometers long. What’s a nanometer? One billionth (10-9) of a meter. I can’t imagine dividing a meter stick into a billion pieces. If you want to picture it, look at one strand of your hair. It’s thin, but huge compared to the virus. Your hair is 80,000 – 100,000 nanometers wide. If your hair is 80,000 nanometers wide, the tip of your hair could hold 640 teeny tiny Coronaviruses. No wonder they make you sick! The math : 80,000 ÷ 125= 640. Size of Virus: https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2020/01/coronavirus-surgical-masks-china.html Nanometer definition: https://www.thefreedictionary.com/nanometer Its actual size: https://www.nano.gov/nanotech-101/what/nano-size I went to this link. It says the Coronavirus has two strikes on me. One more, and I’m out. Yikes! https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/03.16.20_coronavirus-guidance_8.5x11_315PM.pdf Strike 1 - I’m old. I’m 60 years old. But when I look at this face, I don’t feel old. I know I’m not young, but I don’t feel old either. Strike 2 - I’m also a diabetic. I never thought you could be too sweet, but you can! I have to watch what I eat, take medicine every day for the rest of my life, but I’ve learned to live with it. There are worse things. Now I’m discovering how to avoid the Corona Virus. I don’t want that last strike so I’m following the CDC’s instructions for the Corona Virus. I’d rather be safe than really, truly sorry. Have you read the the CDC’s instructions? If you haven’t, I have them below because if you stay safe, you can keep me safe too. If you get sick, you can make me sick too. Let’s work together to keep everyone healthy! Here’s the CDC guidelines for how you can protect yourself, and me too! Link: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html 1. Know how it spreads. Knowledge empowers you to protect yourself, to protect me, and all the people you love. The Coronavirus spreads when you cough or sneeze. Teeny tiny droplets spread through the air. If you stand 6 feet or less away from that cough or sneeze, you might breathe the germs into your lungs. Then you might get sick too! You might even pass it onto me, onto everyone you know. Please don’t! Read on! You can discover how to stop the Coronavirus from making one more person sick. 2. Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. How long is that? It’s long enough to sing the ABC song once. Long enough to sing the Happy Birthday song twice. Long enough to count to 20. Not 1, 2, 3 . . . Instead count 1001, 1002, 1003 . . . until you get to 1020. Why 20 seconds? It’s long enough to wash all the germs away. If you only rinse your hands, most germs stay behind. If you do less than 20 seconds, some germs are still there. But if you don’t wash at all, the germs are all there, waiting to make you sick, your mom and dad, your grandma and grandpa, and me too. Please wash your hands! 3. But what if you’re somewhere you can’t get to soap and water, what can you do? Germs are everywhere. You can never, ever, get away from them. Get out your hand sanitizer. Always carry some with you – a little dot will do it. Rub those hands together till the liquid disappears. Make sure your sanitizer is at least 60% alcohol. Any less – you won’t kill those germs that make you and me sick. 4. Learn not to touch your face. It’s a bad habit during cough and cold season, but it’s even worse now with the Coronavirus around. If your hands are clean, it’s not a problem, but if your hands haven’t been washed for a while, they’re covered in germs and viruses. Your eyes, nose, and mouth are the worst places to touch because that’s where germs enter your body. Touching your cheek isn’t a problem, unless you have a cut. That’s when germs have an opening to come in and make you sick. 5. Use social distancing. That’s a new word people invented for the Coronavirus. The best way – stay home as much as possible. 6. If you’re sick, stay home. Don’t share your germs! If you have a sick friend, call, text, or Skype them. Keeping your germs to yourself, is a great thing, especially with the Coronavirus around. 7. If you have to go out, remember to keep your social distance. Stay 2 meters or 2 yards apart. Stretch your arms out, and look at the distance between them. That’s how far you should stay away from other people, for you and for them. 8. When you cough or sneeze, cover them with a Kleenex, or an elbow. They’ll catch those germs. If you use a Kleenex, throw it away, and wash your hands. They’re both good things. 9. Wear a mask only when you’re sick. It will keep your germs from spreading to others. Don’t wear a mask if you’re healthy. It won’t keep out all the germs. You might feel safe, but you’re not. 10. Keep surfaces clean whether it’s the kitchen table or your cell phone. If you touch it, you should clean it, especially if it’s dirty. If you do these simple things, you’ll stay healthy, and you’ll help everyone around you to stay healthy too. PS- I added this to the post to help young children, and us adults too, to understand social distancing. I couldn’t find this image, but picture it, and you’ll better picture social distancing. You and your best friend reach out your hands, but don’t let them touch. This is about 2 yards, and social distancing. It helps me, when I see a friend to stay 2 arm lengths apart. I hope it helps you and your family too. Part 1 - Who is Franklin? Why is he sitting alone? This post started on my Facebook account as a GIF and a question, ‘What would you like me to put into a blog? I got one answer – ‘Ever wonder why Franklin is sitting all by himself? To be honest, I didn’t know who Franklin was. I didn’t see him till the question was asked. My eyes were drawn to the right side of the picture, which is what readers are trained to do, to move their eyes from left to right. Can you tell I’m still a reading teacher Evidently this image came from the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special from November 20, 1973. I was 14. No one thought anything about the image then, but they sure did in 2015. Here’s an article I found. I was shocked to read what was assumed about Charles Schultz. Link - https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/charlie-brown-racist-franklin/ The article proves that Charles was never a racist. In fact he put the first African American into a cartoon in June of 1968 because a retired teacher wrote him and suggested it. The cartoon was so controversial in 1968 that his editors told him to change it. Charles said, “Either you print it just the way I draw it or I quit. How’s that? It sounds like moral courage to me. But, that still doesn’t explain why Franklin is sitting alone so I googled again, and I found this link - https://www.tor.com/2016/11/23/the-charlie-brown-thanksgiving-special/ It said that, “Patty is the real engine of the special, with Linus and Marcie as it’s moral voice. Franklin and Sally just kind of hang around and watch.” In 1973 that was pretty groundbreaking. The link had an updated version with Franklin and Sally on the same side of the table, which I liked. As someone who’s 60, who lived through that time, I applaud this picture. It’s not perfect, but it was forward thinking for its time. Hindsight is always 20/20. You’ll never know then what you know now. When I look at this picture, I see kids celebrating, flaws and all. I remember how much I loved those characters then, and I see how much today’s kids still love them. Best of all it gives them a peek into the past, to see how much we’ve changed in the last 50 years. In the words of the 60’s we’ve come a long way, baby! Good for all of us, and especially for today’s kids, no matter who they are. Part 2 – Charlie Brown Trivia 1- What’s the name and breed of Charlie Brown’s dog? Buddy is a beagle. Snoopy is a beagle. Buddy is a foxhound. Snoopy is a foxhound. 2- When did he first appear in the Peanuts comic strip? 1948 1950 1952 1954 Sources: en.wikipedia.org https://quizzclub.com/games/bonus/which-is-the-correct-name-and-breed-of-charlie-brown-s-pet-dog/answer/492318/ And the answers are . . . 1. Snoopy is a beagle, who was based on Spike, one of Schultz’s childhood dogs. 2. Snoopy first appeared on October 4th, 1950. I was born in 1959, and I don’t remember a world without him. My source said foxhounds are bigger than beagles, and they look a lot alike, but a picture’s worth a thousand words so I searched for a pair. Part 3 – WHICH PEANUTS CHARACTER MATCHES YOUR PERSONALITY? When I did my research for Part 1, I ran across a web site, that matched a Peanuts Character to your personality. I changed it. I picked my favorite characters, then I checked out their traits. Sorry, I couldn’t pick just one. The Reformer: Lucy knows what she wants and goes after it. Whether she’s picking Charlie Brown to direct the Christmas play or offering psychiatric advice, she’s a leader. The Helper: Linus is always there to help his best friend Charlie Brown. My favorite moment is when he tells Charlie he didn’t ruin Christmas. Linus says that’s impossible, because there’s more to Christmas than trees and pageants. The Overachiever: Schroeder is the kid who could play Beethoven in elementary school. He focused in on his music and his practice-time. The result, super-achievement! The Individualist: Snoopy isn’t afraid to be himself whether he’s Charlie Brown’s best friend, or Joe Cool, or a WWII flying ace. He’s unforgettable, and he commands the spotlight! The Investigator: Woodstock is Snoopy’s sidekick, and he’s up to investigate/help him in any and all adventures. The Loyalist: Marcie is Peppermint Patty’s sidekick. She’s loyal through and through. When Patty gets into trouble for being rude at Thanksgiving Dinner, Marcie helps her to make things right again with her friends. The Challenger: Sally challenges everyone – her big brother, his friends, even Santa Claus. She’s one determined little girl, especially with Linus who tries to ignore her, but never quite succeeds. The Challenger: Sally challenges everyone – her big brother, his friends, even Santa Claus. She’s one determined little girl, especially with Linus who tries to ignore her, but never quite succeeds. The Peacemaker: Charlie Brown tries to make peace, to help his friends get along, and he’s persistent about it. Sometimes he fails, but he always tries, tries again. So who am I? I’m mostly Charlie Brown. I try to get along with people, and I’m persistent. I’m also part Snoopy. I think differently from most people. I’ve never been cool, but I’ve always wanted to be. I’m an achiever like Schroeder. I’ve always tried to do my best, to become the best. Sometimes I succeed. Sometimes I don’t. Finally, I’m enthusiastic like Peppermint Patty. I throw myself into things, but never sports. My Source: https://www.filmfad.com/which-peanuts-character-matches-your-personality/ This is what happened 2 nights ago. I was packing to travel, and I started searching for a critique I needed. I thought I’d finally have time for it. It was almost midnight, but I searched for an hour before I gave up. I knew I should have quit sooner. I tried to sleep but my thoughts ran circles through my head - it’s lost – where could it be – my fault – my husband’s – it’s lost – If I could edit this photo, that search arrow would be spinning like those thoughts. This is what a critique looks like. It shows what a reviewer thinks can be done to improve a story. I was searching for one from the Cleveland writing conference for a manuscript that’s moving closer to publication. I have someone who’s interested in the story, with changes of course. I felt like my critique was irreplaceable. I wanted to sob, but I was too tired. I tried talking to myself. I backtracked through all the places I’d been, the things I’d done with that critique. I came up with 2 new places to check and a backup plan, just in case it was truly gone. The last time I remember seeing the critique was in Texas. I went to my grandgirl’s shower. I checked with my daughter-in-law. It wasn’t there. After Texas we stopped at the lake, and I unloaded a bag. I checked it. No critique so I gave up, at least for a TV break. I turned it on . . . AND I FOUND IT – beside the remote control, right where I’d left it, Forgotten. Minds and memories work like that. It’s sad but true. But finding it, that was a Hallmark movie moment! Perfect like this photo! I had my critique. I could work on my manuscript, and life was good! I wish Hallmark moments lasted longer, but I savor them as long as possible! My husband told me I’d find my critique, and he was right. He loves hearing that! Tomorrow I have another story that’s lost – devastated – found – grateful! My husband was right again! This is an aquamarine. It’s the March birthstone. I have an aquamarine ring, not this big of course. Mine is much, much smaller, but it’s precious to me. I lost a baby when I was pregnant. I’d only known about it for a couple weeks, but it was devastating. It took a year to recover, and by that time I was pregnant again with my daughter. She was due the same time as the baby I lost. Both babies were due in March. 26 years later, it feels like a Godwink moment from a Hallmark movie. About a month ago, I lost the ring. I looked everywhere, in all the usual spots. I was sad, but not devastated because my husband said, once again, you’ll find it. And once again he was right. I found the ring a couple days later when I stopped looking. It was laying downstairs close to the laundry room. This is how I felt, like I was starring in a summer Hallmark movie! I’d laid it there when I was doing laundry. I wanted to put it in a safe place. I did! An unusually safe place. So safe even I couldn’t find it. My advice – when something is lost – search carefully by backtracking through all the places you remember being. Search again, like once a day. Also search your memory, maybe you’ll remember a place you’d forgotten. You’ll look, and there it will be. Another tip – pray. I do. I pray that it will be found, and if it isn’t,that it will find its way to someone who needs it, like the ring. But if it’s like the manuscript, I pray for another way to recover it. I did have another plan, to email the conference for another copy of the critique.
Finally I try to learn from my mistakes. With my critique, I’d make another copy, put it in a special folder so it would be easier to find. Good luck to you and to me, because eventually we all lose things, and hopefully we won’t lose ‘it’ either. We’ll keep our cool and make the best of a disappointing/devastating situation! An Act of Kindness, Part 1 An Act of Kindness, Part 2 This one came in the mail! It’s from author A. LaFaye. I know! I got mail from a REAL LIVE author! What a thrill! I met A at the Marvelous Midwest SCBWI conference. She was a speaker, and friend of my conference roommate, Ailleen. Here’s the story of how I got this envelope. I was dying to buy a book, but I only buy e-chapter books. I also try to buy books from people who have critiqued my work. A never critiqued me, but I wish she had! When I heard her speak, I knew I’d found another teacher to help me become a better writer. Yes, I was only going to buy 1 book, but when I couldn’t decide, I bought both. A left before I could ask for an autograph so I decided to email her. I did, and she sent me TWO autographs. Thanks A! Here’s what was inside the envelope, a lovely card, and an autograph for each book. A card was inside with a note from A! Here’s what it said: To Rinda, Thank you for buying my books and sharing them! I’d be so honored if you could review them for Amazon and Good Reads. Thank you! A. LaFaye Dear A, Your reviews are coming! I planned to write them when I wrote this post about kindness. Now that it’s done, I’m writing them tomorrow. I loved your books, and I hope my reviews will help you find more readers. I’m honored that you wanted my words! Thank you for your kindness! Rinda Dear Readers, If you’ve bought and read my book, I’d be honored if you’d review it. If you’re not sure how, here’s a link I wrote about writing a review. http://www.rindabeach.com/blog/why-should-you-review-a-book-and-how-should-you-do-it I have 3 reviews so far . . . from SB, Connie, and Nadine! I know Nadine from Northern Ohio SCBWI, but I’m wondering who the other 2 are. Maybe they’ll read this, and tell me. Regardless, thanks to the 3 of you for your kind words! Rinda An Act of Kindness, Part 3 Sometimes it’s the small things that mean the most. I ordered pizza and salad a week or so ago. When the delivery guy arrived, he had forgotten the salad. I asked him to drop it off on his next trip through my neighborhood. No problem! I had pizza to eat. Thirty minutes later he returned with salad. I thanked him, and that’s when he told me about the number of people who blew up at him for small mistakes like this. He thanked me for my kindness. I was so surprised, but then I remembered my younger days when I might have gotten upset too. Maybe with age comes wisdom. No one means for mistakes to happen, and he corrected it. Why be upset? Eventually I’ll be on the other side of the mistake. You can’t avoid them, and I appreciate when people understand and forgive my errors. This is a photo of George and Barbara Bush. George was our 41st president. Barbara was his wife and First Lady. They were married for 73 years. Barbara died last April. George died last Friday, November 30th. Since Friday I’ve heard so many great stories about the Bushes, and I thought about my audience, the kids, teachers and parents who worked this week and couldn’t listen in. I started out with my 3 favorite stories, and now I’m up to 7. To me all these stories matter. They tell you something about George as a person. I hope they give you a great model for who you can become as you grow and learn. Most of all I hope these stories will matter to you too. The picture below is of George as a very young man. I knew he was in World War II, but I didn’t know that he volunteered to join the Navy the day after he turned 18. His father tried to talk him out of it. George would have none of it. He believed in duty, honor, and country. Wow! I don’t know that I could have stood up to my father at 18. A year later George became the youngest Navy fighter pilot. He flew 58 missions, and he almost didn’t live to tell. This is Story #1-- On September 2, 1944, George and his two-man crew finished a dangerous mission aboard an Avenger bomber. George dropped his missiles on a Japanese radio tower on the island of Chichi Jima and headed out to sea. As he flew towards 8000 feet his plane was hit, and it caught fire. George ordered his radio operator and gunner out. He banked his plane so it was easier for them to jump. At 3000 feet George bailed out, hitting his head on the tail, landing deep in the ocean. He resurfaced, head bleeding and swallowing sea water. His crew was no where in site. Another plane signaled the location of a life raft, and George swam for it as if his life depended on it. It did! George had time to wait and worry that the Japanese would come and capture him. To worry that his men were dead, a nd that he hadn’t done enough to save them. With his head bleeding, his stomach churning, and his heart heavy, George cried. Then 2 hours later he spotted a periscope. George was sure he was done, that it was a Japanese submarine. It wasn’t. It was the USS submarine Finback. George was saved. He was even a hero! He won the Navy’s Distinguished Flying Cross, but George didn’t feel like a hero. From that September day of 1944 on George asked a question that followed him throughout his life, “Why me? Why did I live?” And from that moment on George answered by living a life true to his values of duty, honor, and country. The Back Story for Story #2… If you were born after 1989, you might not have heard of the Berlin Wall. I was born in May of 1959. The Berlin Wall dominated my life until I was 30. Look at the map. The large one shows the city of Berlin after WWII. It was divided into 4 sectors that went to the French, British, Americans, and Soviets. By the time 1961 rolled around, basically the Americans and Soviets controlled Berlin. By then there was also an East and West Germany. If you look at the smaller map, you can see the countries that surrounded the two Germanies. Do you see Berlin? It’s the small blue area in the eastern section of East Germany. West Berlin was actually in East Germany. It made life complicated in those days, the days of the Cold War. Why was the wall built? Because East Germans were escaping communism and socialism in the East, for a better life in the west. The wall was built in the middle of the night on August 13, 1961. I was 2 years old. Why middle of the night? Because the Soviets were pulling a sneak attack, trying to stop people leaving. After the wall was built, guards were posted. If you tried to escape you were shot. If you went in legally from West Berlin to East, you went through Checkpoint Charlie. There were American guards on one side, Soviet guards on the other, and they all had guns. It was scary to go from East to West. One wrong word, and you could be imprisoned. If you watch old spy movies from the 1960’s to the late 1980’s, you’ll see what life was like back then. The Cold War was a scary time. We feared a nuclear war with the Soviets. On November 9th, 1989, the wall came down. I was 30 years old, and home on maternity leave. I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The 1st picture was from those incredible days in 1989. The 2nd picture was probably taken later. It’s Ronald Reagan, a famous American President. I’ve never seen this picture before, but I know Reagan’s role in the wall coming down, and his advisors told him not to do it. Reagan ignored them. He held onto his principles. On June 12, 1987 he stood in front of the wall, and gave a famous speech. He called out to the Soviet leader, Mikhail Gorbachev. He said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” Gorbachev refused. George H.W. Bush was Reagan’s vice president. He’d also been the US Ambassador to the UN, the CIA director, and the US Ambassador to China. He knew world leaders, and he worked behind the scenes to make things happen. I stood in front of the wall for the 1st time in 2007. The wall looked a lot like this. The 2nd mural wasn’t there yet. Do you recognize the 2 figures? They’re Mikhail Gorbachev and Ronald Reagan, but the most interesting thing is Bush is missing. That’s story #2, Bush’s part in this tale. The wall came down in 1989. George H.W. Bush was now president, and his work with Gorbachev made it happen. He didn’t drop the ball, but he helped the wall come down. I think he should be there, but 41 wasn’t about taking credit. He was about duty, honor, and country. 41 was told by his advisors to get to the wall and get his picture taken there. It would show his success. It’d help him get re-elected. Bush refused. He thought it was more important to be a friend to Gorbachev and the Soviet people. He was right! A year later on October 3, 1990 East and West Germany united after 45 years apart. I didn’t think it’d ever happen, and I never gave 41 credit. Neither did our press, but 2 people did after George died. Brian Mulroney, the Canadian Prime Minister, spoke at 41’s funeral and told the story of how Bush worked with his friends to help the German people. Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, told reporters that Bush was one of the father’s of German Reunification. Wow! What a great compliment! She also paid her respects by attending his funeral. This is a picture of the same 3 leaders at the 25th anniversary, Gorbachev, Bush, and Kohl. I picked this picture because it features Angela chatting with Barbara Bush. It makes me happy to see these leaders celebrate making a difference. Here’s to duty, honor, and country! Story Number 3 is about friendship. I have a few friends I made in college. That was 40 years ago, but none of them have lasted as long as George’s. George met Alan Simpson back in 1962. They were friends for 56 years. In 2011 George asked Alan to speak at his funeral. Alan did. He told stories about their friendship. Most people are fair weather friends. They’re only there for the good times, but not George! This story stuck with me. Alan was the senator from Wyoming. People were mad because he pushed for cuts in popular programs like Social Security and Medicare. He believed the government needed to save money to cut the national debt. Alan laughed that his popularity rating was less than 1%. George was at the height of his popularity, at 93%. As president, he put together a group of countries, and they fought together to free Kuwait from Iraq. George was a hero! Most people wouldn’t have invited the Simpsons to dinner, but George invited them to spend a weekend at Camp David. As they headed off to the helicopter, George laughed and told Alan to smile and wave to the reporters. No one waved back. The pictures landed in the Sunday papers, but the Bushes and the Simpsons didn't care. They had a great weekend anyway. Story Number 4— three stories in one. Before I write, I always search for pictures. Today I found two new stories while looking for those pictures so I’ll share all 3. When you’re president or vice president, the Secret Service is a big perk. They’re there to protect you. They’re there to serve you. This picture was taken in 2011 when the Secret Service helped 41 leave the ball park after watching the Houston Astros play baseball. George was a favorite of the Secret Service. It’s because he treated them as people. He didn’t see himself as more important. I didn’t know either of these 2 small stories until I searched for those pictures. Are you ready? This is really yummy! George and the Secret Service agents often got the munchies in the middle of the night. They’d raid the kitchen for milk and cookies together. YUM! My kind of president! This is even sweeter! George and his family stayed in DC for Christmas Eve so their agents could spend Christmas with their families. The day after Christmas they’d head to Texas. What a great boss! Unfortunately, not all former presidents or vice presidents are this nice. You can google to find out who’s nice and who’s not. I was searching for the picture above. It was taken in 2013. It shows 41 with a toddler on his lap. The second picture is 41’s security detail. They shaved their heads to show support for a fellow agent whose toddler had leukemia. George found out and refused to sit this picture out. He shaved his head to support his security guys. I think that’s incredible. Another sweet detail, leukemia is the same disease that took his daughter Robin in 1953. George never forgot Robin, ever. BTW, I didn’t look this one up, but George and the toddler took another picture together 3 years later. I’m glad to report they both had hair! Story Number 5— Lost and Found, Argument and Forgiveness. Do you remember 41’s first story, about his plane going down just off the island of Chichi Jima? He was lucky. He lived to tell, but he never forgot his crew. Time passed. 41 became president. His son George did too. Another son Jeb wanted to run, but Donald Trump beat him for the Republican nomination. It wasn’t pretty, and the Bushes were mad. Trump went on to become president. The Bushes voted against Trump, but they forgave him. They went on to work with him on one special project. This is that story. Barbara reached out to Donald in a letter in January of 2018. She wrote about a plane that went down during World War II. Barbara asked for help in searching the ocean floor to bring that crew home. I thought the plane was George’s from Chichi Jima, but I searched and found only this report for the Palau Islands. Here’s a map to show both crashes. Find the P in Japan. That’s close to Tokyo. Go straight south down to Iwo Jima. Chichi Jima is somewhere in the middle, to the southeast of Japan. That’s where 41’s plane went down. Neither the plane nor its crew have been found. Continue south past Iwo Jima down to the line that says Central Pacific Area. Go west, and you’ll see the Palau Islands. That’s where the most recent wreckage was found. The job was finished in 2 months. It was hard with 1-6 divers working 12-hour days at the bottom of the sea. The Army, Navy, and Air Force worked as a team to complete the mission. This is what one plane looked like after over 70 years on the ocean floor. YIKES! Work started in January, 2018 to remove 70 years of sand and ocean life. It was finished by the end of February/early March, Donald called George to report 2 men were found, but not 41’s crew. Trump expected him to be disappointed, but George was glad that 2 more Americans were coming home. I found these 2 links for the Palau Island story. They both reported that more than one body was found, but no identification had been made. That takes more time. Here are the links if you’d like to read more of this story. Story Number 6— Generosity of Spirit and Word Power. I didn’t get any pictures of 41 this time. That’s because George did everything privately, for the Pence family. This story wasn’t supposed to be told, and those are the best kinds of stories! Do you recognize this man? He’s the Vice President, Mike Pence. He was one of the speakers for 41 when he laid in state in the Capital Dome. Mike spoke for 11 minutes, but I remember this story. It’s a personal story about Mike, his son, and 41. Mike’s son is a 1st lieutenant in the marines. He had someone take a picture of his first tail-hook landing on an aircraft carrier. The name of the carrier, the USS George H.W. Bush. Mike has known 41 for years. He knew Bush had stopped doing autographs, but he sent the picture and a note, just in case, hoping for that autograph. Not only did Bush sign the picture, he sent a note too. Here’s what 41 wrote, “Though we have not met, I share the pride your father has for you during this momentous occasion. And I wish you many CAVU days ahead.” CAVU, I think everyone in the room said CAVU, then what’s that. CAVU stands for Ceiling and Visibility Unlimited. Mike’s son knew what it meant. It’s a Navy pilot’s term to describe the best kind of weather for flying off an aircraft carrier. I bet it’s what they want when they land too. BTW tailhook is something attached to the wings of the fighter jet. It catches the plane when it lands so that it can slow down and stop before it runs off the edge of the carrier. The plane has 1092 feet to stop. That’s 364 yards or about 3.5 football fields. That sounds like enough till you discover a plane gets 13,123 feet for a typical runway. That’s 4,374 yards or about 44 football fields. Navy pilots are great! I’ve read that George thought CAVU described his life. Pence thought it was the vision 41 had for his children, his grandchildren, and his country. That’s what I want for all of us too, lots of CAVU days ahead! Research link for this post: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/12/03/george-h-w-bush-honored-vice-president-pence-acronym-cavu/2197158002/ Story Number 7— The Final Story, Remembering the Past, Seeking the Future. This story got my attention. It’s what made me want to write this post. In his last year George talked about death, and life after death with his pastor. He wanted to know if he’d see Robin again, and he wondered what she’d look like. Would she be the 3-year-old he remembered, or a 65-year-old woman he didn’t recognize? I’d forgotten about Robin till this week. She had leukemia and died in 1953. She never got to turn 4 or ride a school bus. I can’t imagine losing a child, but the Bushes had to. They never forgot their little girl, but life had to go on. They already had a son George W and would go on to have 3 boys and another girl. Dorothy was born 6 years later, the same year I was born. For both George and Barbara, there was one thing they looked forward to in death, and that was seeing Robin again. I listened to 43’s eulogy about his father, and I remember how it closed. I think that’s the way this post should too. George W said, “And in our grief, let us smile knowing that dad is hugging Robin and holding Mom’s hand again.” I hope so too. Research links for this storry: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2018/12/03/george-hw-bush-loss-daughter-robin-would-thread-through-his-life/2183444002/ https://www.newsweek.com/george-bush-emotional-eulogy-father-1245702 The last time I wrote about cruising we were enduring, OOPS, I mean enjoying the wind and waves from Hurricane Michael. We probably were somewhere below Cuba (in red). Sometime late Monday night we started sailing around the western end of Cuba, then east towards Havana, yes-yes-yes! Welcome to Havana Harbor! Look at this map carefully. Feel free to come back to it. I’ll use it to give you some bearings for what you’re seeing.Do you see Central Havana? I think that’s where my pictures start as you head towards shore. Follow the coastline towards the 2 points of land. That’s your next landmark. Between those 2 points there’s a channel that leads to Old Havana. There where you’ll see more pictures. The last stop are those 3 rectangles to the right of old Havana. They look like an E sticking out in the water, and that’s where our ship docked. Now, climb aboard! Let’s cruise into Havana YES-YES-YES!! This is my first view of the city. How can I tell? The city looks modern with tall blockish buildings. One of the things I remember was the sea wall. Water flies up and splashes over it. My sister-in-law said that movie makers use this backdrop for scenes set in Havana. One of the most famous…007...James Bond. We’re getting close to the channel that leads to Old Havana. How can I tell? Do you see the 2 points of land? That's the channel that leads to the heart of Havana. This is an old Spanish fortress that’s on the eastern side of the Havana Bay. It’s in this picture and the next two. Here's its story: The Spanish arrived here in 1514. They named their settlement after an Indian chief, San Cristóbal de Habana. By 1538 they’d built a fortress, the Castillo de la Fuerza. The Castillo wasn’t strong enough. In 1555 French pirate Jacques de Sores attacked and plundered Havana so the Spanish built a bigger, better fort. It took 40 years to finish. It looks pretty good to me. But that fort still wasn’t strong enough. English ships raided Havana in 1622, 1623, and 1638. Here’s the link for my information: http://www.historyofcuba.com/history/funfacts/havana.ht This is the western side of the harbor. It’s been settled since 1514, During its early years, it had to be moved repeatedly because of mosquitoes, and the diseases they carry. In 1519 the settlers found this spot away from those darn mosquitoes. They stayed! This is the oldest part of Havana. I love the beautiful old buildings. Can you see the cruise ship in this picture? This is where our ship docked, by the E in the map of the channel. Much better! BTW, this wasn’t our cruise ship. There was another one when we arrived, and a different one when we left. I’m glad people like to visit Havana! I took this picture from the back of the boat looking across the harbor. It looks like wilderness, but it’s a special piece of land. Can you tell what’s in the middle of the picture? It reaches towards the sky. Try the next photo. Now it’s on the left side of the picture. Can you tell who it is? Our cruise director said it’s Fun Jesus. I called him Party Jesus. Why? One hand looks like it’s holding a Cuban cigar. The other is holding a mojito, a famous Cuban drink. That’s not how Jilma Madera planned it. Jilma is the Cuban woman who designed it, and it’s the largest statue created by a woman in the world. Jilma has girl power! I’m glad she designed her Cuban Jesus! PS- click on Jilma's name to read more about her. I looked toward another part of the harbor to take these 2 pictures. It shows where the local boats go to work. I’m guessing they’re fishing boats, but I didn’t get close enough to see. PS- I actually took all these pictures as I was leaving Havana. When we arrived, I couldn’t take any pictures because a bunch of ladies blocked my shot. On the way out, I was determined to get these pictures so when people, ladies, started coming to the back of the boat, I moved my chair forward so no one blocked my shot. Sometimes you have to be assertive, and polite, to get what you want and need. I’m glad I got the shot! A Night on the Town We finally got into Havana around 5, and we got off the boat by 5:30. It was so much easier in Havana than in Cienfuegos. There was a line, but it moved FAST! Customs was quick! Havana has newer equipment. The old stuff goes to places like Cienfuegos. We had money leftover from Cienfuegos. Time to see Havana! We hit the streets, and this is what we saw! The building above is the Terminal Sierra Maestra San Francisco, the boat terminal where people come and go from the ship. Look at the picture to the left. This is the terminal again, and the street in front of it. It was busy with cars like this one. The Terminal San Francisco is named after this church. Its full name is the Basilica Menor de San Francisco de Asis. It’s across the street from the terminal.The bell tower is about 138 feet tall and contains the remains of important Havana citizens. The church also gave its name to the square, the Plaza de San Francisco. That’s where we went when we left the boat. We looked around the plaza then took a walk down a street looking for a few souvenirs. No souvenirs yet, but this is the inside of a hotel. Sorry, I forgot to take a picture of the outside. We went in because my husband and his brother were determined to buy Cuban cigars. While they talked prices, I took pictures. This place is beautiful! Unusually so. I saw so much poverty in Cuba, but not here. Someone has enough money to renovate, redecorate, and keep this place up. BTW…we didn’t buy cigars…they were too expensive…I’m sure some of the cost keeps this place looking great. We kept exploring the streets of Havana, but I didn’t find any treasures. Either the shops were closed, or nothing called me. Nothing! My sister-in-law’s bucket list wish for this trip was to visit the places in Havana where Ernest Hemingway hung out. This is one of them. The man in the stature is Ernest. The pictures on the wall are of him too. Ernest is a famous writer. His books are for adults. He wrote The Old Man and the Sea, For Whom the Bell Tolls, The Sun Also Rises, and A Farewell to Arms. This is one of Ernest’s hang-outs, Floridita. Can you guess what it’s named after…the state of Florida. Cuba reminds me of Florida. Ernest had a house in Florida and one near Havana. When he was in Havana, this is where he came for a good dinner and a daiquiri. That’s a slushy adult drink. The outside doesn’t look like much, but the inside has the most gorgeous woodwork, and it was packed with tourists! While we were there, they had a trio of singers. They were fantastic! When we got to Floridita, it was still light, but it was getting dark when we left. We hurried back to the boat, in time for dinner and a good night’s sleep. Back to Square 1 We got into Havana a day late, but we were lucky. We could reschedule our tour. We met our guide at the Plaza de San Francisco, that’s where we went for our first night in Havana. The Plaza is the oldest square in the city. The basilica was started in 1580 and finished in 1591. It’s been in use ever since, for over 400 years. The next building is on the square, just down from the church. Sorry, I can’t find its name. I’m guessing it’s one of the museums that are spread across the city. Look down, and I'll introduce you to José María López Lledín. He was also known as El Caballero de París. In English he was called the gentleman of Paris. He looks pretty dapper to me. Would you believe he actually was a homeless man who had saw things that weren’t there? Poor man! It’s said his mind snapped when he was unfairly imprisoned. Jose doesn’t sound like statue material, but legend says that he was kind and generous, perfect for a statue. Look up to see an aqueduct from Cuba’s colonial days. When Spain colonized Havana, they needed water. They brought it to the colonists, through stone channels built under the city. The aqueducts aren’t used anymore, but it’s nice to find history at your feet. Look what else I found on my walk! Nestles! Something from home in Old Havana. When I explore another country, I look for what’s new and interesting, but I also look for pieces of home. Yum! OOPS! I didn’t get get much of a shot of the outside of this building. It’s still in the old part of Havana, close to the next square. Something else caught my eye. Do you know what it is? (Hint-- it's not Darth Vader!) This building once belonged to the monks who lived and worked here. They dressed in long robes with hoods. The statue of a monk stands guard outside Inside is a beautiful painting of another monk, and now this building is a hotel that remembers its history. I'm glad! To Square Two, Plaza Vieja This is the Plaza Vieja. It means Old Square in Spanish, but when it was built in 1559 it was called the Plaza Nueva, the New Square. Really! Do you remember the Plaza de San Francisco? It was the original square back when Spanish galleons first sailed into Havana. The Franciscan monks from the Basilica wanted a new square because they had trouble celebrating Mass. They said the shopkeepers made so much noise they needed to move. I didn’t know there was noise pollution in the sixteenth century. I thought it was a modern problem. Plaza Vieja is pretty colorful. That’s something new. In the 1980’s Old Havana became a UNESCO cultural heritage site. People found money to renovate and repaint the old buildings. Our guide said the building in the next picture is in the old Spanish style. I love it, but I wonder how they made arches out of stone. This is the last picture from the plaza. I couldn’t find the name of the sculptor, but our guide talked about the French influence that dates back to Napoleon. He was short but powerful, like a bantam rooster. Did you know there's a rooster on the French soccer uniform? The 2nd picture is the street that leads to the next square. It’s all cobblestones and buildings. The only trees are in pots. Down the street is the Hogar Materno Infantil Doña Leonor Pérez Cabrera. Translation: It’s the hospital for women who are pregnant and expecting babies. It’s named after Dona Leonor Perez Cabrera. That’s Jose Marti’s mother. Remember him, from the park in Cienfuegos? Farther down is the CIA. Armera De Cuba. S.A. Efectos De Caceria Y Explosivos. I thought it was a fireworks place. Nope! It started as a private gun shop, but on April 9, 1958 some of Fidel Castro’s revolutionaries broke in to get guns. Four guys died that night. Years later it became a museum for guns and knives that date back to the 1700’s. This is another Hemingway favorite. It’s the Hotel Ambos Mundos, which means both worlds. Hemingway lived here for 7 years during the 1930’s. It was cheap, $1.50 a day!. This picture and the one below are from the ground floor. It looks pretty nice! The last picture is the hotel elevator. When Ernest stayed in Room 511 on the top floor, he would have used this elevator. Room 511 is no longer available. It’s a mini-museum, but you can book other rooms in the Ambos Mundos. Meet the working dogs of Havana! They look much better than the dogs of Cienfuegos. They wear name tags. That means they get fed every day. Then they take a nap on the warm pavement. They may have skin problems like fleas and the mange, but having food, a place to sleep, are 2 very good things for my canine friends. Welcome to the Oficina Del Historiador De La Ciudad. I think that translates to the Office of History of Cuba. It sounds like another museum. We didn’t go inside. We kept on walking. Three Squared, The Plaza De Armas This is the Plaza De Armas. Today it’s a park where you can relax in the shade of palm trees and tropical plants. The edges are lined with beautiful old buildings. Like the other Plazas, it once had another name, the Plaza de la Iglesia. Iglesia was a small neighborhood church. In the 1600’s the Spanish government built the governor's palace and an armory in this square. The name was changed to the Plaza De Armas, which means ‘Weapons’ Square or Parade Ground.’ The rich people of Havana came here to enjoy carriage rides and military parades. It was the place to be and to be seen! The building in the background is the Palace of the General Captains or the Spanish governor. The Spanish started building in 1776, the same year America declared its independence from England. The west side of the plaza has a wooden floor because a governor’s wife got tired of carriage wheels waking her up. She got her husband to get rid of the stone and replace it with wood. From 1791-1898, it was the home for the Spanish governor of Cuba. It later became the presidential palace. Today it’s Havana's Museum of history. BTW- The Iglesia church was destroyed in 1741 when the HMS Invincible blew up. Its mast flew into the church and destroyed it. This statue is at the center of the plaza, at the center of the park. It's another Cuban hero, Carlos Manuel de Céspedes. The park is named Parque Céspedes. Carlos freed his slaves, started the Cuban wars for Independence, and is considered the Father of the Cuban Homeland. The statue’s base is inscribed with Carlos’ name and his service to Cuba. It’s protected by a gate and decorated with flowers. The ribbon’s inscribed with a message, but I can’t read Spanish, and I couldn’t find anything online. Sorry! This is El Templete. It was built in 1827 to honor Queen Josefa Amalia. It commemorates the 1st mass and the first town council that was held at the foot of a ceiba tree that once grew there. The square eventually grew into the Plaza de Armas. BTW—Queen Josefa’s husband was King Fernanando VII. In 1834 his statue was moved to make room for Carlos Manuel de Céspedes. The Plaza De Armas is full of history, but it’s also a park where you can relax under a shade tree and enjoy the view. If you want to stay here, try the Hotel Santa Isabel. It’s a 5 star hotel, and, it used to be a palace, the Palacio de los Condes de Santovenia. When I go back, I want to stay at the palace! Just down the street is the most beautiful old house, the Casa del Conde Jaruco. It was finished in 1737 for the Countess de Merlin who was a countess and a Cuban novelists. It’s famous for its meiopuntos, those gorgeous half-moon stained glass windows. It doesn’t house people anymore. It houses art exhibits. These painting are not in the Casa del Conde Jaruco. They’re photographs outside another building, the Cuban Museum of Natural History. All these plants and animals are native to Cuba. I didn’t see them inside the museum, but I’m glad I caught them on the outside. I took this picture but couldn't confirm its identity. I googled but couldn’t find the statue. I can’t read the plaque either, but I’m pretty sure it’s Miguel de Cervantes. Our guide pointed him out, and I remember taking his picture. Here’s his story… Miguel was born in 1547 in Madrid, Spain. He became a poet and a soldier who published his first book in 1569 at age 22, but he didn’t become famous until 1605. That’s when he wrote Part 1 of Don Quixote. Miguel was 58. He finished the 2nd part in 1615, at age 68. Thanks, Miguel, for the encouragement. I still have time to write and publish a story. Don Quixote fits Miguel, the poet-soldier. Don is an old man who’s so fascinated with the knights of old that he sets out in search of adventure. Miguel fought against the Turks and lost his left hand. Then he spent 5 years in a Turkish prison. Miguel went on to write the world’s first best seller. He died in poverty but never gave up. In Miguel’s most famous scene Don thinks he’s fighting a giant. It’s really a windmill, but he keeps fighting, determined to fight the impossible battle. Miguel wrote this story in 1615. It’s now a classic that’s been translated into 60 languages. It’s also been renamed The Man of La Mancha and turned into a Broadway play, and into a movie. Its best song, To Dream the Impossible Dream. Miguel has 3 statues in Havana, Cuba. I wish he knew how powerful his words are, 400 years later. Talk about an impossible dream! This mural is incredible. It covers over 300 square meters on Mercaders Street (360 square yards). It’s made of 52 panels that depict 67 famous figures from Cuban history. Andres Carrillo is the artist. He researched all 67 people to find out what they looked like, how they dressed. It’s amazing! Andres also used a new material to paint his mural. He picked a natural rock from Cuba and soaked it in acrylic resin. It came out as small tiles. He picked 4 colors (brown, coral rose, black, and beige) and mixed them together to create his 13 shades. It is incredible to look at this huge mural and to know how much work is in it. It is so life-like that I felt like I could step out on a balcony or open a window. They look like they’re physically there. Andres is incredibly talented! I had to work to report on this! I blew up the picture and copied its name: Correspondencia Interior Y Peninsular. That meant nothing to me so I went to Google and pasted in that name. I hit pay-dirt! That is the oldest mailbox in Cuba. It’s part of the original stonework for the old mansion of the Marqueses deArcos (some rich guy). It’s in the plaza of the Cathedral of Havana. I didn’t think we’d made it to the next plaza, but I guess we did. The stone mailbox is the Greek mask of tragedy. Its mouth is where you put your letter. The inscription is a nod to the colonial era when mailbox was made. Who knew mail could be so tragic! I googled, but couldn’t find anything about this, so I enlarged the sign, and here’s what it says, in English…Invitation to the people of Havana and foreign visitors to discover the new shop and manufacture of miniature tin soldiers. Placed at Number 164 Muralla Street, Havana. I don’t remember anything about tin soldiers because I would have bought a couple. (I love to shop!) I thought it was something about soldiers mustering for duty back in the 1700 or 1800’s. I googled once more and discovered it really is a shop! A tiny one on a side street. Each soldier is 3 inches tall, dressed in period costumes, and made of solid lead. The price, as little as 8 CUC a soldier. If you decide to visit, bring the address with you, 163 not 164 Muralla. Even the locals don’t know about this place. You can watch from the window as each soldier is painted, under a magnifying glass. When I go back to Havana, and I will, I’m visiting Muralla Street! The link for this information: http://www.visitcuba.com/2014/12/big-battles-tiny-soldiers/ 4 x 4, Plaza 4, The Plaza de la Catedral Sorry! I wrote so many posts about Havana and Cuba back in 2018 that I got tired of it, and I thought you might be tired too. Now time has passed (2021) so I'll just leave these pictures, and leave you to wonder about what they are. If you research it, let me know! I love sharing names!
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AuthorWhen I write, I can only have one voice in my head, mine. A little noise is fine. But too much, or worse yet, WORDS, and I must change rooms or pull out headphones. Then I can write on! Categories
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