Conversations with Strangers Part 2

This week I met the same gentleman in line as I did last week.  Last week it was 11am on the Tuesday and this week it was 10am on Wednesday.  He said he was hoping he would see me today when he arrived (this time I was in front of him).  He said he felt so lucky that we had both come again on the same day, albeit a different day and time, like it was meant to happen.

Who would have thought that we would both connect again in this manner?  He made me feel good when he said he enjoyed our conversation last week and hoped he would see me again to continue it.

Another older gentleman arrived after him, about his same age (I would guess 20 years older than myself) and he also joined in our conversation which lasted about 15 minutes.

This time, we talked about the old ABC beach - the Atlantic Beach Club - that was on South Road and the many amazing and talented musicians and singers (male and female) Bermuda had at that time.

Marketing and advertisements on TV were discussed, and we talked about how different they are now from when TV first came out and how expensive they are and the subliminal messages they give the TV viewing audience.

We talked about the facemasks, COVID, flu and "purging" society of the sick and only the strong surviving.

It was so entertaining listening and talking with these two gentlemen.  They were eager to talk, and I lapped it up.  When we parted, the gentleman said so sadly that he may not bump into me again, but he enjoyed talking with me.  We wished each other well.

This was a fascinating second opportunity to see this kind gentleman, and to have some friendly conversation and learn a little along the way.  Every day is a learning day.  I am thankful.

Conversations with Strangers

While standing in line a week ago an older gentleman started chatting with me.  He was very friendly and was happy to have a little conversation.  You wonder, does this person live alone?  Does he have any family nearby?

Our conversation was soup to nuts but oh so interesting.  I love to listen to real life stories - real stories (not bragging, exaggerated or made-up).

Amongst a few short stories that topics quickly changed from one to another in the 20 minutes we had stood in line near each other (6 feet apart) we talked about farming, landscaping, crabs, bees, and old-time remedies.

His family had a farm which he worked on for many years when growing up.  He said everyone grew all they needed, and some bartered for what they did not have with what they had plenty of.  He said money is a sin.  I do agree with that statement.

He said he also worked doing landscaping as a job when he was older and talked about how long he had to walk to get to work on dirt roads that were not yet paved, and he did not have a bike or car to travel with.

We talked about how there were ample red crabs on the roads and bees flying all around in yards from flower to flower, getting bee stings and his people owning beehives for honey making

He talked about putting olive oil inside or around his ear for an earache or to get out a bug or wax.  Says it works every time!  They would cut a tennis ball in half and use that as an ear plunger after putting in some drops of olive oil, to get the bug out or express the wax.  Sometimes he used pure alcohol if they had any as it dries up the infection.

Another remedy was to use Match Me If You Can leaves on a sore for the day to heal it and the pain. If I was sick or had a cold coming, I remember my mother rubbing some warmed Vicks and Vaseline on my chest and then put these very same leaves on top and let me sleep like that and she said I used to wake up feeling perfectly fine.

These were the kinds of the stories I heard.

2019 and 2020 Coronavirus Covid-19 Pandemic Blues

Where have I been?  BUSY.  I've been busy.  Simply put, true and with all the Coranavirus pandemic lockdowns, shut-ins, curfews, etc. it's been a rollercoaster ride these past several months to say the least.

I have not heard of one person who had the common flu since April 2019!  Wow, I guess that is now dormant and not to return.  Everyone who has been sick, as reported publicly that I've seen, has had COVID-19.  Good grief that is just insane.

Anyhow, I am lucky that I have not had the flu, coronavirus or COVID-19.  Very lucky.  I know.

What's been going on, other than this pandemic?  Loss of income, coffee spills and living frugally. LOL!  That about sums it up.  

SO, NOW WE MOVE ON...

Wishing you all well! B.

Morning Pleasures

My cat Friday enjoying morning pleasures with me outside on our picnic table near the waterside

Good day,

Since the lockdown, I've really enjoyed my home and my pets a lot more than normal.  We have a busy household with 3 of us constantly coming and going, working, meeting out with friends and family for different events, socializing, watching sports, and running errands.

We spend a lot of time home in bits and pieces through the day, mornings and evenings, but not for whole days like we've been doing lately due to the COVID-19 mandatory lock-down and curfews in place.

This morning is another beautiful morning.  It's not too hot (YAY! we've had some pretty hot weather the past month) and there's a little breeze with cloud cover, so it's pleasant to sit outdoors.

Early this morning took our youngest dog (1 1/2 years old approx) for a 15-minute leisurely walk while the others rested with Chris.  Cash has had a knee operation so she is not supposed to move much so she's sort of laid up for now, resting and recuperating.

Coffee was brewing while we were walking, so when we returned I let Rocky back in the bedroom with the clan, I fed all the animals and gave them all fresh water, then I poured a cup of coffee, a full cup of water, grabbed my phone and laptop and headed outdoors to enjoy some fresh air, natural vitamin D, and the surrounding nature.

It's Sunday so it's fairly quiet.  Birds are singing, the tide is rising, my cat Friday is laying on the picnic bench keeping me company, enjoying my presence, and I'm having a wonderful, peaceful time out here.

When summer kicks in, it's going to be too hot to enjoy sitting outdoors for my liking (I'll be sweating profusely which is not what I want to do first thing in the morning and I don't have a covered porch and no shade in my yard other than under an umbrella) so I'll more likely not be able to do this unless it's very early (before 8am) or late evening (after 7pm) when the sun is not so hot and the evening air turns a bit damp and cold with the humidity.

So, I'm taking complete advantage these days and am loving the serenity of the time I'm forced to stay at home.  Let's not even talk about the lack of income - that struggle is real.

Try to find at least 15 minutes for some natural vitamin D if you can.  It gives a real happy boost to your day.

Cheers, B.

Coping COVID-19

These times are hard for most. Our household has lost jobs and income due to the coronavirus pandemic and local Goverment shut downs.  It has made our lives difficult to say the least, let alone worry about the virus transmissions.

It is time to change my business plan.  I am unable to survive a month without income.  They say you should have at least 3 months' expenses in your bank account for emergencies - well, I admit that I don't because we live month-to-month - our earnings pay our expenses and needs monthly with little left over for savings, and in hindsite, savings were spent on entertainment, like most people we know.

The virus is killing many people worldwide and that is very sad news.  My aim is to change my business model and create income without having to physically be present to earn it by the hour.  An hour of service or skilled labour equals an hours pay.  This is not the situation I want to be in any longer.

The hard part is getting to that point of the money working for me, rather than me working for the money.

Today, I updated and completed my LinkedIn account.  I've had one for over a decade now and hardly used it.  Yesterday and today I filled in many blanks in my profile, uploaded my photo, added my skillsets, and endeavour to utilize it for what I need to - to connect, network and inform, to be a positive influencer and drive business my way.  It's easier said than done!  Believe me, the struggle is real.  So I push on.

I wish everyone well, to remain safe, to remain healthy and to survive this pandemic to the best of their ability and I wish everyone success in their future endeavours when the lockdowns are finally lifted.  It's definitely a different world out there.  Change is necessary for most.  Make good and wise choices!

B. xo