.Oh Mother Nature!

My daughter lives in Utah. As of lately, there's been several earthquakes and after shocks in the area around Magna, about 15 miles from Salt Lake City. The biggest one was 5.7  There's also been smaller ones in Idaho.

I live near Los Angeles, and so far we haven't had any -knock on wood- but there's always some smaller ones. On April 19, there was a  6.3 earthquake in Japan.

Volcanoes are acting up as well . There's many volcanoes active around the world. Lately the largest one was in Krakatou, Indonesia (level 3 eruption)

I like watching live webcams from around the world at

https://www.skylinewebcams.com/   

 It's an awesome site. It's so interesting to zoom into any city in the world and see how they are coping with the Corona virus. Most cities around the world are totally empty with just a few vehicles, and very few people walking around.. Those webcams are LIVE, so when is night in the US is daytime in Europe, for instance.
 I noticed there seems to be more people walking around in Ireland and Prague than in other countries. In the US the webcam in Virginia City Nevada always shows a fair amount of people and motorcycles roaming about.

Last night, a little past midnight, I was watching different countries, and then I checked Italy. I saw a webcam from Mt Etna and watched it for a while. There was a very light plume of white smog under a blue sky. I watched other cams but had that one on in the background. I started hearing a noise  like a rattle and checked back to Mt Etna. Black smoke started coming out, getting thicker to the point that soon it became dark skies. There was a big rumbling noise and even the webcam was shaking. It was awesome!. I took a picture when it started erupting:

This was at 10:49AM Italian time, 1:49AM My time.  When the smoke covered the sun it got all dark and I couldn't take more pictures.

It was soo cool to see the eruption live.

Earth Day is this Wednesday. Let's all be kind to Earth so it will be kind to us.

Not a lot to say

I haven't posted much this month because really I don't have much to say.

Being in confinement and being in the group more vulnerable to the Corona virus, I haven't been out of the house since March 19, other than to take Lulu for a short walk in the evening.

I was trying to remember when I first heard about the virus. I went to see my doctor on February 10, I had a couple of concerns and I had to have my yearly blood test. I asked him somewhat jokingly if I was fit to travel to Europe, because of my plans to go to Sweden in June.  He asked me if I was concerned about traveling because of the Corona virus. I think that was the first time I thought about this virus being dangerous. I had read about what was happening in China earlier on the year, but like many people, I didn't pay that much attention.

Staying at home with Lizzie and Lulu so far has not been much of a hardship. She goes shopping for food every couple of weeks, we have enough supplies for now and we've been doing OK (I gained some weight because of not being active, and I need to stop snacking too).  Other than that I'm doing pretty much what I was doing before. Being in the computer, doing PSP and jigsaw puzzles online, watching Netflix and TV, reading and enjoying the garden. I am so thankful that Lizzie moved in  with me!

What I miss the most is not being able to travel, especially not having Sandy be able come to visit or us going to Utah, and also the planned trip to Sweden. I also miss not going to the library or not going to Huntington Beach, and meet Norbert, or going out to eat with Lizzie (I miss my mango Margaritas!!!) or to randomly pop in a store like trader Joe's etc.

But this is the new normal for now. I read that some people are starting to complain about being in confinement, maybe they should go to Sweden where life goes on as usual  (it will be interesting to know if their method of herd immunity works, in which case they will be made as a model on how to deal with the virus) but so far they are still having many cases and deaths like the rest of the world. I read in a Swedish newspaper Afton Bladet, that many people in Europe, especially women, travel to Sweden to party and to go to a hair salon  and  restaurants and bars etc.

Well we are all in the same boat. I hope scientists of the world get together and find a cure, or vaccine and we can go back to a more normal life, although I hope people learns from it and change their behavior. That would be a real positive thing to come out of this.

I hope all my readers are doing well  and keeping healthy

 Love you all!

March Recap

March has not been a great month globally speaking because of the Corona Virus. This had been endemic and every country has been affected. Sometimes it seems like there's no end in sight, and other times there's hope that the virus will leave as stealthily as it came.... I feel positive and very hopeful :)

The first 2 and a half weeks were as usual, Lizzie and I went out to dinner at Mexico 1900 and it was OK. The week of March 8 was very rainy, almost daily. L got a job in La Mirada and we're happy about it. We went shopping at Trader Joe's, went to the Library, and the Credit Union. Talk about the Corona Virus became daily news. It was affecting Spain very strongly :(

The week of March 15, we pretty much stayed at home but for Wednesday where we had to go to do some stuff related to my living trust. Lulu is confused to have us at home all the time :)

On March 19th my grandson turned 22, He didn't have the birthday he had planned because we were all started to #stay at home. It was also San Jose, my name day. My sister Nuri called me and we talked for a long time. She's been in confinement for about 3 weeks, at her apartment with Monica and her daughter Irina.

Lizzie was supposed to go on the 21st to Jeff's birthday party in San Diego, she had already decided not to go and later it was cancelled.

More bad news, I cracked my top front tooth last night :(

I haven't been out of the house since the 19th, Lizzie goes to the store shopping for groceries about once a week, we're also ordering things online. We go out to the backyard daily and look at my plants and pick oranges and at night we walk Lulu down the street and back. We keep in touch with Sandy over the phone & text, also I talk to Norbert almost daily, and with Mia and my family in FB. Lulu is happy to have both of us at home.

BOOKS I'VE READ IN MARCH

MOVIES I'VE WATCHED IN MARCH

Since now I have Netflix and Amazon Prime, I have been watching a lot of stuff other than movies :)

Here's hoping to a better April!

My take on the Corona Virus

I think for the most part I am a very positive person. When we started to hear about the virus, I was not too worried, I had a ...this too will pass...attitude.

I am more worried now, especially because I am in the most vulnerable group, that is over 70 and with diabetes (even though is controlled).  March 11 was the last day I went out, to the Library, Credit Union and Trader Joe's. Since then I have been at home, only going out at 8PM with Lizzie to walk Lulu up and down the street.

For me things haven't changed much, because I like to be in the computer, watching TV and sleeping late. But it's different when you know you shouldn't go out, then I feel like going to the store or out to eat etc.

The last couple of days things have changed even more. Restaurants, bars, stores, businesses etc have closed down. They are advising people to stay home especially those of us that are more vulnerable. You shouldn't be with  more than 10 people at a time. Also the supermarkets are almost out of everything because people have panicked and gone in hoarding mode. Lizzie went on Sunday to about 5 different stores and didn't get some of the stuff we wanted, like water, paper goods (why do people hoard so much TP?) but she got some deli stuff and bread, so we're good for a while.

Lizzie and I will check tomorrow into getting water at home monthly from Arrowhead (I hope they still do it) and try to get more stuff online although even Amazon seems to be out of the basics.
My friend Jennifer  came by last night (sorry I missed our phone call Sandy) she brought some water, wipes, Purell type stuff etc. Was very nice of her. She's now not working since schools are closed.

It's happening all over the world. I have messaged with Mia and with Sonia, and my cousins Ferran and Franc. Spain is basically in lockdown, Sweden had no problems for a while so now they are hurrying to get things in place. Travel is practically to a stand still in many countries, either coming or going.

I just hope with the better weather maybe things will slow down a bit, but in some parts of the world is already good weather and still having problems. I am not even talking about the economy...what a mess.

I wish all governments of the world, all heads of state, presidents, royals etc would unite for the common cause and put all resources into finding a vaccine or ways to cope  with this endemia.

To family and friends that may be reading this post: Follow the rules, stay at home if you can, don't panic. Take this time to read, be with your loved ones and let's all hope for the best.

And like Sandy says at the end of her posts, wash your hands.

LOVE YOU ALL VERY MUCH!

February Recap

February 1 - Breakfast in SD. To Alpine. and Lunch in Escondido
Didn't do much next week, Lizzie had a cold and we mainly stayed home.
February 9 - To Newport Beach for our chocolate class. It was super fun!
February 10 - Check up at my doctor's. Everything seems OK. Got a shingles shot and I got some skin spots on my face frozen.
February 14- To Fullerton Arboretum with Lizzie and lunch at Black Angus. N called. He's been busy fixing his apartments.

Fullerton Arboretum

February 17- Geezers for lunch. Heritage Park in SFS

February 19- It would have been my 55th Anniversary. It was also N's 64th Birthday, took him to Sol Inka.
February 20- Sandy came to visit! Lunch at El Zarape  from the airport. Hang around the house :)
February 21- My girls  went to Disneyland! 
February 22- Rain. Girls to the movies. Dinner at El Cholo. Sandy feeling not so well. Early bedtime.

El Cholo

February 23- Girls went for a walk. the 3 of us reading and chillin, tacos for dinner.
February 24- Sandy went back to Utah. Miss you already.
February 25- To La Huasteca, best mango margaritas ever!
February 26-  Chicken tacos at home.
February 28-  Lizzie to San Diego. Talk to Sandy.

Sandy you can see what I read and watched this month :)

MOVIES I WATCHED THIS MONTH

BOOKS I'VE READ THIS MONTH

For the Love of Chocolate

For Christmas, one of my favorite gifts was Lizzie's gift of  a ticket to a chocolate cooking class.

We both took the class at The Pain Quotidien at Fashion Island in Newport Beach. It was a rainy Sunday but when we got there the place was very nice and comfortable and smelled wonderful!

The class is for no more than 8 people, but we lucked out and we were the only persons take the class. Maybe because the weather was not so good or because it was Oscar day, but I loved to have a personalized class. Out teacher was young and very cute and friendly. 

Dario Murcino

 Getting started

 We learned how to make great chocolate chip cookies with pecans... Them we made brioche dough and kneaded and worked it and kneaded again, it was work! Then me made them into shapes and had to wait to rise, and then bake them. Last thing we made was chocolate ganache, and we filled little tartlets with ganache and blueberries and blackberries.

Chocolate chip and pecan cookies ready to bake

Some chocolate brioche ready for the oven

Lizzie and I were good listeners and followed directions, but I lagged behind a bit so Dario kept on kneading my dough :)

 We are happy cooks!

and here we are filling the little tarts with ganache and berries

It was a very fun day!

I always look like this on selfies

We took a ton of brioches, cookies and tartlets home, we had enough to share with my neighbor Amy and froze some of it for when Sandy gets here next week

Thanks Lizzie for a fun and yummy day!

Happy Valentine's Day!