I don’t even know where to begin. All I know is I woke up one day 2 weeks ago and my life as I knew it had changed.
First, after many closed door meetings between our sales managers at work, we Account Executives were all told to pack up our important files and such as we would now be working remotely.
How long?!?
For an “indefinite” period of time…
Granted, working from home was not foreign to any of us as we had all been networked several years ago and had even recently received brand new laptops. What I was I having a hard time wrapping my head around was the idea that I would be working from home every day, as opposed to from time to time or on occasion.
I’m not gonna lie, at first being at home every day was exciting because I no longer had to get myself up at 430am to kick box at the gym, figure out what I was going to wear to work, apply my make-up, style my hair, deal with crazy distracted drivers on the road, etc.
All I had to do now was roll out of bed at 6am, wash my face, put on my workout gear, find a good 30 minute cardio workout video on YouTube, shower, eat breakfast, put my lounge-wear on and start my work day.
Oh the irony, being home every day but not having the luxury of going out to dinner, visiting family or friends to socialize after hours, going to the matinee on the weekends, and so on. It seemed like everything, for the most part, was now closed.
It’s no surprise that things started to get real old after about a week and a half. Being home all day long working on my laptop took away that feeling of joy I used to get when I walked into the house after a long tough day at work. I felt my home life and work life were now starting to collide. To compensate, I started taking long walks at lunchtime to break up my day and to change the scenery.
And going to the supermarket or Target on the weekends was starting to get more and more complicated. Trying to shop without getting too close to the other shoppers, trying to find certain items like toilet paper or Lysol or thermometers, remembering to wipe down and sanitize all of my purchases after I took them out of the plastic bags…
And I really cannot forget to wash my hands (for at least 20 seconds) for what seems like a million times a day…
Or forget to keep my hands off my face…
But the kicker, not being able to kiss, embrace or spend quality time with my family members and/or loved ones.
Hey, I guess there’s always air hugs…
As you TVFL readers know, I always try to find the silver lining. So after today, 2 weeks in, I would say one of the positives that has come out of this Covid 19 madness for me is that all of the things I said I didn’t have the time to do, I now do. For me that’s reading. I used to devour books (especially in the Summertime) and now all I do is scan the daily newspapers for sales leads or read an occasional magazine article(s). Guess it’s time for me to hit the books once again (smile).
Yes, life as I once knew it is changing day by day and week by week. It can be dizzying. All I can do to stay sane is pray without ceasing, count my blessings daily Count Your Blessings… and leave it all in God’s hands. Without forgetting to stay healthy, helpful and calm.
With the arrival of Lent it got me thinking of what I would like to give up this year. But before I get to that, here are 20 things I do not want to give up in 2020 (in no particular order):
Kombucha – I discovered this delish drink during Dry January at the beginning of the year when I was purposely seeking out cool refreshing drinks with a kick (smile). Kombucha hit the spot and the fact that it is Gluten Free and Dairy Free is an added bonus.
Red Wine – It’s no surprise that this one made my list before: 9 things I do not want to give up in 2019. My new favorite reds are Pinots and my new favorite Pinot (discovered on my recent trip to Fort Lauderdale, FL) is Meiomi.
Kickboxing – I joined the specialty gym I Love Kickboxing this month because I needed something that was going to challenge me and kick my butt all at the same time (smile). So far…so good.
Golf – It’s still cold here in New England (at least for another month or so) but once it warms up I will be back with my ladies hitting the links in Golf Fore Women 401.
Hot Green Tea – I like to order hot green tea when I eat in or out of a Japanese restaurant. It not only tastes good but it’s extremely good for you.
Speaking of Japanese, I def do not want to give up Sushi this year, it’s become a regular part of my bi-monthly cuisine and just thinking of it makes me want to call in an order or two (smile).
Staycations – what a novel idea – discovering fun things to do in your own state. I feel like when we staycate in Connecticut the time to go back to work moves slower (smile).
Bikini Waxes – Summer is not the only time to get a bikini wax (Vacays count too!) and Tommy K’s Wax Center offers your first bikini line for free, ifyou are a first time customer.
Blueberry Ale – I’ve never been a big beer drinker but Elm City Market in New Haven has this delish brand from Wachusett Brewing Company that tastes more like something you eat than drink.
Oysters – I can eat this delicacy any season of the year but I have to admit that they taste infinitely better in the Summer than they do in the Winter.
Homemade Soups – I love soups made from scratch especially in the Winter so I’m truly enjoying the likes of homemade Lentil, Split Green Pea, Red Kidney Bean, 16 Bean Soup and more~
Candles – I like burning things in a safe way (smile) so scented candles are high on the list Put your slippers on….
Bananas – I buy and eat bananas on a daily basis as the potassium and fiber help me out during super intense workouts – and I buy organic so I don’t have to worry about pesticides.
Salad – This was on my list before because it is also something I can eat any time of the year (as long as it contains protein). Cafe Java in New Haven has my all time fave Bosco Salad which I probably eat at least once a week…
Spinach and Mozzarella Pie – Bar Pizza in New Haven has the best Spinach and Mozzarella Pizza I have ever eaten – I love veggie pizza and this place gets it done!
Edamame – Steamed lightly salted soybeans are my favorite appetizer before a japanese meal. They are high in protein and fiber and relatively low in calories so for me they are an obvious snacking choice.
Trail Mix – I might have hiked maybe once, maybe twice in my lifetime but if you saw me eating raw trail mix you might think I was an avid hiker (smile).
Sirius (XM) radio – I love listening to music and happen to have eclectic tastes so my satellite radio (at just $6.99 a month) puts Terrestrial radio to shame and keeps me entertained (smile).
Netflix TV and Movies – I just love the original content of the re-occuring Series on this channel as well as the Movies. It takes binge watching to a whole ‘nother level for me…
My Iphone – I won’t leave the house without it, I won’t sit still anywhere without it nearby, I won’t rest knowing that it needs re-charging, am I addicted (the answer is a resounding Yes!)
Me and my man just returned from a 6 day 5 night vacay to the sunshine state of Florida. We chose Pompano Beach in Fort Lauderdale on the East Coast for this trip because we had most recently (back in May of 2019) traveled to the West Coast and stayed on St. Pete’s Beach in Clearwater.
My 58th birthday was another reason why we chose this destination. Instead of taking turns shoveling snow with our teeth chattering in the wind and/or dealing with the super drab Winter blahs, we opted instead to celebrate my Valentines Day Birthday in 80 degree weather along with the cool breezes of the Atlantic ocean.
Besides, there’s no shoveling sunshine right (smile).
Our travel agent Karen made all of the arrangements once she learned of our needs: namely warm sunny weather, cool ocean breezes, nearby golf courses, outdoor music, a decent nightlife, good restaurants, sightseeing and shopping.
We stayed at the Marriott Pompano Beach Resort and Spa in a standard King room with ocean views.
You could literally see the ocean from our small balcony…
And the concierge James truly lived up to the reputation of his position…
Pompano Beach time – Day 1- soaking up the Sun is one of my fave things to do at the beach
Nice and hot – 80s – perfect beach weather
Since it was also windy the waves were awesome!
On our first night (of Day 1) we dined at And FishKitchenand Bar (the Marriott Hotel Restaurant and Bar)
Our waiter Chris at And Fish Kitchen and Bar was spectacular!
Day 2 – Carlucci’s Trattoria– a Pompano Beach Restaurant – I was famished after walking a couple of miles and this place hit the spot!
Seaside Grill – a Pompano Beach restaurant (night of Day 2)
The concierge James recommended this restaurant which was literally up the street from our hotel
We were not disappointed as the ambience was comfy cool and the food and wine – delish!
Day 3 – 9Face Sushi– another Pompano Beach restaurant – dining al fresco – out here it seems as if everyone and their grandmother owns a dog (smile)
By the way, even though we were on vacay we still took the time every day to work out in the hotel gym
The hotel gym also faced the ocean
And it’s truly not hard to work out when you have a beautiful view
On Day 4 we Uber’d over to Nauti Dawg Marina Cafein Lighthouse Point – a restaurant my friend Terri recommended
Couldn’t go all the way to Fort Lauderdale without meeting up with my former News 8 co-worker and good friend Terri G. and her hubby Paul for a pre-Bday lunch
Sun Surf Sand (S3) – Fort Lauderdale Beach (night of Day 4)
My gf Jamie Taylor recommended this restaurant – the ambience was beautiful and the neighborhood very trendy
Pompano Beach Municipal Golf Course – on Day 5 it was not as windy as the first half of the week so we decided to borrow clubs, buy balls and tees and go golfing up the street at the municipal course
Rusty but ready to play…
Borrowed clubsDecent course- played 13 out of 18 holes due to being out of “golf shape” (smile)
Speaking of weather – It was in the mid 70’s the first half of the week with strong winds and the early 80s the second half…
This is what “Weather” looks like in South Florida (smile)
Traffic – It wasn’t really a concern for us as we Uber’d everywhere (smile)
And this is what “Traffic” looks like in South Florida (double smile)
Day 5 – Delray Beach – this town was highly recommended by Karen our travel agent because it offered up the type of vacation lifestyle we were seeking – so we ended up spending the entire day here…
Who knew that Coco Gauff and family lived in Delray Beach?!? We left one day before Coco came to town to compete
One of the many boat cruises on Delray
Delray’s beautiful beach…
Palm tree lined streets
We love love love oysters so City Oyster was an obvious choice for drinks and apps
Dinner a the italian restaurant Vic and Angelo’s was pretty good
Our last night in Pompano Beach…
Cocktails outside on the moonlit deck of the Marriott hotel bar…
My big sister Dana passed away from stage 4 lung cancer on November 9th 2019. She was 65 years old. It was a shock to anyone who really knew Dana as she was truly larger than life. Ironically Dana never smoked a cigarette a day in her life…
And as what usually happens after we lose a loved one, we often think about what we would say to them if we even had just 1 more day…The following is what I would say…I purposely chose to express myself in the form of a letter though as Dana was instrumental in encouraging all of her siblings to make good use of the written word – whether it was by writing letters to her when she was stationed at Pope Air Force Base wayyyy back in the day, sending heartfelt thank you cards to family members for birthday or holiday gifts received, or writing witty post cards from their own travel adventures. Here I go…
Dear Dana,
I truly believe that you are the strongest woman I have ever known in the 57 years I have been on this earth. I distinctly remember watching you (when I was a just a little girl) navigate your way through life. You had 6 brothers and sisters all younger than you, yet you somehow managed to do a remarkable job babysitting us while still figuring out what you had to do to manage your own up and coming existence. You were exactly 8 years older than me but it may as well had been a lifetime for all that you seemed to possess in the way of knowledge and from what very little I knew…
At night I would lay on the top bunk of my twin bed (which I shared with our sister Elena) and marvel at the “bedtime stories” you shared with us. I hung onto your every word although I honestly did not “get” what you were saying (smile).
You were a remarkable storyteller, taking Elena and I from the craziness of your junior high and high school worlds in Groton, CT to the mysteries of wide world events. I must admit, the wide world events you told us about really scared the heck out of me (why would anyone want to bomb anyone?!?) I would think, finding it hard to go to sleep.
Dana I also remember when you left our home at the tender age of 18 (with your red Samsonite luggage in tow) to make your way out into the world. You chose to enroll in the United States Air Force. I was all of 10 then and admired your decisiveness and bravery. You made a promise to all of us that once you got yourself settled and bought your first home, you would come back each Summer (to Groton, Connecticut from Fayettville, North Carolina) and pick one of us up to spend the entire Summer with you. I would have been 16 but I ended up being 15 when it was my turn to go (something came up for Elena that Summer so she could not take her turn). I was never so excited that year as I had not experienced much in the way of travel. As you very well know, Growing up Hollis (family of 9) we would (in our two-toned station wagon) regularly visit our cousins in Newport RI, and sometimes visit our paternal Grandfather in Niagara Falls, NY, and/or our paternal Grandmother in Newark, NJ. That was the extent of our travel so Fayettville, North Carolina was a real treat and a completely different way of life which I’m still thanking you for. I learned a lot those two summers down South and grew in so many ways.
By the time you completed your stint in the Air Force and moved back to Connecticut, you were now married to former Air Force Sargent Clifford Babb and had 2 young children – Keedah and Ahmad. This was my first real experience at being an Aunt so while you were busy working full-time on the 3rd Shift at Electric Boat in Groton, CT, taking courses part-time at UNH in West Haven (Groton campus) and being a full-time wife and mother, I would help you out where I could in the babysitting department. I was in high school then so I too had an inordinate amount of energy (smile).
After your employment at Electric Boat ended, you relocated to Baltimore, MD where you worked for a number of good companies: PharmaKinetics, KPMG Peat Marwick and finally Enron (before the collapse) where you would travel back and forth to Enron’s headquarters in Houston, Texas living out your dreams.
I had graduated from college at this point so me, our late mother Jean, our sister Casandra, my girlfriends Sherry and Thais, their mother Yvonne and my girlfriend Gina would “shoot” up and down the highway from Connecticut to Maryland in the Summers to enjoy long weekends with you and the family which mostly included a Crab Feast to NowhereBaltimore Crab Feast!
We got to know downtown Baltimore very well because of you Dana and really enjoyed our time in that part of the country (smile).
Dana, you had a sixth sense and were way ahead of your time as I distinctly remember you talking to us about how you had to get out of Enron years after you started as you feared something terrible was about to happen. Being the big- hearted person you were, you tried real hard to convince your co-workers to leave with you but no one took you seriously…
Being the go-getter that you were, you quickly obtained new employment out of state as an Independent Contractor with New Jersey Transit Authority. It was here where you worked your way up to Project Manager and spent the next 17 years honing a lifetime of skills and finally performing the gratifiying and rewarding work you were made for.
Dana, you lived in a beautiful apartment home in Newark, NJ the first half of your career so me and the family were also able to witness the true gentifrication of the City of Newark. We had visited Newark long ago when we were children so we were all completely surprised by the ‘new’ Newark (smile).
You then purchased a large home in Hillside, NJ so that your daughter and 4 grandchildren (whom two you now had custody of) would all live in one place and belong to a better school system.
Dana, your life was extraordinarilybusy in New Jersey as now you were working full time at New Jersey Transit Authority; regularly taking Continuing Education courses in your industry in various states; raising your 4 grandchildren; working on Concrete Roses and Boys to Men: the Summer programs for At Risk Teenagers you both founded and directed; volunteering at your AME Church; doing travel consulting on the side with Cruise Planners – The Yellow Brick Road; etc., so we were only able to get together with you and your family maybe 3 or 4 times a year (at combined birthdays and holidays). We made the best of what family time we had together though didn’t we: often sharing pictures from our own individual adventures or telling stories about shared family history over meals.
Dana I must say I’ll never forget the weekend of July 4th 2018 as God called and directed me to have a family barbeque at me and James’s house in Connecticut where we were to celebrate allof the Summer birthdays for the months of June, July and August (as well as Father’s Day). Your birthday was on June 19th so you were included in this joint celebration. I remember you sending Amazon box after Amazon box to our house well in advance of the date just to make sure you did not forget anyone. You had such a big heart and truly took the time out to pick out gifts that the person would never look to return (smile). Everything, and I mean everything fell into place on that fateful day…
Dana enjoying some of her own birthday gifts while brother Michael looks on.
Dana and the family enjoying the barbecue and festivities.
I did not of course know that you would be gone the following year but I did notice that you seemed awfully tired that day and not your normal energetic self…
What happened to you between October 2018 and October 2019 was a flurry of emergency room visits, hospital stays, surgeries, rehabilitation visits, at-home care, chemo treatments and such. Me, my brother Michael, my sister Casandra and our Dad Jonie B., would visit you in New Jersey as often as we could and once there, try and make it the best day it could possibly be.
Here is one of our earlier visits when you were in the Rehab Center of the VA Medical Center in Lyons, NJ.
We also supplemented those in-person visits to New Jersey over all of those months with weekly family calls so that we could all stay connected. You’ll be happy to hear that we decided those family calls should not go away but continue, as they truly help us all cope.
Dana I love you and want you to know that I truly believe you are in a much better place where there is no more anguish and no more pain, just lots of joy and, not to mention, family reunions.
P.S. Here is your obituary – it was truly a labor of love that me, your daughter Keedah, our sister Casandra and your granddaughter Rashidah all collaborated on – please cut, copy and paste onto your browser to enjoy:
You’ll also be equally happy to hear that your brother Michael delivered your Eulogy on Saturday, November 23rd to a packed house with a not a dry eye in sight!
Michael delivering Dana’s Eulogy to a packed house.
Yikes, it is hard to believe that it’s November already and 2019 is coming to a close. I feel like this year flew by and the top 3 goals I set for myself in the month of January were stabbed at but not completely realized…My Top 3 Goals in the New Year
I do, however, have something I’m particularly proud of this year: namely improving on my game of Golf.
Thanks to the Lyman Orchards Golf Center I spent the majority of my Summer and more than half of my Fall golfing. And Summer started late this year in Connecticut – remember the month of May?!? I had to count it out for starting play as it was rainy and miserable. Consequently I did not pick up my clubs until mid-June but then I made up for it by playing until the last weekend of October.
I learned a lot this year both on the course and off. I had previously taken Golf Fore Women 101 (last September 2018) so some of what I learned this year felt like a refresher course but in a good way Ready Fore Golf
However, the majority of what I learned I took and turned into real application on the course. And I had the added benefit of being taught and supervised by the award-winning LPGA Class A Teaching Professional Marissa Kulig Crow as well as her 2 trusty teammates Dan Hannibal and Andra Frappier…
LPGA Class A Teaching Professional Marissa Kulig Crow (in the purple Calloway Golf hat)
PGA Associate Teaching Professional Dan Hannibal
PGA Apprentice Teaching Professional Andra Frappier (in the lime green golf shirt and glasses)
June
Golf Fore Women 201 with LPGA Class A Teaching Professional Marissa Kulig Crow – club selection
Trying out my swing on the putting green
Getting good use out of my club on the course, as opposed to the driving range
July
Golf Fore Women 201 with Marissa Kulig Crow in black
Golf Fore Women 201 – learning how to stand correctly
It was a hotttttt one on the Apple 9 today! I’ll never forget this day: Saturday, July 20th!
Golf fore Women 201 – Marissa’s in black
Golf fore Women 201 – another fun day with my new lady golf friends
Ending the day with my old (starter) set of clubs
August
Golf fore Women 301 – The Apple 9 course is our classroom now (smile).
Coincidentally my workplace, News 8, held a client golf appreciation day at Lyman’s Player Course which I had the distinct pleasure of playing in (as opposed to volunteering to drive the bar cart)
I didn’t only play at Lyman this Summer – me and my bf managed to squeeze in 9 holes at Sleeping Giant in Hamden the last Saturday in August
September
Practice with a Pro x 2 with Dan Hannibal
Make-up session with Marissa Kulig Crow
Happy Surprise on the Apple 9: me and my bf (a 2some) had the pleasure of being matched up as a 4some with this young lady and her husband on a crowded Sunday in late September – we played a good match and made some new friends
October
Player Course this time with my new lady golf friend Mary Ann, one of The Fab 4 (smile)
The Fab 4 now at Player Course honing our skills – on an overcast and rainy day
The Fab 4 at Player Course cutting up (smile)
The Fab 4 at Player Course – photo shoot (smile)
On the Apple 9 – the very last day of the season for me
Margot me and Jill on the Apple 9, my very last day of Golf for the season- it was sunny but quite chilly…
Sooooo…I finally broke down at the end of October and invested in some new clubs. And I actually played with them the last 2 weekends of the month. I must admit that my game has improved with my new set of clubs (smile). Not trying to rush time but I sure can’t wait ’till next Summer (double smile).
