Sure as hell has made a lot of things I used to take for granted are a big pain in the ass.

Except for losing the house, not really.

For the most part—no.

For now I’m still more cautious than before covid, but if cases continue to go down even through the next sets of 3 day weekend holidays I will be back to normal except I do plan on wearing a mask or shield on public transportation, especially during flu season.

Keep in mind my normal was already trying not to touch my face if my hands were not washed. If I suspected someone was sick I stood back from them. I also directly asked people if they were sick if I suspected they were. I refused hand shakes during flu season.

I’m glad the country might have shifted slightly more towards how I’ve always been. I really hope sick people if they must go out wear a mask going forward. We’ll see. Even better they stay home a few days when they are most contagious.

No, I feel like it’s been very beneficial for me but I’ll be ready to jump back in the race when it’s over.
Other than retirement, what has changed for you, Stan?

I don’t think so. I’ve always felt more cynical about the present state of the human race yet still foolishly optimistic about its future.

Perhaps my gullibility hasn’t been altered?

What were those words from the Bible? This too shall pass.

@KNOWITALL It’s difficult to word this. The best I can do is to say that I’ve lost my former sense of urgency about living. I’m rather surprised that those around me regard the change as proof of some impairment such as depression or cognitive slippage. The wife is particularly alarmed that I am so calm and free of my former gogo impulses. It’s rather obvious (and it cracks me up) that she is surreptitiously inviting most of our acquaintances to the house to look me over. She’s terrified the change is equivalent to giving up.

Are you happier Stan the Man?

@DutchessIII Except for losing the house??? That’s a huge and significant change for everything!!

Happier? That’s not quite right. I believe I’m less impetuous and prone to fly off the handle, though the wife can look at my face and know when I’m engaged here with craze or wulfie now that Trump’s out of office.

@stanleybmanly So stepping out of the rat race has mellowed you?! Were you a Type A before? I can see how that much of a change could be alarming but it sounds beneficial, rather than detrimental.
Are you perhaps driving her crazy being there all the time? Retirement can be hard on the retiree as well as an adjustment in the family dynamics. Maybe you need to take up a hobby if you’re getting underfoot. haha!

Well the house was gonna go sooner or later. We want to get something in the town my son and 5 kids and wife live in. We will hunker down in the 5th wheel and bide our time and see what the proceeds from the sale can get for us.

It has had very little impact on my life.

Of course not.

@KNOWITALL No. Underfoot isn’t the issue. It appears that any reluctance to hop back in the saddle must be indicative of impending senility. As though I must rejoin the dance or lose any ability to feed or dress myself within weeks. It makes me giggle out loud, which I’m sure is taken as another indicator of my slipping faculties. But it’s all rather silly. Either she will adjust or I will gear up to the old routine.

@DutchessIII I don’t know about you, but your description of events sounds about as life altering as it gets.

@SQUEEKYII Your sentiments coincide remarkably with my own. It seems rather weird now that I was unaware of running the treadmill.

@stanleybmanly Interesting, maybe have some fun together time planning a vacation somewhere you both will enjoy. Remind her you’re a ‘good time’! :)

No It just stepped up to new pastimes.

The internet has tons of things to learn while in lock down.

I prefer to keep active and I really don’t mind the lock down in the process as I spend hours, days, months, years on research anyways.

Once in a while like now in summer and some restrictions off I will hike the trails to get outdoors to break my routine and get fit.

You tube videos on how to…

I am learning how to sketch and watercolor paint .

I signed up on Demestika.org how to create Pop up books

( only paid under $20 for the course online of which I can go on to anytime.)

( I plan on making a family history pop up book as well… for fun. )

( I need supplies and that shop is closed for a short while so I had to pause that for now. )

I am further onto my research on an Ancestor in 1677 who signed up as a sailor to travel to

New France ( Canada) but discovered lately that he may had gone further on to South

America ( French Guiana).

In doing so I discovered what had happened in the missing years 1677–1683 where in 1683

he is located in New France and married and settled down.

The ship called The Prince Maurice was thought to had been shipwrecked but in fact is

wasn’t and the Cayenne authorities impounded that ship due to violations, fighting on that ship etc.

I found that document ( in old French) that needs to be translated and currently getting someone to do that for me.

My search continues on that Ancestor, and I have been at it for over 25 years.

In the end I hope to have a complete Family History part 2 book.

Irrevocably? Too soon to know, isn’t it?

Nothing significant has changed for you irredeemably? Give it a little thought.

Well it is Stanly. But that’s the cycle of life

Not the lock down. I cherish any opportunity not to leave home. The virus, however, is a different story.

I hadn’t expected Americans being so irrational, selfish and entitled that they would risk their lives and everyone else’s life over being asked to wear a mask.

After observing the numerous temper tantrums over mask wearing I don’t think I can look at my countrymen with the same respect anymore.