It’s been quite a ride.
~ Charlton Heston (American – Actor / October 4, 1923 – April 5, 2008)
I loved every minute of it.
Daily Quote: October 4, 2020
Daily Quote: July 29, 2020
When the past no longer illuminates the future,
the spirit walks in darkness.
~ Alexis de Tocqueville (French – Historian July 29, 1805 – April 16, 1859)
International Tiger Day
National Chicken Wing Day
Busch Gardens will always remain one of my favorite places. Where else could people get so close to tigers. This picture was taken in February 2018 when my niece and her family were visiting Florida. With the USA/Canada border remaining closed Florida can only be a memory for Canadians.
Daily Quote: April 2, 2020
Being born in a duck yard does not matter,
if only you are hatched from a swan’s egg.
~ Hans Christian Andersen
(Danish – Author April 2, 1805 – August 4, 1875)
International Children’s Book Day
National Reconciliation Day
National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day
Day 14 of Quarantine after travel. Unfortunately our self-isolation has been increased by 2 days. My stepson had stopped in to see us on the Friday before he left for work. He now has pneumonia and probably has COVID-19, but is not qualified to be tested as testing is limited to high risk individuals and Health Care Professionals in Ontario.
Once the quarantine period is over our self-isolation won’t change much as everything except essential services is closed and social distancing is still demanded.
The numbers being reported of confirmed cases in Canada keep growing every day. The number of COVID-19 total cases in Canada was 9,613 as of April 1st, 2020 with 109 confirmed deaths. The actual number of people with COVID-19 is probably much higher. Only people at high risk and health care professionals are being tested in Ontario.
The reported numbers in the USA are much higher, even considering that Canada has about 10% of the population of the USA. President Trump said that over 240,000 Americans could die from COVID-19,
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- Total cases: 186,101
- Total deaths: 3,603
Daily Quote: April 1, 2020
The greater the difficulty,
the more the glory in surmounting it.
~ Charles de Saint-Évremond
(French – Critic April 1, 1613 – September 29, 1703)
April Fools’ Day
Day 14 and unfortunately our self-isolation, quarantine after travel will be extended because my stepson is symptomatic and stopped in to see us on Friday March 20th. Although my stepson is home he hasnt’ been tested yet. Nor will he be tested even though he is symptomatic and diagnosed with pneumonia. Tests in Ontario are only being given to Seniors and Health Care Professionals.
The number of confirmed cases in Ontario is being kept artificially low by not testing all persons that are symptomatic.
Schools in Ontario are now closed until the end of April. More on-line tools are being developed and made available daily for students.
The number of COVID-19 total cases confirmed in Canada was 7,708 yesterday. Coronavirus Canada Link with a total of 89 deaths. The Bogcaygen Nursing home now has 13 deaths and about 1/2 of the staff are now self-isolating with symptoms.
The number of confirmed cases in the USA are now over 176,518 with 3,431 deaths and 6,241 recovered. USA Coronovirus according to Worldometers
Spring 2020 is progressing and birds have finally found my restocked feeders. A little chipmunk stops by daily to fill his cheeks and the squirrels are finding ways around the barrier at the base of the bird feeder. Marigolds and tomatoes have started to sprout in containers on my window ledge, almost ready for transplanting to bigger pots and move to the greenhouse.
March has finally come to an end.
Daily Quote: March 30, 2020
I put my heart and my soul into my work,
and have lost my mind in the process.
~Vincent Van Gogh (Dutch – Artist March 30, 1853 – July 29, 1890)
Take a Walk in the Park Day
Virtual Vacation Day
International Folding Laundry Day
COVID-19 pandemic continues and grows. Numbers confirmed in the USA are now over 139,000 with the death toll of over 2,400. Some experts are now predicting that between 100,000 and 200,000 Americans will die because of COVID-19.
Canada has fewer cases with only 6,243 confirmed cases caused by COVID-19 and 61 reported deaths. Part of the reason for the lower numbers in Canada is that Canada’s population is less than 10% of the USA.
Prime Minister Trudeau remains in self-isolation even now that his wife is now symptom free. He could still develop the virus 14 days after exposure.
We’re on Day 12 of our quarantine after travel. My step-son is trucking his way back to Ontario from Saskatchewan, but says he is sick. He’ll need to be tested to confirm if it is COVID-19, but that means our quarantine time will also need to be extended because he stopped in to see us on Friday, March 20th before he went to work trucking. That means an extra 2 days of self-isolation for us, not a major hardship because there are very few places to go. Even worse, his lady-friend is a double organ transplant recipient and could be in very serious danger from exposure.
Some of our Canadian friends have decided to shelter in place in Florida and Mexico. Others drove straight home from Florida without stopping. Some are now done their 14 day quarantine after travel, but everyone is still being told to “STAY HOME”.
Virtual tours and travel have been spreading on the internet almost as fast as the virus. Distractions and good thoughts trying to take away from the fear and terror of closed cities and states. So book a Virtual Vacation and relax today.
Daily Quote: March 15, 2020
Take time to deliberate;
but when the time for action arrives, stop thinking and go in.
Andrew Jackson (American – President March 15, 1767 – June 8, 1845)
Well, the Coronavirus Pandemic is causing lots of panic everywhere. Toilet paper and major supplies are flying off the shelves as people try to prepare. Schools in Ontario are closed until April 5, 2020. All public events are being cancelled. People abroad are worried as borders are being closed. International flights are being cancelled. There is a shortage of tests in the USA. Worldwide numbers are increasing.
My home church will be closing the doors for the live service on Sunday and trying Facebook live to deliver the weekly message and updates.
All health insurance from Canada for travelers have a clause that renders the insurance coverage to 0 if there is an epidemic or pandemic. So my husband and I need to leave Texas this morning and make the trip back to Ontario Canada. Today I’m borrowing from the past with the Daily Quote, but it seems very appropriate.
Daily Quote: February 1, 2020
How lovely are the portals of the night,
when stars come out to watch the daylight die.
~ Thomas Cole (American – Artist / February 1, 1801 – February 11, 1848)
Eat Ice Cream for Breakfast Day
– first Saturday of month
National Freedom Day
No Politics Day
Spunky Old Broads Day
Daily Quote: January 2, 2020
Anybody can be a great photographer
if they zoom in enough on what they love.
~ David Bailey (Born: January 2, 1938)
National Buffet Day
What an amazing way to blow the diet on the second day of the new year.
- Zoom in on what you love
- Focus on your goals
- Light up your subjects
- Smile as you tell others to smile
- Shoot at will
Daily Quote: December 13
The Wedding March always reminds me of the music played when soldiers go into battle.
~ Heinrich Heine (December 13, 1797 – February 17, 1856)
December 13
Day of the Horse
Lost and Found Day
2020 is shaping up to be the year of family weddings I’m looking forward to dancing with my family and friends at these events. The first date to be confirmed was 10/10/2020.
I’m so envious of Wedding Photographers. They charge huge prices for their services and have an exclusive market. Many of the Wedding Photographers now don’t even permit the guests to take pictures (I still think it’s because the photographer is worried they might not get the best pictures). Recent weddings I’ve gone to have paid more than $5,000 (I hear it can go up to $10,000) for their photographer and only get a few hard copies. I could hardly believe that people wait more than 3 months to receive their edited jpg’s. To me if you’re paying that much for a photographer the timeline should be within 2 weeks.
I understand that its a “once in a lifetime event” that you can’t afford not to have good pictures, and that the photographer has invested in expensive equipment.
Contact me. My price is only $100 per hour (free engagement photos at the time of contract signing).
Daily Quote: December 12
Just because I was almost 62,
I did not feel decrepit and felt I wasn’t finished being a soldier yet.
~ Gerald Griffin (December 12, 1803 – June 12, 1840)
12-Hour Fresh Breath Day
I’m uncertain about the current trends of working til you drop. In Canada and USA there are fewer and fewer jobs where someone can work until they’re 55 and retire. Most professions are trending more towards no pensions. Often people can’t afford to retire due to medical and drug plans that stop at the time that you retire. Sick people continue to work to pay for their Cancer medications and treatments. Even healthy people are paying huge monthly sums (often more than their monthly rent) to have “medical coverage”. The huge cost of “out of country” insurance (which can be much more that the actual vacation and flight) causes people to stay home rather than venture out into the world.
Young adults can’t find jobs and still live at home with their sick parents, who work to maintain their children’s lifestyle.
As the financial adviser said in my pre-retirement information seminar, retire while you can still enjoy your life. Seven years after retiring from my Project Management job, there are still days when I miss the people I worked with and the routine, but I don’t miss the work or the stress.
Porte Photos 