Category: Coronavirus

How About Pizza for Thanksgiving?
Coronavirus · Holidays · My Thoughts · Thanksgiving

How About Pizza for Thanksgiving?

Larada Horner-Miller2 Comments
Photo by Ponyo Sakana from Pexels

Yes, it was pizza for Thanksgiving! We knew it would be a different holiday because of Covid-19 restrictions, but I had an eye procedure on Monday of Thanksgiving week, and my recovery didn’t go well, complicating the food preparation.

I had the same eye procedure two years ago, so I dreaded it, but I didn’t think anything about doing it on Monday before Thanksgiving. Last time, I recovered quicker. They drastically changed the procedure on my second eye which made it more painful and invasive. So, I spent much of the week in bed. I took serious pain medication, so I also had the effect of that to deal with, but I stopped it on Wednesday.

So, no cooking happened. I’ve baked homemade pumpkin pies for the last ten years, so that’s what I missed the most, but we enjoyed our pizza dinner and store-bought pie!

For most of my life, Thanksgiving has been a family-filled holiday with delicious food, lots of people and games. Gradually, it’s changed over the years as family members pass away and people moved away. After Mom died, it’s been mostly Lin and me.

Last year, my brother joined us, and we had a festive celebration. He loves football too, so we spent our day eating a traditional turkey dinner and watching non-stop football. On Friday, we ventured out to the new Cabela’s in Albuquerque to witness a massive amount of hunting enthusiasts out ready for the sales. We didn’t stay long.

This year, we started Thanksgiving morning with the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade and punctuated the day with eye drops for Lin and me. Lin is recovering from his second cataract surgery and had a great experience with both but still needs eye drops.

Lin & Larada wish you a Happy Thanksgiving after pizza
Lin & Larada with her sore eye!

After our pizza—really cheese breadsticks shaped like a pizza—I snuggled down on the sofa in my favorite handmade afghan—a rainbow-colored creation from my Mom’s nibble fingers. A content time of relaxation with Jesse curled around my feet!

Larada Relaxing on the Sofa with Jesse Warming Her Feet!

We watched the two football games, cheering on our teams we’d picked in a football pool Lin runs. It felt really strange not to have the third game in the evening, but we survived!

After a light dinner, Lin called me out to see the Christmas lights he’d put up a couple weeks ago on the garage—the Christmas season officially started at the Miller’s house. We also began another holiday tradition we love: we started watching Christmas movies on Amazon Prime. We both enjoy the predictable plots and the celebrations of regional traditions.

As I look back over the day, it truly was a blessed Thanksgiving Day! Yes, we didn’t have all the trimmings we normally have, but we enjoyed each other and our crazy traditions.

Jesse helping me Type!
Jesse Helping Me Type This!

As I worked on this blog post, my cat, Jesse, sat partially on my lap as I typed this out on my laptop. I didn’t think I would be able to do this post this morning. I had a horrible setback with my eye. When I got up and walked into the bathroom, the sunlight hit my eye, and I recoiled with the pain, but I couldn’t get away from it quickly enough because of the wide window and the location of the sun. By the time I grabbed a Kleenex, I had some blood in my tears—not good! I have had major pain in my eye all day.

So after this mishap, I spent the morning very low-keyed and with limited technology, but I couldn’t miss communicating with you.

I’ve thought a lot about how much the coronavirus changed this holiday for so many—the sacrifice many people made for the safety of others and themselves. My family followed suit and celebrated separately. Yes, it was different—pizza and lots of eye drops, but it’s onward to Christmas!

How did you spend your Thanksgiving this year? Was it different? The same? Let me know!

~Visit my blog post from last week:

Merry Christmas from Flippo

~HAVE YOU ORDERED A PERSONALLY AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF THE FLIPPO BIOGRAPHY FOR A CHRISTMAS PRESENT FOR A LOVED ONE OR YOURSELF?   AVAILABLE NOW! Go to the homepage on my website and pay for it there: https://www.laradasbooks.com

~Here’s Christmas greetings from Flippo and Neeca, featuring his song, “When Its Christmas Time in Texas”: https://youtu.be/mpJCUGffU3A

ALL FOUR E-BOOK FORMATS OF FLIPPO’S BIOGRAPHY AVAILABLE NOW:

~Visit my web site for all the information you need about me and my books:  https://www.laradasbooks.com

~ Visit my Etsy Shop for 25% off individual paperback titles. Good until December 20, 2020. Here’s the coupon link: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LaradasReadingLoft?coupon=25OFFSANDIA1220INDIV

orange pumpkin on white table cloth Grateful Now? Why?
Coronavirus · Dancing · Gratitude · My Thoughts · Recovery

Grateful Now? Why?

Larada Horner-Miller3 Comments
Grateful

Why grateful now? The coronavirus has ruined plans for most of 2020, and now threatens to affect Thanksgiving plans! Many have died or lost family or friends. Irreparable losses! Cancellations, shelter-in-place, a world turned upside down! Is gratitude even possible in 2020?

For me, gratitude changes everything, but I’m not talking about an unrealistic Pollyanna attitude. Gratitude is a paradigm shift—a fractional shift one direction or the other off of the coronavirus to a larger, more glorious world.

So why is gratitude important now? For me, it’s an attitude that changes my perspective. I can focus on the negative, an easy choice. So the chaos and horror of the pandemic take over, and I obsess about today’s totals. Seeing what’s wrong comes naturally. Gratitude asks me to dig deeper and take a different route. Personally, I’ve had minimal losses, yet it has taken its toll on me but nothing like many with gigantic losses.

So what’s the power of gratitude? I concentrate on the positive, what’s right with the world, what I love about my life and suddenly I feel different!

The best way to be grateful: write a gratitude list. I learned about this tool in recovery. How do you do that? List two, five, ten things I’ve grateful for. Start small and increase as you practice this. In doing this, I take the focus off the problem and celebrate the solution.

Gratitude list

On November 19, 2020 here’s my gratitude list:

1. My sobriety

2. My God

3. My husband, Lin

4. My brother, Bub

5. My health

6. My family

7. My friends

8. My cat, Jesse

9. Our family ranch

10. My love of dancing

Today I sit in the waiting room at my husband, Lin’s eye doctor. He sits in an adjacent room, having his second cataract surgery in a month or so. The success of the first one prepared him for today’s ordeal. His natural grateful spirit often shows me the power of gratitude for the seemingly small things. His positive attitude contributed to the success of the other surgery, so I know the same thankful attitude will affect the outcome of this one.

Okay, it’s your turn! For what are you grateful? If you name someone specifically, be sure and tell he/she made your gratitude list today! I’d love to hear what you are grateful for during these hard times.

~My other current blog post, “Poetic View: Nine Months Later,” faces life after nine months with the coronavirus pandemic.

Poetic View: Nine Months Later
Coronavirus · My Thoughts · poetry

Poetic View: Nine Months Later

Larada Horner-Miller2 Comments
Nine months later—exhausted

Nine months later! The world stands in disbelief of this current coronavirus’ surge! Is it the second wave or the third wave? I’ve lost count. Life continues but nothing is the same. I’ve changed my hairstyle. Covid-19 fatigue has become a reality for many, and as I contemplate my old life, I wonder?

Before coronavirus pandemic (BCP), I visited my favorite stylist every six weeks, and I loved his magic—a very sculptured hairdo, but I haven’t seen him since February. Why? For fourteen years before becoming a teacher, I was a beautician, so with my skills, I have trimmed the hair around my face and spiked the top, but I can’t cut the back easily.

After all this over, am I going back to my BCP hairstyle? Read my poem to find out.

My Hairstyles Before and After the Coronavirus Pandemic

November 10, 2020

My Hairdo Before Coronavirus Pandemic

BCP—Before Coronavirus Pandemic

            My stylish haircut

                        Manicured and neat

                        Six weeks regular appointment

                                    Worn spiked and short for seventeen years

The same stylist for years

            Slowly moved me into an isometric style

                        Super short on the left side

                                    Cut over my ear

Longer on the right side

                        Cropped close in the back

                        A strand of hair left longer on the left side

                                    In the back

At first I said, “No way!”

            But I gradually changed my mind.

I love this drastic statement!

            Stark

            Sharp

            Shouting,

                        “I’m different!”

Add to this

            Hot tamale red hair color

                        Started seven years ago

            Another strong statement

                        Extreme

                        Bright

                        Vibrant

NOW

My Hairdo After Coronavirus Pandemic

ACP—After Coronavirus Pandemic

            No formal haircut

                        For eight months

            No visit with Mark, my stylist

                        No laughter

                        No exchange of heartfelt topics

I am a beautician

            Have been since 1973!

So, to compensate, I’ve cut my own hair

            Around my face

            I’ve spiked the top

            Combed the longer hair

                        In the back

                        Up to my spiked top

                                    Like so many years ago

                         For Farrah Fawcett’s long shag,

                                    Popular during the 1970s.

Hair—I now have hair!

            Nine months later

“My tail” has grown

            shoulder length

I catch myself fiddling

            With it,

                        Repeatedly!

My reflection in the mirror

            I see curls

                        Naturally

                                    Lots of them,

                                                An abundance!

Yes, the coronavirus changed

            Everything!

This last nine months

            Forced me to stop

                                    To slow down

                                                To change

So, I want my hair

            To reflect the change!

I’m no longer short-haired and manicured!

I’m still spiked

            But curly

                        Unmanaged

                                    Lengthy

                                                Not manicured

                                                            Mindful

                                                                        Different!

Also, these nine months of the stress and strain of the coronavirus pandemic has caused a phenomenon called “Covid-19 fatigue” for many. Here’s my thoughts:

Nine months later

Suffering from Covid-19 Fatigue

November 10, 2020

I’m tired!

            Exhausted!

Days of endless counts

            Record cases

                        So many deaths

                                    Serious, critical cases

Multiple concerns

The world

The United States

New Mexico

Swings, dips and dives

            On this rollercoaster ride

                        We’re on!

An apparent low

            After the first wave

                        A respite

                                    An optimistic view

                                                Of the future

Is it over?

Then the next wave

            The surge

Then the next

            I’ve lost count!

I’m tired

            Exhausted!

                        Worn out!

Personal choices

            For safety

                        Self-isolation

                                    No dancing

                                                No face-to-face interaction

                                                            With friends

                                                No travel

                                                No break

Just the constant

            Staying home!

During the summer

            Lin’s garden provided

                        A respite

                        A paradise

                                    To distract

Luscious time outside

            Sunbathing

            Working

            Enjoying the warmth

                        The flowers

                                    The birds

The cold weather forced us

            Inside

The mundane repeat of

            Every day

                        Not bored; I have too much to do

                                    Just tired of the same,

                                                Bone-tired!

One trip to our family ranch in late August

            Since March

Restrictions stopped that!

Cancelations of

            Favorite square and round dance festivals

The virus surges

Winter and colder temperatures crowd in

            On me.           

                        I’m tired

                                    Weary

An ah-ha moment

            I’ve held my breath

                        For nine months:

Lin and I have not gotten it

                        We’ve stayed healthy

                                    So far.

Yet, I’m tired of

            The stress

                        The fear

                                    The unknown

                                                The stupidity of

                                                            Naysayers

Will it end?

            Will we be able to resume life as usual soon?

                        When can I breathe normally again?

                                    In a month, two, or four?

                                                I’m tuckered out for sure!

In response to the duration of this pandemic, I stated to friends, “I want my old life back.”

One woman’s wise answer surprised me, “I don’t! I want to take what I’ve learned during the pandemic and make a lasting change!”

Here’s my thoughts:

Stop the rush nine months later

Do I Want My Old Life Back?

November 10, 2020

“I want my old life back,”

            I voiced to friends.

A response of one thoughtful woman

            Dazed me,

                        “I don’t want my old life back.

                                    I want to savor what I’ve learned and apply it.”

Her answer jarred me!

            Do I really want my old life back?

I miss my rich life

            Dancing

            Traveling

            Friends

            Activity

                        A positive lifestyle I’d chosen.

Looking back, I realized more

A life of

            Hurry

            Set schedule

            Rush

A life of

            Demands

            Commitments

            Craziness

A life of

            Travel

             But

             Extensive preparation

             Cat sitter for Jesse

             My travel list checked and rechecked

                                    Then the return

A life of constant

                        Going

                        Coming

                        Movement

A life of. . .

These nine months

            Stopped me

                        In my tracks

                                    A total change!

Now my life is

            Daily Cribbage games

                        During breakfast

            Three shared meals

            Simple evenings

At home

Now my life is

            Leisure mornings

                        Lingering over my daily Quiet Time

            Finishing books

                        Repeated readings

                                    And

                                                New discoveries

            Finally finishing

                        Long-standing To dos!

Now my life is

            Lin, my husband

                        Laughter

                                    Conversations

                                                Hot tub time

                                                            Deepened love

            Jesse, my cat

                        Daily brushings

                                    Daily lap time in front of the TV

                                                Constant presence

Now my life is

            Relaxed

            No pressure

            Finally feels like

                        I’m retired!

So, what I want to do

            When we return to our more normal life

Bring my relaxed atmosphere and attitude

            To my new life

Give up our hectic lifestyle

Keep closer to home!

After nine months, coronavirus surges.

Nine months and my life has changed forever! How has your life changed? Have you realized something special? Do you want to return to your life as it was or something different?

~Visit my blog from last week about Marsahll Flippo and Día de los Muertos: https://laradasbooks.com/2020/11/08/marshall-flippo-gone-for-two-years-but-not-forgotten/

Cover for Just Another Square Dance Caller

~HAVE YOU ORDERED A PERSONALLY AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF THE FLIPPO BIOGRAPHY?   AVAILABLE NOW! Go to the homepage on my website and pay for it there: https://www.laradasbooks.com

ALL FOUR E-BOOK FORMATS OF FLIPPO’S BIOGRAPHY AVAILABLE NOW:

~Visit my web site for all the information you need about me and my books:  https://www.laradasbooks.com

~ Visit my Etsy Shop for 25% off individual paperback titles. Good until December 20, 2020. Here’s the coupon link: https://www.etsy.com/shop/LaradasReadingLoft?coupon=25OFFSANDIA1220INDIV

A Safe Birthday Celebration Today—How?
Coronavirus · Life Lessons · Mom · My Thoughts · Recovery · square dance

A Safe Birthday Celebration Today—How?

Larada Horner-MillerLeave a comment
Birthday candles
Photo by fotografierende from Pexels

During the coronavirus, how do I safely celebrate my husband’s 80th birthday in a special way? I have wrestled with this problem as soon as the quarantine began. I had thought about an open house, a square dance in his honor, and a variety of other possibilities. Then the pandemic hit, and I realized I couldn’t do any of these.

I had been raised to go all-out for birthdays and have ever since my Mom did that for me repeatedly as a child and an adult. She felt a birthday had to be celebrated, and I have continued that idea, but the pandemic created a major obstacle.

When my husband, Lin, turned 75, I treated us to an Amtrak ride to Winslow, Arizona and two nights at La Posada Hotel, a restored Harvey House. Many people asked us what in the world did you do in Winslow for two days, and we laughed! We toured all the souvenir stores and visited a remarkable museum. Lin and I spent hours on a self-tour of the La Posada, a Harvey House, enjoying its remarkable history. We savored delicious food in the Turquoise Room at La Posada, unique gourmet meals. Also, we basked in our gorgeous room and balcony.

How was I to compete with that memorable birthday celebration? About a month ago, I had the pleasure of attending a family reunion via Zoom, and that gave me an idea—how about a Zoom surprise birthday party for Lin?

So, I had my plan. I emailed, called and messaged friends about two possible ways to join the fun:

  1. Send birthday cards in the mail
  2. Attend the Zoom surprise birthday party

After that, I scoured a variety of email lists I have. I also went through my Contacts looking for people who don’t do email or Facebook. The list kept growing.

Successfully, I kept my secret. Lin started receiving cards several days before his birthday, and he kept saying, “Wow! I don’t normally get a birthday card from. . .” Then the stack of cards grew a couple days, and he eyed me, quizzing, “What did you do?”

I kept smiling, not disclosing the secret—how obvious it was!

During the week before the big day, we planned his birthday dinner: scallops, baked sweet potatoes and a vegetable. Saturday was his birthday, so I went to Pastian’s bakery in Albuquerque for his birthday cake on Friday afternoon, a delicious carrot cake. I had bought Pumpkin Spice Blue Bell ice cream in the morning.

When I got up Saturday morning, I gave him his cards and gift and looked at the cards he received the day before. He again questioned me about all the cards he received. I almost said, “Well, there’s more to come,” but I didn’t, thank God.

The bad news—I woke up Saturday with a bad stomachache, so I spent most of the day in bed when I wasn’t attending a Zoom Recovery Retreat for the weekend. We enjoyed Lin’s delicious birthday lunch, cake and ice cream. After the afternoon session, I showered and got ready for the evening.

I had put on our shared calendar an evening session for the retreat, so I had a good cover-up, and Lin had the Nascar game to watch. After a light dinner, I went upstairs to my desktop computer to prepare for the party.

I got onto Zoom early, and two people had already signed in. One of the early birds, a Nascar fan too, asked how I was going to pull Lin away from the race. I wheeled his computer chair in front of my desktop computer ready for the birthday boy. Then I waited for a commercial and asked Lin for some help on my computer.

Reluctantly, he came upstairs to our loft to my computer, sat down and truly enjoyed the party. People came and went, and the conversation continued! We had friends from a variety of our interest areas: square dancers, people from a football pool, and travelers we met on our Costa Rica trip. Also several family members joined in the fun.

When the evening ended, I had surprised Lin with a truly wonderful celebration of his special 80th birthday, using the technology available to us today during these crazy times. It was a smashing success, and I continued the Horner tradition of celebrating a birthday!

How have you celebrated birthdays this year during the pandemic?

~HAVE YOU ORDERED A PERSONALLY AUTOGRAPHED COPY OF THE FLIPPO BIOGRAPHY?   AVAILABLE NOW! Go to the homepage on my website and pay for it there: https://www.laradasbooks.com

ALL FOUR E-BOOK FORMATS OF FLIPPO’S BIOGRAPHY AVAILABLE NOW:

~Visit my web site for all the information you need about me and my books:  https://www.laradasbooks.com

~On Wednesday, August 12, 2020 I wrote my 200th blog post. Be sure and check it out here: 200th blog post