The covid-19 pandemic certainly curtailed any plans to travel and spend time with friends and family. Eric had surgery on his jaw to correct a slight overbite and was on heavy medication all week, Erin told me not to come for Christmas because too many people she hangs out with have contracted the coronavirus, and I was not about to go anywhere anyway because of just wanting to stay home with Kevin and enjoy my time with him. His health is not the best and I'm just grateful that he is still alive. His health also makes him more vulnerable to catching the disease and I don't want to be a carrier.
Thus, this year the meal was a plain turkey breast with the mashed potatoes and gravy I picked up at Costco last week. Kevin added corn and stuffing, but we both forgot the cranberries. I love the tartness that cranberries add to any meal.
I took the pack out for a walk down the river at noon, just to let them get their exercise. I had slept in and skipped the sunrise. The simple birding trail was long enough for Minnie and I was on track to get back home at 1:30pm when an older couple spooked the dogs and they began barking. I quickly got the pups on leashes but they pulled nonetheless.
I dropped my cellphone in the ruckus and then couldn't find my phone. The couple walked on, the pups calmed down, and here I was cursing myself for dropping the phone in a thick layer of yellow leaves. I swept the ground with my feet, but wasn't sure where exactly I had dropped the phone; I had walked several feet before realizing that I had dropped it. I was running out of time to get back home by 2pm when Kevin wanted to start the meal.
Here I was, sweeping the ground of leaves and finding nothing but sticks and rocks. The dogs were now getting restless wondering why were were standing in one place and not moving forward when another woman came by the trail. Again the pups started barking and running over to her. The woman recognized me right away because she follows me on Facebook and sees the dog photos I post. I looked up at her and then recognized her, too. It was JanetH, taking a solo walk on this holiday after having spent the earlier part of the week with her son in Phoenix.
Janet's husband is a defense contractor who was transferred to Ogden, Utah last year. Her son and daughter and grandchildren live in the Phoenix area (she has one more daughter in Albuquerque) and she had spent some time with them earlier this week. She came down here to check on their permanent home, the home she has with her husband that they will move back into when he retires in a few years.
She came to the river because I had told her about this part of the river trail and she wanted to explore it! As we chatted about our families and I shared with her my lost cell phone dilemma, she reached down near where Minnie was sitting and picked up my phone. "Is this it?" she asked. Minnie most likely sat by the phone because she recognized my scent on the partially-hidden phone.
I was so happy to have my phone back I almost hugged her, but was careful not to get too close to her as she, like me, is careful not to be too close to people during this pandemic. We walked back to our cars via the trail, wished eachother a thankful holiday, and then went our separate ways. Why didn't I see it?
My delay in finding my phone caused me to be late for the Thanksgiving meal. I got back home at 2:15pm. Kevin had already eaten. He had prepared the entire meal himself and had left the meal on the stove for me to serve myself when I got home. I apologized for my lateness but I know the excuse sounded lame. Still, I am thankful for spending today with him, albeit quietly, and that we still have each other while the rest of the country seems to be suffering from a pandemic and a president who continues to refuse that he lost the election.
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