Some Randoms

Stepping out one of the back doors there is this sign, to encourage the staff here.

Behind Vantage Point is Oakland Manor.  Once a proud house with lots of farmland.  See the sign about it below.  Now its the offices for the Town Center Village. (Columbia is made up of 12 villages, each having some governing power.). Oakland Manor raises revenue by renting out this lovely old house. I know someone who got married here.

At the front of Vantage Point is another one of those encouraging signs.

 Buttercups!

Wilde Lake and a fishing bird - see the heron?

Another encouraging sign!

"Change will only be possible by addressing head on America’s deep history of racism and systems of oppression that are very much alive today — and by disarming hate. Because we know from the stories of Trayvon, Jordan, Michael, and too many other Black men and children, that when a person who is filled with hate is armed with a gun, it is deadly and irreversible. And when hate and racism is emboldened by gun laws that encourage vigilantism, like Georgia’s stand your ground, citizen’s arrest, and open carry laws, they can and will be used to kill our children with impunity. We know these laws don’t apply to us and to non-Black citizens the same way."

quote from Open Letter to Wanda Cooper-Jones,mother of Ahmaud Arbery and All Americans.

By Congresswoman Lucy McBath, Julvonnia McDowell, Miami Knight, Nichole Villafane, Sharmaine Brown, and Stephanie Stone"

One way to stem the tide of racism and hate that has been magnified even more by one man is to VOTE that man out of office in November!

A Must Read

For those concerned about how they might catch Covid-19 here's a very informative article by someone who knows of what they write.

The Risks - Know Them - Avoid Them

For the near future, what I take from this is no in person gatherings of any length like church services, restaurant meals, parties, family gatherings from far and wide.  For those contemplating returning to work in the office, not a good idea.

I have to wonder what will happen when we move at the end of July?  I woke this morning realizing there was no way we could make the drive in one day since we won't depart here until after the truck is loaded with our things.  We have to arrive at the rental office for the keys when it's open.  I think we will have an overnight in a hotel half way there.  There are several we have used in the past when we've left late but I think we'd avoid any in Connecticut and opt for PA at the NY line.

We also want to make a trip to Buffalo at the end of June.  Daughter and family have purchased a new home and we have some things to give them plus we want to see it.  I mentioned to Dan yesterday that if we do that we may face a two week quarantine once we return here to Vantage Point.  And that's a real quarantine - no leaving apartment at all for that time.  Restrictions for retirement communities are definitely stricter.

65 days to the move!

So you may be asking, what's with the roses?

On Saturday we took a quick trip to Whole Foods for much needed supplies: milk, lettuce, coffee, and tea.  While waiting on the marked spots at the proper social distance, the line to the check out took us passed a display of roses.  I told Dan I wanted to buy myself some roses for Mother's Day.  So I did.

These are lovely but yesterday I got to thinking how did these roses grow with such long stems?  I've never seen a rose plant do that.  Today I noticed that some of these buds will likely never open.  The buds will bend and droop as so many of these long stemmed roses do. Take a look back at the photos and you'll see what I mean.

Then look at the bud above and how many petals are in there that will never see the light of day.

My daughter asked who sent the roses and I told her.  She was going to order some flowers for me but didn't know if they'd be delivered.  They would have.  There were mountains of flowers in the vestibule of our lobby yesterday afternoon.

Mother's Day

Sharing my mother's picture with you all on this day to celebrate her.  I found several in my files.

She was born in 1918.

Wedding day.

In the 60s (I think) after having 6 children

In the last year of her life age 94.