Welcome back to SOLO at SIXTY!
Did you get your flu shot? Anyone around you have the flu? Or coughing, sneezing, feeling lousy? This has been an epidemic flu season and the CDC says the flu shot is only 36% effective in adults, 59% in children. Hey, I’ll take that 36% protection! Now that I am SOLO, I take even more precautions NOT to get sick as I am solely responsible for myself. And yes, I did get my flu shot. I have gotten one every year since moving here to Charlottesville. My first one was the result of my neighbor and me going to volunteer in our boys’ classroom only to discover that over 50% of the teachers and students were all out with the flu. We left school and went immediately to get our flu shots! And I have gotten one every year since. And no flu. Knock on wood! Best way NOT to get the flu? Wash your hands and do not touch your eyes, nose, or mouth. Funny, but last week when my great-nephew was here, we kept asking him where his eyes, nose, and mouth were and he would touch each. Hope he doesn’t get the flu!
“Did you hear the joke about the germ? Nevermind, I don’t want to spread it around.”
As a matter of fact, our team is offered free flu shots at work. My first year at ACAC I shared an office with a real jokester who became (and still is) a dear friend. I remember asking her about the free flu shot and she said “oh yeah, the receptionist gives them so it’s free.” OK, I was really new to ACAC but I am deathly afraid of needles and the thought of getting a flu shot from a non-medically trained person, a receptionist, about did me in. But as my office mate said, “it’s free – you get what you pay for and this is free – given by the receptionist. I mean she practiced on oranges, I watched her.” Then she burst out laughing at the horrified look on my face. Our staff nurse gives the flu shots. And she is wonderful!
“I’m no doctor but maybe you need a little more Vitamin Sea.”
I decided I needed some VITAMIN SEA to keep me healthy in more ways than one so I escaped to the beach and was blessed with a couple of warm, sunny days. I also got a healthy dose of Vitamin D from all the sunshine. Just breathing in that wonderfully salty sea air while watching and listening to the sound of the waves truly soothed my soul. Spent most of my time walking, running, sleeping, reading, and clucking on the beach. What is clucking? Remember last summer’s blog about the beach and clucking – walking down the beach, head down, eyes trained on the sand, every now and then dropping down to pick up that special shell? That’s clucking – similar to a chicken pecking. There were lots of broken shells on the beach (low tide), and then all of a sudden there would be that perfect one. Similar to life. So many times since becoming SOLO, especially in the beginning, I’ve felt as is if my life is composed of broken pieces, then something wonderful happens that reminds me life, my life, truly is good. We need to focus on the good. I have bags and bags of seashells, but I always love searching for more. Same way I feel about my life – I have so much I am thankful for and yet I always love searching for and finding even more good things in my life.
“Life is a series of waves to be embraced and overcome.” Danny Meyer
Also soothing and so enjoyable is watching the ocean birds on the beach. They fascinate me. Darting here and there searching for their treasures. I watched a SOLO bird on the beach which reminded me of myself, content but still searching for treasures. Then 2 more birds came over and together they made me think of my sisters and me. My older sister has painted many pictures of these birds and will be exhibiting them soon in a show. She told me that these birds make her happy, and to let them make me happy as well. I have one of her ocean bird paintings hanging in my office. It makes me happy daily.
“The reason birds can fly and we can’t is simply because they have perfect faith, for to have faith is to have WINGS.” J.M. Barrie
My special Valentine roses from my kids went to beach with me and are still gorgeous. Oh how I have enjoyed them! I left the beach with my roses and with my soul and outlook renewed.
“Your attitude and your outlook in life says a lot about who you are. Make it a positive one.” Rubyanne
Just checking in to see how your New Year’s resolutions are going? Have they gone by the wayside or are you making a concerted effort to follow through with them? Keeping with my resolution to see my “out-of-town kids” more, I left the beach and went to Charlotte to have brunch with my dear son and his girlfriend. I had framed the Sports Illustrated Magazines featuring the TAR HEELS as the 2017 NCAA Basketball Champions and the print of Franklin Street right before the Heels won and the moment after, when everyone, including my son, was celebrating in the street, and thought what a great opportunity to see my son and give him the prints. Also stopped to see my Mom in Winston-Salem on my way home from Charlotte. Lots of driving but I didn’t mind and it was so worth it.
Got to visit with all of my kids in a span of a week as I had dinner with my “out-of-town” older daughter and son-in-law in Richmond Monday, spent the night, and went to her cycle class at 6:30 am. My younger daughter was not left out as she and I spent the evening before I left for the beach first going for a run then to the movies where we also had dinner. Saw The Greatest Showman which was wonderful and nothing like what I had expected. Looking forward to my next movie! Did you checkout Movie Pass?
For me, there is nothing like being around my children and family, and my beach time to keep me healthy and positive. Do what you need to stay healthy, physically and mentally. Need a break from everyday life? Take a day off, go to a movie, leave town. Make yourself a priority – there is nothing wrong with that. After all, you’ll be spending the rest of your life with yourself. And as we all know, tomorrow is not promised to any of us.
“Sea” ya’ soon!
Best,
Leslie
SOLO at SIXTY 
Leslie, your encounter with the receptionist and her part in flu shots reminded me of an early cartoon I once saw dealing with the matter. As you may remember, one year the supply of vaccine ran short, and there was quite a concern as to whether everyone would escape the virus. All was resolved, but the next year found a surplus with shots be offered by unheard of places. The cartoon showed a messy auto mechanic standing under a sign at his shop that read—-“JOE’S AUTO REPAIR AND TRANSMISSIONS REBUILT” In small letters—“And flu shots”
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