2020 The year of Coronavirus and wearing mask

Total left knee replacement was March 10, that same week much of our country was shut down because of the  Coronavirus.

I stayed overnight at the hospital and was sent home with all the equipment I would need for the next few weeks for home therapy.

I also went to three days a week to Peak Performance for physical therapy.

The Sciatic nerve in my lower back flared up which caused therapy to be very painful. 

My Orthopedic doctor had to manipulate my left knee which helped relieve some of the pain in my lower back. 

It took several months before I could enjoy walking and I was thankful to have my hubby doing my household chores. 

I could not read or sit at my computer because it was too painful and it was hard for me to concentrate. 

On June 18, our granddaughter gave birth to a baby boy. 

Only her hubby could be with her and her baby shower was virtual. 

(Great Grandson Atlas Ian is doing great he is growing like a weed.)

River our great-grandson turned two on June 2.

We celebrated our great-grandson's first birthday on Sunday, December 13. 

He and his mother both had the Coronavirus both are doing fine now. 

Our daughter-in-law contracted the Coronavirus at work and gave it to her husband (our son), they were quarantined for 14 days. 

Schools across the United States were shut down and graduating was just months away for seniors.

Our grandson a senior graduated in May after months of his school being shut down. 

Our country was in a pandemic with businesses, schools, factories, and restaurants shut down.

People dying and the virus spreading like wildfire causing people to stress out. 

Lowes was doing a booming business during the pandemic because people were afraid to go anywhere, so many did home projects and gardening.

 I enjoyed spending time attending to my flowers and herbs. 

The Coronavirus has kept many inside this year beginning in the Spring. It sored through  

Summer, and Autumn, now it is Winter and the coronavirus is still here.

The CBS bible study that I attend every year is now virtual. It is great that we can still see one another through Zoom and be safe. 

We have grandchildren attending Universities, High School, and Kindergarten with odd days.

Every Thursday and Friday in September & October we kept our great-granddaughter, Ava.

We did the social distance, we would take her to our local parks where she enjoyed feeding the turtles and fish. 

For the last two weeks, Hubby and I have been picking our great-granddaughter up at school. 

Her uncle is a senior this year and usually takes and picks her up but in the last two weeks, he has not gone to school on Thursdays and Fridays. (because of the pandemic)

Hubby went back to work part-time in June and full-time in September. 

Last year was a sad year for my niece she lost her husband to cancer. 

But 2020 has brought her happiness, she found another love, and they were married on the first of October. 

The Coronavirus is still on the rampage, the numbers are going down. 

Most states have a mandate that you have to wear a mask covering your nose and mouth before entering a place of business. 

High-risk people are encouraged to stay home and have their groceries & personal items delivered.

Stores limit the number of people inside their stores. Restaurants have spaced their tables at least 6 feet apart. Many places of business have a shield or partitions to protect their employees. 

Some places will only take credit cards because they do not want to handle money that is full of germs.

The flu season is just around the corner and the medical field is in a rush to come up with an anti-virus serum to give to the public to help prevent the further spread of the Coronavirus.

We have missed so much of our annual Halloween parties, and Thanksgiving meals with family, and now Christmas is just around the corner. 

Our family get-togethers may be small this year. 

Hubby contracted the Coronavirus from a co-worker and I got it from him.  We missed having a Thanksgiving meal with our families. 

In November I went to the Mountains with my cousin and aunt. We ate out a couple of times and did a little shopping but mostly we just enjoyed each other's company.

We bought a Modular home in July but will not be finished until late January. This Coronavirus has put a dent in many aspects of our lives. 

My dad fell and broke his hip and died shortly in November. 

Our family is going to celebrate Christmas on December 20 and have a sister gathering on Christmas Day.

We just have to take one day at a time. 

This year we have had a birth, (a great-grandson) a death,(my dad) a marriage, (my niece), and sickness.

We have been very busy this year but differently. Life as we know it will no longer be the same.

Even in a pandemic life goes on. 

 

2010 ~ Sunday, May 23, Bridge Street Centre with granddaughters

I took off two of my granddaughters, Sierra,& Madison, to Bridge Street Centre. 

I parked near the Red Robin Restaurant. 

Bridge Street is beautifully laid out and has a fountain, flower gardens, a variety of stores, a theater, restaurants, a bowling alley, and a hotel. The girls posed for several photos. 

Granddaughters posing for a picture

Granddaughters posing at the fountain 

Standing outside of the NASA store was a spacesuit from NASA. Each one of us put our faces inside the mask of the space and made pictures. 

We went inside the NASA store and looked around at the displays and we talked to the people in the NASA Store. 

NASA Suit 

The man inside the store said in August there will be a day where you can visit NASA.
There were many hands-on displays that the girls enjoyed.

Granddaughter with hands-on displays

We walked to the Apple store and we played on the new IPAD.

We stopped to use the restroom and check out the Station No 2 & The Melting Pot Restaurant.

The girls playing on the escalator 

The girls at the Station No 2 & The Melting Pot Restaurant

Standing at the gate of the Westin Hotel 

We walked into the Black and White Store.

We went to Barnes and Noble where I bought a book to take with me on the plane on my trip to California. (The Time Travelers book one of the Gideon Trilogy.) 

The girls at PF Changs

We went to the Chocolate Crocodile, we each bought a soda. 

It was over 100 + degrees so we were all thirsty. 

I gave the girls my last dollar to buy a Truffle. 

Enjoying a soft drink at the Chocolate Crocodile

Walking back to the car

We walked to the car and I drove us to Cracker Barrel in Madison, where we met hubby for dinner.

I ordered pinto beans, grilled chicken, cornbread, onion, and relish

Madison ordered shrimp, macaroni, and Cheese, with ice tea.

Sierra ordered fried Chicken fingers, macaroni, cheese, and a doctor pepper. 

Hubby ate a bacon cheeseburger and fried apples.

Later that day the girls and I swam in our pool until 8:30PM

Both girls spent the night.

✈️✈️✈️2007 May 1, Tuesday, Trip to Shriners Hospital in Lexington KY

Tuesday, May 1, Lexington, KY

Shrine’s Hospital Lexington, Kentucky

We left the Muscle Shoals Airport at 7:45 A.M.  in Bobby's airplane for the second time going to the Shriners Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky.
We are taking Meadow to Shriners via Angle Flights for medical reasons. Meadow had multi-problems.

We arrive at the Kentucky Airport at 9:30 A.M. 

This time I took my camera and took several pictures.
We took pictures of each other wearing the gigantic headphones with a microphone to speak into. 

We had to wear headphones to communicate.
I took pictures of Meadow laughing she was in a jolly mood.
Meadow sat in a seat facing us. Maybe she was laughing because we looked funny wearing the headphones.

I took several pictures of the ground below and the clouds above.

Kentucky

Robert Trent Jones Golf Course

I took pictures of the raging blue/green Tennessee River as it flowed through the Wilson Dam.
I took pictures of the sand pits and the lush greenery at Fighting Joe's Robert Trent Jones Golf Course in Muscle Shoals. We had an awesome view of the golf course from our plane.
I took pictures of one of the tallest buildings in Florence, The Renaissance Tower which is home to 360 Grille.
360 is fine dining with a fabulous view of the Tennessee River.
When we flew over Lexington Kentucky I took pictures of the horse track and stables that were fit for a king.

Meadow strapped in her car seat, laughing
Meadow was dressed in pink from head to toe

Meadow in the examination room I was dressed in yellow just a hint darker than the examination room 

When we arrived at the airport Bobby went inside to get a van to take us to the hospital for Meadow’s appointment.

Meadow was weighed, her head and length were measured and then we were taken to the Penguin examination room.
The examining room was painted a pale yellow with pictures hanging on the wall. A mural window was painted on the wall inside the window was a walrus wearing ear muffs, three penguins wearing caps, a red balloon, and an Owl wearing a red scarf.

Meadow saw Doctor Bennett and he examined Meadow’s bones. Lora talked to Mrs.  Preston about Botox and she said that Botox was a protein made from bacteria.

Lora talked to the doctor about  Meadow getting Botox injections and taking Meadow to Baltimore, Maryland for therapy.
When all the doctor visits were complete we went to the Cafeteria to eat lunch.

We ate pinto beans, cornbread, broccoli, salmon patties, watermelon, and brownies. 

Wearing headphones with a smile

Getting ready to leave

After our meal,  Lora called our pilot Bobby and we were in the air by 1:50 P.M.

It was very hot and humid which caused a bumpy ride home.

Our pilot explained that when the hot air rises it will cause the plane to bounce.
It had been a beautiful day for traveling. 

My daughter is not too keen on flying but she said that she enjoyed this flight. 

I love to fly it is safer than driving.

May 1, 2007 Lexington, KY, Angel Flights

Leave Muscle Shoals Airport (MSL) at 7:45 A.M. 

Arrive at 9:30 A.M. Lexington Kentucky Airport (LEX)

Return Flight

Leave 1:30 P.M. Lexington Kentucky Airport (LEX)

Arrived at Muscle Shoals Airport (MSL)

2013 ~Saturday, October 19,Spending the Day with Sierra & Madison

I sent both Madison and Sierra a text to ask them if they wanted to go to a fall festival at my sisters & to Rogersville’s Heritage Days.

I said if you want to go be ready by 11:00 A.M.

I picked up the girls and we head to Rogersville for Heritage Days.

We could hear music playing and people singing as I parked the car in Fordland’s parking lot.

We walked to Heritage Park where they were having a chili cook-off that started at eleven A.M. We arrived at the park around eleven thirty and the pots of chili were almost empty.

We ask where are your cups for the chili and was directed to a table full of women selling tickets for $2.00. 

I only had $5 in the pocket so, I paid the girl behind the table the five dollars and Madison and Sierra hurried back to the van to get some more money.

When the girls got back, Madison said, “ Granny I am a vegetarian," so the woman gave me back $1.00 and Madison took it and bought her a coke.

Sierra and I had our 4-ounce cups filled from all the different, delicious, pots of chili.

Each vendor had them on special receipt and it was hard to vote for the best.

I was beginning to get full of chili; the last pot of chili that I tried was made with sausage.

That was my favorite. 

The car show had Mustangs, Cameo’s, Trucks, Chevrolet Blair, & Fairland and many other cars were lined along the streets for people to view

The car that stood out the most to us was a Dodge Charger called the General Lee-01. 

Dodge Charger called the General Lee-01

Next was the quilt show, I was not sure where it was located so I ask a woman that was walking along the street if she knew the location of the quilt show. 

She pointed toward the north of town, so the girls and I started walked that way.

Then I heard the woman holler and say the quilt show is not that direction but east. 

So the girls and I turned around and started walking down Lee Street. We walked past Rogersville Presbyterian Church in the USA it was located at the corner of Lee Street and Dement Street. This church was over one hundred years old, which dated back to 1889, and this church holds the distinction of being the last surviving church in Rogersville, Alabama

We kept walking and we thought we saw the Methodist church where they were having the quilt show, but to our amazement, it was a yard sale. 

Walking around in Rogersville with granddaughters

Walking around in Rogersville with granddaughters

So, we turned around and walked back to the van. We then rode almost 3 more miles to the quilt show that was located at Rogersville Methodist Church 701 Turner Lindsey Rd Rogersville. 

As we entered the church we were handed gloves because they did not want you to touch their quilts with the naked hand.

Hanging on display were many different types, sizes, textures, designs, thickness, all created either by hand or machine.

Some of the names describing the quilts were: A Flag Quilt, Alabama Quilt, He is Risen Quilt, Log Cabin Quilt, Giant Dahlia Quilt, Crazy Quilt, Exploring the Stars Quilt, I could go on, and on; they were just beautiful.

Quilting is an art!

Quilts at the Quilt show

Quilts at the Quilt show

Quilts at the Quilt show

We stopped at Foodland in Killen and I bought a sweet potato pie to take to the fall festival at my sister's.

An October festival is a yearly activity that my sister and brother-in-law have every year. 

They put a lot of time and money to make this a place for friends and family to come and enjoy.

They have built a large shelter, which houses about 12 picnic tables that can seat over a hundred people and at the end of the shelter is a large fireplace. They have also built a building that housed a toilet.

October can be warm or it can be cold and on this particular day, it was a bit breezy.

A Cozy fire was burning in the fireplace and there were many people huddled next to the fire trying to keep warm. 

Vicki had gone to her house and brought back several jackets for people to wear to keep warm. 

In the distance, you could see a large garden of turnip greens growing, which had an electric fence to keep out critters.

When we got out of our van, we could smell food cooking.

There was chicken stew boiling on an open fire, sweet potatoes baking, there were lots of green beans, lots of peas, lots of turnip greens and hot dogs on the grill. 

There were three tables filled with desserts, paper plates, cups, spoons, forks, dip, chips, bread, and drinks. It was hard to decide what to put on your plate first because there was such a variety of food, so you just start filling it.

There were people eating, talking, kids playing, other still cooking, and everyone having a great time.

One of the fun things that we do every year is taking a hayride deep into the woods. 

The kids really enjoy this, we have to duck many times to avoid the low branches, and brawler that we pass.

Another fun thing that we do is to bob for apples. The kids enjoy this very much and get very wet doing it. 

Another fun thing we do is a sack race, the kids are falling down and getting up trying to be the first to the finish line.

After getting our bellies full, having a fun time on the hayride, and saying good-bye we head back to the van.

It has been a lovely October day a bit breezy and to spend it with two of my beautiful granddaughters.

The girls look at me and say, thanks, granny we had a wonderful time with you today.

That just touched my heart, to know that they still have fun with granny.