Betsy's Blog

Why do I need one? That is everyone’s question. Well, let’s see. I am in the ‘ancient’ age group, I flew back from overseas, took a cross country drive and ended up with a sore throat and my husband got a fever. My husband already passed his COVID-19 test here and is germ-free. So today is my turn! It is not as easy as it sounds to get tested for the virus in Las Vegas. Even though the test is free at many drug stores and hospitals, it is difficult to get an appointment. First, we tried to get the drive up test from the drug store CVS through their online registration. There were no appointments available at any of the stores in the whole city of Las Vegas. So I marched into the pharmacist and asked how I can get a test. She said the CVS testing slots are full, but to keep trying online. We tried repeatedly, but there were no openings. Meanwhile, my husband ended up in the Emergency Room for another health issue. He asked the doctor for a COVID-19 test and got one on the spot. ...

I’m a huge fan of Glee! I wrote a blog about it every week when it was on TV from 2009 until 2015. Well, almost every week. Did you know the term ‘Blog’ was first invented in 1997? I sent out my almost weekly Glee Blog by an old school email to my family and friends. I hope they looked forward to reading my weekly observations about a fictional high school Glee Club and often responded with funny feedback. I would even take notes during “Glee” about the characters, plot, actions, and fashions that sparked my interest. I had tears in my eyes during the final episode and Glee Blog. I joined the group that suffered from  “Glee Withdrawal.”  During this time, I was teaching in Florence, Italy when my teacher friend told me about the TV show, “Glee.” We discussed the weekly episodes over school lunch and then again over pasta and wine at the local pizzeria. Rachel was the diva with her beautiful voice and dance moves. The show costumes and musical numbers were over the top. Tee...

Take a deep breath. Breathe in, breathe out. I don’t think my husband and I have COVOD-19, but we signed up to get tested just in case. That is not as easy as it sounds. We are living in a new city in a new state and have to find doctors and hospitals. I have asked neighbors, realtors, and friends for recommendations. I have multiple lists of doctors and not everyone agrees on the best medical facilities in Las Vegas. After many phone calls, we finally found a doctor who could see us, but not in person. She does consultations on the internet during the pandemic. This was an adventure in itself. After multiple trials to connect with us, phone calls with her staff, and then IT, we finally reached her on Skype. She asked my husband a series of questions and then prescribed him an antibiotic for a sinus infection. She also suggested that we both get a coronavirus test just in case. Just in case! The alarm bells went off. We quickly found out how difficult it is to get a C...

Happy 4th of July! I said this holiday greeting to my children and grandchildren by phone today. However, is it really a happy day in the pandemic? Where are the fireworks, the barbeques, and the parades? Family traditions are turned upside down again. We already celebrated Easter in unique ways during the coronavirus. I spent it in a Thai condo with my husband where we ordered a Thai meal delivered to our door. We called our families on Skype and thought life would return to normal soon. Instead, times have gotten even stranger since then. We are all still staying close to home. The first confirmed COVID-19 case was in November 2019 in China and spread to Thailand and then to the U.S. by January 2020. The first American coronavirus death was in February 2020. We moved back home to the U.S. in April on one of the last flights out of Thailand. The U.S. now has the most number of recorded worldwide COVID-19 cases as of today, July 4th. Our country needs to trace and track people who ha...

            “Moving Day at the Suits Family Cottage on Portage Lake, Michigan.” That would be the perfect caption for this photo above. However, if you look a little closer at my husband and nephews, you'll hear whispered cottage stories left untold. There are mixed emotions and questions in this photo on a hot summer day. Why are we here today? What family tales do we have to tell from 'prerona' (before Corona19)?  This historic cottage has been in my husband’s family for over 80 years. My mother in law lived here when she was six years old and attended the local school. She brought her high school boyfriend here for boat rides who she married later. They spent every summer at this cottage with their three children on the lake. This is where they learned to drive a motorboat, water ski, and swim out to the floating dock under a full moon. My husband is still envious of the early morning water skiers he sees today. His childhood friend Fr...

        It’s a busy morning in the third month of the pandemic. We actually had something to do today and somewhere to go. My husband had to go to the hospital lab for a blood test. It opened at 7 am and we were one of the first people in line at the door. The attendant gave us a green sticker after asking if we have a fever or sore throat. They didn’t even use a forehead thermometer to check us out. We had to sit in the waiting room on socially distanced chairs that had a red X on the floor showing us where to sit. We wore our ‘medical visit clothes’ that we take off when we get home and shower. I brought my “People Magazine” and left it in the waiting room. My guilty pleasure! The latest bubble to open is Michigan restaurants. After the lab, we went out for breakfast. We socially distanced ourselves at a table with a red X on the floor. The theme of today was X, XX, and XXX . My husband happily ordered a breakfast plate with unlimited coffee. I got a ...

The sun was shining when we got into the car. We were stepping outside of our bubble into a surreal world. I am full of uncertainty as the world begins to open up. Is it safe to go out into public yet? Should we wear masks and gloves? Do we need to take showers afterward? The news is full of grief, outrage, and sadness with riots across the nation. Today is the second “Black Lives Matter” demonstration in my Michigan hometown. The crowd is organized and peacefully chanting as they make their way to the Mall. Some people are wearing masks and the crowd is too close together for comfort.  Restaurants and playgrounds are opening up to the public in our area of  Michigan. We went to a restaurant, a grocery store, and drove by the city park. There were more families at the park than I have ever seen before. The city has unwrapped the plastic around the playground. Children were climbing onto the jungle gym and were happily swinging away. The last time we dined in a restau...