COVID Journal Entry 1 - Finding a Long Lost Pet

This is the end of our first week of social distancing. Like most, of us doing social networking our routines have been occasional trip to the grocery store, or for take out food. Up to this point, my days have been nothing to write about and certainly nothing I thought would be of interest or value to others. I think that changed today and I would like to share it. 

Jill is a neat freak and I'm not. (Monumental understatement)  Our home looks like a magazine spread unless you open the door to my office or walk into the basement.They contains 60 years of my life and my "stuff". (Insert George Carlin routine here.) Organizing it would normally be a multi-day job that probably wouldn't get done until I died, but thanks to COVID 19, it is on my radar.

I announced to Jill I was starting Phase 1 of organizing the basement and my office and that I hoped I could finish all the phases before I ran out of numbers. If it wasn't for social distancing, I think she would have thrown a party. Aside from her expressions of joy, she had only on directive. "Don't throw out any of my stuff."

It's turning out to be a silver lining and a break from the daily chaos. I away from the TV and the computer, though I just took a break to write this.  I'm reminded about how much I have and how rich my life has been in memories and experiences. I'm  finding memories on every shelf and in every box I open.

For example, I had a pet back in the 70's, but you know how pets are.  Sometimes they run away and sometimes they get lost. I'm not sure which it was, but when we arrived in NH, in 2009, Mergatroid was not with us. I searched high and low to no avail and mourned him for almost a year. 

Just about that time, I was walking along the Lamprey River in Exeter. It was there I found my new pet Horatio. He has been by my side ever since.  Then today, while cleaning the basement, I FOUND MERGATROID!

He and Horatio are getting along famously, and living together on the memory shelf above my desk.