Uncategorized – Page 15 – Mitchell's thoughts, photos, etc.

Camp Time

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Alana parked at the base of the hill that Marc lived on for many years. Sadly, a fire many years after the site closed destroyed much of it. Thankfully, nature is taking its course and it looks better. It will never be what Marc and his boys knew as teens. But it is something. One of Marc’s most favorite artifacts survived and is in the back of the site. If only the whole structure that this small piece of metal supported was still alive. Marc cries every time he nears it.

The two lovebirds had no idea where to search. They thought of going back to the area of the throne. Or maybe to the cliffs? Alana suggested they start at the lake’s dam. Marc laughed. He has great memories of BBQs at that site. The cookouts were infamous.

Meanwhile, Anat was shivering in her rented BMW. She vowed never to return to the area near her camp. She drove right by it. Many tears were shed as she passed its closed gates. If it weren’t for Covid-19, the camp would be open and humming with lots of kids. She could have parked by the gate and went in. But she knew she’d pass out. The good thing is she was wearing her new Timberlands.

And these days no one would be strong enough to take them from her.

She drove to the gate of Marc’s camp. She knew it had been closed for too many years. She was still nervous. She had no idea what to do. She was not a girl who liked hanging out in the woods. She sat in the car with Bauhaus cranking. She thought to herself how she totally transformed and even has a guy that likes her. Why did she want to go into this place? She could get lost, hurt, or eaten by a wild animal. She knew she could fight. But she never fought wildlife. Marc and Alana don’t count. Those two have never fought wildlife, either. But she knew if they were in this section of the camp Marc knew it like the back of his hand. He’d be ok. And his little goth princess would survive.

Marc and Alana were at the dam. They looked across the lake. Everything was quiet. Many canoe strokes away, the docks that Marc used to jump off of were still there. They sat on the small wooden footbridge and started kissing. While their lips were locked, Anat got out of the car and walked into the camp. She was shaking but feeling better. She had no idea where to go. She found a map of the camp on an alumni website. Sadly, the site was not searchable. Despite having the map to follow she had no clue, which trails to go on. She figured if Jay were still in the camp he’d be by the lake. People are drawn to water.

The other two were so into each other they didn’t hear the loud splashes feet away. They wound up getting soaked and broke out of each other’s arms. Standing 10 yards away was Jay.

He looked more disheveled than usual.

Pandemic Watch: Facial expressions

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Sadly our concert, theater, and sports events have been canceled since the virus took hold. It has left us bored. As we know, baseball and basketball are coming back. Sadly, it’ll be TV only. I won’t get to sit in the Stadium and boo Boston. I will have to yell at my screen.

As for theater and concerts, some artists have turned to live Facebook or Zoom performances. They are fun. The other day, Live Nation streamed a Depeche Mode show from Berlin that performed live about two years ago. It was the first time it was shown to those who were not at the arena in Germany. Watching the stream, the first thing that came to mind was the facial expressions of David Gahan, Andrew Fletcher and Martin L. Gore.

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Over the last few weeks, I’ve watched a friend’s theater company, the Synergy Theater do several live improv performances on YouTube. Again, I got a bird’s eye view of the cast’s facial expressions. I’ve watched some great new bands, such as Brewster Moonface and the Weird Wolves. The shows were up close and personal. You can really see the emotions of the actors, singers, guitarists and drummers. It is an added touch that we didn’t have before.

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I’ve had floor seats at the garden and orchestra seats in Broadway theaters. But I never felt so close as I do now. In the old days, I purchased many DVDs of my favorite bands live shows from all over the world. Both highly produced and bootlegs. The bootlegs always offered better quality in terms of the feel of the show.

But they didn’t seem to capture the views that I’ve been seeing on the recent pandemic streams. Is it fun? Yes. Does it replace being at the arena? No. The emotion of the band and crowd together is tops.

Anat and Danny stroll Riverside Park

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Wearing masks and gloves, Anat and Danny took a nice long walk in Riverside Park. They social distanced the whole way. For Anat this was easy. She’s been distant since she was born. They had a pleasant conversation. At the end of the date they sat on park benches. Anat gave Danny a box of raisins to snack on. Of course, she had a box for herself. They blew kisses at each other and decided they’d go out again.

Anat didn’t know what she was feeling. She had memories of when Jen swamped her canoe in camp. And when the girls pulled off her boots. This afternoon marks a new path in her life. Plus she knows if anyone tried to do that to her again they wouldn’t stand a chance.

She went to the child protective services agency. She saw Jerry. She told Ann how things went. Anat knew the city moves slowly on things so she didn’t even ask about her foster care application. She figured there’d be no news. And if something negative happened, why ruin a great day? It can wait. Anat still knew she had to take out Jay. Diane was still in prison. With the courts closed no telling when she’d see the judge. Anat knew where Marc’s camp is located. She was thinking Jay might still be hiding there. She was never there and had no desire to go there and get lost in the middle of the woods. But she was contemplating renting a car and driving up. That camp wasn’t too far from hers. She would never step foot in that place.

Alana and Marc were arriving at camp. They decided they were going to find Jay and take him out. Of course, they had no idea if he hiding there. And they really weren’t sure why they were doing this.

Finding the giraffe

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Father’s Day came and went. I did nothing. My father’s been gone for a few years. My maternal grandfather has been gone for nearly a decade. My paternal one left us about three weeks before I turned two.

For business reasons, my dad moved around a little bit. We were all born in Brooklyn. The real Brooklyn. I was raised on Staten Island. We moved there shortly before I turned eight and entered the third grade. Dad went from Staten Island to San Francisco to Houston to Tampa. Six years ago, he left us in Tampa. He probably spent most of his time with us when he was on Staten Island. We visited him in the other locales.

Because of me, my dad started collecting giraffes. His Tampa house had a giraffe room. Other rooms had a few, too. After he passed away, I cleaned the house. I took a few home and some Disney giraffe artwork.

This is how it started, my paternal grandfather, Sam or “Jimmy” and his brothers owned a few juvenile furniture and toy stores throughout Brooklyn. When I was born, he gave me a small giraffe toddler bike. I could sit and it move along with my feet. I called it and any other giraffe, “affe.” I guess I couldn’t pronounce the “g.” I was told he got his name, Jimmy from the vaudeville acts he used to participate in.

My maternal grandparents gave me an amazing bear. I still have the bear and affe. The bear is with me. The giraffe is at mom’s. Years ago, I saw my cute little nephew ride it. He was about three. I was so happy. Bears and giraffes are my favorite animals.

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I remember in 1976 a new Toys-R-Us was opening near Kings Plaza. My dad took me to the grand opening. Mom was pregnant with my sister. I wished for her. Geoffrey Giraffe, his wife Gigi and Baby Gee were there. We went into the new store and got Baby Gee. I gave her to my sister.

As the years progressed, we always looked for giraffes in zoos. Years ago, dad and I were at ZooTampa at Lowry Park. One of the attractions is to climb up way high, buy some grass, (not the kind you smoke) stand at the edge of the deck and hope the giraffes come and eat out of your hand. We tried. The giraffes were grazing from the trees and never acknowledged us. We returned our grass, hiked down and went on the merry go round. I was disappointed.

It seems that whenever my sister and I go somewhere either together or independent somehow we encounter a picture of a giraffe. It could be on an ad on the subway, a store selling them, etc. Once I was boarding my EL Al flight to return to NYC, as I was walking to the gate, I saw an ad for an EL AL flight to South Africa. What animal do you think the safari ad showed? Yep, a giraffe.

On the first Sunday of May 2015, we dad’s unveiling. I ran it. I did my maternal grandfather’s, too. Not sure I am as good as some of the elderly men who hang around the cemetery and ask if you need them to join your minyan or run the service. Years ago, my dad told me about these guys. He said they’d hit you up for $5. They used to hit me up for $10 when I would go. Inflation. I work for free. Well, not free. To quote Collins from Rent, “That boy could use some Stoli.” It gets you in the mood.

No baby sitter was available for my then 5.5-year-old nephew. So he attended. At the end of the service, he placed a small giraffe on the tombstone. We left the cemetery and had lunch at Chosen Gardens. Everyone went their separate ways. I went to see Avengers: Age of Ultron, which opened that weekend.

In the few months after the unveiling, I visited dad many times. Each time I went the giraffe was still sitting on the tombstone. He was kind of guarding it. A few times he must have jumped off. He’d be in the grass in front or behind it. But he was always there. Maybe he was hungry?

Around a year later, I didn’t see him. I searched and searched to no avail. Every time I visit dad I talk about the Yankees, my sister and giraffes. I continue to search for the giraffe. One day, I hope I can report I found him.

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Pandemic Watch: What will we do with our masks and gloves at the end?

We all have our masks. Some are homemade. Some are store bought. Some we received from the NYC Parks Department, other government or civic-minded community organizations. Mine include several from a box I bought at least five years ago, one from the Parks Department and the ones I ordered from the Dystonia Medical Research Foundation and Lacoste.

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History is probably already working on a Covid-19 exhibit. You can be sure there will be a collection of all types of masks and gloves. Hopefully, it mentions how people who were so worried about not catching the virus tossed their PPE on the floors of our nation’s streets. Many lessons can be learned when this pandemic passes. Likely there will be plaques and monuments of the hero first responders on the Mall on Washington, DC, our parks, government buildings, police, fire departments, etc.

I’ve washed my masks with the laundry. Sometimes I wash them in the sink with warm water and dish-washing detergent. So do you want to save your mask as a memento? I don’t. Once the restrictions are lifted and it is truly safe to walk freely, I will jump up and down. Party Time.

What about those “lovely” masks and gloves? Well, the gloves I will keep. I always have a stash of those. I wear them when I am cleaning. I clean nonstop. So they will go to good use.

As for the masks, I encourage mask “retirement” bonfires. I will happily build them. People can drop off their masks in a sterile box. We can truck them over to the bonfire site. Light the match, dump the masks, sing some songs and sip whatever drink you like. And if I can burn up Dystonia when that mask is ablaze and rid us of that in the fire, all the better.

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Other posts can be viewed at:

“Pandemic Watch, Staying in Shape,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/17/pandemic-watch-staying-in-shape

“Pandemic Watch: Community groups stepping up,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/15/pandemic-watch-community-groups-stepping-up

“Pandemic Watch: Have masks replaced fuzzy dice in windshields?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/09/pandemic-watch-have-masks-replaced-fuzzy-dice-in-windshields

“Pandemic Watch: How will we be entertained?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/08/pandemic-watch-how-will-we-be-entertained

“Pandemic Watch: Communicating via video,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/03/pandemic-watch-communicating-via-video

“Single Life,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/02/pandemic-watch-single-life

“Pandemic Watch: Seniors and lifesaving phone calls during the pandemic or other times,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/01/pandemic-watch-seniors-and-lifesaving-phone-calls-during-the-pandemic-or-other-times

“Pandemic Watch: There are places I remember.”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/28/pandemic-watch-there-are-places-i-remember

“Pandemic Watch: Creating a new fashion statement,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/27/pandemic-watch-creating-a-new-fashion-statement

“Pandemic Watch: Sitting on your stoop,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/26/pandemic-watch-sitting-on-your-stoop

“Pandemic Watch: What does a four-year-old think about our situation?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/21/pandemic-watch-what-does-a-four-old-think-about-our-situation

“Pandemic Watch: Will my nephew ever know how good it was?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/19/pandemic-watch-will-my-nephew-ever-know-how-good-it-was

“Pandemic Watch: What will happen when I get released on parole?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/15/pandemic-watch-what-will-happen-when-i-get-released-on-parole

“Pandemic Watch: We live in interesting times,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/14/pandemic-watch-we-live-in-interesting-times

“Pandemic Watch: Dressing during the Covid-19 pandemic,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/13/pandemic-watch-dressing-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

“Pandemic Watch: Yes, it is Monday,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/pandemic-watch-yes-it-is-monday

“How skills I learned as a teen in the scouts help during the Covid-19 pandemic, “

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/04/how-skills-i-learned-as-a-teen-in-the-scouts-help-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

“How the Covid-19 pandemic causes us to rethink old habits,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/30/how-the-covid-19-pandemic-causes-us-to-rethink-old-habits

“Grocery shopping during Covid-19. Or anytime,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/28/grocery-shopping-during-covid-19-or-anytime

“I want to help restaurants during the pandemic. But…,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/27/i-want-to-help-restaurants-during-the-pandemic-but

“Masks and gloves,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/03/30/608

“Trashy Parks,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/01/07/trashy-parks

Anat contemplates a date

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Anat is thinking about a date. Not the kind she fights with. Over the last few days, she did a few Zoom calls with Danny, the cop she met when Alana took out Diane. Anat had no clue what she was doing. She never went out with anyone. She never had friends. Not even as a kid. She was a complete loner.

Danny suggested a social distance walk along Riverside Park.

She said yes. She wanted to go. She was so scared. Who would she ask if her hair looks ok? She never got a mani or pedi. All the nail salons were still closed. She watched a few YouTube videos and did her nails. Then she thought, I’ve been chatting with him on Zoom. He only pretty much got a headshot. But he met me when he was arresting Diane. He must have seen something he liked about me.

She was still in a tizzy. She wished she had a female friend or two to ask about her outfit, and what she should say. YouTube and Google are great. But she needed real advice from people that know her. Marc and Alana, the only people that know her fight with her. Her co-workers don’t talk to her. And they’ve all be QT for weeks. Anyway, they all think she’s nuts.

She decided to call Ann. They were getting along great. Ann recognized her caring nature when she visits Jerry. Ann would be able to advise her.

Everyone has their advisors. Alana has Tzipora and others. Marc has a few. No one stands taller in his mind than a man he calls his leader.

Alana went to the center to chat with Ann and see Jerry. Ann was in tears that Anat asked her for advice. They spent several minutes chatting. Ann told her she’s smart and pretty and not to worry. If only she knew of the old Anat. She said maybe she should wear a pair of sneakers instead of boots. Those and comfy pair of jeans and she’d be fine. But if she’s comfy in her boots so be it. Anat smiled. She wondered if Danny ate raisins? She was planning on bringing some to nosh on during their walk. And if he upset her, she knew her powers.

Meanwhile, Marc and Alana were planning another trip to camp. They believed Jay was still there.

They thought he was hiding somewhere on the sacred grounds. They packed a few things and jumped into Alana’s car.

Marc and Alana interview Diane

Stacey was able to get Marc and Alana into the prison to interview Diane. Stacey, normally a very quiet rule-abiding lady broke a few rules. She was able to pass Alana off as a relative.

Other than their tour of Alcatraz the only prison those two have ever been into is the one they share with themselves. Diane was brought to the meeting area. She looked at Alana liked they knew each other. She was just happy to have a visitor. Marc opened the conversation by saying he remembers Jerry from camp. Diane wept. She went on to say she was in a loving crazed but abusive relationship. Both liked to get high. Jay tended to break bottles of beer and spirits. For some reason, he loved to play with glass. He sometimes threw it at Diane.

She would tell him to stop. But was too damn high that she never realized he was shooting it at her.

She said when she gets released she would file for divorce. She loves Jay. But can’t be with him. She wanted Jerry. But she needs a safe place to live, a job and legitimate caretakers while she worked. They asked if Jerry ever played with the glass that Jay tossed at her.

Diane smiled. She said sometimes he picked it up by accident. He cut himself a few times. Nothing major.

He never really cried.

Marc and Alana looked at each other. The guard came and said time was up. They bid farewell. The two walked out. They knew they had to see Jerry. They had to figure out testing him. They wonder what Anat knew. They still didn’t want to adopt him. But maybe keep watchful eyes over him.

Pandemic Watch: Staying in shape

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As we know our health clubs were shuttered when the virus took hold. A few hours before closing time, I went to New York Sports Clubs for my last workout It was empty. Sad.

What were we to do? Many people created new workout plans. Most of us did the standard stuff. We used whatever kettlebell or resistance band we had in the house. We went to the parks and tied the band to the fence. Then the parks closed.

Many of us, myself included tied the band to the fence outside of the park. And did our jumping jacks, running in place and stretches right there. We went for long walks. Sometimes we did early morning and late afternoon walks.

We ordered some dumbbells from Amazon. We lifted in the living room or outside. We are doing all the standard stuff we’d do in the gym. We miss going because of all the equipment has that our NYC apartments can’t fit. And we wouldn’t get it any. It’d make our dwellings too crowded. And don’t forget how much noise we’d make.

But to make the workouts more exciting there are some cool things to do. I watched a YouTube video featuring some pro athletes showing their ways of coping without being able to go to the gym. I’m not talking about athletes like Jeter or A-Rod, who both have home gyms that make any of the gyms in NYC look like dumps.

One showed how he’s been working out with a broomstick. You can do chest and shoulder presses, bicep and triceps exercises and a host of other stuff. If you try hard enough you might be able to fly away from all of this craziness. Not sure where’d you land that’d be ok. But fly.

I’ve lifted heavy food bags, and containers of Tide are great. Of course, the weights will change based on many potatoes you bake or how much laundry you do. But it does work. And of course, putting an extra umph until sweeping and mopping not only gets your floor cleaner but also tones you up.

There are so many ways to stay in shape. Who knows, I may never go back to the gym. These methods are far less expensive than the monthly fees the gyms charge.

Other posts can be viewed at:

“Pandemic Watch: Community groups stepping up,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/15/pandemic-watch-community-groups-stepping-up

“Pandemic Watch: Have masks replaced fuzzy dice in windshields?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/09/pandemic-watch-have-masks-replaced-fuzzy-dice-in-windshields

“Pandemic Watch: How will we be entertained?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/08/pandemic-watch-how-will-we-be-entertained

“Pandemic Watch: Communicating via video,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/03/pandemic-watch-communicating-via-video

“Single Life,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/02/pandemic-watch-single-life

“Pandemic Watch: Seniors and lifesaving phone calls during the pandemic or other times,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/01/pandemic-watch-seniors-and-lifesaving-phone-calls-during-the-pandemic-or-other-times

“Pandemic Watch: There are places I remember.”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/28/pandemic-watch-there-are-places-i-remember

“Pandemic Watch: Creating a new fashion statement,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/27/pandemic-watch-creating-a-new-fashion-statement

“Pandemic Watch: Sitting on your stoop,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/26/pandemic-watch-sitting-on-your-stoop

“Pandemic Watch: What does a four-year-old think about our situation?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/21/pandemic-watch-what-does-a-four-old-think-about-our-situation

“Pandemic Watch: Will my nephew ever know how good it was?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/19/pandemic-watch-will-my-nephew-ever-know-how-good-it-was

“Pandemic Watch: What will happen when I get released on parole?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/15/pandemic-watch-what-will-happen-when-i-get-released-on-parole

“Pandemic Watch: We live in interesting times,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/14/pandemic-watch-we-live-in-interesting-times

“Pandemic Watch: Dressing during the Covid-19 pandemic,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/13/pandemic-watch-dressing-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

“Pandemic Watch: Yes, it is Monday,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/pandemic-watch-yes-it-is-monday

“How skills I learned as a teen in the scouts help during the Covid-19 pandemic, “

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/04/how-skills-i-learned-as-a-teen-in-the-scouts-help-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

“How the Covid-19 pandemic causes us to rethink old habits,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/30/how-the-covid-19-pandemic-causes-us-to-rethink-old-habits

“Grocery shopping during Covid-19. Or anytime,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/28/grocery-shopping-during-covid-19-or-anytime

“I want to help restaurants during the pandemic. But…,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/27/i-want-to-help-restaurants-during-the-pandemic-but

“Masks and gloves,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/03/30/608

“Trashy Parks,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/01/07/trashy-parks

Pandemic Watch: Community groups stepping up

Like me, I am sure many of you are involved in various groups that give back to their communities. Many of us spend our evenings after work or on weekends planning fundraising galas to help kids in need, creating programs for summer camps and in religious organizations.

Since the virus took hold, in many ways I’ve felt useless. I haven’t been able to do much of this. I offered to deliver holiday meals. The organization never got back to me. I am not surprised. It was very unorganized during “normal times.” Perhaps I was better off.

But some of the groups I am involved with have shown that they care and have stepped it up during this crisis. Every morning, I do something with a wonderful group in Maryland. I have good friends there and they sent me the links. This organization’s programming is great. When you log in most people are present right on time. I am one of the early birds and have gotten the chance to chat with a few people before the event starts. I’m making new friends. That’s good. Their presenters have PowerPoint (PPT) slide decks on their screen outlining our discussion. We can do Q&As.

Another group I am involved with recently did a call to let us know what the status is of the kids we are helping in the Holy Land. Again, they had a PPT deck. It was very well organized. I haven’t done much with them for the last year or so. Part of the reason is that they were doing reorganization and my timing. The baseball playoffs got in the way. Should have done work with them. I cried at the end of the playoffs A few weeks ago, I sent them a note to offer my help. We spoke and I’m back. I launched its newsletter several years ago and their blogs. All will be back. I’m pleased to be at the helm. In another group, I’m teaching kids every Sunday morning. I used to set up for them in the old days. That’s before we were doing our sessions via Zoom.

My camp group, which offers so much to today’s youth, I’ve stepped up some activity to keep people interested since the virus has shuttered our summer programming. We are creating digital events. No, it is not swimming in Rock Lake, going to Indian Cliffs or fun campfires in Hidden Valley featuring a lot of characters. But our fire will burn.

Digital volunteer work is keeping me busy. It is not the same. But it is exciting to see how groups are pushing to keep you involved. For those groups that are trying harder than ever, whenever we can get back to normal. Or create a new one, I will be with you.

Other posts can be viewed at:

“Pandemic Watch: Learning from scammers,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/16/pandemic-watch-learning-from-scammers

“Pandemic Watch: Have masks replaced fuzzy dice in windshields?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/09/pandemic-watch-have-masks-replaced-fuzzy-dice-in-windshields

“Pandemic Watch: How will we be entertained?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/08/pandemic-watch-how-will-we-be-entertained

“Pandemic Watch: Communicating via video,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/03/pandemic-watch-communicating-via-video

“Single Life,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/02/pandemic-watch-single-life

“Pandemic Watch: Seniors and lifesaving phone calls during the pandemic or other times,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/06/01/pandemic-watch-seniors-and-lifesaving-phone-calls-during-the-pandemic-or-other-times

“Pandemic Watch: There are places I remember.”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/28/pandemic-watch-there-are-places-i-remember

“Pandemic Watch: Creating a new fashion statement,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/27/pandemic-watch-creating-a-new-fashion-statement

“Pandemic Watch: Sitting on your stoop,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/26/pandemic-watch-sitting-on-your-stoop

“Pandemic Watch: What does a four-year-old think about our situation?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/21/pandemic-watch-what-does-a-four-old-think-about-our-situation

“Pandemic Watch: Will my nephew ever know how good it was?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/19/pandemic-watch-will-my-nephew-ever-know-how-good-it-was

“Pandemic Watch: What will happen when I get released on parole?”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/15/pandemic-watch-what-will-happen-when-i-get-released-on-parole

“Pandemic Watch: We live in interesting times,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/14/pandemic-watch-we-live-in-interesting-times

“Pandemic Watch: Dressing during the Covid-19 pandemic,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/13/pandemic-watch-dressing-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

“Pandemic Watch: Yes, it is Monday,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/11/pandemic-watch-yes-it-is-monday

“How skills I learned as a teen in the scouts help during the Covid-19 pandemic, “

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/05/04/how-skills-i-learned-as-a-teen-in-the-scouts-help-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

“How the Covid-19 pandemic causes us to rethink old habits,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/30/how-the-covid-19-pandemic-causes-us-to-rethink-old-habits

“Grocery shopping during Covid-19. Or anytime,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/28/grocery-shopping-during-covid-19-or-anytime

“I want to help restaurants during the pandemic. But…,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/04/27/i-want-to-help-restaurants-during-the-pandemic-but

“Masks and gloves,” https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/03/30/608

“Trashy Parks,”

https://mitchellthoughtsblog.wordpress.com/2020/01/07/trashy-parks

Tzipora goes for a walk with Alana

The two friends hadn’t seen each other in ages. Tzipora was very busy treating people, who had head injuries that affected their vision. She and Eran were doing well and trying to have a baby. She is hoping to be pregnant soon.

Alana was glad her pal was happy. They stayed about 8 feet from each other and screamed as they walked along Battery Park City. To the best of her knowledge, Tzipora was the only one who knew of Alana’s powers.

People have seen her in action. They’ve seen Marc and Anat, too. But surprisingly there have been no mentions in the press or social media.

Alana asked Tzipora how Stacey was. That’s the quiet girl she saved in the bar a year ago.

Alana hasn’t been out with any of her friends since then. She’s been on her own or just with Marc. Stacey was one of the controllers in the NYS Department of Corrections. Tzipora said she was fine. She met a nice guy.

They were taking it slow. But Stacy was happy. Alana gave the abbreviated version of the recent happenings with Jerry and her parents. But had to get into the prison cell to talk to Diane. No one has any idea where Jay is.

Jerry was doing okay in the child protective services center. Anat filled out the papers to get him as a foster child and hoped she’d do okay and can go through the adoption procedures. She does want him to have a dad. She had the number of the cop she thought was cute when Diane was arrested.

Anat was unsure if she should text and set up a Zoom date. Anat’s never been on a date. She’s never been out with anyone. She continued to practice shooting her raisins and other dried fruits. She knew she had to find and take out Jay. She didn’t know if he or Diane had any powers. If Diane did, Anat worried she’d use them to cause a riot while in prison.

Tzipora said she’d see what she could get out of Stacey. But reminded her that Stacey plays by the rules. But Stacey does owe Alana one. Of course, she has no idea how Alana got the nut away from her. Tzipora always pays careful attention and always liked Alana. Still does.