Happy Birthday to Mom +

Yesterday was mom's birthday.  Happy Birthday, mom.  I love you!  Sorry it was such an odd one what with what's going on these days. I think she turned twenty-something or thirty-something.  I'm not really sure, but if I do the math correctly knowing dad's only a year or two shy of 60 and he's mentioned before how there are about 12 years' difference between them, well, I better just drop it.  
Anyway, here are some shots of Snugglepuss (yeah, me- dad and his stupid names) with him and mom, doing what we love.  

Though all three of us are in these they kind of highlight how I like to be snuggly with mom especially.  Y'all try to make the best of this weekend. 

Right in Our Own Back Yard

Mom and dad are trying to make the most of these scary times, and that includes getting out for walks as much as they can while maintaining their personal safety.  Of course, practicing their social distancing skills is first and foremost while exercising, but that comes easily since neither is really much of a people person anyway.  They know enough to avoid touching things and getting too close to people, and waving "hello" to others is good, but they're still getting used to this.  When they headed out the other day they encountered an elderly gentleman in a nearby parking lot who was having difficulty figuring out where the gas cap door release was in his rental SUV.  They did their best to help him and got it figured out, but they found it a little awkward to stick to these new rules while doing so, even with a simple encounter like this. They couldn't help thinking things like "should we not have touched his keys?" and "should we not have leaned into the vehicle?" and "should we keep hand sanitizer on us?"  Scary, sad and crazy, isn't it?  They even questioned a previously-scheduled appointment to donate blood right down the road.  They walked to the location, but couldn't decide- even with adequate spacing between waiting area chairs- whether this kind of thing was a good idea (as important and much needed as it is).

Anyway, they've been wandering the streets of nearby neighborhoods right around here, and occasionally walking the perimeter of a small city park nearby.  They saw a sign for what they thought was a small park for kids near a school and when they approached the walkway that lead into it they discovered this. 

Now, I know we've posted photos in the past of these awesome carnivorous plants, but who doesn't love photos like these?

The Venus Flytraps were scattered in clusters here and there throughout the park, and a partially submerged stone walkway curved throughout, providing the most awesome up-close view.
There were signs that some humans don't know enough to stay on the path, but that's no surprise considering how ignorant some people are these days.

  At least they didn't see signs that any of these gloriously fascinating plants had been damaged.

Things are weird, times are uncertain, the news is too often sad and the word vomit coming from certain leadership is confounding, but hopefully we'll get through this in time.  Until then stay as safe as y'all can, hone your social distancing skills and be mindful of what it takes each and every one of us to navigate this new reality.

Me

Dad recently finished reading Elton John's "Me", and he says he loved it. 

For decades he thought he knew all there was to know about the flamboyant entertainer whose voice & talent he's been a fan of since junior high, but he says he realized there's so much more he didn't know.  Though he and mom didn't much care for "Rocket Man" he zipped through "Me" and thoroughly enjoyed every page.  I thought I'd take a cue from the book's cover to make my own book cover, should I ever get around to penning my own autobiography, which will be at least as engrossing as Elton John's I assure you.