The craziness continues.
Colleges have reopened, and within the first two weeks positive COVID-19 cases have escalated. College students simply must have those off-campus parties to celebrate their entry into “adulthood.”
Government authorities are threatening to scale back reopening. Although another lockdown is not anticipated at this time, I personally have become a little more cautious about going into public places such as grocery stores. Last weekend, I went shopping and it was a little unnerving to see all those young people (and their parents) pushing carts filled with dorm room supplies through the parking lot – many without masks, or with masks hanging under their chins (only once out of the store, of course – the stores are still requiring that customers wear masks inside). One such group was parked right behind me; I stayed in my vehicle until they loaded up and left.
I’m beginning to wonder if it’s wise now to purchase take-out food since many of the restaurants employ college students. Do I really need that fish fry? Maybe it’s time to return to eating only food that I’ve cooked myself. That’s the right way, of course. So much safer and healthier.
But sometimes I just want those greasy, crispy french fries that only restaurants can make.
[sigh]
Meanwhile, life goes on.
One family member is closing on a new home today. I keep checking the County Clerk website to see if the deed is on record yet. Hubby and I offered to help her move over the weekend, but she declined. Apparently, she has a lot of help already from her fiancé, his family, and friends. I guess we’ll see the new house once they’re settled in a few weeks. Can’t wait – it’s out in the country, nestled on over 12 acres of treed land. My camera finger is twitching.
Another family member has decided she wants a dog (is that crazy, or what?). Because of COVID, the shelters no long allow people to simply walk in and pick out a dog. Now, appointments are required – and the first appointment available was the middle of September. Most likely, the pup she saw on the website will no longer be there when the appointment rolls around, and judging by the lack of dogs available through other rescue sites, puppies and young dogs are in short supply at the moment. Local AKC breeders do not have any pups of the kind she wants, and future litters are already spoken for.
Did everyone suddenly decide they needed a dog while on shutdown? Sure looks like it.
And the prices for dogs, purebred and rescues, has skyrocketed. I couldn’t believe my eyes – almost $500 for a mixed breed whose history is unknown?! Pet quality purebred dogs from qualified breeders are $1500-$2500, sometimes more?! Yikes.
Finally, we found a German Shepherd breeder several hours away who has puppies that will be ready for new homes in October. They’re not cheap, but having owned Riggsie (my purebred black German Shepherd), I know the cost is reasonable. Besides, the family member and her beau will have a couple of nice trips out of town to see and pick out their new puppy, and then later to bring the puppy home. And the breeder is in wine country! Nothing like a nice wine-tour side trip! Wish I could go with them. I offered. Again I was declined,
What is it with these girls and their boyfriends that they don’t want an old lady like me tagging along?
[sigh]
Meanwhile, Puppy Cody and I are enjoying my day off. More or less. Not going anywhere, just doing laundry and chores, but the weather is gorgeous. Perhaps later I’ll take a book outside and read while Cody searches for bunnies and squirrels.
Maybe in a couple of months, Cody will have a new doggy cousin to play with in Cody’s big fenced-in yard. After all, one can never have enough mud and doggy hair in the house. If I let them both into the house – there will be that new kitchen floor to consider.
So much excitement these days! I can hardly contain myself.
Happy Friday, everyone. If you’re here in the good old U.S.A., enjoy the upcoming Labor Day! (safely, of course)
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I love to hear from my readers. You may comment on this post, comment on my Facebook or Twitter pages, or email me at cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com
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Images by Cordelia’s Mom/TeddyRosalieStudio
Cordelia's Mom, Still 
Rule of thumb for me when doing take out or delivery is to move the food from containers to my own dishes and dispose of the take out containers, wash hands, then enjoy…
Eating out from drive thru, while on the go is a bit more challenging… Use hand sanitizer before and after if you can.
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We do that, too. Hubby even nukes his food before he eats it, but I figure as long as its still hot, it’s probably ok.
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The problem is the same everywhere. We had new daily case numbers in the single digits not long ago. Open things up, let the tourists get around, restart schools … we had 104 new cases Wednesday. Some of us are not surprised. People will not follow the rules, so the virus spreads. Without a vaccine there is no chance of really stopping it.
Life goes on (c’est la vie). It just goes differently than it used to. Things are changing, and we must adapt.
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It’s definitely a new normal, and I can’t say that I’m enjoying it. It’s like playing Russian Roulette.
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I would really love to go out for a nice relaxing meal in a quiet sit down restaurant, but that’s not going to happen in the foreseeable future. As to fries, when those urges come, my air fryer comes to the rescue. I’ve even made tortilla chips in it.
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My husband and I had the restaurant discussion again tonight, and we both agreed we’re not ready for a dine-in experience, especially with our COVID numbers rising again.
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It’s the same here about dogs. Shelters emptied for the first time ever. Waiting lists for rescue woofers. Longer waits for bred dogs and high prices.
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I know. I was totally surprised. When my last two dogs within a few months of each other, I couldn’t even get through a week without wanting another dog. So I went to the local SPCA, picked out my Cody and brought her home. But, of course, that was almost 7 years ago.
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Great shots as always, CM! Wishing you an over-the-moon labor weekend! (✿ ♥‿♥)
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Thanks, NBC. I saw that moon when I took Cody out in the morning and just had to run back inside to grab my camera. Sure hope the neighbors weren’t watching as I was in my PJs.
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LOL! (✿ ♥‿♥)
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Hey CM… I’m not a dog person, for the record. And it’s Labour Day up here tomorrow in Canada, too, so we have a long weekend. Stay safe out there – I share a lot of your sentiments about what people are doing, despite the risks. I don’t get it.
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Not everyone’s a dog person, Trent. I won’t hold that against you. Enjoy your Labor Day – I forgot that Canada celebrates that, too (even if you do spell it differently).
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We spell it right!
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In your country, you spell it right; in my country, we spell it right. 🙂
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Well said, CM!
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I have also seen the price of dogs go ski high and this apparently is true in England, too. It has encouraged a lot of dog theft too. We were looking at rescue dogs, but they are going for around $400 to $500 and we don’t have that kind of money. Purebred dogs have been very expensive at least around here for a long time. When we were working, we’d manage, but not now. We have the Duke and he will have to be our dog.
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Yeah, rescues around here are close to $500, too, and the SPCA dogs are $300. (I paid $150 when I got Cody from the SPCA 7 years ago, and I thought that was a lot). But she would have been willing to pay that if only they didn’t want to make her wait for an appointment, and if only they had a dog that was suitable for her,
I hear you about the dog thefts. Fortunately, she works from home and can keep an eye on her new pup when he/she is in the backyard
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May it all turn out well, CM. I hope you had a fine Labor Day weekend. I took a WordPress break from reading and commenting and it felt needed and restorative.
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I hear you, Mark. Sometimes we all just need to get away from WP for awhile. Glad to see you back.
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