To my readers who celebrate the Easter or Passover (as well as any other holiday this weekend), I hope you have a safe and happy one…at least as happy as one can be with the awful virus that’s circulating and keeping us all so close to home.

Please do whatever you can to help keep yourself safe and well…

Hugs,

Mandy

With Maryland “stay at home” orders remaining in place till the end of the month, my fill done early in March is growing out, but otherwise still holding up, just needing cleaned up a bit.

Long ago, in another world, I used to apply my own gel nails – you know…electric dremel tool, files and the blue light box. Unfortunately, I no longer have the mechanical equipment or supplies to do the job properly, but I can still push back and trim the cuticles, wield a file to work on the new growth areas (which are looking rather shabby), and cover everything with a coat of clear polish. There’s a difference in color between the light pink gel and the clear polish, but it’s not overly noticeable. The end result, pictured below, while not beautiful by any means, is certainly respectable for a month-old, patched up manicure.

At this point, I’d have to say that if I had a darker pink or other lighter color, to have them look decent I’d have to “go darker all over” Given my black toe nails, it “might” be possible, but it could also end up going over like a lead balloon with my wife. However, if she comments about the new growth area looking shabby, I plan to make that option (as well as using the pink formerly used on my toes) available. One never knows.

Bright side is – you can see that they are getting spectacularly long. My wife suggested trimming them, and I rightly told her that I don’t want to make them look worse than they already do, so I’m going to leave them alone for the professionals. Surprisingly, she didn’t argue.

Right now they appear to be almost 1/4″ beyond the tips of my fingers. I figure that the additional growth in April will be approximately 1/8th of an inch. That will mean nails well over a quarter of an inch. Nice, of course…and girly. If the stay at home orders (and shop closures) go on thru May, they will be getting closer to a half inch! (You can imagine the throngs of women wanting to get their nails done when this is over! And all at once!)

I’ll be there with them in line — wearing my light tan capris and tan flats…unfortunately not a dress!

BTW my black pedicure is still almost flawless. Wow!

Stay well,

Mandy

This morning, a television news segment brought the recent continuous toilet paper shortage into complete focus. And it makes sense! Thanks to the reporter who investigated this issue!

Think back to the beginning (January), when people were first being told to stay home. People didn’t know how long the issue would last and they reacted to uncertainty. Yes, it initially may have been a case of hoarding – of the soft, fluffy stuff we all need every day in our homes. And as the situation in the world became more dire, schools and colleges, malls, stores all were being closed, forcing folks back into their homes full-time.

Hence, consumption hours for the soft fluffy 2-ply TP at home rose dramatically – from being used for 6 or 7 hours of the day to 24/7. That’s additional demand, which keeps the shelves at your local market cleaned out. Not necessarily hoarding – when 6 people are home 24/7/31 days per month instead of only 1 person all day all month, something has to give.

Remember that other market for toilet paper: commercial establishments like dorms, malls, stores, schools, factories, etc. You know, that one-ply, stiff, scratchy stuff we’re forced to use at work or school. Guess what? There’s very little demand for that right now. It’s sometimes made by different companies than the consumer product, has a different chain of distribution, is bulky, worth comparatively very little, and takes up lots of expensive warehouse space to store, for currently nonexistent demand. As those stocks are slowly whittled down, it’s likely that they will not be replenished and warehoused until the light at the end of the coronavirus tunnel gets much brighter than it is currently.

So to me, it sounds as though the home TP manufacturers never will catch up on home-use demand, though it’s not necessarily hoarding. Adding production capacity is costly, long-term and futile given the coronavirus cycle. And meanwhile, once the commercial establishments; dorms, malls, stores, schools, factories, etc. someday (hopefully soon) start to go back to normal usage patterns, during the period of market readjustment there could conceivably be overstocks at grocery stores and shortages at the commercial bathrooms. Hence ‘out of order’ signs at commercial establishments.

To be a little bit punny; perhaps it all Depends! (I know, bad joke, sorry.) Or – carry your own when you can.

Mandy

.

This lighthouse (Point Lookout) marks the entrance to the Potomac River at the southernmost tip of Maryland’s western shore of Chesapeake Bay. It is reputed to be the most haunted lighthouse in the US and the most haunted area in Maryland.

Point Lookout itself was once the site of a civil war era hospital, a prisoner of war camp, a refugee camp for runaway and freed slaves, the site of shipwrecks, and a hotel that burned to the ground. And it is often visited by investigators looking for paranormal (ghostly) activity.

Good thing it was not open for visitations…and fortunately, we did not bring any apparitions home with us.

In the same area was an old Civil War fort, with (as we later discovered) a re-enactment in progress.  Once that was made clear (docents in Civil War uniforms carrying muskets while standing on the surrounding earthenworks were a fine hint), wifey headed back toward the car at full speed, while I headed deeper into the fort.    

Just in time for the “Ka-Boom.”  

Smoke seen above is the result of firing the “One O’clock Cannon.”  Yes, it was loud, and yes, wifey heard it – but she was far enough away that it wasn’t an issue. 

Located along Sunken Road in Fredericksburg, VA (essentially the old version of US Route 1), the Innis house was used as a firing position by Confederate sharpshooters in the Civil War battle for control of the town.
 

It was a private residence until the 1970’s when it was sold to the park, and the exterior (as well as parts of the interior) were restored to their 1862 appearance.
 

Needless to say, they uncovered some amazing things on the interior, when taking down the newer inside walls.  Those dark spots are holes from stray Union projectiles which passed through the house during the Civil War.

In the early 19th century a stone wall was built along this three block section of the heights at Fredericksburg.  And the road behind it was dug in a bit, thus the moniker “sunken road”.) 

During the first Battle of Fredericksburg (December 13, 1862), the wall protected Confederate soldiers fortunate to crouch behind it. Behind the wall on the upper side, only around 300 Confederate soldiers were shot. 

By contrast, in front of the wall (on the downhill side), approximately 8,000 Union soldiers were hit. After the war, much of the wall was removed. A portion was rebuilt in the 1930’s and in 2004.

So many simply amazing historic things to see…!

Mandy

It started out early, as I dressed in capri pants, pantyhose and a turtleneck tunic (with coat – yes, it was that chilly at 7:30 AM) for a run to the drop box at the post office and a quick stop at the grocery store to pick up a few bargains. At the grocery, I had a question for management, and got an answer complete with female forms of address. Things like that always make a stop at the store worthwhile!

I try to walk a couple miles a day during this virus “thing” since otherwise I’d just be sitting around. But when the weather is like this (sunny but chilly and VERY windy) I walk around my basement instead…with a phone app, I know how many times I need to go ’round and ’round to equal “X” miles. Not very exciting, but not windy, either. And less chance of picking up a virus of one sort or another.

Afterward, I went out front to repair one of the sidewalk lamps. That was easy. It was dead…so I removed it and eventually will put in a spare – when the wind lets up. Then it was back inside, for the project du jour: transferring files and pictures from an ailing computer to another one, that’s still fully-functioning. When the virus thing is over, there’s a new computer in my plans.

And that, ladies, was the majority of my day! Not very exciting, is it?

I suspect there are many more to come…

Stay well,

Mandy

….invisibility. Becoming visible requires getting dressed and going out and about, or posting something new on the internet. With “the virus” wrecking lives, careers and families, my greatest goal for the day was to stay home with my wife and avoid anything which might lead to catching the virus. So I have to settle for the internet.

Today my wife had to make a grocery run for a large order…I have been doing the small “milk and bread orders” as needed. The grocery store has senior hours where they try to keep the younger folks at bay to avoid cross pollution.

My hair is in need of some color…but the hair salons are closed. And my gel-coated nails need a fill and a trim…but the nail salons are closed. Fortunately…my nails are light pink. I have been keeping them relatively invisible with a light filing at the place where they grow out, and some very light pink polish. But they are getting long. I wore them longer than this several years back, but since the salons won’t likely re-open till May, they may get a lot longer. Since they look OK , I don’t plan to do anything to them unless I have to. (Despite their negative impact on my typing…)

I wonder if they’ll end up this long again:

Note that the French Tip color was white, and the nail tech made its length appear less than the free growth area, to reduce the “apparent length” of my nails. She thought long nails looked elegant, and wanted my hands to always look their best. They did…and I often got compliments on them “as a lady,” even in androgynous (translation; everyday) mode.

But, as ladies with long nails find out, having pretty nails come with limitations. No, one of them was not breakage. More specifically, movement limitations. As in; typing, pushing buttons, opening car doors, picking up things from the floor, being careful inserting contact lenses, etc. I had to work to avoid doing damage to them (or myself) in everyday life. And strangely enough, my wife never complained about them. (That came later…)

I doubt they will get as long as in the above picture – that took several months to achieve. And they currently are not the French style, But with the virus keeping salons closed for at least the next month, they will get quite a bit longer…

No problem!

Hugs,

Mandy

From the archives – a couple pictures taken in Dallas, TX back in 2009.  First is a city scene on a clear night, as seen from atop the ‘then’ Adams Mark hotel – now the Sheraton Dallas.  Not a hill in sight…   The straightedge-flat horizon gives it away as being “out on the plains.”  

Next is a ghost of the old Santa Fe “Texas Chief” – courtesy of a 2009 night photo session at the Age of Steam Railroad Museum in Dallas   This was a real adventure!  Equipment was operable, and looking at the pictures today still makes chills run up my back…it was wonderful!

You can tell the engine isn’t in current revenue service because it isn’t equipped with the two Federally-mandated ditch lights, one down low on each front side, to form a lighted triangle as the train is operating down the track.  And the light behind the number board is too dim.  Nonetheless, it sure is a pretty sight!   And it’s such a traditional livery – everyone recognizes it!

Enjoy!

Mandy

We live on the Delmarva, where, unlike Washington DC/Baltimore areas and their suburbs, there are only a few cases of the new virus. And public schools throughout Maryland are all closed until the end of April. Out of an abundance of caution, we’re following the published rules of social distancing, and only going out for visits to the grocery store and pharmacy. (Needless to say, the gasoline bills have shrunk significantly.) Mom’s nursing home is locked down, thus no visiting. Fortunately they have had no cases of the virus thus far.

Walking around the neighborhood for exercise is permissible if we maintain the required separation, and we have done that a few times. Anything to alleviate the boredom…the telly isn’t all that much help! Too much coverage of the virus…there IS other news! And home shopping doesn’t help much, either.

As for Mandy, there hasn’t been any Mandy time lately, and with the virus lurking out there in the wings, there simply aren’t any excursions in the planning stages, nor any safe excursions to plan for. A trip to TN to see the kids is certainly on our to-do list, and I hope it can be taken in the near future. But cases are increasing rapidly there (a nursing home near Nashville was just evacuated overnight due to the virus), and we will take no chances until the all-clear is given for MD, VA and TN. We don’t need to get stuck in quarantine for 14 days when we cross state lines, when we arrive there, or when we get home.

My posting may be less frequent till things start to ease up, so please bear with me…

To all my readers: please follow all instructions given. By all means, be safe – and well!

Hugs,

Mandy

In keeping with the tradition of pointing out towns with unusual names, I offer Slapout, Oklahoma (US Route 3, Beaver County). Back in 1972, when I lived there, I took numerous trips into the hills around the state. And one day I came across the tiny burg about which this is written. Have camera, will travel.

For more details, I have sought the assistance of Wikipedia, which reports that the land upon which part of the town sits, was homesteaded by Joseph L. Johnston. It’s on the northwest corner of the land Johnson had acquired with a government claim in 1904, three years before Oklahoma became a state.

With the construction of Highway Three across Oklahoma during the Great Depression Tom Lemmons, who had bought the Johnson homestead, moved a chicken coop to where the highway passed his land. In the chicken coop, he started a store. He told the Tulsa Tribune he had nothing else to do during the depression, so he thought he’d start a town. He named his town Nye, after the Progressive U.S. Senator Gerald Nye (R.  N.D.)

The name Slapout, according to local legend, came about because customers at the store in Nye were often told by Lemmon’s sister that the store was “slapout” of whatever they wanted. Tom Lemmons insisted his sister never used the phrase. However, the name stuck. When Tom continued to insist his side of the highway was called Nye, patrons responded that the south side of the highway could be “Slapout”, and that the north side with Lemmon’s store could be “Nye Out.”

Tom Lemmons finally gave in when a tornado came through town and only took out his Nye sign. After that, both sides were known as Slapout. Back at the census in 2000, the town had 10 inhabitants and included the Hagan Grocery on the south side of the highway.

Today, Slapout’s claim to fame is that the gas station is a regular stop for Tulsa and Oklahoma City skiers traveling to Colorado. If you use Google Maps you can get a relatively recent “street view” of the place. I say relatively recent because the gas station shows a price of $3.49 a gallon. I guess “relatively recent” would work, because my pic was from 1972. At that time gas cost under $.50 a gallon for premium, which my (now antique) used lots of! (Yes, it used to be my “daily driver.”) There are several other buildings in town, all but one “tumbledown,” including the one marked Fred’s Grocery (wonder where Hagan went?)

The roads I traveled often also contained sights interesting in their own right. Such as one of the accessible locations of the Santa Fe trail (below.)

To think that pioneers traveled these primitive roads in their Conestoga wagons and riding their horses is almost inconceivable in these days of airliners and automobiles.

The ruts of the Santa Fe Trail, above.

Later…

Mandy

I had to make a run to the Western Shore of Chesapeake Bay to pick up some contact lenses,  and go to the mall to pick up some shoes that were in for work the nearby rural cobbler couldn’t handle.

That morning, I put on an outfit similar to this,  with pantyhose instead of bare legs, and a pair of my flats instead of Mary Jane heels, and off I went.

After parking the car, I did some walking around inside the mall, not wearing a coat or sweater. (Yes, we had our 3 wonderful days of summer…now it seems we’re headed into fall, with cooler  temperatures.  LOL!)     I noticed that the two annoying (or affirming) kiosk peddlers who had always accosted me about their cosmetics on every walk around the mall…were gone.  Yay!  Though to some extent I enjoyed their attention, nonetheless it was annoying, so I’m fine with their disappearance.

However, if it was attention I was seeking,  I received quite a bit of that…despite the peddlers’ notable absence.   Standing outside a cell phone company store’s door, waiting for them to open, was a small gaggle of people.  One was a 50something woman.  I was wearing my sunglasses, as sunlight was pouring through the skylights.

As I walked (and people-watched from behind my Foster Grants), I couldn’t help but notice the woman’s eyes immediately lock on to me like radar as I approached.  I observed her gaze follow me until I passed her, and as I approached a store with a properly aimed window glass, I stopped to window shop and observe her continue to watch me.  Probably two minutes later, with her never missing a beat, I said to myself…”To heck with it…I’m moving on.”  And I did.  No doubt she watched me disappear down the hall until the buzzer rang and the store opened.

And at the cobbler’s shop, I was properly addressed as “Ma’am.”

Isn’t life fun?

Mandy