Month: June 2020

Isolation Diary: Just thinking–I may be in this isolation for a long long time.

And that proved true.

Isolation Diary: I am remote from the upheaval. I am not about to risk my health and that of my family, my two daughters, my two sons-in-law, my two grandsons, one nearly 11, one 13 months; not going to do that. I am confronted, remotely, with a rogue president. The worst ever. And his nearly demonic followers. My emails each day are endless solicitations for money from the Dems. Endless. Every tactic used…this is great! this is disastrous! Send money. I have few tools to assess, mostly I ignore and stress about it. And now I am resenting all sides. And this bubble I am in is rather comfortable and I do have these chores I must do, or take a nap.

Isolation Diary: Even on a day like this in a time like this the universe can provide small treasures. I was in my garden, under a tree, obscured from above, quietly working on adjusting a drip watering system when I heard, and felt, a flutter of wings. The birds I normally see in my garden are sparrows, finches, hummingbirds, crows, and mockingbirds, none of which sound like this flutter. I look around and I see that a young hawk has landed not 10 feet from me. Stays for about 15 seconds and flies off. Never have I seen a hawk land on the ground. No prey in sight.

Isolation Diary: My slim thoughts adjacent to the passion outside…..why do I bother? But since I’ve started this entry I guess I will continue. Delighted today with Zoom improv, a Zoom chat with a friend, and later Zoom D & D. In between I was brought to my knees by the DWP. Just wanted to request a replacement green bin to replace a sadly broken one. On hold for……the happy jazzy tune I hear on hold was fun for 2 repeats, but by the twelfth and twentieth….?…and finally my phone battery died and I lost the connection. Tried myla311 and was caught in a Kafkaesque dialogue that finally defeated me and I was left teary eyed on the floor. Hey, there is always duct tape! Which I have.

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The next day.

Ruth Silveira
Today, I got through with only a tolerable wait. Exchange of damaged bin for new bin will take place on June 12. I did not attempt the website again, I spoke to a person. A person who I intend to use as an inspiration for an improv character…..so I got a double win today! A bin and a character!

Mandi M.H.
Ruth Silveira ha that’s great!!!

Isolation Diary: These may be intermittent from now on. I am surprised that I continued this practice for so long. Last night I attended a Zoom play reading and participated in discussion afterwards and submitted some remarks by email as requested. For me this was an identity infusing experience. I guess I mean that I was able to exercise and use parts of my mind and experience that haven’t had much exercise lately. I don’t actually know if my comments were helpful but I was grateful for the opportunity. In isolation I am becoming familiar with the reality of never acting again, or directing. How do I feel about that? I had been considering not acting anymore before this covid19 thing. Hmmm, won’t go into that. Just sayin’, I was so delighted to, even through Zoom, encounter and experience the wonderful people of theater and Sacred Fools Theater Co.

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Noel B.
I will agree that it is hard to replace physical human contact.But the mere act of exchanging ideas even if it is thru zoom is not something that should be dismissed.
I do not know what exactly your comments were and in what context they were made but I can only believe that any comment made from one person to another is immeasurable in value.

Jaime R.
It was absolutely helpful!And it was so delightful to see you again, even if only in a small box on my computer screen!

Aviva P.
As an AD I never know if anything I do is helping anyone. I know this isn’t about me, but I’m just really glad to hear this reading series made you feel good.

Holly B.
You go girl!!!!!!!! Such a great actress, why give up now??

Anna M.
Yes. Zoom is not ideal, but it is MUCH better than the proverbial nothing! And I view it as a new medium to explore.

Laura E.F.
I hope you keep it up Ruth! You’re so wonderful, and Fig needs to be in on thar RICH heritage!

Isolation Diary: Okay, here I am again. The world is nuts, I’ve had a fun day and am in sort of a goofy mood. I have littered my FB feed with comments about the current insanity. Played D and D today during which I created a beautiful collar out of Owlbear fur and feathers, tried to make friends with a wolf, failed, was temporarily trapped by zombies, participated in the demise of a wizard, and found more sausages hidden about my person than was reasonable. Is this anymore absurd than what is happening in DC?

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Ruth Silveira
And by DC I really meant the administration. Not the demonstrators!!!!!!!!

Isolation Diary: I did something today I probably wouldn’t have done if I hadn’t been home so much lately. I hung a picture tile on the wall in the bathroom. I have a ‘thing’ about hanging things on walls. Perhaps much of my fear of making a mistake is gathered around poking a hole in the wall and making a royal mess of it. Perhaps I should be grateful that the ‘mistake making fear’ is concentrated on this relatively benign problem. I have had this tile with a picture of otters (my favorite animal!) for years. Years. The bathroom is the perfect place for it, the colors are right and otters love water, right? It has been on the counter, leaning up against the wall, obscured by hairspray (which I never use) and a net bath sponge (which I never use) for years. Today I nailed a picture hanger into the wall and hung the tile, took 5 minutes. It looks great. Why?! did this take so long to do? Fewer distractions and excuses. And an impulse to just move forward with something. Time to look at what’s there. Time to look at what’s here and there. I think we are moving forward.

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John M.
you could have just moved the hairspray and the net bath sponge!

John M.
but I know the feeling of procrastinating for years over doing something, and then finally getting around to it and finding the effort is a tiny fraction of what was anticipated.

Laura E.F.
We’re adjusting the still lives we live in. Me too!

Isolation Diary: The life ahead of me. Taking into consideration my age…let’s just say over 65….by some….when can I expect to comfortably share a lunch or dinner in a restaurant? Never? Maybe not. Or never meet a new person? I am chatting with a friend in a bar (The Plunge) and I am introduced to a new person and we have an interesting encounter. Or…..hey, what about the Running Charades parties we had, often including some new players, no more of those? I did not lead a madcap life but now it sort of seems that way. Now that I hardly go anywhere. See only my family in person and one careful couple. Aaaaarrrrggghhhh! My cry of sadness and frustration.

I did eat at a restaurant over a year after this post, to celebrate Duncan’s 12th birthday on August 1, 2021. We were separated from other diners, all the staff wearing masks. I still wasn’t completely comfortable but no harm came to any of us.

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Carl G.
I share your pain… how long, oh Lord, how long? But I do enjoy reading your journal. Don’t stop!

Julie C.
I miss dancing with people the most. I didn’t really do it that much. But I’m going to start.

Laura E.F.
Right there with you Ruth. People are the BEST. I just keep tuning in to Fauci and hoping for a vaccine.. and can’t wait to play Running Charades!

Ruth Silveira
Running Charades is a great game!

Heatherlynn N.G.
I miss hugs.

Ruth Silveira
Yes!

Matt A.
We’ll know we’re through it when we’re back to running charades.

Kathi C.
I miss seeing people, hugs, in person conversations, not feeling fear every time I shop. I don’t think we are meant to be alone like this. I haven’t had human contact in person since March. My friend dropped groceries by once and I was elated seeing her through my fence. This isolation is really wearing on me.

Ruth Silveira
We aren’t meant to be alone like this, you are right.

Isolation Diary: The news and the FB posts have reached a level that leaves little room for satire. In 5 years (I first typed 10, but I don’t think it will take that long) simple re-enactments of Trump tweets will provoke hilarity. 5 years, assuming we are rid of Trump next January and because the pendulum will not be wrenched back to the other side after 4 years. So, as jokes are at present too painful, on a more personal note: Something I did because I have time on my hands. Several years ago…maybe 3…who knows now?….probably 4…an opossum died in my garage. I recall seeing an injured opossum in my yard and then, maybe a year later, saw the carcass of an opossum behind seldom used tools in my garage. Oooh, interesting, I thought. An opossum skeleton is hard to come by. But it wasn’t really a skeleton, yet, and I did nothing. Until I was trapped in this house. And one day…why that day?…I gathered up that carcass, now sort of fallen apart, and so dirty, bones still covered in some leathered skin, the teeth showing perfectly. Yesterday I tried to clean the remains. Just in water. I don’t know how to manage this! I’ve got a curled tail. An eyeless head. Some paws. Is this weird? Hey, I have a 10 year old grandson, almost 11, he might like this ! There is a spine, some skin….. Hey, I’m fine, really, no worries…………

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Jeremy A.
Sounds pretty cool to me…

DeAnne M.
You’re brave!!

Carl G.
A little dedicated googling should show you some taxidermy techniques for getting a clean skeleton… quite an art project!

Claudette W.
I say…why not? Sounds interesting. I’d be too creeped out to touch it, I think. Your grandson will most likely love it.

Christie M.
Boil the bones and the stuff will just fall away, I bet. Do you have a large kettle? Is it in one piece? Pictures when it’s done please!

Susan J.
Um…I’m in the “cause for worry”camp.
Actually, it seems to me that you’ve just taken the next step up from all those jigsaw puzzles.

Ruth Silveira
Actually, I haven’t laid out a single puzzle although I have two in the queue. To accommodate my desire to put things together I’ve been sewing. No cause for worry.

Susan J.
Ruth Silveira Whew!

Nick U.
When I was a little kid. I had an uncle who was a keeper at the London Zoo. He taught me to take dead animals and bury them in the ground for six months. Then when we’d dig them up, only the skeleton would be left. Ah those were the happy days.

Richard L.
Ruth The daily news right now is just too raw and sad and after several times around the track it seems satire doesn’t have the power of shame that it’s supposed to. Maybe the shameless are incapable of being affected anyway. And laughing just seems cruel.
I well remember at the height of the Vietnam War a Michael O’Donoghue piece in the Lampoon called “The Vietnamese Baby Book.” It was stunning, on point, vicious and dumped the horror right in the homes of comfortable Americans. Probably didn’t move the needle at all.
And I certainly agree..why write anyway when you have Trump doing it for you?

Ruth Silveira
Yeah. I’m imagining us in 5 years, having weathered this disaster, finally being able to just giggle at the absurdity of the whole thing. Yes, jokes can be made now, cartoons, but the response, in my case anyway, is maybe a painful forced chuckle, not real laughter.

Carol A.
I sense the beginnings of a screenplay here. Woman living alone begins to find “things “ buried in her garden……

Ruth Silveira
I like it!

Mandi M.H.
I think you’re badass for wanting to save those opossum parts. I think you have to boil them. I have some friends who know about these things, I can ask if you want.

Ruth Silveira
please do!

Tegan A.C.
What an amazing opportunity. Ruth, please research this and take safety precautious, even after all this time, to avoid bacteria and disease. If it’s decomposed this far you can probably move onto maceration before cleaning with hydrogen peroxide. If cartilage remains, then filing/picking/sanding. Finally cover it all in sea salt or borax until completely dried.
Bleach will turn the bones to powder. Boiling will weaken them, I’ve been told, but again research!

Maggie M.
Mother. Let this possum go! Its horrifying!

Maggie M.
We all know she’s gonna do whatever it is she’s gonna do.

Jeff W.
Beginning to have some concerns…

Ruth Silveira
Previous encounters with opossums: One died tucked into our foundation, smelled terrible. I had to crawl under the house, quite a ways, with a flashlight, a garbage bag, gloves, and I must have had something to grab it with. Then there was the time that Captain (our dog) brought an opossum into the house, at least I think that’s what must have happened because there it was curled up on a shelf of the TV stand. And when they play dead, they do it extremely well. One of us, me, Richard, I don’t recall, with sticks and a broom, maneuvered this dead possum out of the front door, down the front steps, and left it lying on the path to the front door. Dead. Except that 15 minutes later it got up and walked away.

Ruth Silveira
And besides…..what’s the matter with bones? Ever broken a wishbone with someone? Relished a chicken leg?

Jeff W.
I see now that you have a history with these creatures.

Mandi M.H.
Ruth, I adore you so much

John A.
Satire goes in waves; when things are in crisis, that form fades while people cope, then it always manages to slip back in as time and distance progress further along… as for the bones, well to quote WC Fields, probably “very fine with mustard!”

Jeff W.
“Alas, poor O’Possum — I knew him well, Horatio.”

Terry W.
Uh, you do have a trash receptacle, right?

Rick C.
make soup……

Ruth Silveira
Eeeeuwwww.

Isolation Diary: I am going to try to ignore a lot of what I read on FB tonight (spending much too much time) and remember the fun I had today playing Dungeons and Dragons with Jessie, Duncan, and Maggie, then eating cake, then watching Fig, now walking, trundle proudly back and forth and back and forth.

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Allison F.S.
I’d love to know more about your D&D character!!

Ruth Silveira
We are playing the starter game as I was a complete newby and Jessie and Duncan had only a slight introduction to the game. This starter game provides the characters, 5 or 6, but we are a band of only 3 adventurers. I chose to be a Human Fighter, pretty straight forward, no spells to learn, thought it good for my first time. I decided to be a woman disguised as a man. Name is Corin or Corinne Fletcher depending on how I am presenting myself. (So far there has been no reason to dress as a woman) I kept this a secret from my fellow adventurers until just recently. I told my secret only after the Rogue in our company (a Halfling embodied by Duncan, age 10 almost 11) told me an important secret. Didn’t know if I could trust him until then. My specialty is the longbow, hence the name ‘Fletcher’. Also, I sold the great sword I was provided with because I considered it too heavy and I replaced it with a rapier. I also sometimes fight with a slightly magical longsword. Sometimes with a shield. My gender was nearly discovered by accident when I ripped up my shirt to make a bandage for my fallen companion, Thorgrum the Dwarf Cleric. I tore a bit too much off my shirt and revealed my chest bindings. Thorgrum was concerned about my disfigurement and tried to heal me. We determined that this condition must have been because of the volcanic eruption that destroyed Thundertree where my family was living when I was just a baby. Only recently have I been able to complete a battle without throwing up at some point, either during or after. Now that I am more experienced and am no longer hiding my identity, I am less likely to throw up after cleaving a skull. Cor, as I am known, is determined to be a hero. Ready to jump in front of my small companions even when Rindle the Rogue is being needlessly provocative. My alignment is lawful good. I am sincere. A horrible liar, bad at deception, lacking in charisma but unaware of that. Now that my secret is out to my two companions, at least the jokes about being beardless will stop. As soon as I had some extra coin, I bought myself a hat with a plume, like a musketeer. After our band, with the help of a wizard we were temporarily traveling with, killed two owl bears, I made myself a large collar out of the feathers and fur. I also made accessories for Thorgrum and Rindle. My collar is quite fluffy but I maintain it is strategic. We had some difficulty with the owl bears and I posited that their fur and feathers made them look larger than they were and I was shooting and swinging at nearly vacant air. Anyway, that’s my story. I don’t think Thorgrum and Rindle believe me. And there you are, probably more than you wanted to know.

Allison F.S.
I was happy to read every moment of that! thank you