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California Governor Gavin Newsom’s intelligence, leadership, compassion, and generosity have earned my complete admiration. Wasting no time, he’s taken this novel coronavirus beast by its spurs and is working relentlessly to keep it from going viral. Stay-at-home mandates, strict social distancing – and fierce residents of this nation-state working together -- are proving to be significant factors that are keeping Covid-19’s spread at bay. I can’t help but liken him to Game of Thrones’ Jon Snow leading the crusade against the White Walkers. As we shelter, we’re grateful that important doctor visits were taken care of before the end of last year. But we’re most thankful that a malignant tumor in Louie’s upper palate was discovered last summer. With two surgeries, the mass was successfully removed. It had not spread. For almost a year, Louie’s had check ups every six weeks to closely monitor any possible return of the cancer. So far, no sightings. But now with sheltering at home, Louie’s next visit (this week) would be virtual, something he’s not done before. At 9:08 a.m. two days ago, Louie’s cell phone rings and I see his doctor’s name on the screen. I answer. “Hi, Athena, Louie and I have our virtual appointment this morning…” I run to hand Louie his phone as he’s sleeping. “Hi doc,” Louie says. “I’m so sorry, I was up until 2:00 a.m. working. But don’t worry, I’m going to my office to open my computer…” I watched from the doorway as Louie signed in following the step-by-step conferencing instructions. His doctor appeared on the screen. Then Louie had to fiddle with the audio – all while shirtless with his fresh-out-of-bed hairdo. And just before starting the meeting, Louie said, “One more thing, Doc…I have to go to the little boys room…” Doctors are so patient. It goes without saying that each and every day we say a prayer for every single person on the frontlines sacrificing their health and welfare to save the lives of others – and for those who have lost the battle. PREVIOUS ENTRY NEXT ENTRY

After not doing a shopping run for a while, I was quickly reminded yesterday of our new grocery shopping norm: no more spur-of-the-moment trips. I decided to hit the local market at 8:00 a.m. before the crowd. It wasn’t busy at all. I took my time getting what I needed – remembering the advice to buy for two weeks in order to minimize trips to the store. I wondered, do I grab just a few of the newly-stocked small Greek yogurt cups – or all of them? A guy I often see walking his dog around town was standing nearby. So, I took four. He was disappointed that the yogurt he likes to feed his dog was not in the case. Really? And it’s not about simply returning home and carrying the grocery bags into the kitchen. Now I schlep them all to our perfected sanitation station – the laundry area of our detached garage. The top of the washer is the depot for “the un-sanitized,” I use the sink next to it to clean and rinse EVERYTHING, then I plop the clean stuff onto the top of the dryer on the other side to pat them dry. This all takes a lot of time. I know, I know, we must do this to safeguard ourselves from the virus. So, I took a break to make muesli and my cup of joe. Louie picked up sanitizing where I left off. He had just finished cleaning off the packaged meats when he heard a friend walking by call his name. He set the four packages on the backdoor steps. I was inside sipping coffee in the kitchen and reading the news on my phone. I saw Lola walk in behind me and expected Louie to walk in shortly afterwards. I continued reading. No Louie. I heard him chatting it up outside. What’s Lola doing in the living room? She’s too quiet. Lo and behold, she was holding in her mouth a package of ground beef. And all this time we’ve been stressing because hand sanitizers and liquid soaps are nowhere to be found. I just saw a headline, “Doctors say bar soap is more effective than liquid soap, hand sanitizer.” In sum, after soaping up, water rinses away the dead stuff – but they’re not rinsed away after using sanitizers. https://www.firstcoastnews.com/article/news/local/bar-soap-its-more-available-and-doctors-say-its-better/77-bac492a1-2787-451c-8c39-c9b813d25566 I guess now I can disassemble the “sculpture” I made with soap bars collected from trips and gifts from friends -- and it’s time to bring out my arsenal of lavender soap bars my friend Jeannie brings me from France. How funny that I mention France. The other day, Jacqueline did a sneak exchange of wall hangings above my desk. She replaced the whimsical print of horses with a framed print of French painter Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s “The Luncheon of the Boating Party 1881,” that had been stored away. While we shelter at home and can’t socialize, I thought you would like this, she said. PREVIOUS ENTRY NEXT ENTRY

So yesterday while talking to a friend on the phone, another call came through. On the screen I could see “F. Gavina & Sons.” OMG, it’s Don Francisco Coffee! I’m sorry, I have to take this call I told my friend. On the other end, a woman with a lovely voice said she was calling about my order. Uh oh, I did something wrong with my online order. Instead, she said Butterscotch Toffee and the Cinnamon Hazelnut are out of stock. Shucks. Everything’s out of stock these days. She immediately followed up with, “We’ll be making more next week. Would you like to order something else?” So, if you’re making more next week, I asked, when would it be shipped to me? Next week! Now that’s what I call personal service. I don’t mind “waiting” at all, I told the nice lady. The next two weeks is a bracing period for the U.S., a time that cases of Covid-19 are expected to peak. This week, city and health officials are advising that if you don’t have to go to the grocery store this week, DON’T. Isolating at home is the key to flattening the curve. Thankfully, California’s mandate to do so since March 19 just might be paying off with relatively lower numbers. Another payoff: With most of Los Angeles’ population staying off the roads, the city is ranked as having the cleanest air in the world, according to IQ Air’s live quality city ranking. Back to the subject of home deliveries: I shared with Jacqueline my childhood memories when our dairy and bread products were delivered to our home. We called the delivery guys the “Dairy Man” and the Helms Bakery driver was the “Bread Man.” What I remember most: After my mother would hang her checklist on the mailbox with her marked items, my older brother would sneak up to the list and mark off cookies and doughnuts. We agreed that we could surely use those services now. PREVIOUS ENTRY NEXT ENTRY

It poured rain all night. Love hearing the rain’s rhythmic patterns landing on tarps and tabletops. Had some downpours, too. That’s when Lola decided to wake up. Now you’re up? Why couldn’t you wake up 30 minutes ago when the rain had taken a break? I put on her bright yellow rain slicker as she stood so cooperatively. Then I threw on my raincoat and slipped into my rain boots. Lola didn’t hesitate when I opened the door as rain came down with a vengeance. She bee-lined to the lawn but circled numerous times before finding that perfect spot. The CDC now recommends that everyone wear cloth face masks. Around my town, I’m encouraged to see many people covering up while taking walks and driving in their cars. Sadly, it’s taking time for others to realize that this pandemic is for real. We’re absolutely diligent about how we shop for groceries and other necessary items. I am purchasing some items online straight from the maker’s website. We plan visits to our local market as seldom as possible and at times when they are least busy. I admit, I am now hooked on (Los Angeles-based) Don Francisco’s coffee, that is, its 100% Arabica Butterscotch Toffee that comes in a nostalgic tin. When Jacqueline made a fresh pot one day, an irresistible aroma permeated throughout the house. And when I placed my order, I felt as though I’d hit the jackpot -- shipping is free through May 1, 2020 and a complimentary mug will arrive with our first shipment. PREVIOUS ENTRY NEXT ENTRY

In this crisis, our other heroes are grocery store personnel. They’re the soldiers on the front lines who round-the-clock keep the shelves stocked so their fellow Americans can buy the food and other necessities they need at home. Like hospital personnel, they’re working long hours putting their own lives at risk. Indeed, there is something new coming out every day on the fight against Covid-19. A “California homegrown” test out of Stanford University, said to be “hours away from federal approval,” could open the path for individuals with antibodies to the virus to “safely interact with others without catching or spreading it.” That includes going back to work. https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article241774351.html Forever the romantic, Louie created a lovely ambience for our dinner of leftover cocido last night. While I cleaned newly purchased items at the sanitation station in the garage, I noticed Louie cleaning candle holders. That’s not very productive, I thought. Then he began lighting six candles on the patio table underneath our newly erected outdoor umbrella (never mind that we keep the candles available for power outages). “We’re going to have a romantic dinner outside!” he said. How sweet is that I smiled as I rinsed away the suds. Throughout dinner, he kept wanting to enhance our surroundings. For more lighting, he hung a flashlight from one of the umbrella ribs. Nice! It put a spotlight on my soup -- just like in the restaurants. It was so nice enjoying the quiet and looking out to the silhouette of the oak tree and listening to the quiet of the evening. Suddenly Louie popped out of his seat saying he had one more thing. Out came his portable speaker, which he hooked up to his iPhone so we could dine to romantic tunes. That certainly broke the silence and in the best way possible, changed up the routine of sheltering at home. PREVIOUS ENTRY NEXT ENTRY

My story is published with TraveLife magazine at: http://www.travelife.ca/DESTINATIONS/LatinAmerica2/tabid/544/ArticleID/2499/Tequila-sunrise-with-a-twist.aspx After reading the story, return here to enjoy the additional images in the galleries below. PHOTO GALLERIES GALLERY 1 (21 images) GALLERY 2 (21 images)

Yesterday I spent time preparing my next travel story post, “Tequila Sunrise – With a Twist,” for my website. The story, which just published in the April issue of TraveLife magazine (Canada), is about the magical town of Tequila, Mexico, where tequila, the spirit, was discovered. According to legend, an Aztec goddess zapped the tiny Mexican village with a lightning bolt. When a blue agave plant caught fire, a sweet aroma wafted through the town. The villagers gathered to taste the sweet dripping syrup – and became very happy. http://www.travelife.ca/DESTINATIONS/LatinAmerica2/tabid/544/ArticleID/2499/Tequila-sunrise-with-a-twist.aspx How ironic that this story published less than one month after the announcement of the pandemic. Our planet has been zapped with a monster virus. Now, earthlings are pulling together to bring happiness back to our world. As I selected more images for the story’s accompanying photo galleries, I found myself reminiscing about socializing, group gatherings, traveling, and breaking bread – aspects of our daily life that we miss so much as we shelter at home. So, the post’s photo galleries will be plentiful, colorful -- and oh so happy. PREVIOUS ENTRY NEXT ENTRY

The other night we watched the 1974 horror comedy film directed by Mel Brooks, Young Frankenstein starring Gene Wilder. After the young Dr. “Frahnk-en-steen” discovers that he has inherited the estate of his infamous grandfather in Transylvania, he journeys to the castle. At the train station when he must bid a “sad” farewell to his fair lady, they can’t kiss because it will mess up her lipstick (she’s headed for a party afterwards); he can’t hug her because it will wrinkle her dress; and he can’t touch her hair because that would mess it up. So, they elbow-bumped. Something we all know too well these days. Louie put in a call to his cousin yesterday. Sheltering at home he said he and his wife (she has a weakened immune system) are doing the best they can. “This is like a movie…,” he said in disbelief. Their adult children remind them over and over not to venture out. And they’re heartbroken because they can’t hug their grandkids. A colleague of Louie’s shared that she is so frightened to contract the virus because of her long-time compromised immune system. She brings in the main income for the family and fears that if she gets the virus, she will not survive it. Her adult daughters are fierce protectors of their Mama. Information from Johns Hopkins Hospital indicates that the virus is a mean sucker. A most fascinating thing I learned is that it is not a living organism, but a protein molecule. And the reason we must wash our hands for at least 20 seconds is because the molecule is covered with a layer of fat. When this fat comes in contact with our mouths, nasal mucosa, or eye cells, it mutates into aggressive cells and multiplies. HOLY MOLY. This is why we must wash our hands for 20 seconds or longer!! The soapy foam we create by washing longer “CUTS the FAT.” When this fat layer dissolves, “the protein molecule disperses and breaks down on its own.” Now, washing my hands until they’re sudsy is no longer an inconvenience. Again, Louie took refuge in the kitchen. This time he made a Mexican comfort meal – a pot of cocido – or beef stew with plenty of potatoes, carrots, onions, squash and cabbage. Slurping the healthy broth never felt so good. PREVIOUS ENTRY NEXT ENTRY

It’s tricky going about my 1,070+ sq. ft. house early in the morning as I try to move around quietly while others sleep. Cupboard doors and hardwood floors creak. And the percolator! Like the Maxwell House coffee commercial, it percolates loudly. Thank goodness We don’t have an open-floor plan. I close the doors to the kitchen and the hallway as the filtering action plays out in the dining room. I imagine the purchase of coffee grounds has skyrocketed now that our café culture has been put on hold. I came across an article, “9 Creative Uses for Old Coffee Grounds” that I found fascinating. The leftover grounds from the world’s favorite beverage has some cool reuses such as: removing grease or oil from your hands, eliminating bad odors, fertilizing gardens, repelling insects, removing fleas, minimizing cellulite appearance, anti-aging eye treatment, and cooking. The grounds are also an exfoliating scrub, which I can attest to. While on writing assignment in the high Alps of Leukerbad, Switzerland, I was scrubbed down with coffee grounds in the second step of the 11-step Irish-Roman bath (that’s another story). https://www.wellandgood.com/good-home/uses-for-coffee-grounds/ So, the federal government’s coronavirus task force is deciding whether to recommend broad use of masks. For me, that’s a no-brainer. Finding masks, though, is the hard part. One day, while sheltering, I looked at our dismal supply of masks. How do I make a mask with what I have in the house? I found a long-sleeve t-shirt made with a nice thin stretchy fabric. I cut off one sleeve, then sliced the sleeve along one side to make it wider. The fabric stretched snuggly over my mouth, nose and chin. I stretched it over my ears, and I tied it behind my neck like a bandana; however, a tiny binder clip works better. To keep the mask from slipping down, I used scissors to make small slits for my ears. The best part? Don’t laugh. I used a pantiliner on the inside of the mask. Its size covers the mouth and nose perfectly. Its self-adhesive side sticks onto fabric and the pad is breathable – and removable! PREVIOUS ENTRY NEXT ENTRY

Goodness, it’s the last day of March. While wiggling my toes and stretching my limbs in darkness, I read on my phone about the top six hand sanitizers – beyond Purell -- that meet CDC guidelines. https://www.health.com/condition/cold-flu-sinus/best-hand-sanitizer Of course, their websites showed they were all out-of-stock. Except for a store in Rosemead, California, 20 minutes from my house. It opens at 8:00 a.m. this morning. The only way to land any is to get there when the doors open. Hmmm, that cuts into my writing time. Then my better judgment kicked in. I’m sheltering! If there’s a ray of light to evidence that sheltering at home just might be working, an article in Politico today reported that San Francisco’s early move to lock down residents seems to have “…prevented surges of coronavirus patients from overwhelming the region’s healthcare capacity thus far.” https://www.politico.com/states/california/story/2020/03/30/bend-it-like-the-bay-area-doctors-see-flatter-curve-after-2-weeks-of-social-isolation-1269663 Yesterday Louie spoke with a client, a nurse, who was just working in ER. In a few words, she said the emergency room scene was pretty bad. With all of this in the forefront of our minds, perhaps that’s why Louie turned into the mad chef yesterday and made a wonderful dinner. Out came the chopping boards, potatoes, leeks, and frozen swordfish and orange roughy. Then he opened his laptop on the dining room table to tune into videos of chefs demonstrating how to make potato leek soup, which Louie’s never made before. The result was pretty darned nice. PREVIOUS ENTRY NEXT ENTRY

Our desert tortoise, Lawrence of Arabia, is out and about after almost six months in hibernation. She emerged from the closet at the same time the pandemic broke out. She usually starts off slowly: Comes out of the closet, goes back in, comes out for longer stretches, then she’s good to go. This time, though, she came out once and returned to her quiet nook for longer than usual. She must have sensed the pandemonium. But she’s out “frolicking” now in the natural habitat we created for her in the back yard. She munches to her heart’s content on weeds and flowers. We also add salads of home-grown cactus, dandelion and other dark greens until she retreats back to hibernation in October – like clockwork. She’s a sociable creature and seems to enjoy napping within hearing of family activities. I’m encouraged as I learn that more businesses are stepping up to manufacture much-needed sanitizers and masks. People are helping people. I remember Governor Cuomo’s words: “When the pressure is on, you see what people are really made of.” Even in my community, volunteers are making masks for local hospitals. Speaking of hospitals, U.S. Navy hospital ships – USNS Mercy and USNS Comfort – have been deployed to Los Angeles and New York, respectively, to serve as “Covid-19-free bubbles” to help non-coronavirus patients as land-based hospitals cope with pandemic patients. It’s a whole new landscape out there. PREVIOUS ENTRY NEXT ENTRY

As the days pass, the pandemic’s reality sinks in more and more. Every move we make is a reminder why we must shelter at home. We now have a “sanitation station” set up outside our back door before we bring in groceries. A video showed us how to sanitize items, right down to removing cardboard containers and tossing them out (cardboard can harbor coronavirus for up to 24 hours). I was impressed with Team Louie & Jacqueline. Out went the box containing the pizza they brought home. They removed bulk items from plastic bags, and I transferred them into our own containers. Now I’m really glad about Louie making that bargain purchase of 20 glass containers and lids at Tuesday Morning. I just read that Instacart shoppers might go on strike Monday. Yikes. I’m glad I’ve nixed the grocery delivery option. Shoppers say they’re not protected enough and risk “…becoming carriers, falling ill themselves, or worse…” I don’t blame them -- they are on the front lines and risking their health and lives for others. While hanging out in the front yard yesterday, we talked about delivery of our mail. Jacqueline said we should sanitize our mail, too. Really? Aren’t postal carriers sanitizing and taking precautions throughout the day? Uh, no. I saw an article this morning that postal workers, similar to hospital workers, are faced with no sanitizers, gloves or masks. So, we will take the extra step to meet our carrier at the gate and have her drop our letters in a box. Then off to the sanitizing station. PREVIOUS ENTRY NEXT ENTRY

Two days ago, I met a lovely young owner of a small café. I told her that I’m looking forward to the time when we will be able to dine at her place. We both agreed that it will be a different world then. She added, “…Hopefully, people will be nicer to one other and more mindful of wastefulness.” The virus is definitely closer to home, now. Louie learned last night that a friend of ours tested positive. He had been experiencing headache, chills, and diarrhea. Fortunately, that appears to be the worst for him, and he will be able to recover with over-the-counter meds and quarantine at home. Three of his colleagues have it too, and another is being tested. They are all police officers. We haven’t invested in a bidet yet, and tp is as hot a topic as hand sanitizer. Did you hear about the guy in San Francisco who helped his self-isolating friend by sending him toilet paper via drone? All I can say is, watch out for the skeet shooters. PREVIOUS ENTRY NEXT ENTRY

On my walks I’ve been stumbling across wonderful things. Or perhaps I’m just paying more attention. Along the stretch of a picket fence, I looked down to find myself stepping on beautiful words written in colorful chalk: EVEN the darkest night will end and the sun will RISE”; You are LOVED, H.O.P.E. Hold on Pain ENDS; Keep Your Head up Keep Your Heart Strong; and Together in LOVE. “My granddaughters did that!” my neighbor called out. “I had no idea they were doing this…” It was affirmation, he said, that he and “my beautiful wife” did a good job raising them. Indeed, they did. “Wash Your Hands” is the mantra every minute of the day now, among others. I read an article about Dr. Sharon Madanes, a surgeon at New York University – and artist -- who started painting an unexpected subject a year ago: hand washing. Inspired by this cardinal rule of hospital personnel, she puts her perspective onto canvas. With the coronavirus fall out, Dr. Madanes’ extraordinary work has shed a fascinating light onto today’s heroes. https://news.artnet.com/art-world/sharon-madanes-hand-washing-paintings-1816638 PREVIOUS ENTRY NEXT ENTRY

I took Lola out this morning so she could take care of business. When we came back inside the house, the sun was shining intensely through the backdoor window. I felt the warmth on my face and stood there a few minutes soaking it in like the healthy heat of a sauna. My heart breaks knowing Covid-19’s devastation to the people of New York City. We listened to Governor Cuomo’s pleas last night for more ventilators. To think this could have been prevented or certainly forestalled. And I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw an article this morning about 5,000 n95 respirator masks that had been stored in the crypt level of the Washington National Cathedral. The head stone mason at the cathedral recalled this when news of the pandemic broke out. An angel from heaven. This has got to be a movie. While the world is turned upside-down, something has remained the same: the birds are still singing outside, the parrots’ noisy calls are music to my ears, and finches still land in the oak tree outside my kitchen window. PREVIOUS ENTRY NEXT ENTRY