I was stationed on the Japanise island of Okinawa for 18 months, 1967-68. During my stay, it was not uncommon to see some people wearing facemasks. This was something I was not use to seeing, so I asked why?
I was told that the person probably had a cold, and out of respect for others, they were hoping to not spread their germs. “Out of respect for others, ” I thought. How nice and novel. It told me a lot about the people of Okinawa. Since then, I have noticed that when I see someone wearing a facemask in public, they are of Asian descent.
Now that the world is experiencing a pandemic, it would be nice if we all showed respect for others by wearing a facemask in public. One of the things we have learned about this virus is that we can have it and not experience any systems, yet spread the virus. By showing respect for others, we can stop the spread of COVI-19. Wouldn’t that be novel?
As people in retirement, age, and cancer limit the risks we can take, which limits when
we can start traveling again. Before the pandemic, we were planning on visiting family
in Virginia and New Hampshire this month. We also hope to be able to attend Jerri and Justin’s
wedding in early August in Austin — we will see. Yes, we are ready to begin traveling,
but HOVID-19 might have another idea.
Ed Rawl On Wilderness Rocks Trail (June 29, 2012) — Image by kenne
On the morning of May 9, 2020 (6:00 am), we gathered with Ed’s brother, Rick, in the overflow parking lot for entrance into Sabino Canyon to celebrate Ed’s life. Ed died from a stroke on April 18, 2020. The is the third of three postings on Ed’s death:
He had requested that his ashes be spread at a location where one could see both the sunrise and sunset. Because of the pandemic, the main entrance and services in Sabino Canyon were closed, which is why the event was scheduled to begin in the Sabino Canyon overflow parking lot.
After a few words from Rick, a group of about 20 hiked a short distance to a perfect location on the Esperero Trail. Several in the group shared their experiences with and love for Ed.
This video is meant to capture the essence of the celebration without making the video too long. Like his friends, Ed loved nature. It is therefore fitting that the point his ashes were being spread, a rabbit came into the picture, sitting there watching the ceremony.
Country Club Vista Circle In Tanuri Ridge — Image by kenne
Most of the residence of Tanuri Ridge are empty-nesters or retirees, However, there’s a couple in our neighborhood with two preschoolers. We are all part of our “stay-at-home” world, and the children have no idea as to what is going on. Yes, they know there’s no going daycare, no going to the park, no swimming at our community pool (their parents are former U of A swimmers, now working in the Athletic Department), and that mom and dad are at home all the time. They will grow up in a world utterly different from that that we have known. They will only know the 21st century, hopefully learning from the 20th.
Each day we see the two children, once on our walk, the other when their parents bring them to play on the grass on Country Club Vista Circle. For a lot of us, our real education was from the street. Well, these kids are literally learning from the street. They live at the end of Tanuri Drive, so there’s no traffic in front of their home, making the pavement a perfect place to have a classroom.
With area parks closed, once or twice a day, the family has play-time on the grassy circle, often arriving pulling the kids in a wagon. (The live about 3/4 of a mile from the circle.) This family is fortunate. It has resources making adjustments easy.
The children Joy teaches reading (Literacy Connects) are not so lucky. They are probably in the streets because their home, maybe that of a diabetic grandmother, is no place to stay for long periods. The children and adults that Literacy Connects serve will suffer the most and may never completely recover from the effects of this pandemic, even if they stay healthy.
“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way – in short, the period was so far like the present period, that some of its noisiest authorities insisted on its being received, for good or for evil, in the superlative degree of comparison only.”
Two pre-schoolers live with their parents at the end of Tanuri Drive making it easy to put lessons on the street.
Everyone in Tanuri Ridge is now sheltered at home. There are only 72 homes in our community where many of us are spending some of our days walking the streets of Tanuri Ridge.
Some of us wander off down by the Tanque Verde Wash.
Stay safe, everyone.
Okinawan School Boy (1967) — Image by kenne
Sheltered In Place Art — Photo-Artistry by kenne
Pandemic Fun In The Park — B&W Image by kenne
San Antonio River Walk — Image by kenne
Hiking Boots Off The Trail For Now — Image by kenne
Image by kenne
Sabino Canyon Recreation Area Main Entrance — Image by kenne
Ed Rawl On Wilderness Rocks Trail (June 29, 2012) — Image by kenne
Fenceline: “The Look of Things, Left What We Felt” — Image by kenne
Walk A Mile In My Shoes — Photo-Artistry by kenne
Calicle Globemallow Wildflower — Image by kenne
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Country Club Vista Circle In Tanuri Ridge — Image by kenne
Images by kenne
