It made me cry. I thought it would make me feel reassured and hopeful. But it made me cry and then sad, and then angry, and well then it made us both face our new reality. Again.
Warning, there may be language commonly found at a longshoreman’s bar. If you are easily offended… well, tough.
The day started as they all do. Up before the sun, pots of hot coffee and a long walk for E with the dogs. A few hours for the two of us to read magazines, do a cryptic crossword, watch for any whales in the neighborhood and then we were ready to start our day. My plan was simply that we might start prepping the property for winter. The weather apps are predicting rains on the horizon as early as next week so a few things need to get done.
E rolled up the carpet on the deck and tucked it into the studio away from the squirrels. He wrapped our big patio umbrella in a plastic sheet to protect it from the weather. The red umbrella gets moved up to the little deck off the guest room. The sun doesn’t get over our house to the main deck during the winter so we “move camp” to the winter deck. There can be a lot of sun on that deck year round, which is ideal for watching the winter nature channel. This picture was taken December first, last year.
I went to harvest the marigold seeds on the deck only to discover a squirrel has eaten half of them. If I had waited any longer there wouldn’t have been any seeds left. Don’t worry, there are still plenty. The seed pods are now drying in my living room. If I hope to eventually bring some of the geraniums into the house for the winter, first I need to bring them back to life. I cut out the dead plants and pruned out the sad leaves and gave them all a good soak. ( I decided to trade this week’s bath water allowance for the life of the geraniums.) Once the geraniums have a chance to recover from their recent stress, and before the cold weather hits, they will be replanted into clean pots and brought into the house for this year’s flower experiment. I, of course, explained to each plant that my plan was to give them new life, gave them a reason to survive if you will.
I finished up on the deck by moving the bird feeders and bath to the part of the deck I look at from my chair all winter. Their visits bring me great joy. As much money is spent on bird food around here as dog food. I honestly don’t know if it is because they so appreciate my efforts or they are just dumb but a day doesn’t go by when one or two doesn’t fly into the house.
In the summers we keep curtains up in the door ways to inhibit the frequency of the avian visits but honestly we don’t really want the curtains up year round. We hadn’t taken them down one hour yesterday when a little fellow flew in for a chat. We closed the window blinds to the living room, opened the door and he flew out. Today, I went out to water the geraniums and two seconds later a hummingbird flew into our house. They are quite tame. E just caught it in his hands and sent him on his way. I don’t know anyone else who has so many birds come into their house as we do.
So then it was 4 PM and we turned into the Zoom meeting we were scheduled to attend. It was an information session hosted by the BC Transplant Association for solid organ transplant patients regarding the Covid vaccine as it relates to the immune suppressed and their safety.
We had been expecting to hear that the third booster shot was going to be the key to our ability to resume activities like the rest of the vaccinated community. It isn’t. It might be an option soon but the heart transplant patients who have had difficulty are the ones who are on the specific meds that E takes. His situation is further complicated because the reason for his transplant in the first place has been identified as an increased vulnerability. A quick summary. Vaccinated as he is, he is safer than the unvaccinated but not as safe as most of the vaccinated and probably never will be. He is very likely going to get very sick from any COVID positive person who comes near him.
So our patience is done. Our only hope to a normal life again, is herd immunity because selfish jerks think they are oh so special. Specifically, the assholes who thought it was a good idea to block traffic to the hospitals yesterday, who think they have some great fucking reason to not get vaccinated. For those of them who think their commitment to some grand 5g microchip bullshit is more important than the lives of the immune compromised, I have absolutely no ability to stay polite any more. If someone had a choice and chose to put your husband’s life at actual risk you would
be pissed too
Off the Grid Islander 
I’ll send my prayers to you that ya’ll stay safe. As I write this I have to admit that sometimes…most times now….I am having such a hard time with my faith…and prayers. It seems like such an empty effort in this time of insanity. I have the unenviable position of living right in the heart of the evangelicals, Cleveland, TN, the home of the Church of God. I am a Christian but I CANNOT….will NOT…have anything to do with those people ever again. How these thoughtless, selfish people who ONLY think of themselves and those who believe exactly as they do can even exist in our world is just not something I can understand! Two weeks ago I went to see my doctor and asked her about a booster. She told me that she doesn’t believe in vaccines or boosters. She does not believe in masks either or any other way to prevent the illness. She leaves the survival of her patients, her two small children and herself up “to the Lord”! If they die….well, they die!! MY “DOCTOR”!!! Well, that is fine for her but she has NO RIGHT to impose these bizarre beliefs on me or any of my friends who have medical issues. HOW DARE SHE SAY THAT SHE IS A CHRISTIAN!!! Needless to say I will have a new doctor soon….she is a Naturapath.. But I cannot get my hatred and contempt for these fools out of my head!! I (or anyone else) should not have to get sick or die because of their contemptible beliefs. There are flags & T merch on every corner here every weekend!!! It is horrifying!! And frightening because WTF has happened to the USA!! And then yesterday!! Now Texas!!! Which was my home for over 30 years will have “civilian militants reporting “suspects” for a $10K prize (obviously a pretty good living for some of those horrible freaks)!!! Be very, very glad you are safely tucked away with the nature channel to entertain you! I enjoy reading your blog so much because it really does highlight how difficult it could be without the skills your husband has. I always wanted to live in a remote area and now I know that I simply don’t have the skill for it!
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Oh my goodness. I just want to give you a great big hug… how very scary for you to be living through a pandemic with that kind of ignorance around you.. You must be the strongest of women to stand your ground.. What are we doing if we can’t take care of the most vulnerable with the tools that God gave us.. I thank you for reading and will worry about your safety…
My Grandfather was born in Fairfield, Tennessee. he wasn’t a particularly kind man but still I wanted to make a connection with you!,, sending you the warmest of hugs…. Keep in touch…
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The winter plans seem solid (as always). As for the various wackos out there- it makes my blood boil. How stupid can they be? I know of four of them in my wide circle. One is certifiable, one is borderline and two are just plain ignorant (none are allowed on my property). Stay safe and secluded you guys!
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Thanks John. Great to hear from you! Hope you as well have a safe plan for the winter. Did you ever get a puppy??????
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Well said, Moira. I’m so sorry about the whole situation.
Joy
Sent from my iPhone
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Thank you Joy… I am afraid it is going to be a Scary fall, once school starts. I will try to be a less angrier me now that I have let the steam off!
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I agree.
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We agree? There is one thing. It is a start 🙂
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Your frustration is understandable! I have relatives that believe conspiracies and that the vac is unsafe. I’m not debating them on it but doing what’s right for me and my kids instead. apparently it makes me infertile…um hello idc about that anymore:):) But yeah All jokes aside…
A winter deck….brilliant! Any bit of sunshine will be much appreciated sooner than we think! I have a back deck that is quite sunny for the first half of the day…this will be our first winter here so I am hoping I will love sitting out there when its not raining.
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Won’t it be fun for you, in a new house discovering the best places to sit during the different seasons
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So true…sometimes I forget it’s these little details that make a place feel like home!
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I lost my patienceca while ago. I am immune compromised although not as severly as Ian is. I was unfriended by an anti vaxer and by a business who refused to answer whether they were vaccinated. For someone who is making food for the public I think that is important to know. Its all mute now since I won’t be coming to the island as soon as I’d hoped. And the fact that they unfriended me shows me they were never really friends, just closed minded. I am pissed beyond reason that these people are not only endangering our friends and neighbors on Our island but also neighboring islands. I guess that makes us pissed sisters??
Renate
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Someone brings it to this island will be beyond forgiveness
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Halleluja!!!!!
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Sing it girl!!!!
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