Is it sadistic to want to see what I am missing by not erasing my calendar entries for the month of May? I can’t bring myself to delete anything, and every day Google reminds me of where I was supposed to be. I could type STAY HOME on every day of the month, but I certainly don’t need a reminder for that. Another alternative is to leave the pages blank and let the days write themselves. This seems the most likely choice, since that is the reality of May.
This was to be a big month for us, with celebrations, a big trip and a tennis championship to play. None of that will happen, at least not as planned.
May At a Glance
- 2-3 USTA Regional Tennis Championships, Lake Nona
- 5 Hair Appointment 2:00
- 7 Happy Birthday to me; Book Club 4:00
- 8 Tennis 10:00
- 10 Mother’s Day
- 11 Tennis 10:00
- 13 Friend’s Birthday; Tennis 10:00
- 15 Our Anniversary
- 18 Tennis 10:00
- 22 Flight Miami to Vancouver
- 23 Board cruise ship
- 31 Flight Vancouver to Calgary
Of these things, the birthday, Mother’s Day and Anniversary will be salvaged to the extent possible, but I will likely never have another opportunity to play a Regional Championship with my awesome teammates. That time has passed.
Malcolm and I were to fly to Vancouver on the 22nd and board a cruise ship to Alaska on the 23rd, followed by a Canadian road trip with visits to Banff and Lake Louise along the way. It seems almost comical to say out loud that there was a time when I thought this trip might be possible. Late May seemed so far away from early February. Joke’s on me! That trip will happen one day, at least the road trip portion, but we will not be so quick to redeem our cruise ship credit.
It Could be Worse
I just received a graduation announcement for my great-nephew, Colton. It saddens me to think of all that he and millions of other students are missing this spring. He worked hard, earned a baseball scholarship to a great college and is an all around nice kid. Missing his ‘moment in the sun’ is a loss that will always be with him.
My paltry calendar entries certainly pale in comparison and I can’t quite imagine what it will feel like to reflect on this time five or even ten years from now – what we lost, what we gained, and most importantly what we learned.
Moving Forward
So, here we are, the beginning of May, and for the first time in my adult life, my birthday wish is for the passage of time. I want June to arrive quickly and bring new energy, optimism and hope to a world that desperately needs healing.
We just heard from our local government that our beaches will open (with restrictions) on Monday. Hurray! The plan is to drive out on Thursday afternoon and with a bit of luck we will watch as the sun sets on the first day of my 65th year.
Picture Retirement 
I just updated my calendar too. Updated sounds better than deleted. 🙂 We’re still in a stay at home order for May, beaches are closed, but some other things are gradually starting to open. NH is doing okay, but with MA at our southern border that is our challenge. Happy Birthday and Anniversary to you. I hope that Colton’s future academic and sports years are so spectacular that his high school misses become a mere blip in his past. Enjoy your walk on the beach. 🙂
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Judy, your lips to God’s ears regarding Colton’s future. Thank you for that. Opening our beaches is experimental and I am hoping that people will be responsible. Just a short walk with my camera will do a world of good. Our border to the south is our problem, as well. Palm Beach, Ft. Lauderdale and Miami are still getting new cases.
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Suzanne, Happy Birthday and Happy Anniversary! Enjoy your sunset walk on the beach! Your great nephew and all the other high school seniors will never forget their senior year. Wishing him a wonderful future. Here in Georgia the beaches have been open only for exercise for about two weeks and I’ve walked on the beach twice this week. Stores and restaurants are starting to open up although a lot are choosing to stay closed for the time being. Yes, June can’t get here soon enough!
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Beth, our town is scheduled to begin reopening on Monday. Of course, it’s just stage one and there will still be many businesses closed. But, our beaches and parks will be available again, so I am very happy about that. Just hope people don’t screw it up by being stupid.
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I haven’t even put anything on our May calendar and I noticed yesterday how bare it is. I still have a few things in my personal calendar but most will be deleted. I celebrated my birthday this past Thursday by baking cupcakes with my favorite chocolate buttercream frosting. Not that we ever do much for birthdays but there definitely won’t be a family celebration this year. I did have a Messenger chat with a couple of friends and a present drop off from another so I have no complaints. My oldest niece is expecting a baby in a week or so and my youngest is getting her PhD but both occasions will be diminished by this virus. We’ll make the best of it though. Happy Birthday!!! 🎂
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Family celebrations are overrated, especially when you can have cupcakes instead! I have requested a Flan from Malcolm and I saw the ingredients in the pantry so I know that will happen. A couple of friends will join he and I for our (6 feet apart) walk on the beach on Thursday. I am looking forward to their company and that is celebration enough for me. Congratulations on the new baby and your PhD grad. In spite of it all, life goes on. For that, I am truly grateful.
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Happy Birthday this week!
Celebrating a birthday during a pandemic isn’t exactly the most fun I’ve ever had, but at least it’s memorable. I’m still here 😀
I too am looking at my May calendar and all the things that have been crossed off as cancelled. Virtually everything I had planned for the summer has already been cancelled and I feel the loss already.
When things finally do begin to open up though, it’s unlikely I will leap at the chance to go out and mingle in public again. I’ve always been uncomfortable in crowds to begin with, and this situation hasn’t helped. Mostly I’d like to just get together with family and friends again. That will be a huge cause for celebration!
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Joanne, I have never enjoyed getting attention on my birthday. Except from my family, of course. I just want to be somewhere beautiful. I can’t even remember the last time I was home on my birthday. Oh well, a walk on the beach sounds like an exotic vacation right now and that will be much appreciated. Can’t wait for those calendars to start filling up in the fall. Hang in there!
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Happy Birthday this week! It is hard to look at the calendar isn’t it? The plans made that now have to be cancelled, postponed or modified can leave a sense of emptiness. Hopefully sooner than later we can all celebrate that we came through this Pandemic with more appreciation for our life, the people in it and the many gifts we truly have no matter how large or small.
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Emptiness is a good word for what I feel when looking at May. I count my blessings every day that all I struggle with right now is my emotions. It could be far worse, and is for so many. When a trip to the beach will fix my mood, you know life is good. Thanks for stopping by and have a great week.
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Happy Birthday to you! And so wonderful that your beaches are reopening! We had our local beaches open for the first six weeks of our current Shelter In Place provisions, and they were the one place where I could consistently count on feeling better. And that was just during walk-throughs, so if you can actually plant your behind on the beach for some hours, I imagine that that will feel marvelous!
The one bright spot in my calendar at the moment is that the majority of this semester’s Lifelong Learning classes were scheduled for May, and they have all gone live via Zoom, so I will have a few things to look forward to, thankfully. We are now starting week eight of our statewide Shelter In Place, and with better weather returned, our survival key has been to go on hours-long exploratory walks and hikes each and every day. When I skip a day, I pay, mentally, big time. It’s actually a bit frightening how quickly I begin to feel overwhelmed without the release of daily feel-good chemicals that exercise delivers.
We are also feeling antsy about lack of in person socializing, so today we are meeting my daughter and her BF for coffee at an open cafe, sitting 6+ feet apart while we chat, and later in the week we are doing a coronavirus Happy Hour with neighbors, where we will sit same 6+ feet apart. We should end the month with a significant easing of our current restrictions, and I can’t wait. It really won’t take much for me to feel better – our HOA pool reopening, our harbor reopening for parking, our beaches for walk and bike-throughs. This too shall pass, I am telling myself, but hourly this month vs. daily in April!
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Tamara, I hear you on the “paying mentally”. When it rains and I can’t get my run in, I feel off kilter. Things are slowly re-opening here, but I am not anxious to be in a crowd. The last time I was anywhere other than my house was March 12th. I am looking forward to walking the beach this week. Hopefully people will behave and it can stay open. Loved reading about your RV plans. That sounds like a good first step. Take care.
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Love the sunset photo. It is sad to think that so many students are graduating without the fanfare and are heading to a future with more questions than answers. I’m with you on the travel plans – Road trip, yes. Cruise, well, maybe, someday.
Take care, Suzanne.
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Dan, I feel sorry for anyone who got robbed of celebrating their achievements. There are no do overs for those folks and definitely more questions than answers. I do hope the sunset on Thursday lives up to my expectations!
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Happy birthday week, Suzanne! Hope you find a pretty spot on the beach without a crowd and enjoy nature. Look forward to seeing your photos.
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Thanks Natalie, I am wishing for exactly the same.
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I did delete my April and May calendars and replaced them with my online grocery pickups, Zoom Calls and foster dog appointments (she still needs to be weighed, at the shelter, every two weeks). It’s not much, but it at least keeps me on track.
Happy Birthday, Happy Anniversary and Happy Mother’s Day.
Sending warm hugs your way.
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Thank you Donna, hugs and pleasant thoughts are always appreciated.
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Hi Suzanne I have been maintaining my diary and yes there have been appointments and celebrations that have had to be cancelled or moved online. We celebrated my grandsons 6th birthday via Zoom and he had a similar Zoom birthday party with school friends. Our beaches and parks reopened on the weekend. Sadly there were many who did not abide by the social distancing rules. I’ve been walking more along the beachside and enjoying running by the ocean. The weather is crisp and cool as Winter is on the way. The skies are sunny and clear so I don’t have too much to complain about. Sending you warm wishes for our Birthday, Anniversary and Mother’s Day. This will be the first year that I won’t be running in the Mother’s Day Classic with my daughter in memory of my Mum who died from breast cancer. A virtual run just doesn’t feel the same. x
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Sue, I am so sorry you will miss your run. That’s a disappointment in a category by itself. The thought of winter and flu season is more than I can get my head around right now, but I am glad you are enjoying cooler temperatures. We are about to get dreadfully hot and humid. Even if we can move about, I don’t think I will want to.
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Hi Suzanne, yes I’m missing my Saturday Sisters and although I’m running on my own to keep up my running fitness it isn’t quite the same. Winter where I live is lovely. Clear, sunny, blue skies and rather mild temperatures. Our Summer hasn’t been quite as humid as it usually is. I think we may be on the same latitude? I’m on the Gold Coast, Queensland. Take care and thanks for stopping by xx
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I am so sorry that you are missing the cruise and vacation, it sounded wonderful. I hope indeed that you will be able to take the road trip and maybe the cruise at some point in the not distant future. I agree, it is sad for all of the graduates who are missing the usual festivities. This may be their “Walked up hill both ways in the snow in July” story that they will pass on to their children and grandchildren and will be a way that they remember time. I am glad that you may have the opportunity to watch the sunset from the beach on your birthday. Happy birthday! One of my parishioners is making every effort to do celebrations at home that they can’t do otherwise, keeping traditions memorable for their kids. For instance they are getting ready to do their own “mother daughter grandmother” banquet, since it won’t happen in the church. the mean in the family will cook and serve and they will watch something online for the entertainment portion. It is that kind of inventiveness that will make a difference. Blessings on your upcoming birthday. Michele
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Michele, we all need a little creativity to get through this with our minds still in tact. The mother/daughter/grandmother banquet sounds lovely and I am sure everyone will value the time and effort made to connect, even digitally. Take care.
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Like you, I have lots on my calendar that I’ve left on rather than deleted since most are recurring, Suzanne. This week would have been my last week teaching my F2F university class. It sits on my calendar taunting me. I know a few students who won’t walk at their cancelled commencement, like your nephew. But I think missing high school graduation is the saddest of all. I still remember mine over 40 years ago. I’m glad to see you can enjoy the beach again. We are taking our cancelled road trip from March in two weeks up to Spokane to visit the property and make other arrangements. Perhaps May will surprise you after all!
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Terri, I am glad you are making your road trip happen. You must be excited about visiting your property. I hope your plans are moving forward nicely. I would love to be pleasantly surprised during May, but a walk on the beach feels pretty special right now, so I will take what I can get! Enjoy your trip and take lots of beautiful photographs.
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Good morning, Suzanne.
A beach walk sounds heavenly…linger as as long as you can. I still have a camping trip to Banff and Lake Louise on my calendar for early August. Parks Canada is closed right now and I couldn’t cancel if I wanted to–and I don’t. We have something in common, Susanne. I deflect all attention on my birthday. Nevertheless, I wish you a happy one. Joe
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Joe, I hope it works out and the parks open up. I was just talking to Malcolm about the possibility of RV’ing this summer, or in the fall. Not sure we are made of the right stuff, but I am still looking into things. Birthday wishes from far away are entirely acceptable! Thank you.
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I also have left things on the calendar, with a “cancelled” word, and am beginning to wonder if it’s wise to keep recalling everything I’m missing. I’ve added new things – like on-line classes, but they really do not feel the same as live ones. Our parks are opening this week (we are still in Ohio), so maybe I will venture out a bit more. The temperatures here just do not seem to want to warm up though…. another week of highs in the 50’s. I know it could be (much) worse, but I also wonder when I’ll be able to return to doing things I love to do…most of which involves experiences with other people involved.
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Pat, seeing all those cancelled events does wear on you, doesn’t it? We actually had a few mornings in the 50’s recently. Of course it warmed to 80 by noon, but I’ll take those beautiful cool mornings any time. I’d love to know more about your online classes. That sounds like a smart thing to do right now.
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Suzanne, I took the Science of Happiness from Coursera. If you audit it, it’s free. (next weeks blog will capture my thoughts on it) I ‘m taking one on Purpose now, also Coursera. I’m not sure where I’ll go (topic) next.
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Happy birthday for Thursday…it’s our wedding anniversary on Thursday too, we’re now allowed to have picnics and eat outside so I’m thinking we might get fish and chips and take it to the beach… maybe… However you spend it (and mother’s day and your anniversary a week later) I hope you have a great time.
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Jo, we’re thinking Chinese take-out, a bottle of wine and a blanket on the beach will be just perfect. Happy Anniversary to you, enjoy!
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Could be worse? No water. No toilet paper.
The best laid plans never go as planned.
Damn!
Our May calendar is filled with all those medical appointments postponed from previous months.
Mask up!
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Thanks for keeping it real James! That is my worse nightmare. We keep pushing appointments down the road. I think most of ours are now into August. Take care and thanks for stopping by.
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Suzanne, Happy Birthday and Happy Aniversary!!! It is hard to come to terms with our current situation when fabulous travel plans, parties and graduations will not be happening the way we had planned. I do feel for your nephew, but I do hope the University will sort something out for them in the near future. My son also missed out on his 25th Birthday do with friends. We should have been in Italy right now, touring with our RV, but it was not to be. I feel grateful for being healthy and that all my loved ones are also well and healthy…fingers crossed it will continue. It is frustrating, but better days will come. Keep well and stay safe.
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Gilda, I am grateful that our complaints are insignificant in the scheme of things. Our kids are working, we are all healthy and we have everything we need to get through this time. All the best to you.
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Happy birthday! I had to erase all the calendar appointments. I couldn’t bear to see everything I was missing. So sorry you will miss your cruise. I hope you can take it sometime in the future. Happy anniversary to you on the 15th! Have fun at the beach.
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Thanks Laurie, the birthday trip to the beach was just what I needed.
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It is definitely disappointing to miss out on your fun events for May. You would have done significant planning to put this schedule in place. “Salvaged” is a great word. We have seen most of Canada, yet we have not done a cross country road trip. Maybe, one day. Also disappointing about your great-nephew. I wonder if some form of celebrations will occur in the future for them? It is complicated.
Very wise words, Suzanne, “what we lost, what we gained, and most importantly what we learned.”
I am writing this on Thursday, so Huge Happy Birthday Virtual Hugs!!!! 65! You are an inspiration! I wish you many more sunsets for many more healthy years! xx ❤️
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Thanks Erica, I do hope that we will get to make that trip one day. I have always wanted to see western Canada and can only imagine how beautiful it must be.
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I hope all of your special days ended up turning out nice. Happy Anniversary! 😘 Now that restaurants are serving meals here in Florida, I hope you will be going out tonight to celebrate. We always have to look on the bright side of things…living in Florida, we had it much easier than lots of other places.
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Karen, our weather is what has made this situation tolerable. Being able to get outside in the sunshine, and now, to walk the beach is a godsend. We have not been out to a restaurant yet, but we have ordered delivery a few times. Easing our way back… take care.
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It’s a good thing that the date appears at the top of my computer/iPad/phone, otherwise I’d never know what day it is now that my calendar is blank. Here in BC, it’s the Victoria Day long weekend and we will go into the first phase of easing restrictions on Tuesday, May 19. (They’re calling it the second phase because we never went into a full lockdown, therefore have been experiencing the first phase all along. Yes, confusing.) My art group has just made the decision to suspend the 2020 studio tour season. Even once restrictions are eased, most people in the group don’t want to open their homes and art studios to a stream of visitors while there is not yet a vaccine or even a treatment.
Jude
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