By Vicki Scott
About the middle of November is when I feel like I am still a teacher. Living through November to December is like going down a high waterfall while riding the rapids – you cannot stop because of all the activities going on. It seems to be over in five seconds then dead like in January.
When I was a teacher, January was the longest month. We got paid once a month at the end of the month. Our last paycheck of the year came in the middle of December and was spent on Christmas. The month of January was spent wishing I had enough money for Ramen Noodles.
Thanksgiving is about to be celebrated and Christmas decorations are everywhere. The way this year has been, Christmas cannot come any sooner. Even laid-back people are experiencing life in the fast lane during Christmastime. We are being more creative and determined with our social gatherings, which is important, especially with our seniors.
My aunt Lynell, who is my mother’s sister, wants us to gather for Thanksgiving in mom’s honor and possible start a tradition in order to keep our family in a close kinship. Aunt Lynell and my aunt Vera, who is my mother’s sister-in-law, have been working feverishly to make it happen. They will be wearing masks, practicing social distancing and taking our temperatures. The tables will be separated at least six feet apart, and we are amply supplied with hand sanitizer.
How could I say “no” to all the hard work and effort? We have several medical professionals attending this event, so I feel safe knowing all precautions have been applied.
Family is important, and it hurts my heart to think of all the isolation involved in this pandemic. Governor Kay Ivey said she did not mean for it to be this way. Isolation, in my opinion, is worse than the disease itself. I’ve heard people complain that people are still out in public without
masks on.
We cannot make people do what we feel they should do. We do not know their situation. We must do all we ourselves can do. With pick-up and drive-thru services, there should be no one worried about masks. They can pick up what they need or stay home and have it delivered.
However, this isolation gave me the chance to go through mother’s papers. RSVP is holding a Shred and Drug Takeback Day this Saturday, November 21, starting at 8 a.m.
I am so glad RSVP is doing this event, because it gave me incentive to go on and get all of that taken care of. The Shred and Drug Take Back Day had been postponed due to rain, and I praise God for that, because it gave me a chance to get it together and do what I needed to do. There were so many papers! I thought I had found some of my father’s drugs, but they were empty bottles.
The weeks need to slow down because I have so much that I want to do. I do not mind wearing a mask, using hand sanitizer or taking my temperature.
I will do what I can to not be isolated. Come on, new year, and let’s have a cure for this virus!
We at George Wallace Senior Center in Glencoe want to see our seniors and get a big, fat hug from each one of them. It is not enough to see them every day in the food pick-up line; we need our hugs! We are not okay; we love and miss y’all so stinking much!
Stay safe!