Monarch Butterfly In Our Backyard

Our backyard had a welcome visitor late this afternoon, a monarch butterfly. I read in today's local newspaper (which is published twice a week) that monarch butterflies were beginning to hatch in the Villages of Five Points butterfly garden. Lewes is only about two miles from our home and backyard. This monarch butterfly was probably from that garden. The article said "As cooler fall weather comes ito the area, monarchs begin their annual migration of thousands of miles to Florida and Mexico. The garden of midweek, a plant critical to the life of monarchs, is helping to repopulate this iconic species, which has been on the decline for several years Scientists say the population has fallen to less than 30,000 monarchs." Just think of the trip this monarch butterfly will make to Florida or Mexico. What a stroke of good luck that I happened upon this monarch just as I was taking one of my videos of our backyard. Maybe this is a sign.



It looks like I'm settling into blogging once a week or less. Caring for Bill is taking more of my time. I am still working two nights a week at the hotel (business is good) in addition to mowing our backyard at least once a week now. Which reminds me, it needs mowed.



We've already voted (by mail), Bill for the first time. Of course we voted for Biden and Harris.  Hopefully we won't be surprised this election cycle like we were four years ago. Three weeks to go until Trump and his enablers are voted out of office. Can't happen soon enough and we get back to decency in this country.



Bill and I had another COVID test a couple weeks ago. We both tested negative. I don't know anyone who has the virus.  We're still practicing safe measures. Bill doesn't go into the store with me now except Ace Hardware, and when we do go in we're masked up. I work behind a plexiglass shield at work and am also masked up although not all of the hotel guests are wearing masks. I offer them a mask but I don't get into any confrontations. 



I won't be going to Philadelphia this year to met up with Pat.  The border is still closed between the US and Canada. Next planned trip is February when we're scheduled to take our annual two week stay in Palm Springs California. Hopefully we'll be able to make that trip.  This will be a year since I've been with Pat in person, although we do talk every day on FaceTime. I miss our get togethers but we're both saving a lot of money.  More money saved for future trips. I already have over $1,500 in airline ticket credits, which they say is good until the end of 2021.  Will this pandemic be over by then? I doubt it. I don't think life will get back to anything approaching normal until well into 2022. Yes, not until 2022.  Hope I'm alive then. One thing for sure, I'll be OLD (80). 



One blog post I've been thinking about writing is all the recollections I'm having of past episodes of my long and wonderful and interesting life. I haven't written my memoirs yet and probably never will but I think I will post some of those life vignettes. I'm finding these memories release very pleasant endorphins from my brain or in others words, remembering make me feel good. 



Some of these memories I've written before in previous blog posts but many I have not. Some of the memories aren't pleasant but part of my growing up. Of course all this comes down to answering the basic Question of Life. Why are we here? I think I know why.  I think we're here to contribute to the betterment of life by giving.  Yes, giving, not taking. I know that's where I get my greatest sense of satisfaction. Now that I am Bill's caregiver, I feel fortunate to do so. I cannot imagine where Bill would be in life now if I wasn't here. That may sound self-serving but it's not. I can imagine where I would be in life if Bill hadn't entered my life. Probably a big mess, if I was still alive. Too many times I choose the wrong path in life and when I realized I did, Bill was there to back me up.  Not everyone would do that. Bill would and did. 



These days I take Bill out for at least one ride a day. Somedays we go out for two rides. Will Bill's failing vision he so appreciates seeing the different colors and scenes. I reminded Bill this morning that for the first sixteen years of our relationship I didn't drive. I didn't even have a car.  I didn't take up driving until we moved to Downingtown, Pennsylvania from center city Philadelphia in 1980. Then I had to get a car. For many years we both had vehicles. About six years ago Bill got rid of his twenty-five year old Jeep. I've been driving ever since, a complete role reversal. 



That monarch butterfly that I by chance happened upon in our backyard today has a long journey ahead of him (or her). For Bill and I, our long journey (of life) is about to end. It's been some life folks. What a trip.