There is a coin shortage in our country, compliments of coronavirus. It doesn’t make sense to me, but what I do understand is that our currency system is based on circulation of money. We are now paying with debit cards, credit cards, checks or we have absolutely no expenditures at all. At my house, we visit ALDI, H.E.B. and Tractor Supply…then we go home. The utilities, cellphones, internet, and insurance are not paid with coins. We eat take-out seldom. No fill-up with gas because I am not going anywhere. I am not a big “online” shopper because I believe Amazon will own us one day. No haircuts, clothes shopping, makeup…no manicures, pedicures, or useless junk. (I did break down and order new underwear recently because I am not going outlet mall shopping for a while.)  I tried to pay with cash a few times, but was told by my daughter, “No one wants to touch your money right now.” (This is the same daughter that told me about a year ago, that only old people use correct change.) There should be $47.8 billion dollars in coins already circulating in the U.S., which is $142 in coins for every person in the U.S., including children. Where is this money? Several weeks ago, the U.S. Coin Task Force was established and should release recommendations by the end of July. The article said that we can help this situation by paying with coins or depositing your coin jar at your bank. Supposedly, they will love you for it.

A good friend sent me a card today. It said: “May the light always find you on a dreary day; when you need to be home, may you find your way. May you always have courage to take a chance, and may you never find frogs in your underpants.” I so needed to hear that today. 😊

Burger King is now improving their cows’ low-carb diet by feeding them 100 grams of lemongrass in order to help reduce methane emissions, so there will be about 33% less burping and farting, especially since that is a key contributor to climate change. We may want to try lemongrass at home. A federal judge denied bail for Ghislaine Maxwell after pleading not guilty. (ref: Jeffrey Epstein). Does ultraviolet light work against SARS-CoV-2, the virus behind the pandemic? Yes, but it takes the right kind of UV in the right dosage. In other words, many at home UV-light devices claiming to kill this virus might not be a safe bet. Another idea for sanitizing face masks: Use your crock pot. Shame on You, Ted Cruz, for not wearing a mask on a commercial flight or while you were waiting to board. Be a role model. In Corpus Christi, a 6-week old infant tested positive for SARS-COV2, was responding to hospital care, and was discharged after two days, but died a week later. Cause of death listed as SIDS. Hmmm.

When New York hit 10,000 cases a day, they went into lock-down. When Florida hit 10,000 cases a day, they opened Walt Disney World.

Last week, the Trump administration decided that all international students were barred from being in the U.S. if they were taking classes only online…well, it only took a few days for the government to reverse that decision. This affected so many of my kid’s friends at University of Houston. Kids that are here to get an education and have parents that are sacrificing everything to do so. Many students would not be able to participate in online instruction from home countries because of government restrictions or poor internet. Colleges are as confused as we are about what to do right now.

I do not date any more, I just foster men until they find their forever homes.

The Hallmark Channel just unveiled two new wines inspired by their Christmas movies. Pre-order now and they will arrive in time for the annual Countdown to Christmas movie marathon, starting 10/2020. You must provide your own box of Kleenex. If you can’t wait until then, please note Hallmark will also be celebrating Christmas in July until July 26. Nope, I am not kidding. I watch them in my kitchen while I cook and even if I walk away, I know exactly what is going on when I return. I love them, cliché, and all.

RECENT BIRTHDAYS: Singer musician Robbie Robertson is 77. Lead guitarist and primary songwriter for The Band. Singer Huey Lewis is 70. He has been diagnosed with Meniere’s disease, a disorder of the inner ear and may never perform again. Actress Edie Falco is 57. Nurse Jackie, The Sopranos. Actor Ned Beatty is 83. Actor Burt Ward is 75. Robin in Batman. Actor Fred Dryer is 74. Hunter. Actor Sylvester Stallone is 74. Actress Shelly Hack is 73. Charlie’s Angels.

Bandleader Doc Severinsen is 93. Still one of the best concerts I have ever seen when he played here with Gil & Cartas at The Clarion. Actress Allyce Beasley is 69. Moonlighting. Singer guitarist Warren Entner is 77. Grass Roots. Children’s singer Raffi is 72. Actress Anjelica Huston is 69. Actor Kevin Bacon is 62. Country singer Toby Keith is 59. Singer actor Ed Ames is 93. The Ames Brothers. Mingo on Daniel Boone. Actor Richard Roundtree is 78. The first black action hero” for his portrayal of private detective John Shaft in the 1971 film Shaft, and the four sequels.

Singer Courtney Love is 56. TV Personality musician John Tesh is 68. Actor Tom Hanks is 64. Actress Kelly McGillis is 63. Top Gun. Actor Fred Savage is 44. The Wonder Years. Actor Robert Pine is 79. CHiPS. Folk singer Arlo Guthrie is 73. Singer Mavis Staples is 81. Bob Dylan once proposed to her. Singer Jeff Hanna is 73. Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. Mr. Bojangles. Actor Bruce McGill is 70. Animal House. Actress Sela Ward is 64. Guitarist Richie Sambora is 61. Bon Jovi. Actress Shelley Duvall is 71. Popeye.

Kelly Preston, mother, wife, and actor lost her two-year breast cancer battle at age 57. Benjamin Keough, 27, died of an apparent suicide. He is the son of Lisa Marie Presley and grandson of Elvis, and from what I could see of his picture he looked just like Elvis. Uncanny.

Everyone just left the office, so I walked out to my garden to check on some Monarch caterpillars that I spotted this morning. In fact, I had moved one of them from the dill to the milkweed and by this evening, he had moved to the carrots…hmmm…what’s up? Ohhhh. These are not Monarchs, they are Swallowtails. The caterpillars look so much alike. So, I checked around the garden. Many caterpillars covered the carrots, dill, and fennel. I moved some things around, so they are more out of sight to the birds, and all is happy in the garden tonight.

Wife: Have I gotten fat during quarantine? Husband:  You were never really, skinny! Time of Death: 11:23 pm. Cause of Death: Corona Virus.

I am not recommending that you get together with a bunch of people right now so, on July 19^th,  The Bryan Museum in Galveston will be streaming a touching documentary about the efforts of sculptor Todd McGrain, to place memorials of five extinct birds in places where they were last seen in the wild in North America. It is a series of bronze sculptures of birds driven to extinction in modern times. Statues of the Passenger Pigeon (once numbered in the billions and made up 25 percent of the total U.S. bird population), Heath Hen, Carolina Parakeet, Great Auk, and the Labrador Duck have been placed near the location of their last sightings. Second castings of these sculptures have been placed on The Bryan Museum grounds where you can see them for FREE. A six-foot permanent Eskimo Curlew Memorial Sculpture, commissioned by the Galveston Island Nature Tourism Council, was unveiled in March in Galveston Island State Park. The last North American sighting of this elegant shorebird occurred on west Galveston in 1962, per the Texas Bird Records Committee. This bronze tribute, the sixth sculpture of The Lost Bird Project, is located on the park’s Clapper Rail Trail. We need to take better care of our Earth and what lives here.  409-632-7685. They have a virtual exhibit opening later this month called Styling by the Sea: 140 Years of Beachwear. I am watching it. All you must do is register.

Important: A 23-year-old in France, was 35-weeks pregnant when she went to the hospital and tested positive for COVID-19. Doctors performed a cesarean and found that the newborn also had the virus. The CDC suggests that women who are pregnant or breastfeeding, limit interactions with other people, wear a mask and avoid those that do not wear a mask.

For Hamilton fans, Aaron Burr shot and killed Alexander Hamilton in a duel on 07-11-1804, 216 years ago.

According to infection control consultant at Harvard Medical School, indoor humidity should be kept higher than you might think. She is petitioning WHO and the CDC to add this simple piece of advice to COVID-19 guidelines.

Gymnast Simone Biles, who has a combined total of 30 Olympic and World Championship medals, just came up with something new. It is called a triple-double dismount, and no one has ever done it before. She handsprings twice on a balance beam, then throws herself into the air for a triple-double dismount into a container of foam cubes. She is amazing.

Texans star, J.J. Watt, says he probably will not play this season if NFL requires face shields. “My second year in the league I thought it’d be cool, I put a visor on my helmet,” Watt said. “I was like, ‘It looks so cool, I wanna put a visor on.’ I had it on for about three periods of practice and I said, ‘Take this sucker off, I’m gonna die out here.’ … So now you’re gonna put something around my mouth? You can keep that. If that comes into play, I don’t think you’re gonna see me on the field.” Well, J.J., we will miss you.

Congratulations to Danny Massey, named Superintendent of the Year from the Region 4 Education Service Center which is based in Houston and serves 48 public school districts in seven counties including all eight school districts in Brazoria County. What an honor. Congratulations.

Back in my day…there was so much toilet paper, people used to literally string it up in the trees of their enemies.

For whatever reason, I did not bring my leftovers for lunch today, so I slipped out, went to the post office but found it far too crowded for even masks and gloves, so I just buzzed over to Whataburger. And there it was…For Limited Time Only Dr. Pepper Shake. I told the intercom guy to give me just a moment to change my mind. What the heck…I will have a Whataburger with cheese, no onions, extra lettuce & tomatoes, and please add avocado, fries and the smallest little bitty tiny Dr. Pepper Shake. Please. My ‘kid’s size’ shake appeared at the window first. I was so excited I forgot to use my gloved hand and just grabbed it. If you are a Dr. Pepper fan, then you are going to love this. It says it is made with just pure Dr. Pepper syrup. I am sitting at my desk right now and I ate so much I cannot move anything but my fingers, but it was a great lunch. I will not need to eat again until tomorrow.

While I am on the subject of childhood treats, (I am after all, from Waco, Texas, home of Dr. Pepper, Big Red and Chip & Joanna), I happened across information about Islla Street Brewing Company in San Antonio. They have been experimenting with their beer by adding Big Red Syrup, calling it Big Rojo. The full-scale public release of this beer is scheduled for 07-22-2020. My grandma just loved bourbon & sprite and Big Red. Not together.  She would be so happy. Oh, and Krispy Kreme sells limited-edition Big Red Donuts.

Our numbers continue to rise. On July 1^st we had 69 reported cases in Brazoria County, and yesterday we had 190 reported cases. Huge difference. Wear you mask, wash your masks and your hands, use gloves, but most of all, exercise your ability to make good decisions that involve everyone. Stay home when and if you have a choice. Our hospitals are maxed out and will not be able to take care of us soon. Happy 21st birthday to my beautiful daughter. More about her next week.

😊 Lisa