New Account

   Yesterday Andrew and Jane took Gramma to LAFCU and she opened a new account while closing out the one set up last October that had an ATM card issued to Gloria that Gramma did not want. As of now they have not reacted but tomorrow we will find out when they take her over to Petra's for the weekend. We need Gramma's SS#  to open the account and have her checks direct deposited in it. Gramma has been staying with us Tuesday through Friday since she got back from Florida. Last Tuesday Jane requested of them to show us and Gramma her LAFCU statements but instead of complying Gloria started attacking Jane about it and we left with Gramma. On Thursday Andrew reported them for elderly abuse and Eaton Co. called to talk to her but Gramma could not hear or understand the questions so Jane gave her the story and they are investigating. The case worker suggested changing Gramma's account and we had Gramma sign permission for them to investigate her finances and health records. Gloria and Petra had a whole week to do the right thing but their coldness sealed their fate.  I had my teeth cleaned at Dr. Rashid's on July 6 as Midwest Dental is no longer in Lansing. We had a visit with Jim and Betty on Friday the 3rd and on the 12th went to the Turner-Dodge mansion for a get together for Gregg's son Alex and future wife Molly as they had planned this to be a meet and greet for them when they were going to get married in May but had to postpone it. We took Peg as Lori had to go to the U.P.  They had stopped by during the week and we told her we would take Peg and the weather was just right after the long 10 day stretch of 88+ temperatures. I have been going to mass Wednesdays and Saturdays at 8:10 and Sundays at 7:30.  Covid-19 is spiking again this time mostly in the south and the worse in Florida, Texas, Arizona and California. Many states are making masks mandatory indoors and in large crowds to help stop a new wave of devastation. Globally cases are at 13.7 million with 586,000 deaths, in the U.S. there are now 3.5 million cases and 138,000 deaths, and in Michigan 72,000 cases and 6,100 deaths. Meanwhile our president still dismisses its danger and finally wore a mask in public while spreading his misinformation and division!

The Beat Goes On

   I had my final zoom meeting Monday the 1st and they will not have building subs next year. On Tuesday I went to Elmwood to turn in my key and give Ronisha a plate of Jane's cookies I promised her as she will be going to U of M next fall.  Buddy's Pizza opened June 8 and we tried their pizzas but were disappointed and had to call in about it and got 2 more for free the next week. They were better but still overrated. I've been going to mass at St. Gerards Sundays and now there is mass on Wednesdays at 8:10 also. Richard Dunlap started working on the hallway ceiling last Wednesday and finished this Monday.  We went to Valpo this weekend as we had not been able to go for 3 months so we had Father's Day with Silas and Paul. Monday the 22nd I got my first haircut since March 5th. My hair was the longest it had been in over 30 years, all wavy at the back corners. Gramma is back from Florida and we picked her up Tuesday  from Petra's and we will have her until tomorrow as she and Gloria got back on Friday when we left for Indiana. The restrictions are slowly lifting but the new normal requires caution and distance with new procedures for what we took for granted before Covid-19. Trump had his first rally against the advice of medical experts over the weekend and only had 6,200 show up when he said there would be a 100,000 and the arena in Tulsa held 19,000. Worldwide there have been 9.3 million cases and 479,000 deaths while in the US 2.3 million cases and 121,000 deaths, Michigan has 62,000 cases and 5,800 deaths with some Southern states hitting peak levels now. It is serious and we have a president with little ability to deal with reality and that is not fake news!

Everything Changed

It is now the end of May and there has been no school since Friday the 13th of March. Today I went to mass at church and received the Eucharist for the first time since March 14th. Life has went on by social distancing and wearing face masks at stores. School is online and having zoom meetings with the Elmwood staff at 2:30 on Mondays since April the 13th. Thanks to Waverly and the CARES Act I am still getting paid because I was a permanent substitute and did not qualify for unemployment because of my GM pension and SS. We have not been able to go to Valpo so we've been doing zoom meetings with the boys once a week. Life changed and we have stayed healthy by being apart from church and school family and most businesses limiting capacity so I've mostly done my grocery trips after taking Simon to work when it is not busy and stores most clean. Only essential businesses have been open until recently with no eating at restaurants or public events held. Over these past 2 months Meijer, Kroger and Aldi have been my contact with the world. When I left school in March I was sure we would be back by May and the same for church. The world has become such a mess and our president has only shown his lack of leadership through the pandemic,economic and social crisis. Since Monday May 25 when George Floyd was knelled by neck to death by police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis rioting and protests have spread nationwide as the president tweets fear and anger instead of calming solutions. The far right and left exploit hatred and evil while the true majority seek and want justice for a united America.  No one should be proud of what our country is today and we all need to start correcting the lost path we're headed on! America is not great nor is the president! Our only salvation will be the good people to stand tall against division and work honestly on rebuilding the values that this country is supposed to stand for! The spring has been cool and rainy with our back 40 flooding May 18th after over 2" of rain. This week we had 3 days over over 80 degree weather leading us to put in the air conditioner. 2020 a year never to be forgotten and the changes it has brought will forever make life not to be taken for granted. Jane had her 67th birthday with dinner at home and flowers for the planters.  Worldwide there are 6.1 million cases and 371,000 deaths, 1.8 million cases in the USA with 106,000 deaths and 57,400 cases and 5,500 deaths in Michigan.

Coronavirus COVID-19

    Friday March 13 was a half day of school and the last day that I have worked due to social isolation. Saturday the 14th was the last time we were able to attend mass at St. Gerard as it is now online Sundays at 9:00. In February we heard about the virus causing China to shut down Wuhan but never thought a month later it would shut down most of our economy and cause our freedom to be limited to try to stop a pandemic from spreading. It was good I got the Equinox's oil changed and my haircut and new coat at Penney's before these things became part of the quarantine. Now only grocery stores are open with limited hours and with 6 foot restrictions and due to hoarding some items difficult to find or limited. Gas is cheap but nowhere to go even though there is an abundance time. Life is strange but we are surviving and healthy so far. The president has called this a war on an unseen enemy and there are very real parallels. Unfortunately trump has done a poor job of leading this war contradicting, misinforming, talking in circles, taking no responsibility while blaming others, giving uneven direction to a nation confused by this new way of living. He has been a babbling, bumbling, buffoon during daily briefings which really should be like Roosevelt's fireside chats during the Depression that reassured people. Thank God for Dr. Anthony Fauci of NIAID for being the source of truth during this trying time that would be a disaster if trump had his way which is concentrated on the health of the economy and his legacy. Globally there are 1,360,000 cases and 76,000 deaths; in the USA 368,500 cases and 10,000 deaths and in Michigan 17,221 cases and 727 deaths. I did celebrate my 69 years with carrot cake and chicken enchiladas made by my beautiful wife and we try to go for walks now that it is warming up. Sadly on March 9th Lukas crashed the front end of the Malibu on his way to work and it was his fault and that Friday turned out to be his last day of work at Delta Dental as they let go of all their temp employees as they could not work from home. He had to pay $125 for the ticket and $500 to the lady he ran into for her deductible. Jesus Christ is Lord and will see US through this!

Valpo Valentine

   This weekend we went to Valpo leaving Friday after work and getting there just after dark to spend St. Valentines with the grandchildren. The boys were happy to see us and they are growing and changing making for a great visit. Unfortunately on the ride home I felt a little queasy and when we passed Kalamazoo I threw up while driving and we pulled off I-94 and I had to change my pants and clean up at McDonalds. But as we approached Charlotte I felt it coming on again and Jane grabbed a bag and again left it on the exit ramp. I also had one more episode at home and liquid farts making the sickest I'd been in 25 years. Maybe just the 24 hour flu from school or Iowa or Indiana? Today I am better and did my taxes as there is no school for President's Day and I needed that extra rest. Aunt Peg broke her ankle and we have went to see her out at Dobie Rd. Rehab the prior 2 weekends.  It has been cold enough for snow cover but overall a mild winter a prelude to the storm that will be the rest of 2020.

2020 Vision

   We spent Christmas with Silas and Paul getting there at 11:00 on the 24th and leaving Jane there to come back by train and bus on Friday. We were able to go to the Y during my 2 weeks off and so far Jane says the class hasn't gotten too crowded with the state workers in January except for a couple of days. Jane got new glasses at Americas Best to improve her perception for the new decade. I only have to go to Colt and Winans for the IEP's now. For all of December we had 3.4" of snow and on the 18th of January we had 6.8" of snow and most other days have been near 30 degrees and cloudy with a 12" snow total for January. We did a mortgage reduction loan from LAFCU that ended the home equity loan from 5/3 Bank. Life just goes on like trump and his winning which is our losing. The House impeached him but the Senate conducted their predetermined conclusion hearing blindly saying he is guilty of an unimpeachable offense. Division, depression, deception, disgust and discrimination make a 5D 2020 vision.

Peach or Impeach Me

   It is now winter with the longest night and shortest day due to the tilt of the Earth putting the sun below the North Pole horizon.  I am on a 2 week break from school and will not have to go back the the Middle School next year after contacting HR about their IEP schedule that was not working well and the lack of a review after the 2 month pilot. Last week Jane and I went to Valpo to see Silas at his Hopewell Christmas show that had us go down Tuesday and come home Wednesday. We will all return this Tuesday for Christmas in Valpo. Phillip is with Stef in Ohio and will do his Christmas in Erie with her family. They have been living apart as Phil is in Louisiana and Stef just got a job that will start in February so she will put her house up for sale in Ohio as Phil just has in Texas and they will be reunited in their new home in Praireville LA.  We had Thanksgiving the Friday after in Valpo and had been there 2 weeks before also to visit. Lukas got a job at Delta Dental the first of December as an eligibility coordinator and has liked it so far. We have had 2 Arctic vortexes so far but the Great Lakes protected us from the extreme cold even though November has been colder than normal. In early November I broke my right front tooth and had Dr. Rashid fill it the next day and hopefully it will hold for a long time. On December 18th the House approved 2 articles of impeachment against trump for abusing his presidential power and obstructing  Congress which is a sad day for the USA.  Eat a Peach by the Allman Brothers would have been so much better for our country to hear but instead all of this is now heading for a Senate trial in January. All is not great in our republic and democracy is facing a serious challenge!