Spring, a sad loss, and lines at the grocery
“March came in like a lion, whipping up the water in the bay” (adjustment of words from “June is Bustin’ Out All Over”) was true for us. Will the actual description from that song ring true? Guess we’ll wait and see, but seems that Spring is bustin’ out all over anyway.
It seems new flowers open every day. First trillium, more rhododendrons, grape hyacinths and one blooming fuchsia! The vinca and forsythia still show their colors. Recently I pulled up several starts of the yellow color we discourage – Scotch Broom! The small ones pull easily right now, after the recent rains.
My brother Terry lost his recent battle for his life, but he died gently. I felt fortunate to be able to spend his last half hour with him, knowing he knew I was there. He’d told his daughter he was ready, when that time came, to go home and see her mother again. He is and will be much missed, but we have so many special memories, we can spend time thinking of those times with him. I’m also grateful he was able to hold and enjoy some good times with his first great-grandchild, born early but progressing well.
A trip to a Gig Harbor grocery before the governor said “stay home” surprised us with reactions to the corona virus scare, with all registers open and lines of people for each one. We didn’t see carts laden with tissue and bottled water as we’d heard, but could understand the reasoning of stocking up on staples to avoid more future trips. It is scary, but some of us enjoy staying home more.
Recently, we headed for groceries at a much earlier hour (thanks to local stores that give this option!) since we’re in the older age group. Only a few registers open, and only a couple of people in each line.
It’s working parents of school-age children that are a real concern in our communities, and of course, unwell elderly and people in hospital or nursing home facilities. It’s up to each of us to decide how to protect ourselves and those we care about.
Churches in our area are closed. Chapel Hill in Gig Harbor has online services, and others, like Longbranch Community and Lakeview Community, have previous sermons online. With Easter on the horizon, services may be canceled, so check before setting out to attend.
The Key Peninsula Historical Society annual meeting last Saturday was canceled, to be re-scheduled later. The museum is closed. With the emphasis on Women in the early part of Key Peninsula occupation, several women who are their descendants planned to talk a bit about what they knew of grandmothers and how they lived. As one of these, I’ve been mulling over what stories to tell, with only a minute or so time frame!
One I considered I’ll share here instead. I’m not sure when indoor plumbing first came to the Key Peninsula, but when my grandparents divorced, the pump on the hill had been installed, but nothing to the house yet. Grandma wouldn’t ask Grandpa or other family members to install facilities, so when my siblings and I lived with her, we still had to be Jack and Jill, carrying water DOWN the hill, and using an outhouse.
Friend Don Mills used to say, “I think you and I were the last ones on the peninsula to have indoor plumbing!”
Stay well and enjoy Spring!
This story was originally published March 31, 2020 at 12:00 AM.